Slinky Psycho, More Media and Cyberhuggin'

Blogettes,

Note the attempted irony of the pic....no more 'giant tubes' for me!

More media. A big feature I wrote on my transplant appeared on Pg8 of the Express & Star today. And...The Chronicle also phoned for an article. Its on Pg 4 and there is an update in The Post on the front page.

The feature the E&S put in was an amalgamation of a two-part column I wrote after I came out of hospital. Do you think double the length means double the money?

its been a busy few days (If I had a pound for everytime I started a blog with those words…. I’d have about £3.75 by now!)

Firstly, a couple of hellos. Firstly to the ever radiant ‘Slinky Psycho’. I read your e-mail on the train. Congratulation on the promotion (this girl is going places.) I am hugging you right now through cyberspace!

And a BIG howdee to Erik and Diana, with whom I spent an enjoyable afternoon enjoying the measly 2 units of alcohol a day the docs allow me – we got high on Park Gate coffee and started to think about my New Year dinner party.

I spent the best part of a frantic day on the net booking Naomi’s coach tickets from Heathrow and back to Gatwick – yes I know it’s a strange route but she’s going to Ireland. I got these JAW tickets, which are returns to different locations – much cheaper.

I haven’t seen her in five years and am SO excited she is coming over. She will be here next week and coming back in January, when I will be able to do more.

Anyway. I booked these e-tickets that were e-mailed direct to her in Oz for her to print out – oh the appliance of science.

I was also booking tickets for mum and I to go to Newcastle for my outpatients.

We discovered booking single tickets from Cannock to B’ham and B’ham to Newcaslte (South then North_ is cheaper than going more or less direct.

Returns seem to be SO MUCH more expensive….I also have these travel tokens that I can use between Cannock and Brum..

We picked the tickets to and fro Geordieland up from a dalek-like machine in Brum. Bizarre. By the end I had travel timetables coming out of my ears– HOLD THAT THOUGHT

Anyway got to Newcastle on Monday evening and bizarrely it was good to be back. So many positive things have happened to me up North. (I try to forget the blips!)

I had to be up at 6am – I got to the outpatients at 7.20am and there were already loads of people there.

We had to take tickets (like in the post office) and when they called your number you went for a blood test, had morning medication and were ushered out for chest x-ray and lung function test before seeing a doc after breakfast.

I was ticket 97!

There were loads of inspiring people there. I was in ward 27 (next to 27a where I was before) and had a bed opposite a guy who had a transplant 14 years ago – Hello Graham you look fantastic mate!

Also Sue from 27a – I am sorry I didn’t put your pic on the website – because I don’t have one. I only took pics of the staff on my last morning (didn’t want to look like a freak or a perv you see!) But e-mail me one and I will put it on!

Anyway. The tests went well. My lung function was well up on last time and I think my technique may at last be improving.

It was nice to see Gerry Doctor again and the lovely Alison S (I really like that scarf by the way….I think it really suits you – kind of emphasizes your eyes. I don’t know why you don’t like it! (Oh dear….I wouldn’t make a very good fusion guru with clichés like that would I?)

On the way back we sat to two very loud lesbians on the train. They were like gay Vickie Pollards and would have made a great ‘ironic’ double act for a comedy night. Book ‘em!

Ok…you can stop the emails about the village news round-up in the Lichfield Mercury. It WILL return this week. I did send it last week but it must have got lost in cyberspace.

*Did anyone else think it was ironic that George Best died on the first day he could have actually legally drunk all day and night???!!! (Sorry for that)