I went to the hospital yesterday and saw Mr Hughes - I think it was him - he was togged up like an astronaut with all his PPE. I had quite a wait in SubWait 1 - the small waiting room outside his clinic at the Royal Stoke Hospital. We are no longer allowed to take someone with us - they want as few peope as possible in the waiting areas - and we have to sit at least 2m away from each other. Some patients wear masks - but I haven't bought any yet. As there is such a shortage over the country where the NHS and care workers cannot get them - we were told not to buy them as the were needed for medical staff. It may become compulsory in public once they start to loosen the lockdown - but it is still being discussed. Don't have much faith in the government since they ignored their own social distancing advice and Boris - his health minister and chief medical advisor all caught it.
It was quite dramatic when Boris was taken into hospital and ended up in intensive care. He survive and has been recovering at Chequers before returning to work this week.
Anyway - I eventually got called through by a nurse and told to gel my hands to sanitise them before being shown into Mr Hughes's empty office. He is usually just sat there in his good suit looking at his computer but this time he popped his head into the room - and through his masks and goggles told me that my scans were alright. He was just going to get more PPE on before actually examining me It always involves putting a camera up my nose an down my throat to check for signs of cancer. He only usually wears gloves - but he returned in full gear and said "I'm sorry for treating you like a plague victim" - but that is what is required now. He told me he is meant to be dealing with patients via the phone now even new patients! he says it is impossible to diagnose them. "It's alright for me and you as we know each other - but not for anyone" One of the thing he has been told by the Head and Neck council was that they now have to give patients a third rate service - as resources are all going to corona virus. He couldn't believe it!
I felt very lucky to be given a appointment. He elaborated on the scans - the patch on my lungs had been see by the chest team too and had decided there was no cause for concern after all. They will repeat the scans in 6 months time to make sure. ut he feels that I am fine - and I certainly feel fine.
That was quite a weight off my shoulders anyway. I can just concentrate on not catching coronavirus now!
On Saturday we all - me Laura and Nathan went for a walk in the local area and discovered a park we never knew about! We walked down Porthill Bank - but took a right turn near the top and found ourselves in a small park - with a small pond in it - with a small waterfall and ducks. Including one with a cute crest!
There were one or two dog walkers in there - but it must be popular as there was bread floating in the pond which the ducks had a nibble of now and then. Along the bank of the pond there were some rodents - not sure if they were mice or water rats. They seemed to be enjoying the bread too - and kept disappearing down there holes with some.
It was a bit dull and chilly but we enjoyed the fresh air.Everyone is still being good and keeping their distamce. We are often crossing the road to avoid walking too close past someone.
On Saturday nights we join a Jackbox Party online - hosted by a guy who is always in our quizzes - Rubbafish. We have actually met him when we went to EGX last time at the Excel Centre (now the Nightingale Hospital - having been turned into an emergency field hospital by the army - to deal with Coronavirus patients if the hospitals become overwhelmed)
It is nice for us to be able to play games online that we haven't had to create or host! So, we grab a beer and play things like Fibbage or Lie Swatter with various others from our quizzes. The funniest game is the one where we have to make up rhyming raps and they are read out by robots - and voted on by the other players. It is a good laugh. I always look forward to Saturday nights. It is the nearest we can come to going to the pub and playing games with friends.It is very strange to us when we walk down our road and see The Wulstan (where we used to go once or twice a week) all closed up and dark with no- cars in the carpark. It is usually buzzing - with kids in the playground and smokers (and vapers) standing outside with their pints. It is all eerily quiet when we pass now.
Who knows when they will be allowed to open again - or if they will survive as businesses after all this time.
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