Home Alone: Days 5 and 6

I swapped child minding days with the co-grandparents so I could attend my post cataract procedure check up today. So yesterday Hannah and I took Evie to lunch in Cafe Couture then off for a browse at a Harryville charity shop. I gave Evie a two pound coin to spend and she slotted it into a toy drum machine and that was the end of that. Despite our turning the machine upside down many times and Hannah inserting her weird long fingers into the machine's inner working the coin stayed put. I advised the shop manager that the £3 price sticker on the gadget should now be upped to £5.

Off to the hospital today for a 4pm appointment. I was there for three hours and found myself sitting next to the same man that I sat next to on the day of the procedure. We swapped notes. Seems we are both doing great. Thankfully the surgeon agreed. I discovered the reason why things were taking so long for he was teaching a student and was taking enough time to ensure that she was benefiting from the experience. A lovely man. So I was there for a long time and so what? Once again I got to see what is wonderful about the National Health Service. And I've been flagged as 'urgent' for the left eye cataract.


Not a word from the holiday maker but thanks to Jazzer and the immediacy of Facebook I've seen three photographs. Her camera isn't very good but it seems that he is covered in mosquito bites and looks really sad as if he is totally missing Jess and Judy. The poor man.

An Update On My Little Life

The first thing is these damn eyes of mine. Way back in January I got a date for the cataract procedure, for the 19th February and I was most delighted. Then that procedure was postponed and I started to think I had been forgotten about. Meanwhile the eye infection kept recurring and eventually I couldn't use steroid eye drops any more. Now I've got a new date for the procedure - next Monday, seven days hence. And the eyes are still bothering me. The condition has been diagnosed as adenoviral keratitis and it is affecting both eyes. So I'm off to Eye Casualty tomorrow with a letter from my GP. Catching the 07:22 from Cullybackey so hopefully I won't be at the hospital for the entire day. I expect to hear if I'll be able to go ahead with the procedure next week and, of course, I shall keep you all (all several of you) updated.

The second matter is Roy, the fat old collie we inherited. He's not been mentioned for a while. Happily he has fitted in with us far better than we ever hoped. He loves most people, though not that keen on the ones under three foot because they squeal a lot and he doesn't like CBeebies too much. When the small folk are around he hangs out in other rooms.

We thought, when he first arrived, that we'd have to put him on a reducing diet to get his weight down  but wait for a few weeks until he was well settled. It turned out not to be necessary. He started racing about after the other two dogs and within a fortnight the weight started to drop off him. The more weight he lost the faster he could run so he is a slender dog now.

I must organise an 'after' photograph. The 'before' one has already been recorded.

December Daily Post, No. 29

I was a patient patient today and Cousin Margaret was a patient patient supporter. For today was the day of my follow up appointment after my eye infection crisis.

Rather than be late for my date with the doctor we ended up being more than an hour early so we had morning coffee and scones in the Europa Hotel. It was sweet to be sitting in the Piano Bar watching and looking out at Robinson's and the Crown Bar. Belfast looked beautiful today.  

The day had not started well. There had been a very tight frost during the night and on my way out the door this morning to feed the hens I slipped on ice and fell on the broad of my back. I was looking at the bright blue sky before I had time to tense up and that was a good thing. I must have been shaken up still when I went into the henhouse for the damn rooster saw my defences were down and attacked me. The weight of him as he flies into you! I'm sure he'll make a delicious and hearty broth some of these days.

But it could have been worse. Poor Cousin Raymond was helping his daughter move house and he slipped on ice while he was carrying a washing machine. The washing machine fell on top of him. Apparently he is OK, still helping with the flit.

The doctor at the Royal Victoria Hospital told me that the infection in my left eye lingers on and I'll need to take another four week course of steroid drops. It seems it was a herpes infection and that I was lucky it was caught it at an early stage. Better news is that I am now on the waiting list for the cataract operation on my right eye and, in the meantime, I can continue to drive.

December Daily Post, No 10

This will be a short post as my vision is still very blurry. I'm glad I can make it because this morning it would not have been possible. Yesterday Bert and I had a long, long day in the Royal Victoria Hospital.* Thanks to everyone who commented to wish me well and thanks too to my family who have been very supportive.

Preparations for Christmas? What do you think? Not a lot.

*Where there were a great number of people far worse off than me.

Back when I took them for granted

December Daily Post, No. 9

I am writing this with great difficulty. My sight has worsened. I have just got back from the doctor and I am to see an eye specialist this afternoon. I am very frightened even though my GP says she sends at least two patients a month to this emergency clinic.

Preparations for Christmas? None. I'm even wondering if there will be a Christmas.