To hospital once more

Once more we gear ourselves up to a trip into Lancaster & the hospital. As we’ve passed Ryeland Park we’ve seen the snowdrops give way to the crocuses, to the narcissi & daffodils &, last week, to the Spanish bluebells. I’ve never realised before that the roundabout just before the turn off for the hospital is underplanted with tulips. Going in as often as we have has made us aware of the changing plants en route.

Mentioning those Spanish bluebells reminds how our garden is becoming overwhelmed by the same plants. I would have no objection to being overwhelmed by the more delicate English bluebells but these foreign invaders are just so virulent. Their colour does bring some cheer in this early time of the year but nonetheless they can be too much & just take over very easily.

So this week we have two visits to the hospital. One is to Dermatology with the Fox. He will be relieved. He’s beginning to itch all over once more. Some patches have never healed up. Then, later in the week, I’m off to have my bone density scan. As it’s in the same building I’ll also pop in to Orthtotics to order my second pair of new knee braces. These ones may be tight to pull off - some days the Fox is finding it easier to pull me off my seat than to pull the braces off my legs! - but I am feeling more comfortable for wearing them. I suspect if I had the size larger I would just find them slipping down all the time, so less effective, especially as I seem to be slowly but surely losing weight.

A mixed evening

Over the weekend both the Fox & a friend share a birthday. As a joint celebration it was decided that we should all go out for a meal in the evening. So the ten of us met up the Morecambe Hotel.

It was a mixed evening. Firstly I was told by one of our group that he’d had the results of his latest test results for cancer. It seems there is nothing more they can do. He’s been advised to go away & enjoy himself as long as possible. The only thing they can offer is an arm brace that may strengthen his arm a bit to enable him to play his beloved golf. They will also put him in contact with the MacMillan services for the rest of his life. They gave him no idea of how long that life may be. I tried to console him, that as someone in their 90s, the trauma of chemo & radiotherapy would have probably have made his last years/months of life miserable. They had suggested they could operate to put a metal rod in his arm to give him extra strength there but that would mean at least 6months without golf & it wouldn’t prolong his life. At least this way he could play as much golf as he wanted as long as he is able – he plays most days & loves his golf - & it may be years of enjoyment before his health crumbles totally. I did also encourage him to go & see what braces they had to suggest for his arm. The fact the best he’s seen at the chemist is an elasticated bandage is irrelevant. My knee braces are not available through a chemist but the hospital has a far greater range of equipment available.

The meal itself was good without being spectacular. The company on the whole was also good. Conversation, with the odd eruption of laughter, passed up & down the table.

The other shadow was that the co-host of the event was not feeling well. He was feeling constantly nauseous. He couldn’t face eating or drinking anything, not even so much as a glass of water. At one point he had to go outside just for some fresh air to revive him a bit. As soon as the meal was over he was ready to make his way home. It’s a pity as it was for his big birthday, 80. Still hopefully by Sunday, the day of both birthdays, he will be feeling better & more himself. I hope so.

Rain

At last we have some rain.

When we bought the plants for the front garden last month, we also bought an insect house. Over the weekend we spotted one bee had discovered it. Yesterday I found another hole was being explored by a bee. Hopefully they’ve managed to find their new housing just in time for them to have shelter from the rain. It’s rather fun seeing their backsides wriggling away as they make their way up the hollow tubes or bored out holes. We’re now wondering if we should buy a few more such insect hotels to scatter around the garden.

Meanwhile the red azaleas, front & back, are in bloom & the peachy rhododendron is opening up in the back garden. The rain I’m sure will give an extra spurt to all the plants.