Hey Ho, The Wind and The Rain!

 Saturday 4th April. 9.30 a.m. So, Easter is here. It doesn't seem like more than a few days since Christmas. The months in between Christmas and Easter have sped by at a rate of knots. The clocks have changed and the weather is fine, but apparently, there is a storm brewing. This one is called Dave, but, with a name like that, it sounds as if it's some sort of April Fool's joke, or something in a sitcom. Remember in 'Only Fools and Horses,' when Trigger insists on calling Rodney Dave, for no apparent reason. Similarly, this really sounds like a made-up name. Then I have to ask, why give a storm a name? What on earth do they need to give them names? I suspect it's to make them seem less powerful, a personality. But they're not creatures, animals or in any way, shape or form, living beings. Someone will, no doubt, tell me the reasoning for such naming. Why give storms a name? It has no purpose. Just unnecessary. But they will continue to do it anyway.

3.45 p.m. The weather is changing rapidly. The day started off sunny, but now it has become overcast, and the wind has begun. It appears it will develop into quite a strong storm. Typical, since it is the long Easter weekend. Well, it would, wouldn't it? It's almost traditional for a Bank Holiday to have miserable weather, strong winds and lashing rain.

I've been go the doctors to have my annual review, a check up for my heart, weight, and all the rest of what they term 'obs.' I have to have a blood test, so an appointment has been made, but, after the last time I had one, and the three attempts to extract blood and having to go to the blood department at the hospital, where they managed to somehow get blood out of my arm. No, not blood out of a stone, but very nearly. The doctor wanted me to do a blood pressure test once a day for a week, and I thought, that's easy enough. I already had my own blood test device, purchased from our good old friends at Amazon. It had batteries in it, ready to be used. It was in a drawer in the lounge, so I got it out and attempted to use it. You won't believe it when I tell you, it didn't work, after only one use, which was well over a year ago. Dead, almost as the proverbial door nail. I was not impressed. I then asked the lady who is currently standing in for our regular S.H.O., here at Dexter House, and she said she'd help with the blood pressure device, but it gave a very high reading, which would have been quite dangerous if it were correct. So, I gritted my teeth and went on the Amazon website, with the intention of buying another machine. I found one which was more expensive than the others on there, has a rechargeable battery which means it can be charged via a cable, similar to so many modern devices, such as mobile phones and cameras, and meaning you don't need to go out and buy batteries each time the thing has no power. It also has an app, which means you can store your data on it and thus have a record so the doctor can see your blood pressure readings. Which was the whole idea of all this in the first place. is used by the N.H.S, which makes it more reliable if it gets that sort of recommendation. If the N.H.S. uses the model, then it must be fairly good.. It is an OxiPro BP2. It seems to be so much easier to use than the run of themill blood pressure device that uses a cuff and is difficult to use if you are on your own, as I am, and have nobody to help. It costs around £40 on Amazon. It took several attempts to get it to work, but I found a helpful video on YouTube, giving you instructions on its use, because, as usual these days, devices such as this rarely give a comprehensive manual to instruct you on setting the thing up and operating it. So, there you have it, my review of the machine. It's neat and tidy in its design,looks the part and seems efficient and works well.

The Pressure's On!

 Wednesday. 7.45 a.m. The sun is shining! It might not be a heatwave, but at least it's not raining and no strong wind to almost blow your head off!

I am coming to the end of the 24-hour blood pressure test. I have got on remarkably well, having the portable device connected to my arm. Sleeping wasn't too bad last night, which was my main concern, and not getting the thing wet, or it's becoming disconnected. I remember when I was in the hospital, and having a heart monitor connected with the type of connections they put on you when you have an E.C.G., and finding it very difficult to lie in bed and sleep, and the confounded thing beeping whenever a connection came off. This thing is only connected to my upper right arm, onto the 'cuff'. It hasn't come off.  I will have to take it back to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre at around 10 a.m., and someone in reception will receive it and then the data it contains, which has been 'saved' inside the device, can be uploaded onto a computer (I presume that's what will happen.), so that it can be looked at and see whatever can be done to help with my blood pressure, more than likely some sort of medication.

10.30 a.m. I have been to the medical centre with the blood pressure device. I had to use the toilet in the centre to disconnect the thing. It wasn't difficult, and now I have to wait for the results.

On the way, driving along Witan Gate, on my way to the surgery, I once again had to avoid potholes, something I have mentioned in earlier blog posts. As I got to the crossing near the police station, I was stuck behind a lorry with 'Road Maintenance' emblazoned on its side. It went over the roundabout and into the estate where I was going but then made a right turn, so I didn't have to follow it on to Bradwell Common Boulevard, where Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre is based. I thought to myself, with all the potholes I have to avoid, all around Milton Keynes, the workers on that lorry should spend some of their time filling in those confounded potholes.

Thursday. 12.10 p.m. I had an appointment at CMKMC (I'm not writing out the entire name of Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre from now on. It's far too long and a real mouth full if you have to say it.) This meant I couldn't go to my Thursday morning Bible study, unfortunately.

I got to the surgery in good time. The appointment was scheduled for 10.50. I was called into room 12 at approximately 10.55. I was to have another E.C.G., which went well. I can't see how it could have gone otherwise. Just laying on a couch and having sticky contacts put on you and not moving or talking for about 2 minutes, while the machine does its work. The nurse then told me that a doctor would need to check the read-out just to see whether my heart was all right. I had to go back into the waiting area and sit there and wait for her to speak to a doctor, and after around five minutes I got the all-clear and drove home to Dexter House.

War Is In The Air

 Monday 6.20 a.m. I've been out with Alfie. It's warm for the time of year. 

I woke up to the news of Iran attacking Israel in retaliation for an attack on Iran's consulate in Syria and killing diplomats who lived there.  The world waits, with bated breath, to see what moves Israel is likely to make, and whether this situation escalates into a dangerous war situation. I personally don't understand the situation, and I'm generally fairly good at understanding such situations, with my interest in both politics and history. Whatever is going on in the Middle East at the moment, things are getting tense. There has always been some sort of tension in that area and it doesn't take much to set off a war.

8.55 a.m. I should have kept quiet about the weather. It has changed dramatically. As I write this, it's pouring rain. Quite a violent storm. I intend to go to Sainsbury's, but I think I'll wait until the rain passes, or, hopefully, stops.

10.15 a.m. The rain stopped! It is bright and sunny, but there's also a strong wind.

On my way along Oldbrook Boulevard, as I drove to Sainsbury's, I saw what at first I thought was pink paint across the road, near the primary school. As I drove over it, I realised it wasn't paint, but pink blossom, blown there by the wind. I'm not exactly sure what sort of tree it's from, but either a flowering cherry or almond.

2.15 p.m. The wind is currently blowing a gale. Things are being blown around, such as wheely bins.

Tuesday. 6.25 a.m.Yet another mild morning on the weather front. It's still, no wind, so let's hope it stays that way.

10.25 a.m. I mentioned a few posts back, that I was going to have to wear a blood pressure unit for 24 hours. This morning I went to Central Milton Keynes Medical Centre and a nurse fitted me up with this device. It has a cuff, similar to any other blood pressure unit, but it also has a small 'box' which I wear, as it has a strap which goes around my neck and hangs down my right side, with the cuff on my upper right arm. I have to leave it on and let it pump up every hour or so over the 24 hours. (As I write this, it has done exactly that.) The 'box' device will record each time the machine measures my blood pressure, so when I take it back to the surgery tomorrow, they can upload the data and the doctor can then decide if I need to be put on new medication.

The nurse then did an E.C.G., and I still have some of the connections for the E.C.G. stuck on my chest!

I have just heard a strange noise, a sort of whirring, electrical noise. I thought it was coming from another flat, or outside, but then I thought it might be in the bathroom. I have had a look, and it turns out to be my electric toothbrush! Somehow or other, it had managed to turn itself on! Don't ask me how, but very odd, to say the least!

12.55 p.m. The blood pressure monitor has been going off roughly every 45 minutes or so. At one point it went off and then, almost immediately, it went off again. It's not uncomfortable, but a bit surprising when you'd do something else, such as reading or writing this.

3.15 p.m. There has been another violent rainstorm. I'm not sure if there are puddles all around Oldbrook, but I wouldn't be surprised.