A Brush with the NHS

 Dear Marmite

Ezra-Mae on the beer

It has been quite a week. It all started with a brush with a wasp. This wasn't even a sting. Nasty Mr Wasp flew past my hand very closely just as I was getting into the car to drive to Gatwick and pick your friends -Diane and Jeremy - up. After last year's incident with another nasty, I was a wee bit worried about my body's reaction.

The hand reacted quicky, it became swollen, sore, itched and burned. I went to a pharmacy the following day for stuff to make it better. No, they said. Go to your doctor. I tried, but as you may not know, Marms, over here seeing a doctor is not easy. Before you see any doctor you have to fill in the Klinik web chat as accurately as you can to help with diagnosis. Sometimes the multiple choice options leave me hanging - they don't cover what I think is wrong with me.  Much later I got a message saying I would get a call. I got a call much later still. The "doctor" wrote a prescription which no pharmacy could fill.  Argh.... 

My hand

I sent another message over the web chat and by Saturday I still had a swollen hand and no medication so I called 111. I got mixed messages from two different respondents. Number 1  - go to hospital immediately. Number 2  - a doctor will call you. I had two phone calls much later but couldn't get to either of them as they rang off after 3 rings. To be honest, I am so lucky this has not been life threatening. 

So one week later - almost - I get to speak to a real doctor over the phone who decides I need two new epi pens ready for the next sting. Surprise, surprise - I tried 2 pharmacies yesterday afternoon and neither have epi pens so I am back to square 1. What a palava!! 

The NHS did much better cutting a lump out of my neck last Monday. It was about 2.5cm cubed which seemed rather large to me. As they say, better out than in. Now I have a  few stitches along my collarbone which I have to self manage. The downside - no swimmimg for two weeks and I am so close to completing my 58 miles. I have managed a couple of games of tennis though.

A big plus is having company to stay. It keeps me busy and as I live in a nice part of the world I enjoy sharing it. The Cosgrove Canal Boat Festival happened last weekend. The Canal was a riot of colour and the tow path was buzzing. There were loads of quality crafts on offer too. I now have a hiking pole with a compass on the top end. This, Marms will be a plus for anyone walking with me as you well know. No need to do any of my famous detours ever again!

On Sunday afternoon I met Richard and Ezra-Mae and we sat at the Beer Boat and had a couple of rather nice beers. Mine was called Hazy Daze, I seem to recall. Nothing better than sitting out by the water on a glorious summer day - apart from Ezra-Mae flinging her snack bag high into the air and it landing in the narrow gap between the boat and the bank. That girl has got a really good thrown on her!

And so Marm, another day begins - what joys do I have to look forward to in this sunny land, I wonder?

Love you as always

XXX