Saturday 17 April 2010

Life's a picnic...

... or sometimes not. The morning post brought a letter from the doctor's - I've been referred back to the cardiologist at our local general hospital, news which I've got distinctly mixed feelings about. I saw the same specialist about 2 years ago, had my medication boosted a bit, and 99% of the time since then I've been able to function pretty much as normal. Until last Friday, of course, when my work-related stresses seemed to overwhelm the pills' ability to keep my hiccuping heart on the straight and narrow. The fact that my G.P. thinks my condition is bad enough to have to go back to the hospital has ratcheted up the stress another notch - I can't help but think, if not the worst, then at least on the pessimistic side, and, on top of that, I hate hospitals - even going into one as a visitor is more than would ordinarily choose to do, if there was any way of avoiding it. Having said that, given the waiting list situation in the NHS, I probably won't get an appointment for months, so I guess it's not an immediate issue.
On the grounds of wanting to do something a bit more congenial, and given the unabated pleasant weather, my family and I went out for a picnic lunch at a place called Polruan, just opposite Fowey where the Fowey River meets the sea. There's a spot called St.Saviour's Hill where you can get great views of the sea and the river estuary simultaneously, so that's where we went. If anyone ever happens to be in that part of the world in the middle of August, the Red Arrows do an annual display as part of the Fowey regatta (it's on August 19 this year) and St.Saviour's is the best place to watch the display - when we were last able to go 3 years ago, the aircraft were actually below us at a couple of points during the show! 


Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B

2 comments:

  1. Hi there, Sammy

    I'm sorry to hear about this. Heart conditions are always a concern, but I would guess that it's a good sign that it's being treated as a routine referral back to the cardiologist, rather than something for urgent examination and attention. Best of luck with it, whenever it happens.

    Would your work be able to find you something less stressful to do? Or at least switch duties around so that you're not stuck there in the evening with the wolves baying at the door?

    Most unusually for me, I was in Cornwall yesterday, albeit briefly, indulging my interest in trains. A company called UK Rail Tours runs a programme of excursion trains throughout the year, aimed variously at the general public and railway enthusiasts. Yesterday's ran from London to Okehampton, with an add-on coach trip to Launceston for a ride on the steam railway there. It was a very pleasant day out with friends, especially given the lovely weather, and a chance to get a taste of a couple of interesting towns I'd like to see more of.

    Take care

    Mark

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  2. Hello Mark
    Thanks for your concern - it is a worry, obviously, but I'm doing my best to not let it become all-consuming, on the grounds that worrying about the worry may lead to self-fulfilling prophecies! Glad you enjoyed your trip - we used to go to Launceston to the rugby fairly often, although not for the last couple of years, and my daughter has had a trip on the steam railway there when my wife's parents were staying down this way about 3 years ago, though I've never been myself.

    Love & best wishes
    Sammy B

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