Post 300: Sleeping well and more self advocacy.
With all the hopes pinned on a good check-up at the GP, with another new doctor, my gut is still telling me that all is ok and I’m good to go, good to fly.
So an early blood test followed by the GP will push this confidence a little more in the right direction.
My usual “vampire” got what was needed out of my second arm by which time the first arm started to leak. Oh well, so there was blood in it, just not when she wanted it. It’s always a lottery as to which the best arm is.
Afterwards I sat back down with my Darling and thought we’d have a wee wait and in we’d go. But things weren’t going to be like that at all. It was 35 minutes late when he called me so this will need to be a quickie if the doctor wants to catch up on his schedule. Poor him, as it doesn’t matter to me.
As we, my Darling and I, sat down in his office, a mile away from reception, and said hi for the first time, I felt an impatience in his tone especially when I said I had a list, to which he replied that “we wouldn’t have much time”, and launched into “you’re in here for your frozen shoulder, is that right?”
I was up early for this appointment and feeling bright and shiny so I was ready and waiting for his questions.
As he and I talked over the problem using an X-ray report as guidance I became understood — he became aware of many things written on his screens about me and via my verbal input. To the extent that a physical examination and more chat followed. In the end the frozen shoulder issue was resolved; I was being handed over to the musculoskeletal team at the big local hospital.
By this time I felt that he had forgotten all about catching up with the clock and his full attention was on me. This was helped by the fact I was on it, so as to speak. My mind was clear and thinking in an orderly fashion was easy. I should say now that that is not always the case. I’ve had loads of brain fog recently and all probably due to illness and pain relief.
But not today.
“So onto my list,” I said…
“Prescriptions. I’d like to order most of my pills early for the holiday next week.”
And with that he clicked his mouse and checked all my meds. He deleted a couple of meds I don’t use any more and sent the rest to my local pharmacy for an early pick-up.
Brilliant.
The rest of the list was null and void because we had covered it earlier in his deep dive into my history and cancer issues. Overall a thoughtful and thorough check-up and though it took 10 minutes or more over my allotted time, both he and I were pleased. What a fab Doc.
I came out of the surgery with high hopes that I’ll get on that plane.
While we went home and took more pills, unbeknown to us there was a confab going on, on my behalf, at the oncology clinic. Should I have an infusion of blood or not was the question on the agenda and it was likely to be an easy decision. I received the answer early afternoon when I got a call from the hard-working nurse acting as a conduit to me (from the oncologist) with the good news; I will have one unit of blood. There will need to be a blood test — yes another one, the fourth this week — but this is to match the blood for the infusion.
Oh well, it’s got to be done.
With the holiday coming up quickly and the ducks starting to get themselves in a row, I feel relieved but of course there’s the other main event going on after the holiday. The car exchange.
Normally I wouldn’t worry too much about getting insurance for the swapped-out car but this time I’m really pushing for my Darling to be the main driver and it being her insurance. After all it is her car.
The fact is that her (classic) Mini was always an expensive car to insure. I converted it from auto to manual, so in real terms it’s not now original, so the price was always high.
The phone call for a new quote took ages and included adding me and our youngest as additional drivers.
The great thing was that my Darling had accumulated twelve years’ no-claims bonus (on that Mini) which initially brought the new policy cost to £400 — which was fantastic.
Then both father and son were added to the quote — and the cost went down. Wow.
Then we added the “friends and family” due to the fact that both our eldest and his wife work for the company we were getting the insurance from. The cost plummeted and was now a tidily £290 and you could have knocked us down with a feather.
The lady on the other end of the phone asked us if we were ok with the quote, and did we want to go ahead with it?
Our answer to that was, yes very please muchly. 
With all that done, I made a celebratory decaf.
4 tbs, 3 minutes at 90° — yummy.
Tomorrow is another blood test after the Zoladex injection, straight after each other, 20 miles apart. Great 
I’m sleeping well lately and that’s not a bad thing. I think I’m allowing myself time to sleep, which is a new thing.
Leave yourself some time in your day for sleep too, your body will thank you.
Good night
