Home From the Costa Del Royal Berks

Got back from the Costa Del Royal Berks this afternoon. Feel a bit grotty and have to chill for a couple of days.I know I have already blogged on the wonders the NHS, a Labour invention, but I was really surprised how much like a holiday it was.

First off the flight was delayed, the piccy is of me waiting in the waiting room. I was dressed in my hospital clothes chatting to my dad who was waiting with me.

We waited about 3 hours, as I had miss understood the directions I had been given not the hospital's fault. While I was waiting the surgeon, the aneathastist and various others who were involved in the op came to see me and personally explain what was going to happen to me. The surgeon, didn't really need to do his drawing.

Then at about 4 O'Clock I was walked down to the surgery, all very relaxed and taken to the aneathstitic suite. Here I was engaged in witty and erudite conversation until I stopped talking. Not a regular event I know. The Suite was new clean and efficient with all the staff explaining what they were doing.

I can't tell you anything about the op, you will be pleased to know.

So on to the real holiday bit.

First I got my own room with a window, the room had TV and a shower. Almost as soon as I was awake I was brought a cup of tea. The room was pretty simple and the impression of being on holiday was reinforced by the sound of hordes of students rampaging up Redlands road. It was amazing to hear the noise they were making, fortunately I was a bit spaced out and so didn't mind.

The hosp was great everytime something hurt I rang a bell I was brought pain relief.

Next morning the surgeon and all his staff came to see me and explained to me what he did, I won't repeat it.

So after all this I was able to go home. Got to say that it was so much more like a holiday than a hospital. Once again thumbs up to the NHS it has improved so much since the first time I had kidney stone problems and ended up in hospital.

A Diversion before the Op

Went out this morning to lollipop and deliver some leaflets to take my mind off things.

I was dissappointed to see my old house in Norris Road with 6-7 bags of festering rubbish dumped outside. I have rung the Uni and they advised that the house is occupied by Students and they will be in contact. Interestingly enough though Ann Westgarth, who is a good stick and very helpful also advised me to ring the Council who have the power to fine people that flytip like this, even if they are fly tipping outside their own house.

So I recommend that every resident, whether fulltime or student reports flytipping to the Council. Ask for Street Care and explain where you are. They will follow up.

Ann Westgarth is very helpful and has asked me to publicise her details so I am. She can be reached on the Uni number of 0118 9875123. To reach Street Care call them on 0118 9390900

While this is all good and both the Council and the Uni are taking efforts to cut down on the rubbish. I wonder why the landlord of this property allows this. He lives in a huge house in Culver Lane, with his mum. He drives a Merc and yet is happy to allow his houses in Norris Road to bring the whole area down. He owns 40, 38 and 36. What do you think? Email me to let me know how I, the Uni and Council should deal with people like him.

A Bit Nervous

I am a bit nervous tonight.

I have to go in to hospital tomorrow, I am sure that all of you will wish me well. Going in to hospital reminds me what has changed in our Health Service for users in the last 10 years.

I have a blocked kidney, this has been going on for a while. When I first had problems I used to turn up at A+E in screaming agony. We have a new A+E unit, I don't know whether you used the old A+E but it was a grotty dirty hole. The clean A+E saw me within about 30 mins and gave me pain relief. When the problem continued I was taken in to the Hopkins Ward in the new hospital. I had previously been in the Battle, which was one of the most depressing places I have ever been to. The new ward discharged me to have a procedure called Lithotripsy, I think. Basically they zap the kidney stone with ultra sound. This didn't dislodge the stone. One day I had to visit my GP and she was able to look at my results and x rays on line from her surgery. Something else that didn't happen more than 10 years ago.

As the stone was huge. It is about the size of a small pebble, 1/2 inch long, the doctors said it had to come out. This was about 8 weeks ago and I was originally supposed to go in a month ago, however it didn't fit in with work.

Now the stone's day is up. All this is happening in a New Hospital, with newish looking equipment and a short waiting list. I won't describe the op, however I attach a link to a Bond film which will give you an idea.

So I am nervous, however I can see just what the Government has acheived. I just hope that the surgeon has a steady hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wyp909mQPM

Another Evening As A Street Pasty

Suddenly its 3am and I am saying my goodbyes to my team of Street Pastors and am cycling slowly home after my second Street Pastor Session.

I was stunned at how many people are still about at 3am. We have been down at Gun Street and St Mary Butts for most of the evening. We had lots of people to talk to, street people, party people, police police, door people, alsorts. One incident sticks out. We were down on St Mary's Butts and there was a lad who looked very confused and his eyes were looking in 8 places at once. We went over to chat to him and discovered that he couldn't speak and didn't know where his mates were. A bit concerned we "talked" to him to try and bring him round, a bottle of water, some of which he drank and some he sprayed on his face. After, I don't know 10 maybe 15 mins he started to revive.

In the background of all this there was a bloke who was shouting and screaming at us while we were talking to the lad. We had a little team huddle to discuss what we should do and we decided to call up the town security system so they could keep an eye on us on the CCTV. All of a sudden I looked up to see a couple of the door staff with their arms crossed smiling and asking if we needed any help. They had heard me call up the CCTV and wanted to make sure we were all  right. It is always nice to know that you have friends.

With our guardian angels watching over us we kept on talking to our friends until he snapped awake, remembered where his mates were and rushed, well ambled off to meet his mates.

One short moment in a very fullfilling evening. I was utterly done in when I got home, and to get myself going in the morning, where I had a morning of politics, I ate a bag of Revels for breakfast.