Standing room only

When we wrote the last blog, we were waiting for an appointment for Ian’s endoscopy.  Early the next morning he had a phone call, and it was arranged for the following Sunday, 3 December.   Less than a week to go, but things to do in that time: collect a test kit from the surgery and return it with the relevant sample; have a blood test;  collect two special ‘drinks’ from the hospital.    There were sheets of instructions to wade through about what and when he should eat/drink etc etc.  We had to work out menus – and do the relevant shopping – for the three days preceding the endoscopy, when he had to be on a very limited diet, quite different from what we normally eat. 

With all of this we did not have much time or opportunity for other outings, though we did get as far as Loudwater one morning.   We also attended the AGM of The Heights, the management company that looks after our flats.  This was our second AGM within a week, as we’d attended one for the Wycombe Refugee Partnership the previous Saturday.    Of course, we found things to keep us busy at home: Ian’s greatest triumph was managing to fix the bookcase which had lurched sideways a week or so before. 

More appointments

On Friday 2^nd Ian called the surgery (again!) and got the results of the week’s tests.  No indication of internal bleeding, and his haemoglobin count was now almost normal.   This seemed to confirm our theory that his ‘anaemia’ was caused (or at least aggravated) by some medication prescribed by the cardiologist in preparation for the angiogram he was supposed to have.  And the colonoscopy on Dec 3 was all clear – no sign of bleeding.  However, he was also meant to have a gastroscopy, and they could not do it because he had had coffee (with a tiny drop of skimmed milk) that morning; something specifically allowed for one procedure but not the other!  Luckily they were able to reschedule it for Tuesday 5, but the results this time were not so good.  A ‘bleeding point’ was identified, and it was decided that Ian needed a CAT scan. 

A letter was sent giving an appointment on Jan 9.  But before it arrived there was a phone call to say they’d had a cancellation, and could Ian go at 5.45pm last Thursday?  Of course he did, but we are still awaiting the results.

The ironic thing is that, while a definite problem has been identified, Ian is actually feeling much better.  A number of people have remarked that he looks well, and he recently completed a ‘hill test’, walking up the steep lane to Flackwell Heath with no problems – something he could not have done when he first went to tell the GP that his angina was worse!  

A Christmassy weekend

Christmas is fast approaching, and we’ve just had a Christmassy weekend.  On Friday we went to Marlow for our folk dance club’s Christmas party: dancing as usual, but with plenty of eats as well.  On Saturday we went to ‘Christmas by Candlelight’ at the parish church.  Two choirs performed, and we had prosecco and mince pies in the interval.  But we found it rather disappointing:  the songs were not all carols (some not even Christmas-themed) and there were no candles!  On Sunday we put up our Christmas tree, for the first time in three years.  During that time we have of course added to our collection of special tree ornaments.  We’ve now got over a hundred, and it was impossible to fit them all on our small artificial tree.  Some were able to stand around the base: as on some buses, it was ’standing room only’!