One is off work due to a nasty injury. The other two are on bikes up a preBrexit European mountain! I’m being sent messages about their progress and painful bums via another cyclist. She is on same trip and was unaware of aforesaid injured. #Confusing #Gossip #Awkward…

So I’ve been trying to get a culture done at gp. It’s not exactly speedy… as in Rottweiler peered at me in horror when I turned up clutching some pee… And after some persuasion deigned to take my form and pot! … no result yet! So I’m making it up as I go.

Meanwhile, my Canadian relatives have been visiting. Much laughter and retelling of old stories over quintessentially English tea and scones and marmite. How they miss that!

Today however I’ve been somewhere in Yorkshire. Not sure quite where… Trains were great. Azuma trains? Whoever they are. Nice, lots of seats.. Nearly running on time. Venue was secretive NHS SUPPLY chain. A massive warehouse from which stuff is sent out to hospitals etc. I made it through security. My rôle today was as patient representative for the NHS Bladder and Bowel Project. The NHS procurement of all supplies are being scrutinised. This is of course pretty sensitive. There will be upsets. Suppliers have well rehearsed channels into hospitals and thence to primary care.

So, joining a team of hospital and community nurses we were locked in a room full of catheters reviewing each and every one. Such annoyances as leaking valves, painful straps, explosive lubricants, incompatible connectors…for once I was not alone in my grumbling. On the whole we agreed on nearly everything. They were not so bothered about the look and feel. I was! Crinkly leaky packages in a pocket as you go through airports do not make for a relaxing journey!! As I’ve said here before the inevitable strip searches cause endless delays and give the security people such a fright!

The supplier of my own favourites had not tendered any. Now that’s very weird. It smells of a bit of political manoeuvres… Mmmm I’ll try and find out.

Meanwhile I better stop typing I think I spilt too much lidocaine over my hands… They are quite numb! As the inevitable headache descends I’ll grab paracetamol and chug home.

Get better soon #injured, as for #cyclist-bike-bum, hope you can recover and return safely.