Active Service Injuries Northern Ireland 1974

Jim was seriously injured whilst on patrol in the Shantellow district.

He was commanding a mobile patrol when they came upon a crowd of young men, Jim and his men embussed from their vehicle, but immediately came under
attack by some teenagers who started throwing house bricks at them, Jim was hit in the face by a brick, due to this injury his patrol cleared the area, then took
Jim immediately to the nearest hospital for treatment.

After an X ray it was discovered that Jim had suffered a smashed jaw, he later had a 6 1/2 hour operation to his jaw which needed steel wire to hold his face together, and
10 stitches to his eye.

He still suffers pain from this injury and has regular eye tests for his damaged right eye.

Jim never let this injury prevent him from further tours in northern Ireland.

Cede Nullis -



 My Cancer

I would just like to introduce myself to you all my name is Jim, My friend Les asked me to do a short story on my illness

The way that I found out is one day when I was having a shave I noticed a lump on the side of my neck. At this time I didn’t know what it was maybe a Cyst or something like that so I said to my wife have a look at this lump. So she did, she wasn’t happy about it. Then she phoned my doctor made an appointment for me.

So the following day we both went up to see the doctor. He took a look at the lump and got a ruler out and measured it. It was two and a half inches long by one inch wide. Then he said that he would make an appointment at Barnsley hospital at the head and neck clinic.
About four or five days later I got the appointment to go to the clinic, when I got to Barnsley hospital I saw the doctor. He had a look at the lump on my neck and took a needle biopsy out of the lump.

After a few days the hospital sent for me again the doctor confirmed it was cancer! and that they wanted to do a full internal body biopsy. when they told me and my wife it was cancer a McMillan nurse took us to a private room where she talk about the cancer and what might happen. Then I broke down and cried for must of the time and when I got home (then you have to tell the family, then more tears))

So after a few more days I was back in Barnsley hospital, ward thirty it was they took me to theatre where they did the full internal biopsy on me. That was ok but when I came round from the operation (biopsy) I had a very sore throat, then the doc came and told me he had to remove my tonsils because they were infected. (then out came the morphine) I was in that much pain. After a few days I was home again.

After about five day I had to go back to the hospital (they had sent for me) by this time we were on first name basis. Well Jim he said got good news bad news. The good new is that internal biopsy is ok. BUT the bad new is I have to take the lump out of your neck. Then he explained the procedure. You will have a small scar about two inches long. So another couple of days went by then I was back, they took out the lump. And they did some more testing on the lump. By this time I was back home (Hurray I thought that’s it, It’s gone). Then I got another letter from the hospital they wanted to see me again. so I went back to see the doc, this time he said that he would have to do the big operation on my neck. Then he told me what he had to do. (this was a big shock) he said that I might loose my voice because of the cancer being so close to my voice box, so I said do your best.

This operation is called a radical neck dissection, they take all the glands and muscles they even took my juggler vein out (thirty nine lymph glands five of these were really infected three of them was at a high rate. It was only a couple of days after that I was back again (by this time I was really getting tired of it all) Ward thirty once again. The day after I was admitted they got me ready for theatre I was all ready waiting shaking like a leaf, then they came for me but it was to tell me the surgeon and to cancel because he had to extend an operation on another patient. So I had to go through all that again, the following day I went to the theatre, I was in there eight and half hours, when I came round I just looked like I had a zip round my neck and shoulder there was a total thirty four clips in and around my neck and shoulder. Oh and I had two drains in tubes from my neck and shoulder into these drains which were the size of a bean can. These were to take fluid away from my neck. I had these in for seven days. The scar ran from the back of my left ear following the contour of my jaw and stops at the point of my chin and then from half way down my chin leading off to the top of my shoulder.

A few weeks later when the scar tissue settled down. I had to go to Weston park hospital (this is a cancer hospital) where I was going for radio therapy. I had to go for six weeks five days a week Saturdays and Sundays I had off. The first time I went I had a mask made firstly of plaster then they made one of clear plastic, this was the one I would be wearing when I went on the radio therapy machine. When the mask had been made I had to go on a simulator machine, this was identical to the real one but with out the radio waves. on the simulator this is were they put lines and measurements on the mask so they know where to put the radio waves, on the mask it had two plastic type wings at the back this is where I was fastened to a bench type bed, this was so I could not move when the machine was operating, when I started the radiotherapy I did not feel any pain at all BUT after a couple of weeks I started to get a sore throat and mouth ulcers and thrush, but they did tell me about all this.( it was really painful)

After I had finished all my radio therapy it was a long and painful healing process. I was on morphine for one year after the treatment and I lost a lot of weight going from being sixteen stone and the going down to eleven stones in a couple of weeks. All I was living on was a drink called Ribena that all I could eat and drink, I don’t want to sound morbid but I nearly died!! (I gave up). But if it wasn’t for my wife Ruth I would not be here telling you this. It is on going I have to visit the hospital the head and neck clinic. Firstly I had to go once a month, and now it is every three months, this is to check to see if the Cancer as returned. This goes on for five years then if they think the Cancer as gone they give you the all clear. It goes on I have to visit the dentist every three months, because the radio therapy as caused me to have a decease in my teeth, which rots them, my teeth are nearly all fillings. The hospital has told me to keep my teeth as long as possible. (Reason) is because if the decease goes into my jaw bone it will mean major surgery again, by taking a piece out of the jaw bone then replacing it with bone or stainless steel, the surgical sort. That is something I don’t want, so at this moment I am doing ok but it is always there in your mind you can never forget it, they never found the primary tumour!!!! But I wake up in the mornings and say to myself good morning world and thank you lord for I m still here. I would just like to say hope this little note is a help to other’s like me. And thank you to all the doctor, and nurses who have cared for me through my illness. And thanks to all of my friends and relatives that have supported me.



On the tenth of July 2007 it was four years since I had my operation for Cancer And in October 2007 it is four years since I had my Radiotherapy

I am sat in my garden in the sunshine ,What couldn’t be any better. Now looking back over the last four years I have had some worrying times I did find some more lumps on my neck/throat

So I went to see my Doctor at Barnsley Hospital He had a good look round and he said he was a bit worried so he sent me for an MRI scan, it was very quick I had just got back from the hospital and a few moments later the phone rang, it was the hospital, they said can you came back at four o’clock . I said yes so off I went and had the scan.

If you don’t know they put you on a hard bench/bed and fasten you down so you can’t move. And stick some ear muffs on, This so they play music to you because of the noise it makes, It sound like jigger picks right next to your ears and you have to lay very still. They slid me in to the scanner .(I was in there four fifty five minutes.) When they pulled me out of the scanner the nurses had to lift me of the bed as I was that stiff,

The next time I saw the doctor he said that the scan had shown two more small lumps he said he would not operate as they are that small it would be like going on a wild goose chase.

The next clinic I went to My wife said that I was getting tired quickly and a bit deaf. For the tiredness they gave me a blood test . They told me that the radio therapy had caused the tiredness and for the deafness they gave me an hearing aid (What) In the last couple of years I have been in and out of hospital many times

I even stopped drinking for nearly a year, I had my check up at the clinic and the doctor put the camera up my nose and down into my throat and had a look round and he sad it looks like you have thrush (this is also caused by Radio therapy) So he gave me some medication for this I had to take it for four week’s.

I only go for check up’s every six months now, I have about fourteen months left before they can give me the ULTIMATE all clear. But I don’t think they will as they never found the primary source of the cancer Now I am trying my best to get on with live and trying not to worry about the cancer but it is always in your mind.

I just want to add that if I didn’t have my family and good friends ( they all know who they are) This day would have never happened


Now you all take care.



MOST of all I would like to thank my wife Ruth, who is still supporting me, She is my rock !!
 

Jim and Ruth Jim

Majorca 2006