Hi guys I have been into hospital and had my operation last Friday. Though the operation did go well, unfortunately I was very unwell and ended up back in hospital in the early hours of the morning. With vomiting, excruciating pains and a high fever. Anyway 12hrs of fluids, painkillers and antsickness med drips I was allowed home again. I am picking up slowly. But I wanted to apologize to everyone who’s posts and comments I have missed in the last few days.
Today is the first day I have felt anything like myself. I am slowly catching up with you all. I keep getting pains and feeling sick but it is a huge improvement on how I was feeling. So fingers crossed I can catch up with you all in the next few days. Please be patient with me.
This song is so much deeper that it appears on first hearing. It’s all about depression, or maybe that’s too strong a word. Perhaps apaphy is better word. ” I can’t change my mould, I am here in my mould, and I am million different people from one day to next, I can’t change my mold”. To me that’s very poignant especially these strange days. On the face of it the video could easily be about flouting social distancing…. Don’t get me started.
As I am recovering with this bag , my new friend things have become even more ground hog and indistinguishable! I still wake at stupid o’clock. Though now Hubby does most things I used to. I do as much as I can, even if it’s behind his back. I don’t tell him and it’s always one less job for him to do.
At some point over the weekend our friends Debbie and Chris came to socially distance in the garden, that was lovely but it rained…. We spoke to the boys and did all the usual things, plus our weekly virtual night at the pub with our friends. I was tucked up in bed by nine.
Hubby is also busy sorting out his Mum’s estate, so much involved with that and busy.
Monday 29th June 2020.
Up at stupid o’clock, hubby walked Ruby and I got dressed. We had a hospital appointment to have the drain and bag checked. We arrived just after 10am, parking was not easy but eventually we got a space. Hubby went and found me a wheel chair and we were off.
We arrived at the ADSU at about 10.30, they did seem very busy. The nurse incharge seems very abrupt but we had an appointment. We were waiting around for a while then they found us a bay and bed.
Things looked up when our nurse arrived, she was really nice and welcoming and very confident. So bloods, stats and four hour wait we had a 6mins consultation.
The two doctors we saw were really helpful, if not a tad rushed. But the answered all my questions and addressed my worries. They told me all was looking okay. The bleeding seemed to have stopped 🤞the dressing, tubes,drain and bag all good too. I have to go back in about four weeks to have special X-ray and see the surgeon about the removal of drain and operation. I am hoping we will be looking at another 6 weeks. Hubby had got us a sandwich and drink while we were waiting and we had lunch in the car before we headed home.
I was knackered when we got home 💜
Tuesday 30th June 2020 to Friday 3rd July 2020.
Well it’s almost been sleep, eat repeat. Not too much eat though. Hubby walks the dog, we keep in touch with friends and family. I empty my cholecystectomy bag daily. Hubby shops, cooks and cleans, I do my bit and will my body to heal. I walk round and round the garden and house to keep fit.
Last night and tonight hubby and I walked out the front door, around the block and back into the back door. All good exercise. Not far but it’s a start. Also our middle lad popped round to social distance round the garden.
That’s really all I have to tell at the moment so it’s time for a happy song . I have used this song before but I am going to use it again. Because I need to be brave and positive and this song makes me feel both!
It’s the fifth Tuesday of the month! This is our chance to work with a specific syllabic poetry form. Take this opportunity to learn more about the particular form.
This week’s form is:
Haibun
As an added bit to the challenge… please use Frank J. Tassone’s photo as the inspiration for your Haibun. Frank says this spot is called Getrude’s Nose, a Rocky promenade located in Minnewaska Preserve State Park, in the Shawangunk Mountains outside New Paltz, New York (about a 2 hour drive out of NYC). Please include the copyright to the photo in your post.
I decided to take on Colleen’s challenge and write about part of my recent time in hospital.
I lie on my side, voices above my head are panicked. Another voice arrives, a quick discussion ensues. Angiogram is mentioned, I am moved. It’s all panic and pain. My head searches for escape, trees, rock, warmth and peace. The voices decide what they are doing. A voice barks orders at me, the pain increases…..
Dear friends, and you are all friends, you have proved this more than once. I feel I should explain my absence since 4th June. I have been unable to write or even read any one’s posts, my apologies. Then this morning I spotted how Darswood had said she had wondered where I was and had sent condolences for the family that I should give you a heads up for now.
Firstly, MIL died late night 3rd/ early hours 4th June. The Covid and frailty won in the end. MIL did not go quietly she fought it to the end with every ounce she had. She made her goal, her 100th Birthday and was conscious, up and dressed to celebrate it with the hospital staff and hubby.
Then the days began to blur we fell into a pit of organisation. As you will know if you have been following my #WDIIA posts hubby and his brother and sister do not get on too well. But when MIL died they agreed hubby should organise everything, this is just as well as otherwise it would of been chaos. So he threw himself into arranging the funeral. I gave all the support I could but he was a man on a mission, he wanted to do his mum proud.
We got up at stupid o’clock, we walked Ruby , Hubby arranged the funeral this strange pandemic life continued with its highs and lows.
Stangely I was feeling ill, sleeping, eating and doing even less. I found it hard to write or read. Pains in my shoulders, back, chest, neck, jaw all escalated until we thought heart attack? … But for days? Eventually I rang our GP surgery.
Now going to the GP surgery these days is not normal. You ring up and talk to a non medical receptionist who quizzes you, luckily I was deemed unwell enough to see a duty Dr at 5pm that evening. Instructions : Arrive at carpark wearing a mask and gloves, stand at the first yellow line by the emergency exit and someone will let you in. I was greeted by an woman in brown scrubs, plastic apron, gloves, mask, goggles and a visor. She was actually the Dr. Her PPE and my mask made conversation rather difficult, anyway I had a chat with her then a nurse gave me an ECG. And an appointment for blood test was arranged. ECG was fine.
I am not well
It was a very painful weekend though Saturday we got to see our son , his wife and the grandchildren, under brand new rules we are now allowed to have a BBQ of six people who must socially distancing. You may not go into the host’s house at all. So we had a lovely bbq.. and it was cold and windy and some of the time it rained thank goodness for heavy garden umbrellas. But it was the first chance to see them since lockdown and it was lovely. Some of the above rules have changed again.
As the weekend progressed I got worse. Monday was terrific, pain, Monday night thought I was dying, Tuesday I took to my bed. By 4pm we had to call 101, they sent an Ambulance which took me to E.D. Home at 5am next morning then back at AEC at 11am tests all day, then Ultrasound found the problem. A massively swollen gall bladder full of bile and large stones, one huge one blocking the neck. I was admitted.
Now again because of the pandemic we have to go to hospital unaccompanied, so hubby had spent Monday night and Tuesday not really knowing how I was really coping. Luckily we were in touch by mobile.
Wednesday after nil by mouth I.V. antibiotics, fluids and painkillers overnight on the ward it was decided they would put in a drain and fit a cholecystectomy bag. Mid morning I was taken to ultrasound, the procedure did not go smoothly and it had to be done twice with a CT Angiogram done half way through to see what was going wrong. I might talk about that later but not today, the drain and bag are with me now for 6 to 8 weeks with appointments arranged with the surgeon and then another operation to remove the gall bladder.
Hospitals too at the moment are dark and scary places , staff wearing PPE, and inpatients and outpatients wearing masks and gloves. I will write about about my experiences, fears, what I heard and saw but not now I am tired and I don’t have the muse with me she is on holiday.
I was discharged from hospital Saturday evening, wearing my new accessary the cholecystectomy bag, with scant instructions on how to empty and keep it clean and even less on what I can and can’t do myself, but there’s always Google and my brain to help me with that . So Sunday dawned warm and it was so good to feel safe at home, hubby and I emptied the cholecystectomy bag , over 200mls good I thought it’s draining well , We had a very quiet day and it was good to relax and eat something edible though small. A neighbour rang and whilst they were chatting I was dozing. Hubby looked at my bag and there was another 150 mils in it. He said our neighbour had said it should not be red and looking like tomato sauce and over 300mls was an awful lot to loose since coming home. Thankfully we listened as we knew she was a nurse albeit 34yrs ago.
So it was Sunday evening I was back in hospital much to my distress, thank goodness after 24hrs, more tests, bloods and two nasty injections through a cannular I am back home , grateful and determined to stay here.
Last night I slept like a baby, we were up at a quarter to stupid o’clock. But today is MIL’s funeral and sadly I can’t go, I am not well enough. That again is another post. .
So I am going to stop now as I am exhausted, I have been trying to finish this post on and off for over 12 hours now but I am determined to do so.
The funeral went well, and MIL’s road was lined with her neighbours, family and friends. A mark of the woman she was. Our middle son followed the hearse to the Crematorium as a mark of respect, a one man Cortege. He payed his respects to the 10 family members allowed into the funeral then drove to our house to look after me. In the garden socially distancing.
Hubby and our two other sons attended the funeral, hubby read his lovely eulogy to his mum, the Celebrant spoke beautifully about MIL from what hubby had told her. Hubby and our to other lads joined The middle lad and me in the garden, we made a party of six with Ruby dog, and we were all socially distanced. The boys drifted off one by one the youngest first home to his family, then the middle to his flat our eldest and hubby took Ruby for a walk . Then he went off home too.
Below the music from the funeral.
Mil entered to this as it was a favourite of hers.
This hymn was for all to join in, with was this version.
Unforgettable, bless she is. Was her exit anthem.
So I think that is that for now, I still don’t feel up to being back full time yet. The loss, the cholecystectomy bag, the next op, the fear and pain, pandemic is all a little to much just now. I am here I am trying and it’s so good to know you are all there.
Thank you to Sue at Daily Echo and Ritu at But I Smile Anyway for seeing me through a dark night on the ward. Thank you Marjorie Mallon for her kind words and Darswood for giving me the shove I needed to write this post. To all of you , you know who you are Betty, Geoff, Di, Hugh, Colleen, Dale, Ronovanwrite’s, Kat, John, Jim all of you out there, I am here. I am coming back I just need some time. If your name’s not there consider yourselves all mentioned.
If we were having Coffee: I would remind you that there are lots of other coffee mornings all shared and organized By Diana and Gene’O over at,Part time monster
Come on in it is nice to sit and have a chat after all the hustle and bustle of the past few days. I can still entertain you all with tea and coffee from all over the world not to mention all our cakes and muffins and as Paul calls them sweets! Every single one is calorie free! Plus of course we now have spirits and liquors to warm the coldest of you.
If we were having coffee: Where would I start. It all started off normally enough then !
We took Hubby’s Mum 95yrs old and her only remaining sister in law 91yrs out for lunch on Tuesday all was lovely both ladies fit and chatting non stop …though both getting frail.
After lunch we went back to Hubby’s mum’s house as her sister in law lives in London and we thought we would take her back after 7pm and miss the rush hour. Good job we did because at about 5.30pm Mum had a mini stroke she had a strange grin on her face and could not talk. Well with in sixty seconds I told Hubby to ring the DR luckily he realized I meant ambulance! The first response car was there in 5mins and the paramedic was excellent. Then about 15mins after she arrived Mum had a fit we had to get her on to the floor and in the recovery position.
The poor aunt was in bits I had been cuddling her but had to leave her to help the para medic with Mum. When the Ambulance did arrive it was decided to take her to a near by Acute Stroke unit, so we agreed that I would go in the Ambulance with Mum and Hubby would take his Aunt home then join us at the unit.
Mum was seen at the unit and we were all amazed that she made an a fast recovery her speech face and all her limbs back to normal within hours. Though she was and is still a little flustered and confused. They decided to send her to a hospital which is nearer to where she lives, also she was due a biopsy the next day at that hospital and because she was worrying about that she should be sent there.
At 10pm they told us they could not get transport and could we take her ourselves. Hubby’s brother was not impressed but for Mum’s sake it was best we just agree, so Hubby and I took her. When we arrived hubby went in and explained the situation while stayed with her in the car. He refused to have her sitting in the crowded waiting room. Luckily a senior nurse told him to bring her straight through.
Long story short we left at 1am she got on to a ward at 4.30 am but we had to go when we did as we were so tired and apparently she had every test known to man or woman. We were back there the next day and took her for the biopsy.
Again long story short we bought her home Friday to her house her other son is staying with her until Monday then we will have to sort something out …. by we I mean Hubby and I. The sad thing is the biopsy she had on Wednesday has confirmed her lymphoma has return …. she had Lymphoma 10yrs ago and in spite of being only given 6months to live she recovered with treatment and went on to have another 10yrs full of cruises with friends and on her own, and holidays and days out with us and friends never knowingly found sitting down.
This news has knocked her for six , obviously. She has asked for treatment as in her words she would like some more time. So we are awaiting the medics opinion so it is just fingers crossed .
We have been seeing Mum every day since she had the stroke, fit and bad news and now she is home we are making sure she is not alone. Our youngest took the Newbie round to see her yesterday afternoon and our eldest drove up from from the south coast to see her our middle son due to work has been phoning her. Her ex daughter in law and her daughter have been to see her and her so she is not alone . In fact she is coming here for a late dinner today.
If we were having coffee: I would apologize for going on do have another cuppa and something to eat!
With all the above going on blogging has been rather hit and miss and though occasionally late I have managed to keep up JusJoJan! to be found at LindaGHills blog.
Also I have to say that purely by chance HelenEspinosa‘s Song lyric Sunday is so apt for this weeks events that it made me weep. Please pop over and have a look and you will see why! look here
I must dash now loads to do. Sorry if I am not commenting as much but my like does mean a lot I promise. I shall be back to normal as and when.
If we were having Coffee: I would have to say we are all sill waiting patiently for our dear Paul Curran to rejoin us here at the coffee share but until he is well enough and up and running again we shall have to bide our time!
Hello everyone welcome to the garden we have a marquee and heaters, all the garden furniture has been washed and I have put out cushions for your comfort.
Well what do you think shall we chance it . Now as always we have tea and coffee from all over the world not to mention all our cakes and muffins and as Paul calls them sweets! Every single one is calorie free! Plus of course we now have spirits and liquors to warm the coldest of you.
If we were having Coffee: I would ask you what has been going on in your world this week, has anything deeply affected you, have you need a sympathetic ear, a shoulder to cry on or just needed someone to make you laugh! If yes feel free to talk it out here with us. We will all help if we can.
Lets join everyone here and all the other “IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEES”
Join in !
If we were having Coffee: I would remind you that there are lots of other coffee mornings all shared and organized By Diana and Gene’O over at,Part time monster
self harm
If we were having coffee : I would have to admit that I have been preoccupied with the plight of my friend’s daughter who has been in and out of a psychiatric unit like a yoyo in the past fortnight. It has been a roller coaster for my friend, her other daughter and for the husband and myself. Trips to and from the unit, not being allowed to see the patient or even call without express permission from the patient . Even my friend could not get any information about her daughter unless she had allowed it first.
My friend has two daughters both beautiful bright young women and I have known them since they were little girls of about 6yrs and 8yrs repectively. So it has been a an awful and deep shock to see the younger daughter now 21yrs fall apart, in what looks like a fortnight. It was even worse for her mum who also had no idea there were any problems.
The sad facts are that she has been suffering for a long time, she has been self harming and covering her misery for ages. None of us knew none of us had any idea.
If we were having coffee : I would tell you that I have had my second eldest sister on my mind too. She has been in hospital since 24th April , she went in to have a heart operation, a double bypass and double valve replacement . Well since then she has developed an infection in the wound in her leg from where they took the veins use in the operation and somehow she has a bone infection in her chest, there has been a long catalogue of setbacks that have befallen her but the fact remains she is still very unwell and any prayers you may have to say for her would be appreciated.
If we were having coffee : I would ask if you would like more tea, coffee and cake? We have plenty and all is calorie free!
If we were having coffee : I feel I should lighten the tone of this post so lets see? Monday the husband and I went into town to do some shopping ( clothes shopping ) well we parked a 15min walk from the shops. Not a problem it was a warm day ….. well we only had 2hr parking so half an hour would be walking to and from the shops, leaving an hour and a half to pick, try on and pay for the goods. We accomplished that …. rather rushed but done. On the way back to the car the heavens opened up and boy did it rain. We got soaked to the skin!
Tuesday back at the gym then housework , ironing and trip to hospital with my friend , mentioned above. She and her daughter stayed for dinner.
Wednesday Core Lesson at the gym, then take friend’s daughter back to hospital, in the afternoon I met my gym buddy for a coffee and a chat, we arranged to go into town the next day ….. so I could change most of the clothes I had so hastily bought on the Monday!
Thursday after the gym my buddy and I caught the bus into town and took our time I changed my hastily picked goods for more suitable and better fitting ones, she also bought some tops and three pairs of shoes. Then it started to rain and we got soaked …. for me again! We went and had a cuppa and a cake in a department store, by then we had dried out and so had the weather so we carried on to the Apple store where my friend had some queries to sort out! After which we caught the bus home.
Soaked twice in one week, not very fair! So Friday I had the new drive again to the Pilates class, which I found with no problem at all I did not get even slightly lost in either direction and really enjoyed the class. Busy afternoon and evening.
Today was special because the Newbie and his Daddy came for lunch and we had a lovely time with lots of giggling and fun!!
If we were having coffee : I wowuld say it is time for garden round up!
Toms
More toms
Green beans
Yet more toms
and now for from veg to flowers!
Honeysuckle
Lollypop Holly Bush
White Rose
Red hot Pokers
View through the Fuscias
Okay well that is about all there is time for this week so
If we were having coffee : I would ask if I can fill up your cup, or glass or get you anything else to eat it is all calorie free!
Let us go and Join Paul and the gang and see what they are all discussing this week! It has been lovely as always to have you all here and I hope, as does Paul that you will all join us here again next week.
Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul, I’ll be your barista today and I’m happy to be here once again. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. Willow has plumped the cushions and started a cozy fire so we can warm ourselves while we have a cuppa and chat. As usual, I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. Also available is a large selection of spirits for addition to your cuppa or in its place. We can relax while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been?
So, I travel to dialysis three times a week by a handicap bus. Because it is so often and I am on disability, the bus pass is covered under Health and Safety Services (HSS). For this I am grateful. However, dealing with HSS has to be the most frustrating experience I have ever had. Naturally enough, they want yearly confirmation by a doctor that I still qualify for this service, so they send a form to me for the doctor to sign. I received that form late last week and on Monday, while he was doing rounds, I got the dialysis doctor’s signature. So far, so good. Dialysis is very obliging and has some stake in their patients arriving in a timely manner so they offered to fax the form to the appropriate government office. The form says clearly and unambiguously “… fax to Valerie Gauthier at 613-580-4760” in big letters on the top. So, dialysis faxes this form, attaches the confirmation of fax receipt from the receiving fax at the correct number, to the form and returns it to me. Knowing this department is notoriously incompetent (very kind and considerate and easy going and approachable and very seldom, if ever, get anything right the first time around) I decide to follow up to make sure this form has been received.
Would you like a refill? Perhaps a sweet? On Thursday afternoon, I look up the number for Valerie in the city of Ottawa employee directory, and call. Valerie informs me in a very upset tone that I have the wrong person – she no longer does that. Fine, I tell her that her name is on the form – I hesitate to ask what her problem is. So Valerie kindly gets me the number of my worker and explains that all services are coordinated through her – Diane Miron. So I call Diane, identify myself and explain why I am calling. Diane informs me that she doesn’t take care of that and asks who and what number I faxed the form to. So I tell her the name and number on the form. Diane tells me that the person and the number are wrong – and uses a tone that implies I’m stupid. I object that I did precisely what the form asked me to do. Diane says they haven’t gotten around to changing the form yet and checks the computer. She tells me that the computer does not show that the form has been received and asks when I sent it. I tell her (4 days ago) and she says that Julia Hamilton now takes care of this and that she should eventually get the form anyway. So, I thank Diane and look up Julia’s number. She is not in and I leave a message. So far I have used over ½ hour of my time and city workers time fruitlessly because the form had the wrong info on it. And still I have no answer and the city wonders why their workers’ productivity is so low.
City of Ottawa HSS Building
The following day I received a call back from Julia who told me that the form was no where to be found and that I should re-fax it to 613-580-2790. Of course I don’t have a fax at home so I faxed it that night in dialysis. I impressed upon her that the form had a different number on it and she told me that the form had been revised now, which of course was after it had already been sent to all the applicants. So anyone who got the renewal form this month will not get their bus pass unless they followed up with a call and re-fax to a different number. Oh, and by the way, she informed me that there is a number that I should call in future for inquiries and they will relay a message to her- I shouldn’t call her direct. How do you do dealing with government departments? Do they frustrate you as well? Do tell.
Another cuppa perhaps? Would you like a sweet, they are very tasty and calorie free. On another note, I was reading an article in The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper and paper of record (a national newspaper that carries official and legal notices by government decree) about a group of 3 young men who disappeared from a Winnipeg university in the mid 2000’s read here They communicated that they were going to join Al-Qaeda. One man was American and he showed back up in the US – extradited from Pakistan – charged with providing help to terrorists. He has since been incarcerated. The Canadian families of the remaining young men had some hope that their sons would be found and extradited as well, but that is not the policy. Apparently, in its war on terrorism, the American government has been getting a lot of flak at home about killing American citizens who are affiliated with terrorists overseas. Consequently, when possible, they capture and return Americans to the US where they are charged and imprisoned. That being said, they do not have a similar policy for other foreign nationals including Canadians – they are killed on sight when appropriate, often by drones.
Ahmad Waseem, left, of Windsor, Ont., was wounded in combat in Syria. John Maguire, centre, is a former University of Ottawa business student who was under RCMP investigation after leaving for Syria last year. Hasibullah Yusufzai, right, is a B.C. man charged with terrorism in July.
So, it occurs to me that the US government is seeing negative backlash at home when it kills Americans overseas – how do they think everyone else feels when other nationalities are killed by Americans in other countries? And their backlash is coming on proven American terrorists, how do they think others feel when innocent people are killed in American raids and activities? The Americans call this “collateral damage” – I call it generating more terrorists and people worldwide who hate America’s foreign policy, military, and government (note the Oxford comma after “military” – a tribute to Doobster’s punctuation lessons.) What do you think? Does anyone (regardless of nationality) who engages in terrorism or collaborates with terrorists deserve to die overseas even if they have not personally harmed anyone? (For example the terrorists’ bakers and confectioners are considered collaborators and are killed on sight.) And what about the innocents who are killed – those whose only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?
On that note, that’s about all we have room for this week, so it’s time to settle in with another cuppa and watch the fire. Sweets anyone? Please join me in thanking Willow for her invitation to tea. We are all honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Willow is over there serving her guests and chatting it up. Let’s go see how she is today. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you back here for sweets and beverages of your choice again next week.
Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul, I’ll be your barista today and I’m happy to be here once again. Please come in and make yourself comfortable. Willow has plumped the cushions and started a cozy fire so we can warm ourselves while we have a cuppa and chat. As usual, I’d be pleased to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. Also available is a large selection of spirits for addition to your cuppa or in its place. We can relax while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your week been?
It has been a chilly week here in Ottawa, forcing everyone to scuttle from one building to another in an attempt to stay warm. Right now, as I write this, it is -23 C (about -15 F) with a wind chill in the -30’s. Brrrr! So, anyway I had scuttled to the hospital one morning for a consult with a new (to me) doctor who will perform a minor surgery on me in a few months. It is another domino in the dialysis chain that has fallen and the procedure is necessary to straighten out a side effect. I am told that it is minimal invasive but necessary and will require a few days stay as an inpatient. Anyway, I have never met this doctor before, so, of course, we have to go though my sordid medical history and I am to be poked and prodded to ascertain my medical fitness to qualify. Now this is an “ENT” (Ear, nose, throat) doc, so it’s all about my head and neck and the parts therin.
(See that headrest? I thought it was for my comfort – WRONG. It is to keep my head from running away )when a probe targets my nose – AAARGH!.)
I present myself and am ushered in short order into an exam room. My wait is minimal and two young (my God they don’t look a day over 19) med students (3rd year) and introduce themselves – Dana and Pirya. Sigh. They are eager and humble and attentive and ask my permission (imagine that, a doc who asks permission) to do all the prelim work for the record before I see the doctor. There are advantages to this hospital being a teaching institution – all the docs are not old and grumpy. Ha! Of course, faced with two young, attractive women who ask me to talk about myself, while they listen attentively, is not unpleasant and off I go on my favorite topic – me.
This back and forth goes on for a bit and then they inform me that they would like to check a few things, again with my permission. Then they proceed to pore over my head, looking in every orifice and discussing their observations with each other and me (amazingly). I have to tell you, I was impressed. For the first time, in as long as I can remember, a doctor (or a pair of doctors) began to list all the things that were right with me. As I sat there they each declared both of my ears in excellent shape (“What am I looking for? “ “If you shine the light at an angle right there (positions instrument for partner to look) you will see a reflection off the ear drum and you can see that it is all symmetrical and clear and very good looking.”) I have never had my ears checked and often wondered if I was taking good care of them – having never used any of the oft toted ear products such as swabs. I felt as if I had perhaps ignored my ears and they were waiting to wreck havoc. But no, in two professional opinions, they were as good as the day they first started hearing. And pronounced so by two attractive young women.
Then they want to look down my throat and with the help of another oddly shaped light and a tongue depressor, proceed to tell me that my throat looks wonderful (my words), that my gums look very healthy and that there is no sign of any irregularities in any of the linings. Pushing my tongue around, one doc holding the light and the other the depressor, they examined it, top, sides, bottom, and declared it too a fine specimen of a tongue, well maintained and definitely worthy of my head. Ha! All this they do with an air of humbleness and constant requesting of my permission. Often one will say “I’ve never done this before” and the other would reply “Oh, let me show you.”
Then they decide to check all the lymph nodes in my neck, a procedure that involved standing behind me and basically massaging my neck and throat as they looked for the nodes. They knew where they all were – and there are apparently a whack of them – in theory but finding them in real life was a challenge. Then of course, once one doc had found some, they would change places and the other doc would find them too. I must have shown some signs that I was enjoying this as Dana asked if it was pleasant. I replied that they could look for nodes in my back too when they were done. Ha! They pronounced all my lymph nodes in perfect condition. Whew, I was batting a thousand They were busy marveling as they watched my thyroid move up and down while I swallowed sips of ice water, when the doctor herself entered. No one had ever paid much attention or been so riveted by my swallowing before and I was quite pleased.
Apparently, from their reaction, I was doing it especially well and I felt proud. The real doc – Dr. McLean – is also a sharp looking woman but about my age with an amused smile and a no-nonsense manner. “So, I hear a lot of laughter from this room, are we all having a good time?” As the students watched she went over the procedure and did a nasty but quick test by inserting a probe through my nose and down my throat – again declaring all she saw as in good shape. We exchanged some info about procedure timing and such and she left. Just before going, and apparently looking for a learning experience for her charges, she asked if I would mind explaining my dialysis fistula to the two students. I am sure she knew I was enjoying this and playing to my ego was a fine way to keep her students busy.
And so I set off on a show and tell of my dialysis fistula to my rapt audience of two. Not a large gathering but certainly one of my best performances. Ha! A while later, the doc stuck her head back into the room and thanked me and departed with my audience, who left with a cheery good bye, a wave, and a thank you. A nurse appeared, gave me a brace of forms to complete and sign. Having done that, I was free to go.
As I walked down the hallway I realized that this was the very first time I had ever had a doctor’s visit where I had been told what wonderful shape I was in and been given a list of all the things that were good and right with me. It occurred to me that doctors likely see all these things normally but don’t mention them –either because of time constraints or the normalcy of their observations. It would be great of all the good things could be mentioned occasionally. The time and attention of the young students certainly didn’t detract any from all the good news either. Have you ever left a doctor’s office feeling more positive than when you entered? It’s a nice change.
That’s about all we have room for this week, so it’s time to settle in with another cuppa and watch the fire. Sweets anyone? Please join me in thanking Willow for her invitation to tea. We are all honored that you dropped by today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Willow is over there serving her guests and chatting it up. Let’s go see how she is today. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you back here for tea again next week.
Hello and welcome again to Sunday morning If we were having coffee! This week and all through November we will as always be joining forces with Paul and his gang but for me it will also part of Nano Poblano ! This will not effect any of you no one will need any special injections or travel sickness pills , Trust me I am not a doctor. Also on the “do not worry” front the strange looking guy in the Black Cowl has finally left . Yesterday morning he picked up his Scythe and walked. No thank you or by your leave … not a word! I have just managed to clean up the carpet, but it maybe still a little wet.
So come on in,I must apologize for being so late! We have the coffee and the cakes ready and set out and the fire is lit! The sofas and armchairs have their cushions all plumped up! So go on spoil yourselves we have stocked up on hot chocolate now and brought in some good books for you to read too and as a special winter treat we have some liqueurs ! I can hear Paul has all his guests, who also have moved in here now, so lets mingle and see, what have you been up to this week?
If we were having coffee : I would ask you what have you been up to this week. Have you been well, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Now before we go any further is there a particular drink you would like, lets have some cake too. The magic about things here is that all food is calorie free, all drinks too no matter how much cream or sugar you may fancy . No matter the size of cake you might wish to eat or what ever liquor you might decided to lace your coffee, tea or chocolate with it will never affect your health or your waistline! This is a healthy zone.
I mean just look at this one and this is just one of many!
If we were having coffee : I tell you how I have been beavering away at Nano Poblano. I have joined Mark Bialczak’s Team Pepper, check Marks blog out here. I have found this quite challenging but very rewarding and I have met lots of lovely new bloggers which is reward enough. So a big hand for Mark and Team Pepper!
If we were having coffee : I would say I have not been on top of my game this week I had to have a small op which was not a very nice way to spend an afternoon. Luckily I did not have any anaesthetic and so I was able to go home afterwards … no so lucky in that it was not a little harrowing but happily soon over. I shall know the results soon but hopefully all is well and that will be that. I was in an NHS hospital and it was a very different experience to the hospital that Hubby had to visit last week. I have to say though what my visit lacked in surroundings, comfy chairs , free tea and coffee was made up the pleasant and caring staff. There are pros and cons to both. Hubby could not park as the car park was full and unlike the Private hospital where the parking was free it was very expensive. Luckily Hubby knows the area well so he cruised around until he found an offsite parking space after dropping me off.
If we were having coffee : I would say that this week has the build up to Remembrance Sunday and there have been people selling poppies to raise funds for the Royal British Legion. The Royal British Legion help soldiers injured in service and families of those have died in wars to cope emotionally and in anyway way they may need help, ie, giving them monetary help and any support they might need. If the soldiers come home maimed or have lost a limb they help the to adapt or find new homes among other things.They work very hard as there is never enough government money around and they will often go cap in hand to Charities.
Tomorrow is the Remembrance Day Parade at the Cenotaph in London to find out more read here . My hubby goes up to London every Remembrance Sunday to help marshal the older and disabled service men and women. It is a very long day for some of the older people and they do need some shepherding! It is also a long day for Hubby! Hello it is now 6.30am Sunday morning and still I have not got this coffee morning sorted, my apologies! The hubby has been gone an hour and I have my fingers crossed the weather will stay fine and all will be well and safe.
If we were having Coffee : I’d sayPaul is that piece of cake big enough I am certainly going to have some! Would anyone else like some there is plenty here for all. I am going to get a coffee would anyone else like one?? I am trying to think if I have any amusing stories to tell you this week but I have not really it just seems to have been a hum drum week with some heavy personal things going on… No I think I need to explain that if I can. We, mainly the husband, have been helping some disabled acquaintances who have had some bad luck of late and we have found that some of the channels to use to get them this financial help are very hard to navigate. Plus we have been busy we our own lives.
If we were having Coffee : I would tell you that I am very jealous of the hubby because on Thursday he was over a the Newbie’s house doing a job for the little family that required an empty house. I was unable to go as I was feeling not so good from the little op the day before and while he was there the Newbie and his Mum dropped in. ( our son was way abroad on business, home now, and Newbie and Mum were staying with the other grandparents) . So hubby got to see Newbie!! He did bring me home some photos. So that at least was a consolation! It is amazing he seems to grow every time we see him, I get so exited even over a photo!
If we were having Coffee : I would say I make no apologies for the two Remembrance videos. I will say I am including soldiers from ALL Nation’s FROM PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE when I say THANK YOU.
If we were having Coffee : After one minutes silence, we really must never forget, and we should be grateful for what member’s of our different country’s military services have done for us. Let’s pray that one day not too far away we can celebrate the day all wars stopped and we have Peace.
Well hello everyone how are you all this Sunday, come on in we have moved indoors now as the Autumn is well and truly here and Winter is hot on her heels!! We have the coffee and the cakes all ready the fire is all lit! The sofas and armchairs all have their cushions all plumped up! So go on spoil yourselves we have stocked up on hot chocolate now and brought in some good books for you to read too! I can hear Paul has all his guests, who also have moved in here now, so lets see, what have you been up to this week?
If we were having Coffee: I’d say don’t worry about that guy sat over there on the right , he is quite pleasant if you don’t upset him and keep his coffee cup full up! I’d step carefully if I were you the coffee seems to be going straight through him but we do not need to upset him my mentioning it do, we. He arrived last night for Halloween and so far he has made no move to leave. Personally I can’t see he is doing any harm.
If we were having Coffee: I tell you it has been a strange week, one full of house sitting, windows, brief flashes of the Newbie and a visit to a private hospital! Where shall we start? The private hospital yes lets talk about that first. Now the husband needs an operation and it is being done on the National Health. He received a letter asking him to pick an appointment at one of the under named hospitals . One of the hospitals was a private one , after reading that this hospital was meant to be there the husband opted to choose it . It appears that the surgeons who work at the Private Hospitals do NHS work as well and it looks like they can also treat some patient from NHS at the private hospital and the NHS pays.
Well as it is a day operation we thought why not. So we drove to the hospital and it had free parking which totally threw us for a start you pay dearly by the hour at an NHS Hospital or clinic! When we went inside it was like being in the entrance lobby to an expensive hotel. We were greeted and and booked in by ladies in smart and fashionable uniforms . The Husband was asked to have his photo taken for recognition and security then we were asked to take a seat and handed two paper disks. There were soft leather chairs and sofas with glass top coffee tables in the waiting area. There was also a restaurant all set up for dinner with crisp linen serviettes and silver cutlery and wine glasses. Certainly not the hard chairs , WRVS cafe or vending machine you get at the NHS. Though to be fair some do have a good canteen/ restaurant but they are pricey. The two paper discs we had been given were for a complimentary, tea, coffee or juice. You don’t get that on the NHS.
After a very short while the husband was whisked away by a nurse who came to get him to see the specialist. While he was gone I had a good look around from what I could see there was a shop selling handbags, scarves, perfume and soaps , rather like a hotel shop. The restaurant looked absolutely beautiful. Really it was like being in a parallel universe. I am sorry to go on but the difference between private and NHS hospitals is extremely marked. I have had treatment at a private clinic before but I had not seen one like this one!
NHS Waiting Room
I have put two photos here to show the obvious differences between the two types of hospitals. We usually have to go to the NHS hospitals so this has been an eye opening experience. I will let you know how the operation goes, we are waiting for a date from the hospital.
If we were having coffee: I would have to say that it has been a very tiring week we have been dashing back and forth between hospitals (albeit posh ones) and the Newbie’s parents house to be there while new windows were put in. The husband kept busy gardening while I did some odd jobs around the house. It was extra good because we got to see the Newbie , he is so cute now and has really found his giggle button. I cannot tell you how much I love that little guy.
Where are my manners, would you like another cuppa or something naughty but nice to eat…. Don’t worry about that quiet guy on the right he is well behaved as long as no one disturbs him!
Beautiful Poppy
Cheeky Pumpkins
If we were having coffee: I have to say that my lovely eldest sister knitted me the most beautiful poppy to wear with pride. She is a very clever lady and she can knit, sew, crochet and her latest talent is scrap booking! Here above are some of her amazing knits!
If we were having coffee: I would say I am glad to see that October has come to a close. It has been a long month in which I have tried to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month with poems and videos some of them very personal. Unfortunately I was unaware that it was also MS. Awareness Month . agwink of Kentucky Angel sent me this comment “This was also MS Awareness month, but we don’t have the press breast cancer has. I hope someday that will change for all of us with orphan diseases.” I do feel very sorry about this and I shall ask you all to think about this, I shall have to think about this one and see if I cannot write something.
If we were having coffee: I ask if you like some Chocolate cake or some of the Cherry Bakewell or maybe a Caribbean or Russian Coffee? Well come on it’s your turn now to let me and Paul know what you are all thinking ! We both look forward to seeing you next week! Same place same time!
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Tuesday back at the gym then housework , ironing and trip to hospital with my friend , mentioned above. She and her daughter stayed for dinner.
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