John S Alty

I managed to miss this post- Ath. I’m so pleased you are feeling better and hope you can get the rest of the problems sorted. It sounds like a terrifying ordeal, but your story telling still managed to bring the occasional smile. Keep getting better!

My Birthdays, My Parents’ Wedding Anniversaries

‘Got to get you into my life!’ sings Mum. She and Dad have brought me, newborn, from the hospital. She sits at the kitchen table, cradling me, delivering the loud lullaby.

Or so she tells me, when I’m seven. We’re at the table again. I say, ‘I was already in your life. In your tummy and then ou…[Read more]

Thanks, Ath. I haven’t read Charlotte’s Web. It sounds rather traumatic and I’m a wimp about animals. Animal Farm was so long ago at school (did we even read the whole thing?) that I was thinking I should read it again. Beasts of England by Adam Biles, a recent version of Animal Farm, was interesting, worth reading.

I hope you’re able to enjoy…[Read more]

I’m not a huge fan of cosy crime, and I think that the television series of TTMC is rather better than the books, although only because the acting is good. However, there are many variations within that genre and I wouldn’t dismiss everything. The same goes for anthropomorphised animal stories. For instance, Charlotte’s Web and Animal Farm spring…[Read more]

I’m glad to hear that you have treats lined up. The trip to Pompeii sounds especially fabulous! It should be a little quieter and cooler in the autumn so may be pleasanter to wait until then.

The iron tablets should make a big difference, and they tend to take effect within a few days. I do hope all goes well with your referral. Do please keep u…[Read more]

On a small scale, my daughter gave me a voucher for a foraging/cooking day for 2, for my birthday last year, and I’d just booked a day in March when I got ill. When the company heard I was in hospital, they gave me a six month extension on the voucher for free, so that I could book when I was completely recovered. I thought that was really…[Read more]

<p class=”western”>So glad to hear this, Ath, and let me add my hopes to those already expressed about the resolution of your remaining issues.</p>
<p class=”western”>I have been on blood thinners for several years as I have atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular pulse, or as my GP put it with her customary no-nonsense bluntness, ‘a hoppitty…[Read more]

Hi Libby, a very big relief. And thank you. I had another read through my discharge notes. I don’t think they’d seen somebody so ill with such a mixed bag of symptoms before (who hadn’t been in an accident). They took advice from the teams at Guildford, Reading, and Kings. There was a consensus to deal with the immediate emergency which was the…[Read more]

Thanks Jill. Yes, it is a big relief.

I’ve been on blood thinners (apixaban) since I was admitted to hospital. My problem is that the hospital doctors didn’t share any plan for dealing with the existing clots which have blocked two major veins to the liver. I strongly suspect that they were anticipating a worse outcome from the endoscopy and…[Read more]

Hi Ath, this is great good news. What a relief it must be. I hope you’re able to resolve the remain issues. I hope you can get out and about a bit too, especially now the weather is improving.

Take care.

Caution: Stuart’s language isn’t for polite company. The anniversary was my 18th birthday, June 21 1974.

Stuart’s story

People call me Plug ‘cos they reckon I look like Plug from the Bash Street Kids I ain’t never seen him, so I don’t know. Stuart’s my real name, and I just done three months in nick for something I ain’t done. Possessio…[Read more]

A bit of a close call. I hope the recovery continues steadily. It’s a bugger this getting old, that’s when we mostly get these brushes with danger.

Anyway, I just thought I hadn’t been here for a while and I should look in. This was up front.  Take it steady and get well.

Bloody Norah! (Sorry, Norah.) I have also just happened upon this. How ghastly and scary. Some aspects are all too familiar to me after a 2 week stint in hospital with evil pneumonia a couple of years ago. It’s surprising what a state we can innocently get into with no idea we are quite so ill until suddenly the ambulance has to be called. I’m…[Read more]