The Whole Darn Thing

 Wednesday, 5:00 a.m. Well, I'm wide awake and thought I might as well do some more blogging.

I have mentioned in previous posts about the infamous electric scooter sheds (the scooters are electric, not the sheds. Well, I don't think they are. Oh, just being somewhat sarcastic.) The reason for them, so that these devices aren't in the way inside Dexter House and a hazard if there's a fire. We now have beautifully resurfaced paths, all with lighting and access to these lovely sheds (irony here.) has been completed at huge expense.  Workmen have been working on the external gates which open onto Strudwick Drive (or, at least, the path, which runs alongside the Dexter House garden, and where the scooters will get into the garden and, hence, the store sheds. But STILL, the work isn't completed! This whole situation has become farcical, to say the least. I don't think you can make any of this us, but if you did, nobody would believe it. 

I've been watching episodes of the BBC sitcom 'Yes, Minister', and the above situation could come straight out of one of the episodes. It may be over 40 years since this show was first shown, but I think it's probably more relevant now than it was then.

7.25 a.m. It's bright and sunny as I write this. The digital thermometer currently reads 21˚c. 

Yesterday morning, I went out again with my DJI Pocket video camera. I went back to Campbell Wharf, which is on the Grand Union Canal where there is a marina, pub and flats. It looks as if it's being developed, with more buildings going on, a cycle shop and a One-Stop convenience store, a coffee shop and a barber's, which appears to have only just opened recently. There were workmen outside, putting up the sign.

I took some good footage, but I still haven't got the settings absolutely right with the gimbal. Having my iPhone connected to the camera on the new rig makes it easier to view what you are filming, by using the Mimo app. When I got home I managed to view the footage through the app and discovered you can even edit what you have filmed and also watch through my Apple Watch with the app.

5.50 p.m. It's been warm and sunny all day.

Alfie was due for a haircut at The Groom Room at midday, so I drove across Milton Keynes to the Pets At Home store in Bletchley. I took him into the store and got him registered. A trim around his face and body and then I went to Greggs, further along the parade of stores, for a drink and filled roll and then returned to my car to eat it. I went to T.K.Maax to have a browse. It seems the upstairs departments have been moved around and, as usual, there were no end of items I liked, but didn't buy. I went back to the car and a minute or two later the Groom Room phoned to say Alfie was done and I could collect him.

Second Chemotherapy Cycle Completed

On Friday afternoon I had to go into the Macmillan Unit at the hospital to meet one of the oncology doctors in the pain clinic who is attempting to make our life easier by giving Carol some new medication. One is a patch which she has to wear on her arm and will replace tramadol and co-codomol. All this to deal with the pain Carol is experiencing. The doctor gave me a prescription to take to the hospital's own pharmacy and fortunately they made it up relatively speedily so I wasn't kept waiting too long.  I've explained in blog posts the difficulty we have communicating with our surgery, Ashfield Medical Centre. We put in a repeat prescription and then, when we come to collect it, we ring the surgery to check where in the system the order is, to sometimes be told 'it's been sent electronically to Lloyd's at Sainsbury's,' and the next time you ring, 'we have it here, printed-out.' So, you can't rely on them to be more clear what is going on.  Also, not very clear whether we're actually going to get the meds we order. Then, when you pick up the medication, they only give Carol enough tablets for no more than 10 days. Which means you are forever ringing and checking and re-ordering medication. The doctor at the hospital was trying to get through to the doctor at the surgery to try to get them to make any medication repeat order be for a larger quantity. My question is, why can't the oncology department order the medications for Carol? Why do we have to go through Ashfield Medical Centre? It seems a rather unnecessary process. Surely it would cut down on N.H.S. bureaucracy. Wasting resources, or is that being simplistic? Why can't they simplify things for all concerned? They seem to have rules and regulations just for the sake of it.  I realise the N.H.S. has to watch what is used and that medication shouldn't be over-prescribed and has to prevent waste and particularly keep an eye of spending. But if you have a long-term health issue, such as cancer, why can't you be treated as an urgent case, have a dedicated phone line to cut down on all the waiting when you telephone? Or is that expecting too much?

 I went on my own as there was no point Carol going with me. But once I got home from being at the hospital I had to drive Carol back for 4.45 as she had to have the pump she's had for the past few days removed. Fortunately it was a quick job, as one of the nurses in the oncology department dealt with it quickly and efficiently. Things are also easier now we know where to go as well as being able to park in the carpark immediately behind the oncology department and it's not too far for Carol to walk. Why on earth I was never told you could use this carpark when Carol was in ward 21 for three weeks I can't think. I had this idea that this particular carpark was for staff only. Simplifying these things makes our lives so much easier.

This morning I've been out to top up our gas and electricity (we have pre-payment meters for electricity and gas which are topped up using a card for gas and a key for electricity.)  I went to the One-Stop shop in Garraway's. The round to the Shell petrol station in Grafton Street to put diesel in the car. I'm just making sure that we're fully fuelled as we might need the car in an emergency.