Update 11
Michelle came to see us on Wednesday and I told her the last three nights had been challenging. My breathing has become very laboured whenever I am stressed or have over exerted myself. She pretty much gave me a slapped wrist and told me to stop saying that I’m alright when I no longer am. She has now prescribed Morphine to ease the breathing problem which is principally down to the clot on my lung and has told me to be much more careful in deciding how much physical activity I can realistically undertake without putting my breathing at risk.
A friend has lent me the use of his oxygen concentrator to see if it eases the breathing restriction which it certainly did last night. Michelle is going to have me assessed to see if I am eligible to have a machine of my own. I asked how many other folk in Cheltenham have the same diagnosis as me - it transpires there are currently three of us with untreatable Glioblastomas so not that common a disease but very much in line with the national rate of 3.1 cases per 100,000 - the population of Cheltenham is just over 100,000
On Thursday afternoon Dr Julian rang to ask about my breathing, he thought the idea of a concentrator was pretty much a no brainer but the respiratory team would have to check me out. Over the weeks since my diagnosis we’ve been told that both the Physiotherapy team and the Psychological support team will be in touch, just not yet. But surprise surprise, on Friday afternoon my own concentrator was delivered. Tonight I’m breathing easily and pulling the oxygen into the full depth of my lungs - wonderful
The aforementioned Gianni to be found just 80 yards from our back gate and booked for supper tonight
There are certain moments when individuals let slip exactly how stupid they really are, and last night the UK’s Foreign Secretary grabbed hers: in answer to a question from the rabid right wing journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer, Ms Truss said that “the jury is out” on whether President Macron is our friend or foe. What has she got where her brain is meant to be? France is our nearest neighbour, our strongest NATO ally and one of our most important trading partners. If the Foreign Secretary thinks it’s a clever move to disrespect France and its President, then we’re further down the slippery slope to irrelevance than even I suspected. I noted some weeks back that Conservative foreign policy seems to demand that the UK consistently ”sticks its tongue out” to the French. I do so wish our government had some proper grown ups in place.
It’s not been easy to understand exactly how each of our political leaders plan to ease the burden of skyrocketing fuel prices. But, now the Resolution Foundation has generated a useful chart showing the differences between the schemes proposed by Starmer, Sunak and Truss. The distinctions are pretty obvious with the Truss offering being the meanest when it comes to helping the poorest. If this is how she plans to win the hearts of the nation, then I’m confident there won’t be many Tory election victories any time soon.
It appears that Ms.Truss is now plotting the shape of her cabinet but with more effort going into rewarding her fan club than seeking any real talent. The previous bunch of incompetents are to be propped back up,- Rees Mogg, Dorries, Braverman and Frost, plus “fresh faces” including the failed leader Ian Duncan Smith and the “swivel eyed” John Redwood who for very good reason has spent the last 27 years in the political wilderness. If the predictions are correct then whilst the Conservative membership will be pleased - the rest of us much less so.
Following my diagnosis we decided to rewatch ‘The West Wing’ and last night completed series one. Second time around, Aaron Sorkin’s script and characters are still so reassuring and simultaneously compelling. If only our real Presidents or Prime Ministers were as intelligent and humane as Jed Bartlett - if only life would imitate art.
