In week 32 of 2021, I went to my health insurance company about getting an appointment to see a gastroenterologist.
Week 32 of 2021.
Friday, August 6th.
I woke up this morning feeling a bit better than I have, the tablets & the probiotic drink powders the Dr has given me have helped & I am not running to the toilet as often as I have been. Around lunchtime, I go to see my health insurance company, ASSSA. The Dr yesterday had given me the details of the specialist because he couldn't get me an appointment before October & wanted me to see one earlier. The lady at ASSSA rang the hospital for me & unbelievably got me an appointment for next Monday afternoon.
After seeing the health insurance company I went to meet a new cleaner who will be cleaning my house. She is the sister of a friend & we meet up for a chat. After chatting for a few hours we arrange for her to come to my apartment tomorrow to start doing my cleaning for me.
This evening I read my kindle on the balcony whilst listening to the saxophonist that has been playing Friday & Sundays for the last few weeks in the square outside my apartment.
Saturday, August 7th.
This morning I meet my cleaner on the main road into Los Alcázares so that she can find my apartment easily. She has to park in my underground car park as there is no space anywhere around for miles. After taking her up to my apartment & showing her around I go back down to the chiringuito for a coffee & tostada. My stomach is still sore but I have to eat something, I sit there for an hour reading my kindle before going back to my apartment.
Lesley made a great job cleaning my apartment & I am very pleased to have got her to do it for me. Before she leaves we arrange a time for her next visit. I have forgotten the date by the time she has got to the end of the road & I have to message her to get it again. I spend the rest of the morning sat reading my kindle on my balcony. At lunchtime I go back to the chiringuito for some chopitos to eat, they make some up & allow me to take them to my apartment so I can sit in the cool.
This afternoon & evening I sit & watch several football matches, Brazil beat Spain to win the gold at the Olympics, then I watch Leicester beat Man City to win the Charity Shield & finally I watch the Sheffield United vs Birmingham match. This game I watch purely to see if the Sheffield goalkeeper, who has been linked with a move to Arsenal, is any good. He seemed to have good distribution compared to the Arsenal keeper but you can't tell much from one game, Sheffield lost to Birmingham 1 - 0.
Sunday, August 8th.
When I woke this morning for some reason I am aware that 38 years ago today I joined British Gas as an apprentice gas fitter. I have no idea why I remembered this today, I have done an awful lot in my life since that day, been to many places across the world, had some great times & some very bad times but I am still here fighting.
My stomach aches a lot this morning & I make several trips to the bathroom early on, I can't wait to see what the specialist says tomorrow when I visit the hospital in Cartagena. As hard as I try to not be interested in pre-season friendly games I find myself scouring the internet for the Tottenham v Arsenal score. I wish I hadn't as Arsenal lost 1 - 0. I am astounded by how many players Arsenal are trying to sell that were again playing today. Surely if they were really leaving, playing some of the younger players to give them game time would make more sense.
I do like the saxophonist that has played outside recently but I am pleased he wasn't around tonight, this meant I actually manage to get to sleep quite early.
Monday, August 9th.
I woke this morning & take a shower, have a shave & then go out to take some rubbish to the bin. After dropping off my rubbish I carry on to La Encarnacion for my breakfast of a tostada, coffee & orange juice. Whilst there I receive a message from the lady who is taking me to the hospital this afternoon asking for some background on our visit & confirming she is picking me up. It is nice to know I will be in good hands. After breakfast, I go home & get ready to be taken to the hospital. I don't have a great record of going to the hospital for an appointment & not being admitted for treatment straight away, so I pack an overnight bag.
30 minutes before I am due to be picked up the hospital call me to tell me they have to rearrange my appointment for tomorrow. I tell Lesley who is taking me but she can't make it tomorrow. She takes the hospital phone number & calls them back for me to arrange a time she is available. Very quickly she calls me back & she has arranged for me to see the specialist on Wednesday.
This afternoon, I read a lot, watch a film & just avoid the heat outside as much as possible. I do go get a few things at Mercadona but not much as I don't want to fill my fridge up in case I am kept in hospital when I visit tomorrow. I have an early night tonight, reading in bed until I fall asleep.
Tuesday, August 10th.
This morning I woke up & have cereal with yoghurt & milk for breakfast before going to the chiringuito for a coffee. I read my kindle for a while before going back to my apartment for my reflexology session with Julie. After my reflexology session, I spend the rest of the day reading my kindle, I do pack an overnight bag for tomorrow as I worry that they may keep me in the hospital overnight when I visit.
Wednesday, August 11th.
I go to the chiringuito for a coffee this morning before having a shower & getting ready for my hospital visit. Lesley picks me up for my appointment at 11:20 & we drive down to the hospital in Cartagena. After we register that I am there we are told which room the consultant will be in & we go there to wait for him. We have to wait less than a couple of minutes before going in. The consultant remembers me from my visit about 3 years ago. After examining me he tells me that my small intestine is poking through the hernia, he has a poke around & I am sure he poked it back into place if that's even possible, but I feel better almost immediately. He tells me I need a set of blood tests, a colonoscopy & an MRI scan. After they are all done he will operate to fix part of the hernia but also tells me it will need more than one operation because of my health conditions.
After seeing him, Lesley takes me back to the reception to make appointments for the colonoscopy & the scan. I am told I can do the blood tests at my local clinic in Los Alcázares so on the way home Lesley stops at my local clinic & makes an appointment for me for the blood tests. Lesley then drops me off at my apartment & I head out to see my friends George & Yvonne who were sitting at the café next to the Doctor as I passed by.
I sit & chat with George & Yvonne for a few hours & George says he will take me shopping tomorrow so I can get some food from a butcher in San Javier. After a coffee, I head home to watch a film, after the film I have an early night as I am shattered & can't keep my eyes open.
Thursday, August 12th.
I woke this morning feeling a lot better & for the first time in about a month, I don't have to run to the toilet as soon as I woke up. I feel a lot better & after updating my website I go for a swim in the Mar Menor.
My friend George picked me up at 11 am to take me shopping in San Javier. First, we went to Cammmpillo where I bought all of my meat, some pizza bases & toppings plus a new frying/grill pan. When we left Cammmpillo we went the short distance to Iceland where I bought some sauces & a few things for the cupboard like soups & biscuits. After getting home I had a carrot & coriander soup, this was my mum's favourite when she was alive. I used to make it for her from fresh ingredients & it was very nice.
The afternoon was uncomfortably hot & I stayed indoors in an air-conditioned apartment, I read a book on my kindle & kept an eye on the sports news for any news of transfers either to or from Arsenal. It looks like Joe Willock is finally leaving Arsenal to sign for Newcastle, I wish him all the best & hope that he continues the progress he has made with them in the last 6 months.