Yesterday was quite a good day. I slept reasonably well, woke feeling alert and immediately set to work.

First I checked the appointment that the NHS had sent me. I now qualify for an Abdominal Aorta Aneurysm scan. It used to be 67, but they have brought the age down to 65. I can’t get an appointment at the doctor’s for something that is bothering me, but I can get all sorts of things that I don’t want. It reminds me of a time a few years ago that I found myself booked in for a liver scan. I didn’t ask for one, there were no problems with the results of my regular blood tests and I told the doctor that I didn’t want one as I couldn’t se it was necessary. Being a member of the NHS he, of course, couldn’t see that half a day off work, a journey across town and an outlay of cash for a taxi, tram or parking was a problem.

Belgian Medals

It all went quiet during lock-down. Basically, very little was done, which was fair enough as they had COVID to deal with. However, when they came back from COVID, all these things which they had ignored for the best part for two years, suddenly became life-threatening. I had several letters with appointments for things that hadn’t mattered for years, and were suddenly very pressing. Even more annoying, several of them implied it was my fault that I hadn’t kept up with the tests. I thought it would be churlish to complain, but I did ring the liver scan people and ask why it was necessary. Turns out that it wasn’t necessary. According the the receptionist, they had been bought a new scanner and the doctor in charge was dying to give it a try. Most people, like me, were bemused to find themselves lined up for a liver scan. She asked if I’d like to discharge myself. So I did. I’ve had no recall and no liver symptoms since. That’s the trouble with the health service – they are always exploring new avenues of proving you are sick so they can give you more pills.

American Medals

However, back to the AAA Scan. It fits in quite neatly with my requirements – I am off that day, it’s at a hospital I can see as I sit here typing and there is convenient parking. So that went well and required no real effort. I do have a number of concerns about it, on reading the details, the main one of which is reference being made to “tummy”. That’s a word for children and, like every other similar instance I read on the NHS website, it irritates the hell out of me. It’s like the nurses I sometimes get, who talk to me as if I’m a child. I have not yet reverted to childhood. and yes, AAA does look like the result of a focus group on acronyms, but I’ll let that one ride.

Next up was my Green Flag membership, I’ve already reached 500 words, so I’ve taken enough of your time. I may be back later, though, so if discussions of breakdown insurance and the evils of insurance companies are of interest it might be worth your while to pop back later.

I promise you that the barbs I have so far aimed are nothing compared to what is likely to come later.

More American Medals

The pictures have nothing to do with the text. Sorry about that.