Cardiology Procedure

 Tuesday 3rd September. 10.25 a.m. I know, I don't normally put the date on my posts, but, since I haven't posted in a while, I thought it might give some sort of idea of the length of time between the last one and this.

I have mentioned in earlier posts about the procedure I had at the cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital, and the electronic device, called an I.L.R., (Implantable Loop Recorder) that was inserted subcutaneously into my chest. It's tiny, and I assume it has an electronic chip in it, similar to a SIM card which can be found in a mobile phone. Anyway, I was informed at the time of the procedure that I would need to upload data from the device after six weeks and had a letter given to me informing me of this, and I was shown how to use the electronic device which looked somewhat like a telephone with a handset which I set up near my bed and also a small device, about the size of a luggage label which I put on my key ring. By holding the key-ring device near the I.L.R. and pressing a key on it so that it lit up, data would be transferred onto it, and then you use the gadget near my bed to upload the data which goes via the mobile phone system to the cardiology department. 

Six weeks after the procedure, I had to make sure I uploaded the data from the I.L.R. I followed the instructions, and it seemed to work. This was the Thursday before the Friday when I was to expect a remote consultation, which was scheduled for 1 p.m. I sat and waited. The time came and went. What had happened? Had I got the day and time wrong, perhaps? I checked on the N.H.S. app and both were correct.

So . . . I will cut to the chase. As the following Monday was a Bank Holiday and I assumed that the cardiology department would be closed, I thought it a good idea to telephone on Tuesday to find out what was going on. I didn't have the telephone number of the cardiology department, although I must have got it somewhere, probably in a letter, but I had no intention of going through all my paperwork to find it, so I went on the hospital website. I found the number, or so I thought. When I rang it, it certainly wasn't the cardiology department, and was told, by the lady who answered, to ring the main hospital switchboard, and they could put me through to cardiology. So, that was what I did. I explained to the receptionist about not having a telephone call on Friday, and she looked up my details on her computer and then informed me that they don't telephone unless something untoward showed up in the data from the I.L.R. Mine was fine, so no phone call. I should get a remote consultation in around six months. So, that was that. It was good, but I think it would have helped if they had told me I would only get a call if there were a problem showing up in the data. I have to say, I feel fine at the moment. Certainly no strange heartbeats, arrhythmias or whatever it's called.

Wednesday. 8.20 a.m. A fine and pleasant morning. It's not sunny and the thermometer currently reads 22ºc.

Yesterday morning I went shopping in Sainsbury's. I couldn't believe they have mince pies on offer. I had to have a second look, but it was true. We're only just into September and Christmas goodies are on sale. Crazy. 

Blog Post 1,900

 Saturday. 3.15 p.m. This, dear reader, is, unbelievably, the 1,900 blog post! I can hardly believe I am writing that, but it's true, and still rambling on about the mundane things of life! Sometimes the most mundane things are the most interesting, in a rather strange and ironic way.

Sunday. 5.10 a.m. I know it's very early morning. 

It was raining, although lightly, when I took Alfie out a few minutes ago, so we didn't remain out for long.

Wednesday. 10.25 a.m. Well, things didn't get off to a good start yesterday when I had problems opening the Safari browser on my MacBook. It meant that I could do virtually no work which required the use of the MacBook and the internet because Safari is the main browser I use. I thought at first that I had been hacked because I kept getting strange messages popping up on the screen, although I have software installed which checks for viruses and strange activity. As a result of this, and because I was hacked and had money taken from my bank account (although returned, thankfully.) I decided there was no alternative but to have the MacBook looked at and have the issue resolved. The only place I could think of where they would be able to do this for me was Curry's. I had taken the MacBook there a few years ago when I had been hacked (as mentioned above.) Knowing that Curry's was open at 9 a.m., I drove there, only to find that no one could deal with a MacBook at that time. I was told to return after 11 as the person who was trained to work on Macintosh computers would be able to have a look at the problem.

So, I went home and then, just after 11 a.m. I returned to Curry's and this time I was able to tell the young man who was trained in Apple computers what the problem was with the MacBook, and he told me it would take a couple of hours to discover what the problem was and, hopefully, fix it for me.

I went home and had lunch and at around 2.30 I got a call from Curry's that the MacBook was ready to collect. I drove to Curry's and collected the MacBook. I was relieved that it was working properly again. I then drove to Sainsbury's, as I wanted some ice cream and chocolate sauce (and why not? I managed to get it, paid, and then went home. Mission accomplished!

12.15 p.m. Earlier this morning, I had an appointment at the cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital. The appointment was for 9.30 and the letter I received from the department, a few weeks ago, told me that the appointment could take around three hours. I managed to park in the nearby Number 3 car park, which is where Carol and I used to park when she went for her chemotherapy appointments, and we would walk through Cardiology. Luckily there was no problem with parking as there were a lot of spaces when I arrived.

I reported to the reception in cardiology and I hadn't been sitting in the waiting area much more than 5 minutes, then I was called into a side room by a nurse. She took my height, apparently not 6ft 1 inch, which I have been for years. So, less than six feet tall? Surely not! Does that mean I'm shrinking? Weight, which I didn't know, although I have a rough guess, as I have my own digital scales. Next, I had to lay on a couch to have an E.C.G. done. Around a couple of minutes of that. Having to keep still when this is done and then a printout is taken off the printer.

I went through to see the consultant, and he went through my medication box as I had to let him know about the meds I was on. I should have made a list, but only realised I needed this, having reread the letter I had from the hospital regarding the appointment. I have to say, I was not impressed by the way he threw the various packets of tablets back in the box. I am very particular about keeping it tidy! He listened to my chest, using what I thought was a mobile phone (no stethoscope?) No doubt this is a new technology, an app on his phone.

Having checked me out, he then told me that I could have a device fitted under the skin of my chest, which would monitor my heart and, if it detected something wrong, it would alert the hospital, so I could be taken in for investigation and prevent another incident as happened in January when I was taken to hospital. He then dictated a letter into a recorder device, which, I trust, whoever has to unscramble it could make head nor tail of his words. At that, the consultation was concluded. I was somewhat surprised that it was less than thirty minutes since I had arrived at the cardiology department. I drove out of the car park and, when I went to put the ticket in the machine at the exit, it lifted the barrier, so I could drive out, pleasing me because I didn't have to pay!

1.45 p.m. Having dealt with the cardiology department at the hospital, at around 2.40 I drove to see my friends from church, Margaret and Mike. Mike has Parkinson's and has been in hospital and was discharged around three weeks ago. I drove out of Oldbrook and towards the roundabout which crosses Marlborough Street and came to a halt because there was so much traffic, which, for the time of day is quite unusual. I moved forward slowly and traffic coming to the right was quite heavy, but I eventually managed to cross over, but then there was a considerable queue of traffic coming up from Chaffron Way. I drove on, but then I saw an ambulance racing towards me, with lights flashing, and a siren blasting. If I hadn't slowed down and come to a halt, I would have had a head-on collision with it.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen

 Sunday. 6.15 a.m. Another sunny and bright morning. The digital thermometer currently reads 20ºc and the flat is cool and pleasant, thank goodness.

3.30 p.m. I have now watched both Doctor Who episodes 'The Space Babies', and 'The Devil's Chord.' Regardless of what people have been saying on the internet, I really enjoyed both episodes. Ncuti Gatwa really throws himself into the role of The Doctor and gives it a real life and energy. He certainly has a charisma that shines out of the television set. It's difficult to take your eyes off him when he's on-screen. His co-star and companion in the Tardis, Mollie Gibson, playing the part of Ruby Sunday. It's clear that the Disney co-production has paid off, in that the production values are far greater, because it looks slick and has a cinematic look, the special effects, the sets and costumes look fantastic.

12.10 p.m. I have restarted my Ancestry account. It is a family history site, where you can find your ancestor's details. If you read these blog posts regularly, you will know how much work I have been putting into this work. I discovered my connection to The Ascott Martyrs, and that I am going to a study day in Chipping Norton this Saturday, to learn more about them (Chipping Morton featured heavily in the incident.) The day isn't just about those ladies, and what they did in 1873, but about other rebellions and protests which went on over the centuries in Oxfordshire. I have managed to get back at least 500 years and the family tree which I am building on the Ancestry website is growing and blooming daily.

Tuesday. 8.20 p.m. I have spent most of my Nectar points on a Nutribullet. For those who don't know what that is, it's a sort of blender into which you put vegetables and fruit to make into smoothies. I haven't yet tried it out, because I am slowly going through the manual which came with it, and I don't have any fruit or vegetables to put in it. So, as I write this post, it is sitting on top of my fridge/freezer and will remain there until I got to Sainsbury's or any other supermarket, or even the market near the shopping centre, to purchase some. I have bought ready-made smoothies in Sainsbury's, and it occurred to me that I could make my own, which would be a very good way to consume my five-a-day fruit or veg. I will let you know how I get on with the gadget when I have tried it out. 

Yesterday, at around midday, I got a telephone call from Milton Keynes Hospital. It was from the cardiology department, telling me that I had to have a heart monitor fitted, which I had to wear for 48 hours and that I should go to the cardiology department this afternoon to have the afore mentioned device affixed to my person. I got to the hospital and managed to park in the multi-storey car park. A car was reversing out of a space, not far inside the car park, so at least I didn't have to search for a space, which made things easier. I and then walked to the cardiology department. Little did I realise how far it was. I had to walk part of the way along the Redway which runs behind the house where Carol and I lived in Eaglestone. I used to walk along there when I used to go and visit Carol when she was in hospital after she was diagnosed with cancer. We used to park in the small car park near the entrance to the cardiology department and when she was first diagnosed and in hospital, we could see building work going on outside and which has now finished and the building which was being constructed was the new cancer unit.

I went into the cardiology department. We used to walk through here when we went to the oncology department, where Carol went to have chemotherapy. I reported to reception and then had to wait in the waiting area. I was eventually called in to a room by a nurse, and we were joined by a student nurse (I presume she was a student.) who was there to observe the procedure of me being connected to a heart monitor. It is a very small device, about the size of a small mobile phone, and it connects to my chest by way of the type of sticky contacts they use when you have an E.C.G. it has a clip on it, so I can clip it on to my belt or put it in a pocket. I will have to take it back and give it to the receptionist at the cardiology department on Thursday morning.                   

Grandchildren Visit to Willen Hospice

(Saturday) I've received a letter from the Cardiac Rehabilitation department at Milton Keynes Hospital yesterday, to inform me that I hadn't attended an appointment with them on Tuesday 30th October at 2 o'clock. The fact is, I hadn't received a letter informing me of this appointment. I always open all my mail, so I do't know what happened, no doubt the letter went astray. I will have to ring on Monday and make a fresh appointment.

I have to laugh. Another letter from Milton Keynes Hospital came in the post this morning. I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I had a Cardiology Outpatient appointment booked for Monday 24th December at 3.35. Well, it's been rescheduled to Thursday 3rd January at 3.05 p.m. I think someone realised that it was fairly late in the day and that the unit was probably going to close for the Christmas holiday. Possibly I was going to be the only patient and it would be better to reschedule my appointment until the New Year. I reckon these appointments are made by a computer system and it wouldn't recognise holidays, Bank Holidays or whatever. They just churn out letters regardless. Never mind. I'm glad it's been changed.

Chloe, Steve and the two grandchildren, George and Eddie, came to visit me and Carol at Willen this afternoon. They came directly from their home in Worcester and arrived at around 3 o'clock. I spent some time reading a book that George likes, one of the 'Mog' stories and we went outside with them. George has a push-along scooter and Eddie has a walker. He's not quite walking properly, but definitely getting there. There is an ideal terraced area outside Carol's room and reps down to the lawn area, very idea for those who are in wheelchairs and George made good use of the ramps on his push-along scooter. We then went out through a gate and walked a short way along the lakeside path. George had to go and inspect some logs, the result of recent work by tree surgeons who have been either felling some trees or at least sawing off what must have been dangerous branches of some of the trees. We could hear this work going on the other day and could see this when we watched from Carol's room window. They also had one of those chipper machines into which some of the branches were put and then rapidly chipped for use on the ground somewhere on either the Willen estate or further way, as a sort of mulch to keep weeds down.

(Sunday) It's relatively mild out this morning. No ice on the car. We walked the complete circuit of the park. Not a sign of life except someone came out of their front door but not a word spoken. We met the man walking his whippet but I put Alfie on his lead as he has a tendency to run to every dog in an attempt to make friends but this other dog seems nervous and having to deal with a wild, barking Alfie, who means absolutely no harm, would be too much. I can hardly blame the dog for being somewhat dazed by the approach of a madly excited Yorkshire Terrier. We did the remainder of the walk with Alfie on his lead. 1609 steps according to the step counter.

New Cardiology Appointment and other Matters

(Saturday)I have had a letter today from the Cardiology Department at Milton Keynes Hospital giving me an appointment there on 24th December at 3.35p.m. I'm somewhat surprised that I would have such an appointment on Christmas Eve, or at least, that late in the day. It says that more procedures and tests may be done and may take up to three hours. Which would take things up to about 6 or 7 o'clock by which time you would assume they would be closing for the Christmas period. It does make sense to have my care looked after from Milton Keynes and not the John Radcliffe in Oxford. They did the Perfusion Test there simply because that procedure can't be done at Milton Keynes because they don't have the gamma camera that John Radcliffe has. The scans from the tests done two weeks ago can easily be sent over to Milton Keynes, making life easier for me if I don't have to have the inconvenience of the journey to and from Oxford when the Cardiology Department at Milton Keynes is a mere ten-minute walk from our house.

(I'm writing less on this blog as you may have noticed. I'm writing something each day and then posting it when I have enough material to make it worthwhile publishing it, so don't expect a long piece every day. So there may be a week's worth of stuff in one post.)

2.00p.m. I've been walking to the hospital for the past few days. Apart from anything else, it's good exercise and it's a mere 10-minutes to the hospital. It also saves me around £4.50 in parking tickets so that's £9 over two days, depending, of course, how long I remain on the ward.  But then I saw that the barrier at the exit to the carpark near Cardiology was stuck in the upright position, so you could get out without the need of a parking ticket and no need to pay. Never mind. It's a bright and sunny day and actually really pleasant walking along with the sun shining through the trees onto the path.

Carol feeling somewhat down today. Still in a lot of pain. Although her temperature has come down slightly. I hope this is a good sign and that it comes down to it's correct level and it's a sign that the infection is under control. We will hopefully know more when the doctors come round the ward tomorrow at some time.

We had Holy Communion with one of the chaplains on the ward this morning, which was really nice. We've met all of the hospital chaplains now. Because I didn't go to church this morning, because of a worry that I might catch the bug that is currently going round, it was great to have some sort of worship time, even though not the same as we have at Shenley Christian Fellowship.

Monday. 8.00 a.m. I took out Alfie as usual round Eaglestone Park. Alfie as excited as ever. He met up with the three dogs being walked by the lady we keep on meeting. Alfie wants to be friends but they don't seem in the least bit interested. Alfie barks at them, but no ball-game with these dogs. A shame.

The Human Resources lady from Milton Keynes Academy telephoned early this morning and wanted to know how she was. She wanted to visit and needed to know what the ward visiting hours were. I wasn't entirely sure, but assumed it was from 2 to 8 p.m. When I eventually arrived on the ward at around 10 o'clock I found Carol fast asleep and was going to tell her that the lady was going to visit at some point. Carol continued to sleep until around 11, and then a bit after two of the HR ladies arrived, with a card signed by everyone in Carol's department along with some fruit, some plums and strawberries. They stayed for about 20 minutes. I think Carol was pleased to see them and hear about how things are going at the Academy.

Yes, I forget. It's my birthday, but I don't make an issue of it. Just a pity Carol isn't at home to share cake or something. I just want her home from hospital so we can at least get out of the house and visit somewhere pleasant, Woburn Abbey, Whipsnade or Waddesdon for example. Or even one of the lovely garden centres we visit on occasion, to have coffee and a pastry for example.

Tuesday. I'm taking Alfie to the groomer's for a 1 o'clock appointment today, so I will have to leave the hospital at around midday to get  to Pets At Homet, at the retail park in Bletchley.

We had a meeting with one of the doctors which is managing Carol's pain, along with one of the Macmillan nurses in the palliative care team. They are finding ways to change Carol's care to find some sort of distraction so that she doesn't have to concentrate so much on the pain. It makes sense to me.

I took Alfie to The Groom Room at Pets At Home at Bletchley, as mentioned above. I left in good time to arrive outside at 12.50 so that I could take him in to be groomed in plenty of time.

The newly-clipped Alfie, straight back from the

grooming parlour this afternoon

Whilst Alfie was in being groomed, I went into the nearby branch of Gregg's and got a roll and a drink and went to sit in the car to eat it. I spent the next hour and three-quarters wandering into some of the shops, including the nearby Matalan store, although I wasn't over-impressed by what I saw.

I eventually went back to collect Alfie from the Groom Room at 2.45. He was so pleased to see me, looking so much better for being clipped. You can now see his face without all that hair in the way and the nasty mess that builds up under his eyes has gone. I took him out of the store, barking madly and we drove home.

Pouring Rain

(Sunday) Poor Alfie! We couldn't possibly go our for our routine walk across Eaglestone Park this morning because it had been raining most of the night. I keep looking out of the window to see if there was any chance that it might clear, but, no, it didn't so he'll have to wait until the weather improves, but that doesn't stop him watching me like a hawk. I don't relish the thought of getting a soaking, the last thing I want is to come down with a chill of some sort and anyway, Alfie doesn't like getting soaked. He hates baths in particular. Also, he feels the cold and a soaking wouldn't help him either and he takes ages to dry, so it's just as well we didn't venture out.

I got home from the hospital at around 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon and the effect of the earlier flu-jab could be felt. Some discomfort in my left arm where the injection was done and I felt really off-colour. I slept for an hour or so and later at around 6.  I couldn't lay on my left side because of the  pain in the arm where the injection was done. Most of the night I felt fairly awful, and as a result I didn't go to church. But now, at 10.20 I can say I'm feeling a good deal better. From past experience of flu jabs I have usually felt off-colour for perhaps 48 hours afterwards, so this has gone off a good deal quicker than in the past, thank goodness.

The catheter which Carol had inserted when she was in A and E when she first came into Milton Keynes Hospital has come out. I'm not sure how it came out exactly, but we are waiting to see whether the doctors will want it reinserted. Hopefully she won't need it and this should lead to her recovery from the discomfort and pain. There should be results of various test back from the laboratory tomorrow so, when the doctor does her ward-round tomorrow morning we should hear something. Apparently the antibiotics are doing their job and the infection is under control.

It's been damp and miserable most of the day and by mid-morning the discomfort from the flu jab had passed. Not just that, the feeling of sleepiness and total lack of energy, but as I write this (3.5 pm.) I feel more or less back to normal.

When I left Ward 19 I walked out of the hospital and had to go to pay for parking at the machine which is near the entrance to the Cardiology Department. There was a man already there at the machine having problems paying. He had put his ticket into the slot in the machine but it kept rejecting it. The whole idea is that you put your ticket in and the machine calculates how much you have to pay. He did it again, infact several more times. I then said that if I put mine in it would show whether the machine was working, which I did and I had to pay the £4.50 indicated on th digital read-out. The man went off to the carpark with the ticket and he managed to drive out through the barrier using his ticket, so he got to park free whilst I had to pay. There is definitely something wrong with the parking ticket machine if he went through the normal procedure and his ticket worked the barrier without paying whilst I had to pay, somewhat annoying as you can't have free parking at the weekend because the Macmillan Unit isn't open to have your ticket clipped (that is, if you are a cancer patient or a relative.) Such is life!

Cardiology Appointment at Milton Keynes Hospital

(Wednesday) It was quite foggy when I took Alfie out this morning when we walked around Eaglestone Park. Alfie doesn't quite appreciate that we can't really go out until it's light otherwise we'd be walking into trees and bumping into things we wouldn't be able to see. It's definitely getting dark earlier in the evening and the mornings aren't light until at least 7.15. But, being a dog, Alfie can't really be expected to understand, but never mind. 

I have an appointment at the Cardiology Department at Milton Keynes Hospital at 9.00 a.m. this morning, so I must get to the carpark by at least 8.45. Not really a problem, but the traffic is probably at it's heaviest along Standing Way at that time, so I must leave earlier in order to get there in time. I'm having a echocardiogram done, which I had done at the John Radcliffe Hospital on the Tuesday after I had my heart attack. It only takes about 15 minutes, so I have a good idea what to expect. It's not an E.C.G., which is an entirely different beast. That is an electrocardiogram which measures the electrical activity of your heartbeat.

Currently  my blood pressure is 113/70 mmHg, heart rate 69 bpm and Sp02 96%. The echocardiogram done at the John Radcliffe on 4th September showed a normal LV size and wall thickness and systolic function that appeared at least mildly impaired.

My current medication is as follows:

Asprin dispersible 75 mg.
G.T.N. (Glyceryl Trinitrate 400 mg.
Isoborbide Mononitrate 20 mg.
Lansoprazole 15 mg.
Bisoprolol 2.5 mg.
Atorvastatin 60 mg.
Ticagretor 90 mg.
Oxybutin 10 mg.
Candesartan 4 mg.

I've still got a slight cough which is a side-effect of the Ramapril I was given when I left John Radcliffe in Oxford on the Tuesday after I had my heart attack. But, hopefully, it is coming to an end. It's not as bad as it was, but I do get fits of coughing. As I've stopped taking this medication and gone back to Candesartan it seems to have worked, although Carol said that several of the nurses on her ward have complained of coughing and have said that it might be due to the warm weather we had in the summer and as it's dry and sunny at the moment there is a lot of dust around which might be responsible for coughs, dry and sore throats .

Later. 8.30p.m. Sitting here in the lounge and really waiting to go to my appointment. As I look out of the window it looks quite sunny. Actually the past couple of days it's been remarkably warm and sunny. I suppose it's the time of year when you get foggy mornings and then once it clears you get bright sunny days which are really pleasant but then it can change and be quite cold and it's at that time you need to put on your central heating for a bit of background heating.

I was in good time for my cardiology department appointment and got to the hospital at 8.45 which meant I was able to park the car easily and then walk to the cardiology department which is only a short walk away. I didn't have to wait very long before I was called in by the nurse.

An echocardiogram is fairly straightforward, compared to the other procedure I had done on Monday at the John Radcliffe in Oxford. I had to take off my shirt and lay on a bed. The nurse put some sort of gel on my chest (presumably like KY jelly or other personal lubricant.) I had to first lay on my left side while she put the sensor device on my chest and moved it about several times. After a while I had to move even more to my left and had to hold onto a handle to prevent myself falling on the floor. She pressed the hand-held sensor fairly hard but it didn't hurt. The machine wasn't like the one used on the ward at the John Radcliffe which was portable, this machine looked far more complex. The whole procedure took no more than 20 minutes. The procedure was apparently ordered by the cardiology  nurse who is going to set me up on the rehab course which is hopefully going to start at the end of October and they have to make sure I am in a fit state before I commence that course.

I'm generally feeling well at present, although I know my limitations and if I over-exert myself I know I will only get angina so it's best to walk slowly. I have a tendency to walk too fast, so to avoid pain or other problems it's best to just slow down. I do occasionally feel queasy but I think that's my medication. There are certain side effects that I just have to get used to. I have managed to sort out the cough which was almost certain to have been caused by the Ramapril, which has now been replaced by Candesartan. I do get tired easily, which I have been since my first heart attack in 2006. A relatively short rest on our bed sorts this out, or if I'm out and about a couple of minutes sitting and I'm back to normal. I have to take a G.T.N. spray with me when I'm out and about and if I use it before anything strenuous, then it's a question of using it before an activity. But I know over-use can be a bad thing as I think if over-used it's less effective.

I went to Sainsbury's when I left Carol at hospital this afternoon. It was bright sunshine as I came out of the carpark and it seemed worthwhile to get what groceries I needed rather than going tomorrow morning. I was in and out within barely 30 minutes and it was easier to park when there was plenty of space in the carpark underneath the store.

Having unpacked my shopping when I returned home, I was sitting in the lounge and Alfie looked at me and began to bark loudly so it seemed appropriate for me to take him for a walk as it was so sunny and warm.

More Unnecessary Aggravation

(Wednesday) I've mentioned on an earlier blog post, that I went to our doctor's surgery a week or two ago to find out whether they had received notification from the John Radcliffe Hospital regarding my new medication so that when I made a new repeat prescription it would be up-and-running and there would be no problems. The discharge information was given to me when I left the hospital and a copy would have been forwarded to my doctor's surgery. I was informed when I went to speak to the receptionist she looked on the computer system and assured me that the new medication was record. Little did I realise that actually this wasn't the case. Or if it was, then part of the information was missing, or at least it would appear so.

I went to Sainsbury's early this morning and went to the Lloyd's pharmacy within the store, which is our nominated pharmacy for all our repeat prescriptions. We've been using them for several years now. But when I went to give them the new order I was informed by their pharmacist that they couldn't do the order without first having it on THEIR system. I would need to ring Ashfield Medical Centre and speak to them to have the new medications recorded before the pharmacy could make up the order. As you can imagine, what with having had a heart attack three weeks previously and also having Carol in hospital, this is only adding to stress and frustration which is certainly not what I want at the moment.

Having completed my shopping in Sainsbury's, I returned home and immediately telephoned the surgery. I was expecting it to take some while to get through, there also was an option on the menu which you have to select when you ring, to phone a special prescription help-line, but this 'after 11 a.m.,' which didn't exactly please me as I wanted to go and visit Carol and if left too late it would be difficult to find a parking space for the car. I just rang the normal telephone number intended for making appointments, but told the receptionist my repeat prescription was urgent. I ran through what I wanted to order until I reached Ticagrelor, which I had been prescribed especially because it's supposed to protect the stent I had put in at the John Radcliffe. The receptionist had never heard of it, which was a surprise. It now seems a doctor will have to approve this additional medication before they can make out a prescription, which will then be sent electronically to Lloyd's before the repeat prescription can be made up. There seems to be some sort of bureaucratic glitch in all this somehow.

I'm having problems with a cough, which I have mentioned in earlier blog posts. Apparently it is a side-effect of taking Ramapril. I spoke to the pharmacist about this matter, because I spent most of last night awake with this horrible cough. Nothing seems to alleviate it, no amount of cough linctus or cough sweets. I just concerns me that it might spark off something like another heart attack. The pharmacist looked at all my medication already held on their system and she saw I was on Candesartan. Which apparently does the same job as Ramapril, but without the side-effects. So it does seem odd that the doctors at John Radcliffe should charge this medication regardless of the fact that I had no problem with the Candesartan but now have to endure a horrible cough with Ramapril.  I decided to go into the Cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital when I went to visit Carol this morning, with the intention of mentioning this to the cardiology nurse I spoke to last week. I was fortunate to be seen by her briefly when I went in. She said that  the cough would most likely be as a result of the Ramapril but she couldn't change it for me, I would need to speak to my GP. It would appear that Ramapril is a standard medication given to patients after they've had a heart attack. So, I need to telephone Ashfield, how ever long that is going to take, and ask my doctor to see if he can change the Ramapril for Candesartan or a similar drug.

Having said in the previous post that it was getting colder, it's actually been quite warm for the past couple of days. The weather is getting so confused. I came out of the hospital yesterday and there was bright sunshine, similar to what we have today (Wednesday.)

Cardiology Nurse Appointment

(Monday) Carol came with me to my first appointment with one of the cardiology nurses at Milton Keynes Hospital this morning. We've walked through the cardiology department quite a few times because it's immediately opposite the entrance into the oncology department which is where Carol came to have her 12 sessions of chemotherapy, so we know it fairly well, usually acknowledging the lady on reception as we walk through.  So it was rather off for me to be there for my own appointment this morning. At least we could park the car easily because we were so early and we went into the Macmillan unit which is further along the corridor to get the parking ticket clipped so we didn't have to pay to park.

We sat down in the waiting area, having reported to the reception desk. There was one other person waiting. Which I assumed would mean I would be next to be called in. But a couple came in, a woman in an electric wheelchair, and her husband (I presume that they were husband and wife.) was called in almost immediately. The letter I'd received giving me the appointment (although I had been telephoned to giving me the appointment. They sent the letter as a reminder.) told me I should arrive a good 10 minutes in advance of the appointment so they could do the, by now, routine observations, such as blood pressure, temperature etc.

Then I was called in by the nurse, Lucy is her name. I had bought all my medications with me in a carrier bag, along with the discharge information from the John Radcliffe. I discussed what had happened leading up to my recent heart attack two week's previously.  It didn't seem to follow any particular pattern, for example, I had difficulty distinguishing between angina, indigestion and any other sensation which lead to it happening. We went through all my medications and discussed any problems I had with the, including the fact that the Ramipril was giving me an annoying cough. She also checked my blood pressure, which appeared very good, considering. She then went through the rehab course, which I can join, but at the moment I can't start because it would appear they don't have any space so it's not likely to start until the end of October. I can't give a clear date to begin this because we don't yet know what Carol's treatment plan is likely to be and probably won't know anything until we've had the consultant's appointment on Friday. So, it's rather open as to when I can begin, but I will go to the hospital gym for this. I wasn't even aware that there was a gym in Milton Keynes Hospital. But when I go I will be checked out to see whether it's safe for me to do this by having a cardiogram done. Then we went on about food and diet in general and then the appointment was over, but it's nice to know I have someone to go to if I need advice since having my heart attack. I will receive a letter soon confirming the day and time I have my first cardiology rehab session.

I saw a piece on BBC Breakfast on Monday morning, before we went off to the hospital for my appointment, about the Highways England campaign called 'Don't Be A Space Invader,' which is to attempt to stop tailgating, something which I have experienced and mention in my blog posts, where a driver will come up far too close behind me when I'm driving. It can be extremely intimidating and in some cases, really frightening. There are, apparently, around 100 people killed or seriously injured in crashes caused by drivers who drive far too close to other vehicles, Highways England says. Around 9 out of 10 people say they feel 'victimised' by this. Police would fine motorists £100 for driving too close to the car in front, in response to concerns over an increase in antisocial driving on motorways and A-Roads. As a result of this, I'm glad that something is being done about this. Apparently you are supposed to give a 2-second space to the car in front when driving on any road. There are markings on the M1 coming south when we come down the motorway, chevrons, that is, markings on the road, which are supposed to give you an approximate distance to keep from the car in front.

Checking On Ashfield, (and other matters)

(Monday)Because I have had some changes to my medication, since I had my recent heart attack and was cared for in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, I needed to check that our doctor's surgery at Ashfield Medical Centre had received the letter from the hospital which has a list of the amendments. I just don't trust them to have this organised so that, when I need to put in a repeat prescription I get the new drugs on the list. We drove to Beanhill and went into the surgery and I asked as the reception desk whether the amendments had been made to my medication and the receptionist looked on the computer system and it had been up-dated, which means our GP had received the information plus a letter from the John Radcliffe which I'd received recently regarding my heart attack last week.

(Wednesday) I'm still managing to find the remains of the adhesive that they use to stick those contacts on your body when you have to have an E.C.G. when your in hospital, on my body, usually where you can't get at it easily. It's a sort of sticky residue which will wear off given time, but it's quite difficult to get off except when you use soap and water. I found I still had several of these contacts on me when I got home from hospital.

I'm still suffering somewhat from a dry cough, caused, I'm almost certain, as a side effect of some of my medication. I do occasionally get a twinge in my chest, no doubt caused by the stent, but it soon settles down. Certainly not as bad as any angina attack. I still have bruises on both my knees which were caused when I collapsed in church. A bit black and blue, the right knee is more swollen than the left and a good deal more painful. It has been difficult to bend but I can walk a good deal easier than when I first left hospital. I seems odd, but when I was supposed to have had a heart attack, in all honesty I can't remember any real pain as it was going on, no shooting pains up my arms as you're supposed to experience.  When I had my first heart attack in 2006 there was definite excruciating pain then and afterwards, when I left hospital after a week I could barely walk. This time I was able to walk without any problems. After the stent was fitted I was very drugged, no doubt as a result of local
anaesthetic, and felt really horribly woosy for some time and couldn't walk unaided, but it soon wore off, thank goodness. At one point it seemed as if the whole room was spinning round and round. Quite unpleasant. I had to sit down and rest before it went off.  I also have a bruise on the left of my forehead which is somewhat painful to the touch but not too bad at the moment. When I was in hospital they did check these injuries out but they decided that there was nothing serious in them.

On the weather-front, it's a somewhat overcast sort of day (as I write this at 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday 12th September.) I'm not sure whether we'll get sunshine today as it's sort of cloudy and I think it rained slightly overnight as the ground outside is damp.

I've had a telephone call this morning from the Cardiology department at Milton Keynes Hospital checking me out to see how I am after my heart attack. It would appear that the John Radcliffe in Oxford have been in contact. I had a short interview to discover how I am at the moment and I bought up the matter of the dry cough and the lady I was speaking to said it would be a side-effect of the Ramipril, one of the additional medications I am currently on since being in hospital. So, at least I know where this cough is coming from, considering I'm not feeling inwell due to a cold or 'flu. She said that I could ask my doctor to change this medication, but I mustn't stop taking the Ramipril. She asked me about diet and then gave me an appointment for next Monday at 9.20 a.m. As it's only a 10-15-minute walk to the Cardiology department from our home at least there should be no problem either finding the department or finding it. We have usually entered the hospital through Cardiology when we've been to the oncology unit when Carol was having her chemotherapy sessions. All this showing how rapidly the various N.H.S. departments have got on my case to get me up-and-running with rehab.

The Adventure of the Missing Parking Space

It's rather a dull and over-cast day. It rained in the night, not particularly heavy, but a sort of steady sort of wetting. It will definitely keep things green.

I had to ring Ashfield Medical Centre this morning to ask for a Doctor's certificate for Carol, as the latest one runs out this week. I did attempt to do this yesterday mid-morning, but the receptionist said that there were no appointments available the rest of the day, and I couldn't book one in advance, it could only be for the same day. Crazy. This would make life so much easier. I don't understand why they do this, because sometimes, when you've seen the doctor, he might ask you to book an appointment for, say, a month ahead. Or doesn't that count? It seems they make up rules just to he awkward. It seems to me that the staff are running the place just for their own benefit, and not for the patients. It took a reasonable length of time to get through this morning, but I rang at 8 o'clock, just as the surgery was opening and there were three other people ahead of me in the telephone queue. I got through and then told them what I wanted and the doctor will call back to speak to Carol and, hopefully, sign another certificate and I will drive to the surgery to collect it and then take it to the H.R. department at Milton Keynes Academy.

Carol was scheduled to be at the oncology department for 2.20 on Thursday afternoon to have the dreaded pump removed. As usual, we drove there in plenty of time, but we couldn't find a place to park the car, so I dropped her off near cardiology and then I drove to the street level carpark at the front of the hospital in the hope that there would be a space. On arrival I drove in but no space was to be had. I wracked my brain in an attempt to think of a suitable place to leave the car and drove immediately to the multi-storey carpark opposite the new entrance. There were cars queued to enter, and when they moved there was a complete jam-up within the confines of the carpark. It was similar to one of those games where you have tiles to move, but there's only a couple of spaces and to complete the picture that the tiles make, you can only move a couple of tiles. The queue wound it's way around the carpark. There's a crazy layout to exit. Even if I'd gone onto the higher levels I don't think I would have found a space. Then, when I eventually got to the exit I didn't have a ticket, so a parking official had to let me out. Just as well as you don't have to pay if you're in there for under 15 minutes. So, I was still stuck for somewhere to leave the car, so I drove round the inner ring road and back to where I'd left Carol. I considered parking in a no parking space within the carpark. As Carol's appointment would be no more than 20 minutes, it would be fine, or so I thought, to leave the car in what was essentially a 'No Parking' zone. It's marked off with yellow lines painted on the tarmac. I got out of the car, and then a man who had just parked his car told me that I could be fined £70 if I left the car there. So I decided to drive out and had no alternative but to drive around again to the carpark at the front of the hospital. Again, no spaces. I was tearing my hair out by now. If only we'd bought our mobiles with us, I could have contacted Carol to tell her what was going on. Again I drove round to the cardiology department entrance and went into the carpark once more but THIS TIME I was able to park in a space directly opposite the entrance. As I walked towards the cardiology entrance, Carol was coming out! She said she had wondered where on earth I had got to, but at least it meant I didn't have to walk in to find her in the oncology department, so we walked back to the car and managed to drive home. Certainly something of an adventure, to say the least.

Tenth Chemotherapy Cycle

So, we didn't get a telephone call from the oncology department yesterday evening, so Carol's tenth chemotherapy cycle will begin today, thankfully.

We've put two bags of bark chippings on the weed-resistant material. It's fairly easy to spread, but it won't cover as much as we thought so we'll need to get several more bags to finish the job, so it's another outing to Bunnings.

We went to the oncology department for 11.30 this morning. They'd managed to sort out the problem with the computers. It was just as well we decided to go early because when we got to the usual carpark behind the cardiology department, there was no space, so we thought we could park in the new multi-storey carpark, but when we drove round it appears to be just for staff at the hospital. Considering that there is a street level carpark behind the main block you'd have thought that if staff used the new facility there would be more than enough space for visiting patients. We drove right round the inner ring road and tried to find a space in the carpark at the front of the hospital, but it was entirely full so we drove back round to the oncology department, with the intention of me dropping Carol off and then going on my own to find a space, even considering returning home and then walking back into the hospital campus, but fortunately we found that someone  was driving out of the first carpark and we were able to take their vacated space.

There's not a great deal else to record about the day, which was fairly uneventful.

Weather Turns Chilly

Just when we were expecting the weather to warm up, we wake this morning (Friday) to find it's really cold. The car has a frozen windscreen. I've been out with the defrost spray to melt it off. We have to go out this morning, to the hospital,  for 9.20, as Carol has to go to the oncology suite to have a blood test before her sixth chemotherapy cycle and then a consultant's appointment at 10 o'clock in the Macmillan unit.

When we got to the hospital carpark at around 9.15 there were plenty of spaces and the barrier was raised so we couldn't take a ticket. Whoever collects the money from the car parking must be loosing out if the barriers are raised and nobody is paying. Do I feel sorry for them? Absolutely not. I'm sure if you read these blog posts regularly you will know quite a bit about my views of hospital parking and the adventures I've had with the ticket machines in and around the Milton Keynes hospital campus.

We walked in to the Oncology Department, entering the hospital building where we usually do, at the Cardiology Department. It's actually handy, thinking about it, considering I had a heart attack and Carol needs the oncology department which is just over the corridor. I never thought of this before. On arriving in the Oncology Suite we find it virtually devoid of patients. I think there is one other person. It is also cold, which Carol mentions. The chemotherapy makes heat and cold very difficult for her to bear. We turned the heating up considerably when we left the house as a result of this fact.

We have to wait quite a while before Carol goes in to have a sample of blood taken by one of the nurses. She is gone longer than it usually takes and it turns out that the nurse was unable to take any blood through the P.I.P. line, for whatever reason. We will have to return in an hour to have another go. The line needs flushing before a sample can be taken. I'm not entirely sure of why this will not work.

We then leave the Oncology Suite and go to the restaurant to have coffee. I'm glad that it's not too far and that we can use the time in there before heading back towards the Macmillan Unit where Carol is due to be seen by one of the Oncology consultants. Not the lead doctor, Dr Saka, but another of his team. It would appear that the chemotherapy is working. We have no direct evidence of this, as we have to wait for a report on the scan Carol has to have after the next chemotherapy cycle, which begins on Monday, but the consultant we spoke to seems very positive about the treatment. Whatever the results are of this scan it will then be decided on whether to perform an operation to remove whatever cancerous growth there is that can be removed and how much more chemotherapy Carol will need. But it certainly seems a good deal more positive than it was several months ago.

We return to the Oncology suite. It's been gradually filling up with patients since we were last in there. It seems one of the regular men has missed several of his chemotherapy appointments. Carol says she overheard a conversation. To be honest, if you have something you don't want others to hear you should at least keep it private and go into a room away from the main area of the unit. It would appear that this man was more concerned with his business than his health. Which would you put first if it was a choice between the chemotherapy which would possibly help you recover or your business or work?

The taking of the blood sample was completed and so left the unit. The next chemotherapy cycle begins on Monday morning.

We left the hospital and went to Waitrose to do some shopping. It was either there or Sainsbury's but chose Waitrose for a change.

I had to go to Ashfield Medical Centre earlier in the week to get a medical certificate for Carol to give to the H.R. department at Milton Keynes Academy. I went to collect this yesterday (Thursday) and then took it in to the reception desk. But then we got a call from the H.R. department to say that the dates given on it didn't tally with the previous certificate, so we had to go in to the surgery to get a fresh one produced. So, more running about all over the place. They rang this afternoon to say it was ready to collect, but I'm leaving it to collect until Monday.

Watching the 2018 Winter Olympics

If you read my blog posts regularly you will have discovered that I'm not a great sports fan. To me football must be about the most boring sport ever invented. I can see nothing particularly interesting in watching a load of men running around on a piece of grass and chasing after a leather ball, with the intention of kicking it into a net. Just does not do it for me, I'm afraid. Rugby might possibly be another matter, as it's fast, dangerous and like some epic medieval battle. Far more of a skill in kicking a ball which isn't round, getting it to go over a bar at quite some height is definitely a skill. Even managing to get it to go in a straight line is an art in itself. Not just football as being boring to me, but cricket is another dumb sport. I think it's because I was put off the whole thing when I was at school, having to participate in something that I wasn't particularly good at. Most likely, totally hopeless. Having a leather ball flung at you for a start, and trying to hit it with a wooden bat, just not going to happen somehow. Standing about on a piece of grass, on a hot summer's day, waiting to bat or field and also having to field, as far from the centre of action as possible, not my idea of fun in the slightest. Footballers paid telephone numbers for doing very little. Who on earth is worth something like £400,000 a week? Crazy.

But this morning we've got the television on and watching the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics from Pyeonchang, South Korea. (Goodness, I did manage to spell it!) I have to say, having a larger-screen HD television does make watching this sort of thing far more, how shall I describe it, immersive. How on earth anyone can strap on a pair of skis and fling themselves down a mountainside I can hardly imagine, or lay on what is little more than a sort of tin tray and hurtle as I have no idea how many miles per hour down a sort of icey railway track (not a very good way to describe it I'm afraid.) with no visible sort of protection, I can never comprehend. All these sports people at the Olympics doing something they love, to represent their country, but doing it without being paid a bean. And generally doing it exceptionally well.

The actual opening ceremony includes a rather amazing snow leopard or lion, not a real one of course, but a sort of large puppet. Also some, what look like mythical creatures, a dragon and some sort of bird, being operated by several puppeteers. A bit like how the puppets were operated in the show we saw at the Derngate last May. A phoenix we're told by the commentator. Amazing lighting, lots of dancers and quite spectacular. Almost on a par with the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. I think that has to be the sort of standard these ceremonies have to now be compared with.
All participants are wearing what look like white dressing gowns with furry edging and brightly-coloured flower-pot hats with sort of Christmassy decorations on them. Well, I'm sure they're not in the least connected to the festive period, but that's what they look like to me. How on earth they manage to coordinate so many people is quite beyond my comprehension. Having worked in stage management for a few years I have some idea of the huge logistics of dealing with that many people, not just off stage but on, and in such a huge space.

Later. Carol had to go to the Oncology Suite for 11.30 this morning for a blood test before the fifth chemotherapy cycle to begin on Monday morning. The carpark entrance was being repaired (or assume it was.) because when we arrived at the barrier their was a mechanic there with the cover off the machinery and handed us a ticket as we drove in. Fortunately we were able to find a parking space and then walked into the hospital as we usually do through the cardiology department.

Carol's colleague from Milton Keynes Academy, Sandy, who used to work as a technician in the science department, was in the oncology unit with her husband when we arrived so there was someone to talk to before the nurses came to do the blood test and check out Carol's weight and blood pressure. There was a television on in the unit with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on. Each team was being lead into the arena with a lady dressed in what might have been Christmas characters, but obviously wasn't. A very good display of the various types of jacket and suits worn by all the participating country's teams as they walked through the arena.

It seemed that the oncology unit was somewhat short staffed as there didn't appear to be the full number of nurses on duty as there usually was, meaning that only a couple of nurses were doing several people's jobs. Which is probably why we had to wait for some time before Carol was seen to. It didn't matter too much as we had plenty to keep us occupied, chatting to Sandy and her husband.

By the time everything was complete we were beginning to get hungry. It was a good hour or more later when we left than when we usually have something to eat for our lunch, so we drove to Dobbie's at Bletchley to go to their restaurant. As we drove along Chaffron Way we were followed by a small car with a young man and a girl in it. The driver insisted on driving very close behind. Nothing unusual about this as it's happened many times before. He attempted to get me to drive faster but I wasn't going to drive any faster than is safe or at least within the speed limit. As a result he hooted at me, which made me jump. I continued driving on towards the roundabout and on to Grafton Street. Again the driver honked me. I ignored him and continued on. Eventually the driver turned off into Coffee Hall near the Shell petrol station. Just another ill-mannered individual more concerned with his selfish ways than any respect for other people on the road. We drove on and got on the A5 and continued on to Dobbie's. I had cottage pie and chips and Carol had egg mayonnaise baguette. Good-sized portions and just what we needed. It was surprisingly busy, considering it was a Friday. Having eaten, we went to buy some bird feeders and some food as the bird feeder in the garden was empty and it was well and truly time to fill it up. We also had a browse in the food hall and bought some cakes and fudge and then went back to the car to drive home.

Fourth Chemotherapy Cycle Completed

We've been back to the Oncology Unit at the hospital for Carol to have the pump disconnected. She was booked to be there at 3.40 p.m. and we got there well in time, but there was no room in the carpark so I had to drop her off near the Cardiology Department and I drove round to the ground-level carpark opposite A and E and walked back through the hospital grounds to Oncology.  By the time I'd walked along the corridor to the Macmillan Unit (only a short distance.) and then walked back to the Oncology Unit, Carol was sitting in the main part of the unit having the pump removed by one of the nurses. The nurses work exceptionally hard. They deserve a pay rise. There was a television on in the Oncology Suite, with the BBC News channel on. They were showing a live broadcast of a House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee meeting, about the gender pay-gap. I was wondering, how on earth can these people, the men in particular, be paid such outrageous amounts, in some cases over £150,000 a year, for just sitting in a nice, warm television studio, when nurses and doctors as well as paramedics, who have to work under such pressure and for such low pay and probably haven't had a pay-increase for a few years? I think that's more of an inequality than a load of television 'personalities.' Having said that, if we're talking about pay increases, how about teachers? Well, I would say that, now, wouldn't I?

It's been bright and sunny but it's still cold with a sharp wind as we walked back and froth from the car to the oncology unit.

Weekend Shopping and Completion Of Third Chemo Cycle

I've been out extra early this morning to do some shopping. I went all the way over to Westcroft to go to Aldi. Last week I went into the main shopping centre to buy Carol a diary as well as a calendar to mark in all her hospital appointments. I then went to Aldi at Bradwell Common and got there too later, so the place was heaving with customers and it was all but impossible to move around the store. Not entirely helped by the fact that there were no end of pallets and boxes being used to stock the place. All this was why I decided to go so early this morning and it worth worth it as I was in and out within about half an hour. We'd made a list which also helped. The one thing we like about Aldi, apart from everything being a good deal cheaper (around a third, I reckon.) their stores are smaller than the average supermarket so you can get around quicker and there's less to choose from. Why have so many versions of the same product, such as tomato ketchup? Just confusing and makes choosing more difficult. Mind you, we don't particularly like their tomato ketchup, so we have to go to Sainsbury's for Heinz ketchup. There are some products which you can't compromise on, such as tea (has to be P.G. Tips every time) as well as toothpaste (Has to be Colgate.) But Aldi's meat fruit and vegetables can't be bettered. They have a faster system at the checkout. You make sure your trolley is in place and they whizz your shopping through the scanner and then you have to pack it on the shelf which saves time.  They've managed to place the bar codes on the packaging in such a way that  the operator doesn't have to search for them and they're large enough, unlike on most products where you spend time looking for the bar code so it can be scanned, so wasting time and energy. It was relatively easy to park as well and it's not far to push the trolley when the shopping is done.

Carol had to go into the hospital to have the pump disconnected. We had to go to ward 22, which is over the Endoscopy department, and not the Oncology Suite. Fortunately I knew where it was as I noticed the signage for it when I walked through the hospital the other day. The chemotherapy makes Carol feel really awful, mostly dizzy. It was quite difficult for her to walk from the car into the hospital.

We didn't have to wait long when we eventually reached Ward 22. Carol was taken into a side-room and a nurse removed the pump. Unfortunately Carol was even more dizzy when she came out and sat on a chair in the corridor. We began to walk out, but the dizziness got worse, so she had to sit down again. A nurse rang for a porter to come with a wheelchair. I couldn't push a wheelchair because of my heart condition. After about 20 minutes or so the porter arrived with the wheelchair and we began the journey back to the entrance at Cardiology, where we had come into the hospital. The porter couldn't wheel Carol outside, so I was left with Carol to slowly return to the car. Fortunately, when we drove out of the carpark, the barrier was raised, so we didn't have to pay. At the weekend you have to pay and can't get your ticket stamped at Macmillan's unit as it's closed, so it was a relief to find we didn't have to pay.

Third Chemotherapy Cycle (and a Load of Pure Waffle)

Well, how else do I entitle this post? Most of it is waffle, let's be perfectly honest. Sometimes it's inevitable, because I have to put SOMETHING in a post, even if it's just trivial stuff, to pad the thing out.

It's a calm and mild morning.  But overcast and really depressing again. It's more like early evening rather than morning. But life goes on. We'll have a second attempt at visiting the Oncology Suite this morning.

We had to be at the Oncology Suite for 12 noon. We left in good time. Really no excuse to be late as it's only a short drive from home. We drove into the hospital campus and drove round the inner ring road as we always do, towards the Oncology Suite and went into the carpark. Unfortunately we couldn't find a vacant space, and there other cars also looking. So we had no choice but to park as we had yesterday, so we drove out of the carpark, and fortunately the barrier was raised so we didn't have to use the ticket to leave. We drove around the inner ringroad and arrived at Carpark A. We drove in and took a ticket from the machine and then couldn't find a vacant space to park. We drove out (the barrier was raised. Do these things ever work? Probably just as well they don't.) There was no alternative but to park in the multi-storey. There was no way that Carol was going to walk all the way from the multi-storey carpark to the Oncology Suite, so I drove back round towards the Oncology Suite and dropped her off near the Cardiology Department, which is where we usually enter the hospital. Conveniently just across the corridor from Oncology. It must have been where I come when I had my stress test a few years ago after I had my heart attack. So, I drove around the inner ring-road back to the multi-storey car park (this is becoming a theme of this blog post, it seems, a real sense of deja vu about it, but never mind.) There was quite a queue of vehicles entering the carpark where you take your tickets. Then an even longer queue to wait to park within the carpark. I then drove around and couldn't see a space immediately and then I decided to break all the rules and went through an area which said 'no entry.' (There are definitely times when you definitely have to break the rules and go against the grain or swim against the current, to use two really useful metaphors.) It was either that or leave the carpark and go somewhere else, which I didn't intend doing. As a result, and no doubt upsetting quite a few other drivers, I did manage to find a space. I left the carpark and walked through the hospital and back to the Oncology Department and found Carol hiding round the corner of the unit. Not many other people in the unit, a lot of empty seats. She was soon set up with her usual drips and laying on the bed they had reserved for her. At least I now now the short cut from the multi-storey carpark which avoids having to walk along those seemingly endless corridors which I had to endure when Carol was in hospital for three weeks a few months ago.

The session has gone relatively stress-free. Not a lot of waiting to have Carol's chemo set up as was the case the other week. There aren't that many other people in the unit and it seems far quieter than it has been for the last two sessions. Carol is currently crocheting which is keeping her occupied. I have been reading 'Cold Comfort Farm' which has to be one of my favourite novels. I love reading out loud and apart from anything it's a way of passing the time. I think the session will be over soon, by which time I will have to walk back to the multi-storey carpark to collect the car and drive back to pick up Carol from near the Cardiology Department entrance. I just hope the weather doesn't suddenly change and we get pouring rain. Now just the alarm-sounds of the pumps going off (when they malfunction or the bags of drip run out.). Writing this blog post keeping me occupied for the rest of the session, by which time I will have run out of things to say and at which point I will press 'publish' and the whole thing goes 'live.'

Virtually all of this post has been composed whilst sitting with Carol in the Oncology Suite at Milton Keynes University Hospital, thanks to the fact that there is free wi-fi in all areas of the hospital. (Although this bit at the end was written after we got home.) How come we are now allowed to use our mobiles in N.H.S. properties? At one time you weren't allowed to use a mobile in any hospital or other N.H.S. place because for some reason they were supposed to interfere with some of the equipment. What has changed?