Panic

I’ve been in some panic this week.

On Wednesday, I received a letter from the surgery. It came from a Specialist Practitioner, whatever they are.

As you may remember, at the end of Feb, we went for our annual MOTs. I hadn’t bothered to ring up for the results. Bad news always come through quickly enough. We knew the Fox’s blood pressure was rather high. He’s going back next week for a further reading. As for me, since I hadn’t heard anything, I’d assumed all was well. Apparently not.

The letter simply stated “I am currently reviewing your recent cholesterol results which may require some treatment, but before I can advise you any further I wonder if you could provide me with some details relating to family history on the enclosed questionnaire (only need to complete the highlighted areas). Once completed could you return to the surgery for my attention.” The questionnaire highlighted history related to strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and high blood pressure.

There is no suggestion of an appointment to see this woman. No suggestion I could phone her if I have any questions.

I knew my blood cholesterol was high. It has been high for years. However, my then GP, now retired, did some calculation on the computer which  showed that, as I had almost more good cholesterol than bad, my chances of a stroke or heart attack as a result is less than 1%, he therefore told me to continue doing whatever I had been doing as clearly it was doing me good.

So this letter has come as quite a shock. Do I now have signs of becoming diabetic? I’m not excessively thirsty or crave sweet foods. Am I about to have a heart attack or stroke any minute? I’ve no idea. As for blood pressure, for once the nurse taking my blood pressure was pleased to see I was lower than usual, at a healthy level.

As you can see the letter gave no indication of what this specialist practitioner has discovered, or think she has discovered. I’m just left in a state of great tension, verging on panic.

I did fill in the form as best I could. After some thought, I decided not to bother my cousins with questions of family history, certainly not in these circumstances. They have enough to worry about with all the problems with cancer in the family at the moment. I can’t ask anyone in my more immediate family. My mother died in 1978, my brother in 2001 & my father in 2003. I am the sole remaining member.

I just hope now she at least tells me if there is nothing wrong.

Meanwhile I’m seriously thinking of writing a complaint. This is no way to tell a person they may have a serious medical problem. It’s just the sort of extra tension that is likely to bring on that heart attack or stroke!

Continued excitement

We’re back to rain as normal, but at least I got most of the washing dry yesterday. Just one item remains – the thick towelling bathmat.

We’re back to the idea of Tuesday shopping. This time not because of Linda’s changed day, but because we have a visitor coming at midday on Wednesday. By the time he has gone, we suspect we won’t feel like going off shopping, rather going off somewhere for a quiet discussion of what has been said.

Later this morning, with a bit of luck, our farmer friend will be delivery our meat order – sausages, bacon & a lamb shoulder. That should keep us going for a few weeks. It’s been wonderful having his meat once again – flavoursome sausages, bacon that sizzles, melt-in-the-mouth roast beef, great big dice of lamb for casseroles.

Meanwhile I continue piecing together the garden design. I’m delighted to discover a peony tree, a magnolia and a crab apple tree. There’s even a filbert tree so we’ll be growing our own nuts. I keep being stunned by the ideas. Autumn is beginning to sound stunning with all the autumnal colours. I’m also so pleased to discover how many plants bear fruit that is attractive to the birds. They’ve obviously taken in the fact we want this garden to be bird friendly. My excitement continues to mount.

Onwards

I’ve nervously put the washing out once more. It’s one of those days that starts dull, turns bright, clouds over & you’re never quite sure whether fair weather or foul will prevail. However, I seem to have a lot of washing this week & it will dry quicker if I can get it out on the line for a bit of a blow. I’ll just have to keep a weather eye open.

Meanwhile I’ve made the Chicken & Vegetable Pie ready to go into the oven this evening for dinner.

Now I’m once more going to settle down to discovering the planting in another section of the garden. I’m still boggling about the quantity & variety of what is proposed. It sounds as though it’s going to be fabulous.

Roll on June.

Continued excitement

My excitement over the new garden & the new planting has only grown. Yesterday I went through all the plants in what, at the moment, is a very dull section where the greenhouse was & where it regularly floods.

The path round the house to this patch is going to be lined with honeysuckle & hydrangea. As you get further in, a riot of colour will appear as shrubs burst into flower. Most seem to have a second season of colourful leaves. Many become berry-bearing, the sort of berries that should attract the birds. There will be scents from a lilac & some mahonias. The whole place should be transformed into a little bit of paradise.

I’m particularly pleased to see most of the plants are low maintenance & slow-growing. Some will spread out to smother any weeds attempting to find their way in. Most of the foliage is evergreen, though maybe I ought to say everpurple or evervariegated, so there should be colour in all seasons.

It’s all very exciting.

Much excitement & much done

It’s been a busy couple of days with much done.

Wednesday lunchtime the garden designer turned up (without pre-calling). He was horrified by the state of our garden after the storms.The actual makeover has had to be delayed  due to all the bad weather, so he won't get here until June probably. In the meantime he’s going to send someone round in the next fortnight to at least remove the fallen trees, make sure any remaining ones are safe & secure the boundaries so we have some privacy until they can do the main job.

The primary reason for his visit was to bring us a list of the proposed planting to see if there’s anything we feel we need changing, either because we can’t stand what’s been proposed, or there’s a favoured plant that’s not been enclosed. He’s also given us a website to look at for a possible garden ornament.

Since then I’ve been looking at the plans, boggling over the sheer number of plants. There’s 500 narcissus in one little plot! Some things appeal greatly. There’s going to be a pergola draped with wisteria. Next to it will be some sweetly scented mock orange – heavenly. Most things I think of can be found somewhere. As all the plants are shown with their Latin names, my next job is going to be to work out what all the plants are but it is looking very exciting. There’s blue & white irises, lavender galore, an area for wild flowers – it’s seems to have the lot.

Linda, our home help, came to clean yesterday. She’s almost more excited about our garden than we are.

Just as she was going the phone rang. It’s the bathroom people. Our toilet seat had worked loose. As their showroom is just round the corner from the hospital, we’d popped in on Monday after the Fox’s physio session. They said they’d send someone, probably on Friday. We asked if he could also put up a couple of small glass shelves while he was here. No problem. They would put in an order for the shelves immediately.

You can imagine my surprise then to get a call on Thursday. The man was on his way. Soon the seat was repaired, the shelves were up.

He was amazed that the bathroom was nearly 3 years old. He thought it was nearer 9 months from the state it was in. I couldn’t help saying that was the wonder of having a Linda. She certainly knows how to put a sparkle on everything. The room shines more now than when it was first installed. He wondered if Linda would like to come & do for his mother, who has MS. I’ll mention it to Linda, just to let her know how much her efforts are appreciated.

The afternoon was then spent at the library & collecting the Fox’s medication.

All the chores have been done so now I can settle down to the garden designs & the plantings. I want to work out what everything is, what will flower when, what colours, either from the flowers or seasonal variation of leaf, there are. 

I’m eager to get on, though it won’t stop me being ready to go off to the golf club for our regular bacon butty & meet up with friends.