Update 17
Yesterday (Tuesday) I had a weird episode when for 5 minutes or so I could only speak jibberish. My brain knew what I wanted to say, but my mouth failed to respond accurately. Today I saw the doctor who prescribed an even stronger drug to tackle my oral Thrush - oh how I’d love to be able to eat and drink normally again. The pharmacy may have what’s needed later today and I can start taking the tablets. The doc also gave me a B12 top up injection since that deficiency might be a contributing factor to the metallic taste in my mouth.
Before the doc I also had a dental check up and she was quite upset when I explained my health situation. We’ve always exchanged details of any new restaurant discoveries around the town so I reported that Petit Coco was my only discovery since I saw her last and she heartily confirmed it was already a favourite for her and her boyfriend. The receptionist looked a bit odd when I declined the opportunity to book a check up appointment in six months time.
When diagnosed, it was suggested that my life expectancy was probably 3 to 4 months from diagnosis. What wasn’t pointed out was that because my tumour was accidentally discovered when I complained of something else, diagnosis would otherwise have been significantly later. Although I do have moments when I wish it was all over, I may yet be around for a bit longer than that original prediction. Maybe I should offer to pause these bulletins, but to be honest, writing them is one of the decreasing number of pleasures left to me.
I got back from the dentist in time to watch Ms Truss address the Conservative Conference in Birmingham. She was just as wooden as ever and the constant grin (just look how pleased I am with myself ) really got on my nerves. I now have to live with her defining me as an enemy of my own country. As a Lib Dem and along with many of my friends, I am apparently part of the “anti growth coalition”. This is of course a total nonsense since throughout the almost thirty years of Unique Broadcasting we strove for growth continually. If Ms Truss continues to come up with this kind of cr*p she will only ensure that her time at the top of the pile will be even shorter than it already appears.
After listening to the speech I headed off to the doctor who closed our session by telling me he planned early retirement at the end of the year. Good for him but not for us his patients. He confirmed his frustration with the nhs: like so many others, he has serious concerns not just about the way the service looks after patients but just as importantly how it looks after its staff. Too many governments have tried to get away with simply throwing a bit more money at the nhs when it really calls out for some fundamental re-shaping including the introduction of some long term planning around staff levels.
In case you’re thinking everything will be alright because it always is, just note that currently there are 47,000 unfilled nursing posts and 11,000 doctor roles. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Royal College of Nursing is about to ballot its members on their desire for strike action. The nhs is staffed by some very unhappy people - people upon whom many of our lives literally depend - as my doctor said, “I’m sorry, but clapping just doesn’t do it”.
On a more positive note, I detect the beginnings of reality impinging on Ms Truss’s thinking as far as relations with the EU are concerned. Under Johnson it became ‘de rigeur ’ to keep sticking our collective UK tongue out at the French and often the Irish. Now there are signs our new PM understands that we do actually need collaborative relationships with both of our nearest neighbours if we are to regain anything resembling the healthy import export businesses from which we’ve benefitted over the last 40 or so years. Overall she may be sadly lacking in common sense or leadership skills, but at least this latest small step is one in the right direction.
Whilst holding on to the positive, we’ve just started our second viewing of series 4 of ‘The West Wing’ and it continues to inform, educate and entertain. Surely one of the finest tv drama series ever …. Thank you Aaron Sorkin
