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Following my post on Monday night, I had a busy Tuesday morning preparing. We missed the DHL delivery driver (for a collection – despite putting a note for after 1300 on Monday, came and went at 1100!), so I sweet-talked Caroline into going north to Bar Hill first, to drop it off at the DHL delivery depot.
Then, straight onto the A14, M11 (where I did this post on the road, using the new o2 USB Modem stick), M25, A282 Dartford Crossing, before stopping at Bluewater Shopping Centre. Can’t believe that it’s ten years old this year! As you will see from these two pictures, Bluewater is in a very scenic part of the Kent Thameside!
After stopping for drinks, we continued – although I was a little lost (usually in and out of the bus stance – sorry, Bluewater Transit Centre they call it there - not the car park) so in panic, inadvertently had us turn the other way. We managed to get back on the last turn before the Dartford Crossings again, and we were able to go south once more. However, C did manage to upset me a little with the driving, although when we talked (and resolved things) later, it was down to the fact that she was trying to get us there in time. (If anyone sees a copy of that ‘M25 and around’ map, let me know – saw one on the window of a clearance store, but they had none for sale last time I asked).
So, M25, M23, A23, A27 Brighton by-pass to Sussex University, down Falmer Road to Woodingdean, for my 1900 appointment at the Sussex Nuffield Hospital. Before arriving, we (naturally) got stuck at the Downs Hotel traffic lights. As you may recall from previous visits, many passengers and staff are emblazoned high on the sides of Brighton & Hove Buses double deck fleet. So, which one was it waiting? Naturally, the bus was Scania 608, featuring none other than B&H mechanic Gethin Donaldson on the offside. I found him by chance on Bebo, after seeing this vehicle several times on the 2/2A through Woodingdean!
After booking in, and following the directions to go down the corridor after the second door on the left, we’d gone the wrong way – apparently they’d moved him to a room which was basically just by the entrance. (Unfortunately, no-one told the receptionist, which is why I ignored the large sign asking Phil’s patients to come this way!) We sat in the waiting area, he was running a little behind, but was still quite eager to see what could be done.
Physical time – and he defied logic, and was, shall we say, successfully able to position his fingers to make a diagnosis (I can still feel it now, which is probably TMI but what the hell!) It IS a cyst, and he’s able to resolve it. Yes, the PCT are able to fund it – and I am looking at a one-day procedure, probably staying in that night because of distance, but just the one. This is probably 2-3 months away, at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.
(Maybe a little OT here but I recognised it from a bus timing point and destination (amongst others, Countyliner’s Service 40X runs hourly to/from hospitals in Brighton, using MAN/MCV Evolutions. The service operates with Trust funding allowing patients and staff to travel for free).
AFAIK there will be no need for any other changes in the run-up to the surgery, and (thankfully) no extended stay therein – has to be a good thing!
While I was a little shaken up following the journey and the consultation, I was starting to relax. This was helped by dinner at the local takeaway (I didn’t fancy more than a few bites before going in), before (at my request) we drove down Falmer Road to Rottingdean (pronounced Ro’dean apparently), and then along the coast before turning up West Street, past the railway station, and up Dyke Road and Dyke Road Avenue (avoiding the bus lanes and gates!) We stopped at the traffic lights at the Dyke Tavern, which (given the local residents) might sound a slightly unfortunate choice of words. However, we continued along through Devil’s Dyke back to the A23.
It was then that we deviated off to go through Haywards Heath, and I realised that my trips through here had been by train. Aah well. Now I had to negotiate our way through with the atlas, but did manage to get us to the PRH. Looks nice enough anyway. Back to the A23 via the filling station for a quick drink and chocolate, before back to the A23, M23, M25, A282 Dartford Tunnel this way, M25, M11 to Duxford, A505, and back to Royston. We got back around midnight, and it still took me a while to sleep…
… until about 0720 this [Wednesday] morning, when Caroline woke me for the second time (with coffee!) We had to leave at 0830 to allow for traffic for my appointment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Forvie Site Brain Repair Centre for the HD clinic appointment previously booked. Slightly shorter than last time (Dr Barker is away, so it was Dr Wright), just a few tests, and lots of discussion and questions. Following this, the doc has asked my doctor to prescribe me Olanzapie (at a low 2.5mg to start with) to try and level things out, and building this up. If this is helpful, then it may eventually replace some of the other meds I’m on. It does make you more tired (although it may help with the sleep deprivation issues), and can make you put on weight – just like the rest of my meds – but, surprisingly, I was actually about five kilos less than the last time I weighed myself at home. Maybe it’s just the tolerance range, but it was something else to add.
Now at home, and having unpacked finally (we left most things in the car last night), tidied up, checked bank and other things, and now able to relax. Lets hope this is the start of the beginning, not the beginning of the end.
Then, straight onto the A14, M11 (where I did this post on the road, using the new o2 USB Modem stick), M25, A282 Dartford Crossing, before stopping at Bluewater Shopping Centre. Can’t believe that it’s ten years old this year! As you will see from these two pictures, Bluewater is in a very scenic part of the Kent Thameside!
After stopping for drinks, we continued – although I was a little lost (usually in and out of the bus stance – sorry, Bluewater Transit Centre they call it there - not the car park) so in panic, inadvertently had us turn the other way. We managed to get back on the last turn before the Dartford Crossings again, and we were able to go south once more. However, C did manage to upset me a little with the driving, although when we talked (and resolved things) later, it was down to the fact that she was trying to get us there in time. (If anyone sees a copy of that ‘M25 and around’ map, let me know – saw one on the window of a clearance store, but they had none for sale last time I asked).
So, M25, M23, A23, A27 Brighton by-pass to Sussex University, down Falmer Road to Woodingdean, for my 1900 appointment at the Sussex Nuffield Hospital. Before arriving, we (naturally) got stuck at the Downs Hotel traffic lights. As you may recall from previous visits, many passengers and staff are emblazoned high on the sides of Brighton & Hove Buses double deck fleet. So, which one was it waiting? Naturally, the bus was Scania 608, featuring none other than B&H mechanic Gethin Donaldson on the offside. I found him by chance on Bebo, after seeing this vehicle several times on the 2/2A through Woodingdean!
After booking in, and following the directions to go down the corridor after the second door on the left, we’d gone the wrong way – apparently they’d moved him to a room which was basically just by the entrance. (Unfortunately, no-one told the receptionist, which is why I ignored the large sign asking Phil’s patients to come this way!) We sat in the waiting area, he was running a little behind, but was still quite eager to see what could be done.
Physical time – and he defied logic, and was, shall we say, successfully able to position his fingers to make a diagnosis (I can still feel it now, which is probably TMI but what the hell!) It IS a cyst, and he’s able to resolve it. Yes, the PCT are able to fund it – and I am looking at a one-day procedure, probably staying in that night because of distance, but just the one. This is probably 2-3 months away, at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.
(Maybe a little OT here but I recognised it from a bus timing point and destination (amongst others, Countyliner’s Service 40X runs hourly to/from hospitals in Brighton, using MAN/MCV Evolutions. The service operates with Trust funding allowing patients and staff to travel for free).
AFAIK there will be no need for any other changes in the run-up to the surgery, and (thankfully) no extended stay therein – has to be a good thing!
While I was a little shaken up following the journey and the consultation, I was starting to relax. This was helped by dinner at the local takeaway (I didn’t fancy more than a few bites before going in), before (at my request) we drove down Falmer Road to Rottingdean (pronounced Ro’dean apparently), and then along the coast before turning up West Street, past the railway station, and up Dyke Road and Dyke Road Avenue (avoiding the bus lanes and gates!) We stopped at the traffic lights at the Dyke Tavern, which (given the local residents) might sound a slightly unfortunate choice of words. However, we continued along through Devil’s Dyke back to the A23.
It was then that we deviated off to go through Haywards Heath, and I realised that my trips through here had been by train. Aah well. Now I had to negotiate our way through with the atlas, but did manage to get us to the PRH. Looks nice enough anyway. Back to the A23 via the filling station for a quick drink and chocolate, before back to the A23, M23, M25, A282 Dartford Tunnel this way, M25, M11 to Duxford, A505, and back to Royston. We got back around midnight, and it still took me a while to sleep…
… until about 0720 this [Wednesday] morning, when Caroline woke me for the second time (with coffee!) We had to leave at 0830 to allow for traffic for my appointment at Addenbrooke’s Hospital Forvie Site Brain Repair Centre for the HD clinic appointment previously booked. Slightly shorter than last time (Dr Barker is away, so it was Dr Wright), just a few tests, and lots of discussion and questions. Following this, the doc has asked my doctor to prescribe me Olanzapie (at a low 2.5mg to start with) to try and level things out, and building this up. If this is helpful, then it may eventually replace some of the other meds I’m on. It does make you more tired (although it may help with the sleep deprivation issues), and can make you put on weight – just like the rest of my meds – but, surprisingly, I was actually about five kilos less than the last time I weighed myself at home. Maybe it’s just the tolerance range, but it was something else to add.
Now at home, and having unpacked finally (we left most things in the car last night), tidied up, checked bank and other things, and now able to relax. Lets hope this is the start of the beginning, not the beginning of the end.
