I came home, I did some reading, and took a call from the GP Practice Nurse who rang to nag me about various tests. It ended slightly uncomfortably when I pointed out, after a discussion about cholesterol, that she was trying to make me appear ill to satisfy some NHS agenda. We had the same sort of discussion a few years ago. I just have naturally low cholesterol. It’s due to my genetics, not to a a virtuous diet, but I do object to them trying to turn me into a cripple. I’m overweight and have a few problems associated with that. This is my fault and the remedy lies in my hands, or in the case of cake, in not having it in my hands. It is time to start work on my weight. I have never had a problem with cholesterol and I object to them trying to get me on even more medication. I already have more than enough, and they can’t get that right much of the time. Why give them a chance to foul up even more.
We then had tea (pasties, cauliflower steak, cheese sauce, carrots and roasted leeks in case you were wondering). hen we had a bit of cake because w had some left from the tip to Scarborough. I proceeded to watch too much TV and read a book about writing poetry that was written by a poet who should have paid an editor to edit her prose. It was also probably not a good idea for her to suggest reading good writers to improve my writing. It’s not bad advice, it’s just that her suggestions we (in order) her, Hemingway and Dickens.
A touch of modesty would not go amiss.
I gave up the statins and on my last test my cholesterol had gone down. As I am eating less sugar and trying to keep fit, that might explain it. There was a chance for the health service to be a health service when it was founded but they didn’t take it and it became an illness service as you say.
A thin man who eats porridge? You shouldn’t have cholesterol . . . 🙂
A sweet tooth is my undoing. My scales tell me that I am nearly 25% fat which seems a lot.
It does seem a lot for a thin cyclist who eats porridge. I hate to think what I am . . .
Don’t look.
Good idea!
Th NHS is geared towards illness not health. They get paid if we are ill . . .
Good luck on all fronts, Quercus. Sounds like the cholesterol meds are getting pushed on the public like opioids.
Yes, it does seem a bit that way. A friend of mine researched the cholesterol question – it seems that people descended from isolated mining and farming communities often have low cholesterol inherited from generations of hard-working ancestors. 🙂
Doctor just put me on cholesterol medicine….bleh….
It’s the current fashion. I’m going to have serious word with my doctor next time I see her. Too many pills.
So far I just have B12 and the cholesterol drug…but still check ups to come
Just B1 – B11 to take and then you can move on to something new and exciting . . .
😉
A conversation and a book that vie for beggaring belief
🙂 A friend tells me that when he worked for the NHS GPs could access more finding if they could find more wrong with you.
Odd that she would want you to take pills for a nonexistent problem. And as for that poet… holy cats!
🙂 The NHS is geared up for illness, not health. To be honest, it is very annoying, which is bad for my blood pressure.
I have given in to my surgery and am now on low-dose statins to lower my cholesterol. It wasn’t that high – mainly ‘good cholestorol’ but I can’t stand out against a naggy nurse for too long and they are trying their best to look after me, I suppose.
That poetry book sounds a real corker!