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01/03/21 Tues. Drove down to KK this morning, collecting some 316 stainless steel bolts on the way, then went to private clinic for PCR test during the afternoon.
02/03/21 Weds. Test results back this morning - negative. Another appointment with Dr Melinda Tong in the afternoon and more liquid nitrogen squirted onto a few small lumps that are being stubborn.
03/03/21 Thurs. No appointments today, so we did a little shopping for various things, a new seal for the rudder, some sewing stuff for Ana and material for curtains. Cannot find any zinc anodes for the hull though!
04/03/21 Fri. Up to KPJ hospital this morning to see Dr Goh, the ENT specialist. He poked a camera up my nose and down my throat while I watched on tv. One side of my vocal cords are shot and he now needs to do a biopsy to see if the cancer is benign or malignant. However, before that can be done, I have to take a full medical with a cardiologist to make sure I'm fit enough for the op. I don't like the sounds of the costs quoted for all this! Drove back to Kudat during the afternoon, arriving back onboard around 4pm. Appointment to see cardiologist is at 10am on the 10th, so we will be going back to KK on the 9th.
07/03/21 Mon. I have ordered a new cutless bearing from the UK but haven't received any confirmation of my order as yet. The workshop here are making me a new lower bush for the rudder along with a 3mm deep nylon washer for the top seal. Cleaned the propeller today and the rudder quadrant (ready for painting). Ana phoned KPJ hospital to find out if I need another PCR test to attend my appointment on the 10th, thankfully the answer was no, but I will need one for the biopsy procedure.
10/03/21 Thurs. Arrived back from KK at 4pm today after seeing Dr Rowland, the cardiologist for a check up at 10am this morning - bit of a waste of time in my humble opinion as it was nowhere near as detailed as the check I had in UK prior to my heart op, and it has the same concerns about a patient dying on the operating table whilst under anaesthetic. Anyway, after that I went back to Dr Goh (ENT) who again explained what he would do and booked the op for 0600 on the 23rd of this month. Fingers crossed that whatever he scrapes off my vocal cords is not malignant and the rest can be removed with laser treatment.
12/03/22 Sat. We started sanding the underwater area today, it's hard work so only a few hours as it was too hot. Both of us looked like Smurfs afterwards but only about a quarter of the keel and the rudder done. There are some spots where I suspect a little osmosis, so they will have to be looked at more closely.
15/03/22 Tues. Sanding of the hull continues slowly - and not in the full heat of the day! Neil (Shelley) returned today with his two daughters and son-in-law, so good to see him back!. We helped get them across the pond to Shelley and loaned them our dinghy for the night.
16/03/22 Weds. I took the two Shelley ladies shopping this morning (rental car) and they stocked up in readiness for leaving to Indonesia. From lunchtime to 3pm, we were on Kaya with Brent and Shane, giving a hand with their launch from the yard - so no work on our own boat today!
18/03/22 Thurs. Another day of no work on our boat! We went over to Shelley, did a couple of repairs for Neil and moved all our stuff from his boat onto Craig's boat. After that, as Neil now has his dinghy back in service, we brought our dinghy back to the yard and hoisted it up on deck again.
19/03/22 Fri. Three hours of sanding this morning until it got too hot.
21/03/22 Mon. We drove down to KK this morning, got a phone call half way from the ENT secretary telling us to call at the hospital on arrival, found out it was for the blood test on site. After that, we went to Sunray Clinic and got a PCR test with results the same day - negative.
22/03/22 Tues. A day of no appointments, so we pottered around KK looking in various shops before going to Kalamatas Restro for my 'last supper' before fasting for tomorrow's op.
23/03/22 Weds. Up early this morning, decided to leave the car in the hotel car park and get a taxi to the hospital for a 0600 check in. The op was on time at 0800 and I next awoke around 1045. After several visits from ENT doc, Cardio doc and various nurses they kept an eye on me in ICU until 1630 and after paying the balance of the bill, I was allowed to leave with a big bag of painkillers. Before leaving, one of the nurses showed me 4 jars, each with a fairly large slice of my vocal cords in, which to me looked just like sliced mushrooms! I'm told not to talk for five days, and then to 'rest' my voice for another 2 weeks. I have to go back on the 6th April for the follow up and results of the biopsy.
24/03/22 Thurs. After breakfast, we packed up and checked out of hotel, drove around a few places before setting off back to Kudat. A nice easy drive back, calling at CKS in Tuaran for some shopping supplies.
25/03/22 Fri. Returned the car at 0730 this morning. Ana did some more sanding on the hull while I kept out of the dust clouds as much as possible. I hear that immigration officials are kicking up a little over 'illegals' with no visas, which is us! I guess we will find out when we go to immigration in the next few days.
26/03/22 Sat. The hospital gave me a DVD of my 'op' - Ana watched it last night and then didn't have any dinner! It's not the sort of thing I want to watch and after just a few minutes, I went to sit in the cockpit. Perhaps I should upload it to my 'workshop' page! Today, Ana has been sanding the blue anti-foul off again while I sit inside the boat. Don't know what I would do without her really.
31/03/22 Thurs. My throat (and voice) are improving slowly. Ana continues to sand the anti-foul off for a couple of hours each day. My cutless bearing has still not arrived from UK and has been sitting in KL for over 14 days now. The workshop haven't made my rudder bush as the lathe operator is off sick, so I may have to take that somewhere else to be made as it's been 3 weeks now. Brent and Shane are leaving tomorrow for Puerto Princesa but Alistair, who was going with them, tested positive for Covid in the PCR test and he is now in quarantine onboard his boat. We will have to go to the Immigration Office in the morning and see what they say about our 'non' visas. Borders open up tomorrow so we can expect an influx of boats from the Philippines to haul out.
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