under another sun

Full of ideas after talking to the understorians yesterday, and attacked that MS with concerted effort first thing. I got up at seven and began work, as I was lying in bed thinking about it.   Off this afternoon to Brighton, to the county hospital, to see Will, who is in the stroke care unit. Found myself rather dreading the visit, as it pressed many of my hypochondriac buttons as I made my way from the bus stop.  He was pleased to see me, and surprised me by saying how brilliant he thought my poetry reading had been as the first thing he said. While entirely recognisable as Will, his mind is wandering somewhat and he told me he feels lonely and depressed. And has idées fixe about not getting enough medications, and needing the bedpan and so on. He also began describing the garden party he wanted to have, and that he was getting married and the business success of a close friend.  Callum and Will's mum Mavis arrived about twenty minutes or so after I got there. His mum st...

Up fairly early this morning, and Lorraine and I sauntered across Preston Park where she showed her wrist to the doctor, who told her to go to A&E, which is what she had hoped to avoid. We cabbed to the hospital even at 11:30 in the morning it was standing room only. It was a hellish scene with someone lying on the floor vomiting into a bucket, a teenage lad wailing in pain having dislocated his shoulder in his sleep, and assorted other poorly people, and kids with saucepans on their heads and so on, and a man sitting next to me who stank of stale urine. It was an hour before Lorraine was seen by the triage nurse. More time passed and the sister came out and said that they were nine nurses down today, and that the waiting room was so full that only if you were an actual accident or emergency that you should go, and also friends and relatives should go too to make room. Lorraine persuaded me to go, and I set off walking home, as I was halfway home she phoned me to say she was al...

Up fairly early for a Saturday morning. Lorraine off to the gym, but dropped me off at the hospital, where I met Janet, and we went in together for an appointment she was having. She needed a CT scan and some blood tests, but it all turned into a Kafka/Samuel Beckett/Orwell style of nightmare and we were only done six and a half hours later. Most of the time was spent in waiting rooms, waiting for information that never came. We chatted lots, and I was pleased I could help Janet a little bit through this ordeal. It gave me a sort of business idea about waiting rooms which might be useful. Very stressful business for Janet. Ken was being looked after by a carer, but we were hours later than expected, so luckily Hus had been phoned and had gone around to look after Ken. We caught a cab back from the hospital, and I left the taxi in time to join Lorraine, Lynn and Malcolm who were in Riddle & Finns eating various sea creatures. We had a really cheerful evening, which I was ready for...

A bit of a medical theme, today. I had to get up early and walk off to have a blood test first thing. The nurse achieved a hole in one in my vein, which is a refreshing change. I walked home, and eventually was able to speak to Mum at the Royal Free. She was sounding pretty good, and the procedure yesterday didn’t leave her too uncomfortable. I also spoke to Mas, who was complaining about the number of people who had called around to check on him. Then after walking home, Lorraine and I went to have our feet done at a podiatrist called Sole Sisters. I’d never been to a podiatrist before. But having my feet sorted out (I have slightly ingrowing toenails) was great. The Kenny feet felt far more balletic right away. I am not particularly fond of my feet, but Lucy the podiatrist led me to believe that she had seen far grizzlier sights. Afterwards Lucy did Lorraine, while I drank a coffee in the café next door. In the afternoon, we dropped some baby clothes to Sam's old pal John Ma...

Up early and sorting last minute things out. Getting ready for the visit of the Tobster today when I found I had a missed call from Anna, and listening to it discovered that Anton had had a suspected MI, and was in hospital. Rapid calls to Anton’s mum, and replying to Anna. Texted Anton, and later Lorraine and I visited him in hospital, only to find that he looked remarkably well and was sitting up in bed reading The Lord of the Rings  and suggesting novel ways to approach publishers (by getting the rejections in first). He was somewhat rattled, of course, but as the day progressed it seemed that remarkably he had got off without much physical damage. He had walked from home to the nearby doctor’s surgery, no doubt alarming everyone, and then they called an ambulance.   There was even talk of releasing him back into the wild the same day, however, but they kept him in overnight due to waiting for various results. During this, the Tobster came down to Brighton, and after L...

Up and off to the hospital with Lorraine, who was having an injection in her heel. Fished for a taxi at Preston Circus and we arrived early. We had to wait in the A&E area, but luckily beyond a vomiting woman and a boy who had come off his motorbike and hurt his shoulder there was nothing too alarming going on while I waited for Lorraine to be needled. Lorraine walking out looking cheery. Always more fun to be leaving. Taxied home, Lorraine talking in the particularly friendly way she reserves for taxi drivers which always amuses me. As Lorraine recovered downstairs for a bit before coming upstairs to work. I got on with the book for the rest of the day. The day, however, ended with the latest hurdle of many on the Twitten: wall experts have said the bungeroosh back wall must be treated for damp. Luckily I am developing the first feelings of philosophical resignation about this, and refrained from bellowing bugger the bungeroosh. Between bouts of stress, I am feeling more philo...

After working as best I could, and watching a couple of lunchtime Fraziers, off to the hospital. After my exploratory op last month, the consultant told me that everything looked fine, and he'd put in an appointment for four months time. So when I got an 'urgent fast track' appointment I felt understandably apprehensive. I had managed my hypochondria exceptionally well (by my standards), but I felt very stressed walking up in the fine rain to the cloud-shrouded Gormenghast of the hospital on the hill. By the time I arrived, I convinced myself that I had one of about a dozen dire outcomes. Unfortunately my writing about healthcare has turned me from a hypochondriac to an expert hypochondriac.   The reception staff seemed to look sombrely at my file. The pleasant consultant's serious expression instantly confirmed the worst. He asked me how I'd been, and listened gravely to me telling him that everything seemed to be good. He told me that the results had all come ...

Up early and writing. After a few hours caught a taxi to the hospital to drop off a sample. Lady taxi driver gave me the benefit of her opinions about heroin addiction at some length. She said people she'd grown up with had become addicts and that her aunt had died of it. There but for the grace of God etc. etc. Then to the hospital, and I found my way to the desk of the pathology dept, where the woman bellowed is it a semen sample? at me. No place for a delicate poet's finer feelings in the NHS. Back into town and popped into the gym for another mild mannered workout. Fitness nowhere near what it was, but slowly improving. A surfeit of annoying narcissists, today. These gym bunnies are not my people, and the people who work there are even worse. Home to do some more work before slipping off to see Matt in the Foundry, where we discussed our new opera, and many other important matters. Back to his place to listen to some brass band music, with Matt giving a running comment...

Up early to join a first thing teleconference to brief me on the next stage of some branding work. Then called by Keith with a re-brief of the thing I had done last week. Spoke to Mum, and worked steadily, although my thoughts were turning to the hospital visit this afternoon. Later, I walked to the hospital to visit Ken. Janet, and their pals Ray and Sonia were already there, as Janet was being told that Ken had a poor night, having a urinary infection that required antibiotics. Poor thing is very much in the wars, and is tired and disorientated -- this probably not helped by the infection, which is notoriously disorientating, plus his poor eyesight, and being plucked from his normal surroundings. Felt very sad to see my old friend like this. Rather impressed, however, by the senior nurse who seemed excellent, and the ward pleasant and well run. After the visit we four went to the pub on Janet's suggestion. After quaffing a much needed drink to take the edge off,  I left the o...

Up early and tweaking the work I was doing on Friday before sending this off. Lorraine working next to me before sliding off into the white yonder. We started our Fast day with porridge, which seemed perfectly reasonable. I ate an apple and a slice of Ryvita for lunch, and had a positive feast of haddock, rice and steamed carrots and courgette for supper. It was fine and I ate my supper slowly, and because I was genuinely hungry, found myself savouring the carrots. A head full of half-formed ideas today, which lacked . Completed and sent off my 'flash fiction' story. It was one of my old stories, Flytrap, which I had completely rewritten, changed one of the characters, and put a new spin on. The mission which is slowly dawning on me, is that this year I have to complete everything that I have started and not finished over the last few years. There is a lot I have finished, but quite a lot to tie up too. Item on local news about how the Royal Sussex County Hospital is close...

Knee business X-rayed this morning. Had to roll up one trouser leg like a mason and stand in front of a metal plate. The x-ray machine made three musical notes while it was at its business. Then to another room to have my knee examined by a doctor and a trainee doctor. This lead to expert knee waggling interspersed with inexpert knee waggling, and a good deal of poking and flexing. Next step is an MRI scan, and perhaps an arthroscopy. Was told it is likely I will need a knee replacement when I am older. I have seen the future and the future is Borg. Walked home by the sea, the street still frosty but the day bright blue. Home and working a little on the Skelton Yawngrave stuff. Coughing and washed out this afternoon. Watched the last episode of The Trip. I find it hard to say why I liked this so much. I like comedy when it is mixed with sadness, and stuff like the below just has to be largely improvised. Below a scene from The Trip .

Fantastic voyage Lorraine drove me off to hospital today after I had employed a home enema kit. Not too long later I had the dubious pleasure of having a tube inserted where the sun has never shone. I had a splendid Irish nurse, and when not jabbering to her in Woody Allen mode, I was eyeing the screen which was showing a movie of the world's pinkest tube train journey as the camera moved up inside my guts. It reminded me of that movie The Fantastic Voyage , where a submarine is miniturised, and injected into someone's body. It's not a movie I wanted to be in, but still a fascinating experience. The most uncomfortable thing is that they pump you full of air, which is disconcerting. Then wheeled out, given a cup of tea, and released back into the wild, having been told that they'd seen nothing of note. Every single person who dealt with me at the Royal Sussex County Hospital was pleasant and efficient. Lorraine waiting nicely for me in the waiting room and we pushed off....

Carl released back into the wild Looking at the Skeletons stuff this morning, and doing some pieces of admin. Spoke to Anton to be reminded that I had forgotten Klaudia's birthday. D'oh. What kind of a Godfather am I? In the afternoon, after a sustaining cup of miso soup off to the hospital. Carl in much better spirits, and looking well and with his pain managed. The antibiotics seem to have done their job, and the nurses inexplicably had metamorphosed into being nice nurses. After several hours of us larking about and generally talking about old times, he was given the all clear to clear off. We got a bus home, and Bob called while we were in it. Spent a cheery evening listening to music and drinking red bush tea and decaffinated coffee (Carl is a notorious insomniac) before a wave of tiredness hit me fairly early, and I headed for bed leaving Carl to do logic puzzles and read the Vic Reeves "Me Moir" book. While at the hospital I was called by the The Cat with the H...

Hospital time Deep sleep, only woken by the persistent kitten at 8:30. Lorraine and I got up eventually, after the kitten had been banished, to consume fried tomatoes on toast, and listen to the iPod randomiser while she did strange sewing of wollen squares for a baby blanket. Then I went off to the hopital again on the bus, in the teeming rain. Carl wasn't in his old bed, so I embarked on a Kafkaesque journey through various corridors, and going up to the wrong floors and so on. Eventually I arrived at what I was convinced was Carl's new ward, where they claimed to have no record of him. He has previous on discharging himself, so it did cross my mind that he had absconded. Eventually someone found him for me. In a small room with no window or picture. Brighton has a thousand painters in it, so amazing to see so many dull walls without ornamentation in the hospital. Carl bored, but unable to concentrate enough to read. Hospital time passes so slowly - what seems like hours turn...

The Galling of Carl Was woken from my sleep by the sound of Carl tossing and turning in the next room. Calliope was in there repeatedly standing on Carl's head too which didn't help. At 4pm I could hear Carl groaning, and asked him if he was alright. Turns out he wasn't alright at all. He was in excruciating agony - and having pains in his stomach and chest. Got up and called the ambulance right away, struggling into my trousers as I talked to the emergency call handler. He was asking me if he was still breathing and so on. Carl was able to talk but was looking ashen, and very poor. The paramedics arrived fairly quickly and shortly after we went off to the ambulance at the end of the Twitten. Carl in absolute agony. There were lots of questions, and after he was jabbed with a rather agricultural needle in the arm was given some morphine. Fairly quickly, once they'd hooked him up, much to our relief it became clear that he wasn't having another heart attack. Carl muc...