To Kendal

We had a change of scene yesterday. We visited Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal, this time on the Fox’s behalf. When we lived in Arnside, Kendal hospital was our local hospital. It’s some time since we toured it. Admittedly my last op, in 2016, removing part of my breast, took place there but that was as far as we went.

This time we went up to the fourth floor. There seems to be an extensive cancer section there now. Dermatology was given the use of some of the cancer rooms for their weekly clinic.

The nurse was thorough, & I thought surprisingly clear in her analysis of the Fox’s situation. She duly prescribed four different lots of medications. The Fox is utterly confused by what he’s supposed to use how.

We went down to the hospital pharmacy to get the prescription filled. There was a long wait – 20 minutes we were told – so went to the local RVS café to get a drink. The café is in the out-patient waiting area. This is an area we visited so often years ago, when I first discovered my knee problems, yet now it looked so different. It must be over 20 years since we were last there. It had certainly been given a more modern look.

We returned to the pharmacy to be told they were out of one of the ointments – the one we were most curious about. It’s supposed to be a sort of brown gunk which stops the itching, & hopefully, the Fox’s scratching. They’ve now ordered it. We’ve arranged to be able to collect it at Lancaster hospital pharmacy rather than having to go back to Kendal to collect it.

Once home we tried to start the new medication. The Fox’s confusion is not helped by the fact one item is missing. I supervised one session. I just hope he managed by himself on the session just before going to bed last night.

He desperately needs something to ease his situation. The constant itching, oozing of pus & blood, general unsightliness, is getting him down badly. He is not reassured when he’s told he will have discoid eczema for the rest of his life. He desperately needs to get in control of the problem. The one thing that did seem to work, the phototherapy, they are reluctant to give him again so soon. We can but hope the new regime will help & give him some ease. He‘s due to go back to Dermatology in 6 weeks’ time.