I think it is fair to say that I am not a devotee of the Eurovision Song Contest but, I do dip my toe in whilst it is on to see how the UK is doing. After all, you never like to see your home team do badly whether you follow them or not. But this year, I am torn as to whether I should watch it for the comedy factor or boycott it completely as I have just heard who the UK entry will be:
Englebert Humperdinck!!
A 75 year old crooner!!
Apparently Paul Gamberchini has stated that it is a stroke of genius to bring on a 'geezer' (his words not mine) who could pull in the youth vote for his rendition of The Lesbian Seagull in Beavis & Butthead - The Movie.
PG is not even English! What right has he to say what is good for the UK in Eurovision - even his native land has no involvement and are probably totally mystified as to why we would even think of joining in this travesty.
I'm sure that the fabled Eurovision Parties will still continue and there will be much flag waving in the green room while the votes are cast. The one thing I would pay to see would be the confused look on Englebert's face as all the screaming carries on from the 'younger' entries.
Oh well,
Keep Loving
Friday, 2 March 2012
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Leap Year?!
If you have read posts on my blog other than the 'Life's Little Dramas' series, you will know that I am prone to odd thoughts or flights of fancy. This entry falls into that category.
I am confused by the term Leap Year on a couple of levels. Firstly - and this will probably be very easy to look up - why is it called a Leap Year? What are we leaping??
Secondly, and in my opinion rather more confusingly, I have heard reference to Leap Years, Leap Days and Leap Seconds. The last two of these refer to additional units of time added to 'balance' our calendars i.e. the 29th Feb is a Leap Day that is added every 4 days (except when the Leap Year is on a century year (1900/2000 etc.) and a Leap Second is added to the end of the year at certain intervals. This then begs the question, why isn't a Leap Year, a year that is added? Like a 2011a? That would mean we would have an extra 2011 and next year would be 2012. Imagine what fun we would have if we had Leap Decades :)
Oh well, back to some semblance of sanity now I have got that off my chest!
Keep loving.
I am confused by the term Leap Year on a couple of levels. Firstly - and this will probably be very easy to look up - why is it called a Leap Year? What are we leaping??
Secondly, and in my opinion rather more confusingly, I have heard reference to Leap Years, Leap Days and Leap Seconds. The last two of these refer to additional units of time added to 'balance' our calendars i.e. the 29th Feb is a Leap Day that is added every 4 days (except when the Leap Year is on a century year (1900/2000 etc.) and a Leap Second is added to the end of the year at certain intervals. This then begs the question, why isn't a Leap Year, a year that is added? Like a 2011a? That would mean we would have an extra 2011 and next year would be 2012. Imagine what fun we would have if we had Leap Decades :)
Oh well, back to some semblance of sanity now I have got that off my chest!
Keep loving.
Friday, 24 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 21
As I mentioned in my previous post, I had to have an x-ray on both my shoulders. This happened today. The NHS actually called me in 2 minutes after my appointed time - I think with clocks being inaccurate you could even say they were spot on - and the very nice young lady made do pilates exercises to get the right shots - so many I felt more like I was on a style shoot rather than a medical appointment. After 15 minutes I was back in the waiting room and 5 minutes later, the nice young lady was back out to tell me that the shots were fine, in other words, I didn't move! Then came the line 'The images should be with your GP in a week or so'.
Now, this in itself seem innocuous - a little slow but nothing out of the ordinary - until you remember that these x-ray images are now digital. That means that they are immediately available to view on a computer.
OK, I understand that they will need to be seen by a 'specialist' rather than just my GP but, what can possibly take 7-10 days about this?? Do they not have email????
All I can say is, it was a good job my arm wasn't hanging off!
Hmmmmmm....keep loving.
Now, this in itself seem innocuous - a little slow but nothing out of the ordinary - until you remember that these x-ray images are now digital. That means that they are immediately available to view on a computer.
OK, I understand that they will need to be seen by a 'specialist' rather than just my GP but, what can possibly take 7-10 days about this?? Do they not have email????
All I can say is, it was a good job my arm wasn't hanging off!
Hmmmmmm....keep loving.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 20
It never ceases to amaze me how the body has a natural mechanism for ignoring problems if there is something bigger going on. I mentioned one example in my last post regarding the brain only handling one major pain at a time - thus, I am guessing, giving the injured person a chance to cope - well now I have another example.
Today I went to the docs. Nothing major (I hope) but, over the last 12 months, I have been having intermittent issues with my shoulders. Pain issues that have sometimes made even rudimentary actions such as turning the wheel in the car extremely painful. Well, during the period that my wife has been ill, I know it has been there but, and this is not a suggestion that I have been manfully ignoring the pain, my brain seems to have been registering it, letting me know it hurts, then filing it away for future reference. Thinking back, it is quite surreal. I have felt the pain, I have reacted then, it seems like it has been logged away like some distant memory that occasionally peeks over the wall only to disappear as soon as you look in its general direction. The upshot is, a bunch of anti-inflammatory drugs and I have to go for an x-ray. My big concern (and remember, I am the biggest wimp going) is that it will turn out to be arthritis. Those that know me are fully aware that I am unfit. However, one thing I have always prided myself in is my strength of arm and leg. I can lift and push things far beyond my capabilities whilst never having the ability to run more than 10 seconds without running short of breath. If this insidious threat comes along, whilst not life threatening, will completely change how I live my life. I think I have had enough 'life-changeing' things happen during the last 12 months and frankly, any more can bugger off and go find someone else to play with.
Of course, this is the bleakest of outlooks. I have had enough experience recently of thinking the worst and being proved wrong - long may that continue but, even the most positive person has to reach a point when they say enough! All I want in life these days is an interesting and stimulating job (tick), a quiet home life (tick), a little time to play stupid computer games (half a tick), the odd chance to do some more theatre (tick occasionally) and good health (that's where it falls down). Is it too much to ask?
It has just occurred to me that, when I started writing this post, I was just adding some more detail to my blog and wasn't going to write much. Now it has turned into a rant that makes me sound like a selfish hypochondriac! I hope that is not the case but who am I to say? That is the joy of posting and allowing others to comment. They don't hold back. I might not like what they say but I'm sure it will make me stop and think (before I delete the worst!!).
And breathe.....
Well, back to calm self so time to sign-off.
Remember - keep loving.
Today I went to the docs. Nothing major (I hope) but, over the last 12 months, I have been having intermittent issues with my shoulders. Pain issues that have sometimes made even rudimentary actions such as turning the wheel in the car extremely painful. Well, during the period that my wife has been ill, I know it has been there but, and this is not a suggestion that I have been manfully ignoring the pain, my brain seems to have been registering it, letting me know it hurts, then filing it away for future reference. Thinking back, it is quite surreal. I have felt the pain, I have reacted then, it seems like it has been logged away like some distant memory that occasionally peeks over the wall only to disappear as soon as you look in its general direction. The upshot is, a bunch of anti-inflammatory drugs and I have to go for an x-ray. My big concern (and remember, I am the biggest wimp going) is that it will turn out to be arthritis. Those that know me are fully aware that I am unfit. However, one thing I have always prided myself in is my strength of arm and leg. I can lift and push things far beyond my capabilities whilst never having the ability to run more than 10 seconds without running short of breath. If this insidious threat comes along, whilst not life threatening, will completely change how I live my life. I think I have had enough 'life-changeing' things happen during the last 12 months and frankly, any more can bugger off and go find someone else to play with.
Of course, this is the bleakest of outlooks. I have had enough experience recently of thinking the worst and being proved wrong - long may that continue but, even the most positive person has to reach a point when they say enough! All I want in life these days is an interesting and stimulating job (tick), a quiet home life (tick), a little time to play stupid computer games (half a tick), the odd chance to do some more theatre (tick occasionally) and good health (that's where it falls down). Is it too much to ask?
It has just occurred to me that, when I started writing this post, I was just adding some more detail to my blog and wasn't going to write much. Now it has turned into a rant that makes me sound like a selfish hypochondriac! I hope that is not the case but who am I to say? That is the joy of posting and allowing others to comment. They don't hold back. I might not like what they say but I'm sure it will make me stop and think (before I delete the worst!!).
And breathe.....
Well, back to calm self so time to sign-off.
Remember - keep loving.
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 19
Isn't it nice when you finally get a couple of bits of good news in a row without the barrage of doom and gloom in between?
After the dramatic envelope opening just over a week ago (see part 18) we were bimbling along trying to approach 2012 with a sense of optimism. Friday was my wife's next appointment with the back doctor and we were a little apprehensive as she had been in some pain of the previous few days - this was obviously being masked by the 'discomfort' of the operation up until that point - so, as I left her awaiting the hospital transport and headed off to work, there was some tension in the air.
The tension was not improved when, having arrived at the hospital at 8.20am, she presented herself to reception as, with an appointment at 9am and the need for an x-ray beforehand, she thought it would help if she went for that early. The assumption being that they would be pleased to get someone out of the way. Oh how wrong she was. She was basically told that it was ridiculous being there that early (she was dictated to by the hospital transport), who on earth told her that she needed an x-ray first (it was in the letter she received) and there was no way that anyone would see her before 9am. Now, as she was in her going-out back brace, she was unable to sit down (this chops across her windpipe - the problem with only being 5ft 1 and a half inches tall) so, she asked if there was anywhere she could stand without being in the way. To this she received the reply NO! My wife's response?...'I'll go and play with the traffic then shall I?'
It was at this point that she phoned me at work and vented her spleen to me for 5 minutes about the stupidity of the NHS and the lack of empathy from the staff. This did not bode well for her appointment especially when she started threatening to get the next transport home! Anyway, she rang off rather abruptly and I assumed the worst. This was re-enforced at about 10am when the number that flashed on my phone as it rang was our home number. However, it seemed that, subsequent to her run in with officialdom, she was soon packed off for an x-ray and almost immediately seen by the doctor who pronounced himself satisfied with her progress. He prescribed some physiotherapy and said that she would only need to wear the contraption when in public. So, when she arrived at the front door of the hospital to find her transport waiting for her and having had a reasonably smooth journey home, she was much happier with life and suddenly things didn't look so bad.
So, onwards and upwards again and much more hope for the future. I'll be back soon (I know you can't wait!)
Keep loving
After the dramatic envelope opening just over a week ago (see part 18) we were bimbling along trying to approach 2012 with a sense of optimism. Friday was my wife's next appointment with the back doctor and we were a little apprehensive as she had been in some pain of the previous few days - this was obviously being masked by the 'discomfort' of the operation up until that point - so, as I left her awaiting the hospital transport and headed off to work, there was some tension in the air.
The tension was not improved when, having arrived at the hospital at 8.20am, she presented herself to reception as, with an appointment at 9am and the need for an x-ray beforehand, she thought it would help if she went for that early. The assumption being that they would be pleased to get someone out of the way. Oh how wrong she was. She was basically told that it was ridiculous being there that early (she was dictated to by the hospital transport), who on earth told her that she needed an x-ray first (it was in the letter she received) and there was no way that anyone would see her before 9am. Now, as she was in her going-out back brace, she was unable to sit down (this chops across her windpipe - the problem with only being 5ft 1 and a half inches tall) so, she asked if there was anywhere she could stand without being in the way. To this she received the reply NO! My wife's response?...'I'll go and play with the traffic then shall I?'
It was at this point that she phoned me at work and vented her spleen to me for 5 minutes about the stupidity of the NHS and the lack of empathy from the staff. This did not bode well for her appointment especially when she started threatening to get the next transport home! Anyway, she rang off rather abruptly and I assumed the worst. This was re-enforced at about 10am when the number that flashed on my phone as it rang was our home number. However, it seemed that, subsequent to her run in with officialdom, she was soon packed off for an x-ray and almost immediately seen by the doctor who pronounced himself satisfied with her progress. He prescribed some physiotherapy and said that she would only need to wear the contraption when in public. So, when she arrived at the front door of the hospital to find her transport waiting for her and having had a reasonably smooth journey home, she was much happier with life and suddenly things didn't look so bad.
So, onwards and upwards again and much more hope for the future. I'll be back soon (I know you can't wait!)
Keep loving
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 18
Well, despite thinking that most of the dramas were over for a while, there was a major squeaky bum moment over the weekend. I retrieved the post on Saturday morning and flicked through the usual weekend junk mail only to come across a letter from the hospital stamped 'Gaenocology'. Now, if you remember, we were told that we would not hear anything unless it was bad news (malignant) so you can imagine the looks on both our faces. I attempted to be stoic and asked if my wife would like me to open it - always hoping and expecting that she would decline and open it herself - and she said yes. At this point she tells me that my hands started to shake!
I slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. It turns out that the surgeon had decided (presumably as there had been delays in getting the results) that it would be a good idea to confirm that it was definitely good news! At this point there were tears (of relief) and much hugging.
So, it just goes to show, you should never put off opening letters - it may actually prolong your agony and reading what is written could really improve your day.
And on that note,
Keep loving
I slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. It turns out that the surgeon had decided (presumably as there had been delays in getting the results) that it would be a good idea to confirm that it was definitely good news! At this point there were tears (of relief) and much hugging.
So, it just goes to show, you should never put off opening letters - it may actually prolong your agony and reading what is written could really improve your day.
And on that note,
Keep loving
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 17
Well, if the NHS and the Post Office are to be trusted, the fact that we have had no letter regarding the biopsy means that it was benign - hurrah!! I still think that it is a shitty way to treat patients and their families. To say that you will hear from them within two weeks if it is malignant and their is need for further treatment but, if it is benign, they will only write to your GP seems to me to be completely wrong. What if there is a mistake in the address, a problem at the post office or any number of human errors that might stop the letter going out? There would be people such as ourselves, celebrating the fact that, barring the healing process, the whole problem is sorted and we can get on with life who, a few days later, when the letter finally drops onto the mat, have to face the whole thing again. Is it me or is that wrong?
Well, assuming that this doesn't happen and the healing proceeds as planned, this should be one of the last blogs on 'Melony' and her removal. However, as this blog seems to have attracted quite a number of readers - far more than I expected anyway - I shall continue to use the Life's Little Dramas posts to update on the more personal matters that I encounter. For my other, more random musings, I shall post under other titles (still on this blog though). So, to those that have read and commented - thank you for all your support, to those that have read and found it interesting or useful - please carry on reading and always feel free to comment (I am quite thick skinned but all out abuse is not my forte), to those of you that think this is just a load of self-indulgent tripe - why on earth are you still reading it?
But, to all of you, please remember....
....Keep loving :)
Well, assuming that this doesn't happen and the healing proceeds as planned, this should be one of the last blogs on 'Melony' and her removal. However, as this blog seems to have attracted quite a number of readers - far more than I expected anyway - I shall continue to use the Life's Little Dramas posts to update on the more personal matters that I encounter. For my other, more random musings, I shall post under other titles (still on this blog though). So, to those that have read and commented - thank you for all your support, to those that have read and found it interesting or useful - please carry on reading and always feel free to comment (I am quite thick skinned but all out abuse is not my forte), to those of you that think this is just a load of self-indulgent tripe - why on earth are you still reading it?
But, to all of you, please remember....
....Keep loving :)
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