A week is a long time in politics. So they say. I’m thinking Boris and Co either agree or are having such wild parties they cannot remember. What a shenanigans.

Meanwhile back in the world of nhs. In the absence of the rescue antibiotics known as gent. The bladder infection which had been threatening actually went bonkers. Last Friday. Why is it always a weekend? It’s a very strange thing that one minute you think all is ok. The next it’s lying on the bathroom floor, waves of pewkiness dizziness and bladderness, meant it was safer to stay there most of the night. Yes it did occur to me to ring 111. But what would they do?

By Monday I was somehow keeping a grip on things and the very nice registrar rang. On hearing all the symptoms he swiftly arranged for me to return to the clinic above ‘freedom’ the all-sorts-of-doms shop supporting the std clinic. Except it’s shut. No freedom. That’s covid for you.

I was expected. But the patient before me was creating havoc so I did my ‘wordle’ checked my emails and planned an early escape. No catheter wielding patients to chat to this week!

At last the havoc creator was thrown back into the waiting room. Playing a music video on speaker on phone. Complaining to all and sundry. When I run a clinic I’m going to issue headphones for all patients to plug into their phones.

Awesome OPAT nurse scooped me up and in no time had a line in. It’s essentially a very thin long cannula. It makes a big bloody mess but it is the means by which I can go home and inject myself thus avoiding a hospital stay. To think how squeamish I was pre children! Hah. Now the line goes in. Makes one helluva mess down the theatre drapes. Then the cannula. Then it’s a clean up, antibacterial stuff everywhere and an observed drawing up of the antibiotics, then flush, inject bolus, flush again. Clean up. Load up all the requirements for the ten days ahead and homeward bound. Very very brilliant. I’m so fortunate to have access to this.

In the discombobulated week I somehow missed a clinic appointment. I never miss appointments. This must have been one of several letters from several hospitals. . This appointment at my local hospital who never send reminders. Never text. Always send tons of letters by post. A very kind nurse did ring checking on my whereabouts. I apologised profusely, offered to go immediately, but after due discussion she suggested a postponement on account of the line-in antibiotics etc. The appointments team rang. Called me a DidNotAttend. ( DNA). I explained. She seemed to be reassured. Agreed to organise another appointment. Which would come by post! But then three letters arrived. All identical saying as I was a DNA I would be reported to my GP and may not get another appointment. That’s bollocks. Crap. Lack of communication. Lack of understanding. Postage must cost a fortune. The simplest of systems would enable texts to be sent. Meanwhile GP has now stopped another medication. This time it’s Hipprex. Recommended by hospital as is gentamicin. At this rate I’ll have no medication from gp. That’s a saving for them then. Arghhhh.

Meanwhile hurrah the iv antibiotics are working. Feel almost normal ! Well whatever normal is.

As for politics – could next week be the non-partying- work -gathering- selective amnesia, inducing week of all weeks?