The Birdwatch

This weekend has been the weekend of the annual Big Garden Birdwatch, when people throughout the country spend an hour just identifying & counting the birds in their garden/green space.

I took part. So, on Sunday I sat looking out of the kitchen door window, binoculars & bird book at hand, listening to “The Archers Omnibus”. It was a damp morning, like so many of late. We didn’t seem to have many visitors. Small birds darted across so fast I couldn’t identify them. (We had a peregrine falcon in the garden not long ago so they’re understandably nervous.)

The only birds we had any quantity of were starlings. At the far end of the garden, there is the huge skeleton of a tree. Starlings landed on every upright twig as well as on the TV aerial & roof of the nearby house. I reckoned on 23 but there could easily have been more. Unfortunately, despite me telling them to sit still while I counted, they kept moving around from twig to twig. Eventually two clouds of at least 10 each flew off. There well have been more, nearer 50.

I enjoy a bit of stare out of the window, watching the birds. The Birdwatch gives me an excuse to do just that, without feeling lazy.

My next job will be to report my findings.

A second opinion?

We’re just back from the surgery. The GP has agreed to write to the Breast Clinic & Oncology requesting a clearer explanation of their course of action, why radiotherapy turned into chemotherapy for example, and suggestions of whom he should send me to for a second opinion.

This doctor, too, had a feel of the lump. He, too, was bemused by it & the fact it should be so big now when it was pea-sized just before Christmas.

Meanwhile I shall attend my appointments on Friday to see the Oncologist & to have my PICC line cleaned & blood removed for pre-chemo testing.

The day has brightened up in other ways. When I first got up, rain was slashing against the windows. Now there’s a bitterly cold wind but the sky is bright blue without a cloud in sight, just a yellow circle of sun. A definite improvement.

What a day!

What a waste of a day!

Friday is the day for PICC maintenance. Even though I’m not at present receiving chemotherapy, the line needs regularly cleaning to ensure it doesn’t get infected. The district nurse comes to the house unless I have a hospital appointment on that day in which case I get it done there.

I waited and waited, not daring to settle to anything much. Eventually, at around 11.30am I rang to see if they were actually coming. Oh yes, but they were behind time. They should arrive about 2ish. So much for joining our friends at the club, I thought. I rang them to let them know we would be late.

Eventually nearer 3pm than 2, two nurses arrived. They took off the old dressing, tried to take out a little blood. Nothing. Yet again they rang Oncology. Yet again they strapped me up & sent me off to the hospital to have it done there.

It was quickly done there. However, it was after 4pm by the time we got out of there & rush hour had begun. By the time we got to the club it was 4.45ish. Needless to say our friends had departed long ago. Nonetheless we stopped & had a couple of drinks to unwind.

It was fortunate the Fox had partly cooked a Cassoulet the night before so dinner needed just adding some breadcrumbs & reheating.

The whole idea of the nurses coming here is to save us the stress & fatigue caused by the extra trip in Lancaster. The last three times they’ve been, they’ve not been able to do it & we’ve ended up rushing into Lancaster. At least they’ve usually arrived in the morning so our afternoon has been free. Yesterday was entirely wasted.