MORE TITBITS ... AND AN OPINION

ON JOE

The latest news on the Joe front is that he will commence chemotherapy on 2^nd January. The consultant kindly allowed us to enjoy Christmas first. I know he will be relieved when treatment commences since he has been plagued by hospital appointments and tests plus a couple of small operations (1) change the tubing to his nephrostomy and (2) to remove a stent ... although in the end they didn't do that. According to the guy in charge it wasn't necessary to remove it. One thing he did say though was that the 'good' kidney was in fact in very good condition. That means chemotherapy can go ahead. Good news, or what? 

THE HOOVER WASHING MACHINE SAGA

In the wisdom of the Correspondence Team they did not notify the engineer that nobody would be home on the Thursday, nor did they take any notice of my email in which I opted for a Tuesday visit ... thus when I got back home on Thursday I found a note from him to say he had called. He included a phone number in the note but it wasn’t his number ... it was one of those irritating button press pressing replies to umpteen questions.  Fortunately the engineer had the sense to ring me (though how he knew my mobile number is a mystery) to arrange another appointment. I explained about the Tuesday/Thursday mix up to which he replied that the Correspondence Team had not notified him of any change. He actually said he wasn't surprised! We fixed a future date and he emailed it back to CT. All I want now is for him to be able to fix the machine but I'm not holding my breath.  

AGEING POPULATION

The latest problem our Government has to deal with is Dementia. No, I don’t mean parliamentary members are suffering with it, although sometimes I wonder. Apparently the number of people with the condition is growing at an alarming rate and will affect our Health Service for years to come. Is it any wonder, I ask myself, when old people are reaching the hundreds. No longer can we expect life to end at 70 or thereabouts but we can and will add on another thirty years. At great cost to the nation and indeed the world!

Why is this? Well, it’s my belief that the medics have excelled themselves by finding cures for everything. We can have transfusions and transplants and new body parts to keep us going to ripe old age and beyond.

The mounting problem of elderly folk living lonely lives goes on. They are alone, often unloved, sometimes unwanted, and doctors will make sure they stay that way by offering some form of treatment.

The time WILL come when there are too many people in the world? And what happens then? Will euthanasia be introduced as a means of righting the planet? Can you image it? No one permitted to live beyond a certain age? Ethics be blowed, there will be no such thing as moral values because principles will be too costly.

Now, when I say I don’t want to live to a great age, will anyone listen? Or will they allow me to struggle on regardless, coping with medical treatment and possible loneliness.

Will I have a say in my own destiny?