Money For Nothing

I get asked the most stupid of questions sometimes.

Today I was asked when my transplant op was scheduled and had to explain that transplants are not scheduled but are dependent on a matching donor coming available. My rather dumb neighbour processed this info for a good two minutes then said that she thought there was an organ bank, like a blood bank, where organs were kept in fridges until someone needed them. I wonder how many other people think like this as it is not the first time I've been asked this question, even by health professionals. Wouldn't you have thought with all the publicity transplants get everyone would know, at the very least, that such a thing cannot be planned? I think people just walk around with their eyes and ears closed.

Well Laurence duly arrived for tea Yesterday and stayed until after nine. It was lovely all siting together and watching Top Gear, just like the old days. Andrew made muffins for the occasion and they went down a treat. We had a lovely time and a good old catch up. He seems very settled in his place now and I'm happy at last that he is coping on his own. We've rescheduled the meal and will be going up to his in the a couple of weeks.

Finally I'm feeling a bit better. I haven't had to use oxygen today and only woke myself up coughing once last night. I'm still very much under the weather though and my chest feels like a lead weight. Peter had to do a Tesco run this afternoon as I was craving oranges and we'd run out. Being brave I decided to go along for the ride, just to get out of the house and get some fresh air. It was very quiet, thank goodness, so whizzing around in a wheelchair wasn't too much of a problem but I was so glad to get home. The trip buoyed my spirits but exhausted the rest of me. Being fit for Wednesday is looking less likely by the minute because that is an all day thing while Tesco took all of an hour. If it is as cold on Wednesday as it is today then the campus tour is definitely out as I'd freeze to death in a wheelchair. So frustrating!

In the news at the moment is the row over bonuses. I've always viewed bonuses the same way I view OBE's etc. Why should you be awarded for just doing your job? Bonuses and gongs should be reserved for those that put others first or do something outstanding. I hate is when someone gets an award for 'services to acting', in other words doing their job, however I have no problem with an actor getting an award for charitable work. Bonuses should be awarded in a similar fashion and certainly not be awarded when the organisation is still heavily in debt. Any spare cash floating around should be used to payback the people who bailed the organisation out of trouble, that's us the tax payers by the way, before being given to those already on monstrous salaries. Once all debts have been paid and the organisation is doing well by all means pay bonuses. Once again it is all about choosing the moment and now is not the time to be announcing million pound bonuses when the rest of us are having to mind the pennies.

Also in the news is the fact that university applications are down 10% following the hike in fees. Is anyone really surprised at this? It's all very well saying you don't have to pay upfront but you still have to pay at some point and that will put an awful lot of people off, especially with the job market the way it is. The other argument is that if you don't get a job or don't get one that pays enough you won't have to repay. Again excellent in theory but in practice you still have an enormous debt hanging over you and who wants that? Andrew very nearly gave up on uni because of the fees and it took a great deal of persuasion to make him change his mind, I suspect this situation has been going on all over the country. How long I wonder before a university education becomes the preserve of the well off? Not long at this rate.

I've used so much oxygen over the weekend that I had to order up some more today and guess who lost the number? Half an hour and a frantic search later we found the number on one of the cylinders, yes we hadn't thought to look there, and I now have one huge bottle and several portal cylinders heading my way for tomorrow. Maybe they could send me a brain while they are at it.

A Change Is Gonna Come

Had a terrible night's sleep last night, kept waking myself up coughing then lay awake going through all I'd been told at Harefield. I went there thinking that I wouldn't be too surprised or disappointed if they still wanted to keep me on the back burner for a while longer. Now I am very much bothered and pray that my antibody screen comes back OK. Now I very much want this transplant as soon as possible and know I would be devastated if I were refused.

I knew I was in trouble the moment I sat up this morning. I wasn't just blue I was almost black and I gasped for breathe. I immediately rang my GP to see if I could get an emergency appointment at their Saturday clinic only to find they no longer had a Saturday clinic and were referring all patients to the A & E department of the Lethal and Deadly. Having experienced a five hour wait there before and knowing I wasn't up to waiting that long, and I'd probably pick up another bug whilst there, I decided I'd just have to struggle along until my GP opened again on Monday. However by lunchtime I knew waiting was no longer possible and if I tried I'd end up in hospital, which I really didn't want to do. Fortunately a friend had told me about a drop in center she knew of. It sounded a better option than the A&E but I still had my doubts but I had to see somebody so off we went.

It was easy to find, I actually worked in the building when I first moved to Bedfordshire and it was a Job Centre so I knew exactly where it was, I also knew that parking was atrocious. Sure enough the town itself was chaotic as there appeared to be a football match on and the street where the drop in center was located was jam packed so Peter dropped me at the door and went off to find somewhere to leave the car. I staggered into reception with my oxygen tank slung over my arm and explained the situation. My heart sank when she said it was a two hour wait but then she said that because I had an ongoing condition and I was obviously ill she would speak to the doctor about fast tracking me. She disappeared for a minute and the next thing I knew I was being taken in to see the doctor. I must say I was very impressed with him, he knew what PH was and realised straight away that I was quite poorly. He examined me, asked a few questions and immediately described a different antibiotic at double strength and some steroids, I was so relieved that I'd got help without anyone panicking and trying to admit me to hospital. In future I will definitely use them again instead of suffering over a weekend or bank holiday.

So it is most definitely another few days off work, hopefully not many, and unless there is a spectacular recovery, I will miss out on going with Andrew to his interview at Herts Uni. I am really disappointed about that but Peter will be going with him so not all is lost as I expect I will get a full account when they return home.

Andrew has finally had the dates for his First Responder course. He decided to volunteer as a First Responder when he chose to do a paramedic course as it would give him an insight into what he was letting himself in for and he would pick up some very useful skills such a CPR and how to use a defibrillator. It will also stand him in good stead with the interview panel at Herts Uni as it shows how dedicated he is to being a paramedic that he's going to do it for free. Basically First Responders are trained volunteers who are sent out to emergencies to help until the ambulance can get there. They are used mostly in rural areas where it takes an ambulance over a certain amount of time to get to where they are needed or during busy periods where there are not enough ambulances to go around. They are trained in all the essential skills to enable them to treat heart attacks, stroke victims, cuts, bruises etc. They are given a uniform and a kit and cover a certain radius around where they live. The course is next weekend and I hope I'm well enough to go as it is in Cambridge and I rather fancy taking my camera with me, weather permitting.

In the news is a story about disabled people chaining themselves together in Oxford Circus and causing disruption to Oxford and Regent Streets in protest at the cuts to DLA. I have to say as a disabled person I really don't understand what they are getting so worked up about. From what I have read, those people truly deserving of DLA, or Personal Independence Payment as it will be called from 2013, will receive exactly the same amount of benefit, and in some cases more than they do now. OK so everyone is going to have a medical. If you have a condition that means you are disabled then you should have no worries, if you have been exaggerating you condition, or it has improved and you haven't let on, then you should lose part or all of your benefit. Only those who secretly know they are not entitled need be worried. Unfortunately scaremongering has been rife and now those in genuine need are terrified when I don't think they really need to be.

Personally I will be glad to see those getting DLA for being drug addicts or alcoholics taken out of the system, or at least have it refused until they agree to and stick with a recovery programme of some sort. Nor should it be given to those who are grossly obese. All these conditions, except on very rare instances, are self inflicted and could be cured with help and a bit of self control. It is an insult to those who are disabled through no fault of their own to be classified in the same way and the sooner it stops the better. DLA is not a bottomless pit. We've all read the stories of those claiming to have such bad backs that they cannot walk only to be filmed lifting boxes, running marathons or refereeing football games and we've all been justifiably outraged and wondered when the government will do something about it. Well now the government is doing something to curb that abuse and we are still not happy. I think we need to look at the proposals in detail and really understand what it means individually before jumping off the deep end. We can't expect those undeserving to be weeded out unless the deserving are investigated too and if we want a better system that is less open to fraud we are going to have to put up with a bit of unpleasantnesses.

We were supposed to be going to Laurence's for lunch tomorrow but I am too ill, so he has agreed to come to us for tea. Sometimes I really hate my body.
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That's Very Nearly An Arm Full - Harefield Transplant Assessment Day

Well I didn't expect that, still trying to take it all in.

Despite having to tackle the M1 and M25 during rush hour we made it to Harefield in just under an hour. As usual the car park was full despite the early hour but we managed to find a spot on our second sweep and we arrived in the ANZAC center by five past nine. We were greeted by the receptionist who immediately called Nicky one of  the transplant coordinators down to see me. We were shown into a side room where we were given the itinerary for the day and had a quick chat about what to expect in the coming days/weeks/months.

First stop was an ECHO and as we were early I went straight in as there was no queue. Unlike some hospitals here they are quite free with their information and I was informed straight away that my heart, although slightly enlarged, was in very good shape but my pressures (that's the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery) were very high despite being on the Flolan.

Next stop was an ECG, again no queue, and once again it was good news. I have a steady strong rhythm with no sign of any problems.

I returned to the reception desk where I was given two pots and told to fill them, one was a sputum test, the other, well I think you can guess.

On to X-ray, no information given here but I was in and out really quickly and so onto bloods and lung function tests. This is where it all ground to a halt, well it had to happen sometime, and I had a thirty minute wait for bloods with another forty five minutes for lung function. I went into bloods expecting the usual two or three bottles to be taken. Sixteen bottles later, yes I kid you not, sixteen, a glass of water and well done I was back out in the waiting room where I had to sit for five minutes to prove I wasn't going to faint before nipping into lung function.

Lung function was where the good news stopped coming. My lungs are in a dreadful state with very little output in the blow tests. One machine kept flashing "Blockage! Check pipes" every time I blew into it but the it was my lungs and not the machine's pipe work that were at fault, or so the technician said, not sure if I really believe her. After all the huffing and puffing my SATs were through the floor at 70% so they stuffed an oxygen mask on me and made me wait until they recovered.

Back to reception and a short wait and then Nicky arrived to take us to see the consultant. Amazingly most of my test results were back and I was given a run down. Kidney, liver and heart function all normal. My weight is acceptable, phew! Generally I'm in "good nick" so then she chose to drop the bombshell. She wants me to have a transplant as soon as possible. Why? Well this is how she explained it.

At the moment the heart is in good shape, it is slightly enlarged but the size, shape and thickness is all within an acceptable range. The right ventricle, this is the important one for lung transplant patients, is very strong and shows no sign of stress. However, the unknown factor is how long it will stay that way. My PH is very aggressive, hence the rapid upgrade of medication over the last couple of years. Each medication has kept me stable for on average four to six months. I've been on Flolan for six months. At the moment things are OK and if they do start to go downhill again they still have the option of increasing the amount I'm getting. Unfortunately my lack of tolerance of the medication will be a limiting factor for this option and they may never be able to stabilise me again if I can't take the increase. Two years is no longer a viable waiting time and even twelve months would be risking it so she's going recommend transplant within six months.  The reason being that if the right ventricle fails it fails really quickly and it doesn't take long to get past the point of being well enough for transplant. So it would be in my best interests to move quickly.

The one test that is still outstanding is one of the most important, and that is screening for antibodies. The more antibodies you have the greater your chance of rejection. The more pregnancies you've had the more antibodies you have so women tend to be turned down more often than men. It hasn't been a problem before but you do worry about it changing as infections can alter the count and I've had a lot of them this year. I will find out the results of this test next week. If all goes well the next step is a three day hospital stay so they can carry out a lot more tests, such as measuring my ribcage etc.

Obviously just because the consultant wants it done quickly doesn't mean it will be as I will still need to wait for a suitable donor, and I have to face up to the possibility that there will never be a match. At the moment though I'm still in with a chance and will be much further up the list than last time so I'm getting closer, at least I hope I am.

DLA - Top Tips For Getting It - Updated

Re-posted by popular demand I have updated some points in accordance with new information I have come across. Please remember this is a guide or aide memoir and is not guaranteed to make your application successful.  The information contained in this post comes from several different sources. My specialist center, the CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) and the DWP benefits helpline. Hope you find this helpful.

 1. Do it on-line. This has several advantages (in my case being neater for a start) and is not as difficult as you might think. You will need to register and get a Government Gateway ID and password. But after that it is pretty much plain sailing. I have looked at the form and there are definite benefits to doing it this way. The questions are more detailed but you have more space for your answers so you can explain things properly. You can move back and fore through the site so you can make corrections or add things you'd forgotten. You DO NOT have to do it all at once, there is a save feature so you can do a bit at a time. You will need your ID and password to access you form so make sure you write these down and keep it somewhere safe. Web address http://www.direct.gov.uk then go to the Disabled People link.

 2. Do not sell yourself short. When answering the questions you must think of how you are on your absolute worst day. The day you can't get out of bed, need help to get to the bathroom, eat, take your meds. You may only have a bad day once or twice a month but you have them and they are the days when you need help.

3. Supply documentation. you will be asked to provide proof of medications etc. DO NOT SEND PHOTOCOPIES, they will not accept them. If you have a repeat prescription form copy it, keep the copy for your own use and send the original. If you have drugs delivered by courier send the delivery note, this often has the advantage of having your name and address, the hospital's name and address, the type of medication and sometimes the condition it is for. you will also need a recent hospital report or covering letter from you PH center, again copy it and keep the copy as proof you have sent it. When you have gathered all your documentation pop it in the envelope with a covering letter, the letter should contain
your name and address,
National Insurance number,
the reference number for your on-line application (you will get this when you finally submit your form),
a list of all the documents included in the envelope.
It is a good idea to include results from your latest 6 minute walk test including you oxygen sats before and after to give a clear indication of what walking does to you. Make sure the report does include the sats results though, I made the mistake of sending a report that said I could walk 350 meters in 6 minutes but did not log how many breaks I had (when the clock is stopped) or what my sats were when I'd finished, they reject my application out of hand without reading any further. Include as much information as you can, I would add the addresses of websites that can describe what PH is, though when I did that I was told they do not look at websites so my answer was to print off the relevant pages and add them to the pile. If you have received a renewal or application pack you can send the documents back in that. Make sure you clearly state they are supporting your ONLINE APPLICATION. You are not dealing with rocket scientists and they will need it spelling out to them. Do not staple things together, at most use a paper clip and number the documents to correspond to the list. Again keep a copy.

4. Keep It Real. Be realistic about what you can or cannot do and explain why. The magic cut off point for DLA is being able to walk 50 meters without stopping or needing help. We all know that for those with PH we can often walk further than that but it is what the effort is doing to us that matters. A good explanation (and I borrowed this from someone on the PH website, thank you) goes something like this. " The pressures in my lungs are so great that my heart has problems pumping the blood around my body, the blood does not carry enough oxygen which means that it is difficult for me to carry out any physical activity such as walking, lifting, carrying etc. Walking makes this situation much worse and the lack of oxygen can cause me to become dizzy putting me in danger of fainting and hurting myself." I would still put your distance down as 50 meters even with the explanation as if they see anything above that they are unlikely to read any further. Remember we are dealing with someone with a tick box and no common sense.

5. Don't Lie. Stretching the truth is OK but a blatant lie is out. Firstly your specialist center will not be able to support your statement and secondly if you have to have a medical you'll have to prove what you have said. So if you have said you cannot carry anything and then walk in with a handbag the size of a suitcase it will immediately put your claim in doubt.

6. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Don't use abbreviations without explaining them at least once. It is no good saying you have IPAH because they won't know what that is or bother to find out. Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension followed by the abbreviation should be enough to enable you to use the IPAH only in later questions. Do not use jargon, we might be used to hospital speak but they won't be, explain as though explaining to a rather thick child and you cannot go far wrong. Also there is an advantage in giving your condition its full title. In this case there are three complicated long words before they get to the hypertension bit. A bit difficult to ignore them and put it down as just high blood pressure.

7. Needing Help. Embarrassing as it might be you must lay it on a bit thick about the help you need. you might think you do a lot for yourself but think about it. Does someone bring you your meds with a nice cuppa, set up and/or clean any equipment you use or cook the evening meal because you are too tired to do it yourself? If the answer is yes then put it down. You will be asked how often you get help, the emphasis here must be more often than not. Always put down that you have this sort of help every single day, they are not living with you and cannot prove you don't. If you have a carer say so. Never use words or phrases such as sometimes, occasionally, mostly or 'when I'm really ill' in your answers as they sow the seeds of doubt about how much help you really need. If you are on oxygen then you will need to point out that being on oxygen and near a cooker is not a good thing. When you come to the 'preparing a meal' question remember it means can you get to the shop to buy the ingredients, carry it home, prepare it, cook it and wash up afterwards. If you cannot do all that then you need to say which elements you need help with. If you are on Warfarin then being around sharp knives is also not a good idea. Warfarin use can also be used in the 'walking' question, point out that if you fell and banged your head you would need to go to hospital to get checked out as you are in danger of internal bleeding and possible stroke. This can cover why you cannot walk far and need someone with you when out and about.

8. Meds. List your medications and give the dose eg 25mg and the frequency eg 2 per day. List ALL your meds whether directly associated with your condition or not. The aim is to show that your illness has a significant impact on your life, Taking 6 -7 meds several times a day has a significant impact.

 9. Supporting Statement. It is a good idea to add a supporting statement to your document pack. Do not write an essay, they won't read it, keep it clear and concise. Say which point on the form the addition refers to, 'I wish to expand/explain more fully my answer to question 12b' helps them focus on what you want to say. Make sure you have used the word 'terminal' in at least on of your answers. If you have not given a simple explanation do it here. you can use the explanation I gave earlier on and repeating yourself is not a bad thing in this case. You should also add this (again borrowed, thank you, thank you) 'This is a rare condition with only 4000 out of 68 million UK residents diagnosed. There is no cure for this condition except for transplantation but sadly many died before donor organs become available." If you are or have been assessed for transplant say so, it doesn't matter if you are not on the list yet.

10. Check before sending. Check, check and re-check the form before submitting it. Even get someone else to check it for you as another point of view can be helpful.

My thanks to Annie and Tracie from the PHA forum http://www.phassociation.uk.com for the additional information.

 

Ah Grasshopper!

I am worried. I have my appointment at Harefield tomorrow to be reassessed for transplant and I still have this bloody chest infection. I am definitely better today than I have been but my chest is still painful and feels really  clogged up. This time it is taking longer to clear and I have a feeling I'll need more antibiotics as I can't see this being fully gone by Sunday when my current course finishes. What really worries me is how weak I'm feeling. I don't have the energy to do anything and all I do is sit in front of the TV with my laptop. If I do try and do things my chest aches like hell and I feel light headed. The funny thing though, I don't feel all that breathless. My breathing has been much worse than this with milder infections, it's very strange and I wish it would just bugger off.

Going for assessment is fraught enough as it is. You worry about being turned down because you are too ill, you worry you will be turned down because you are too well and then you worry that they will find something the excludes you all together, like too many antibodies or something. I know that they are planning to do some lung function tests and wonder how much my infection will affect the results, will they be able to tell what is infection induced and what is PH induced? What I'm most worried about is that they decided I'm too ill for assessment and re-book me. Not a tragedy I admit but bloody frustrating when you've been waiting so long.

Andrew came home with another grin on his face, his Biology exam went as well as his others so he is confident of good results, fingers crossed he's not wrong. He is off to try out a new martial arts club in Barton tonight. He has been going to one in Luton every Monday, which he still attends, and one in Bedford every Tuesday. However he has decided to stop going to the Bedford one as it had no structure and he didn't feel he was learning anything. There was also a boy there who kept trying to sell him drugs, Andrew is very anti drug and was annoyed at this boy's aggressive manner. The final straw came when this boy brought a chain to the club and threatened to use it on Andrew who for some reason he saw as a threat. I think he might have been top dog at this club and when Andrew turned up with his black belt had his nose put out of joint, whatever the reason it made things there very unpleasant. So Andrew decided to look for something closer to home and found a club that meets in the middle school Tuesdays and Thursdays. He's decided to go to the Thursday session to give himself some recovery time between meetings. Sounds good to me.

The cats have finally got over whatever it was that was bothering them and peace reigns once more, they have even been seen napping together. Aww bless!

This afternoon it came over all warm and sunny so I wrapped myself up and took a slow turn around the garden. My word did it improve my mood and health! While out there I refilled the bird feeders, hung out a few more fat balls and scattered some seeds and nuts around the lawn for those birds that don't like hanging upside down to eat. By the time I came in I felt a lot better, maybe I should have gone out to Tesco with Peter yesterday after all.

One of the news stories that I enjoyed today is that of a Brazilian bank robber who managed to shoot himself in the foot. This idiot was guarding the doors while the rest of the gang were busy inside. For some reason he had two guns which CCTV shows him playing with until one accidentally goes off. Showing that there is no honour amongst thieves he decides to abandon his mates and limp away to hospital leaving the gang without their lookout man. After viewing the footage all the police had to do was wait for the hospital to report a man with a bullet wound in his foot and then go along and arrest him. What a prize twit!  I love stories like this, it proves that sometimes bad things happen to bad people.

There will be no blog tomorrow for obvious reasons but watch out for Saturday's, it should be interesting.

Sun, Sun, Sun, Here It Comes

I am feeling miserable. Kept waking myself up in the night coughing, which has left me feeling tired and irritable. As usual I expected too much and hoped for a slight improvement today but if anything I feel worse. I have only had a full day of antibiotics so I don't know why I'm feeling so aggrieved, the sensible me knows it takes at least three days for any improvement to show. I'm just so annoyed that it has happened this week when I'm supposed to be going to Harefield on Friday. I keep telling myself that as long as I'm back on my feet by then that is all that matters. Unfortunately the impatient me is not taking any notice and still wants instant results.

To add to my worries I'm off my food. This is a big blow when I've only just managed to put on weight again. I am forcing myself to have milky drinks and defrosted some home made soup but I only managed half of it before feeling full. I weighed myself this morning and I haven't lost anything yet but I will be keeping a close eye on things.

I don't know what is wrong with my two cats. They have been chasing and fighting each other all day and it is now beginning to get on my nerves. They don't really get on but tend to leave each other alone for the most part. Sometimes they tolerate each other enough to share the same bed on a cold day, albeit at opposite ends and corners. Now they have descended into open warfare and for two elderly gentlemen to be throwing each other around it is a little worrying. Whatever it is I hope they get over it soon before they manage to injury each other as a trip to the vet is just what I don't need right now.

I got the dates of Andrew's exams wrong and was mighty surprised when he announced that he would be late home because of his Physics exam. He seems pretty confident, I hope it goes as well as he felt the Psychology exam went last week.

When Andrew arrived home this afternoon he had a big grin on his face, once again he got all the questions he was hoping for. I really hope he's done as well as he thinks he has. Last one, Biology, tomorrow then he can relax for a while before gearing up to do it all again in June.

In the news reports that a 'massive' solar storm is heading our way after the biggest eruption on the Sun for six years. Apparently we can expect disruption to communications, as some satellites will be effected, and power outages. GPS systems could also be unreliable during this period. My question is will we notice the difference? My phone loses signal if I happen to sneeze and places like John Lewis in Milton Keynes have always been a black out zone. And we've all read the stories about stupid drivers who have let their satnavs lead them into rivers, fields and down narrow lanes. The best thing about this event is that more of us will get to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. They have already been seen as far south as Northumberland and could move even further south over the next couple of nights. I doubt very much they will reach Bedfordshire, which is a pity as I'd like to have seen them.

Peter has discovered that we are about to have a crisis, we are down to our last bottle of lemonade. Oh the horror! We both enjoy drinking orange juice and lemonade and have at least two glasses each during the course of the day and as I've been told to keep my fluids up I've been drinking more resulting in the shortage. As I'm not well he is going to have to face the scrum in Tesco on his own tomorrow which he hates. Though who knows, I might feel up to a trip out in the wheelchair. We'll just have to wait and see.

Keep Calm And Carry On

Well I guess that explains why I was so tired yesterday. Yes I've got yet another chest infection and so am starting my fourth course of antibiotics in three months. Would I say I was pissed off? Yes I would! I've been given a different type this time, I'm usually on Cefalexin but this time I'm on Doxycyclin which my GP assures me will 'kill the infection stone dead.' That's if the infection doesn't finish me off first of course. At least I avoided steroids this time as my SATs are normal for me (normal means anything between 85% and 95%) and there is no wheeze. A small triumph but a triumph nevertheless. The rest of his advice was the same, rest up, drink plenty, keep warm, use your oxygen if you need to. I'm upset, angry and disappointed but I know I have no choice but to do as I'm told and hope it passes quickly.

Andrew got his information pack for his interview at Herts Uni next week. He is trying to act all cool but I can tell he is really excited about it. He is still hitting the books, with the exams being held this Wednesday and Thursday not long to go, thank goodness. I like to see him studying but I do worry about him doing too much and burning out before the big day. Fortunately he does have his hobbies and has decided to go to karate tonight which will give him a much needed break.

So with nothing to do except sit and watch TV it has been a pretty boring day, but not a quiet one. Our neighbour had a TV aerial that went through his roof and was attached to the wall inside the loft. During the recent high winds this aerial came off and took some of the wall with it. After a bit of haggling he finally got an insurance payout and today the wall and aerial are being fixed. Naturally enough the process comes with a great deal of banging, drilling and assorted other noises. The planned afternoon nap had to be shelved and I settled for a doze on the settee during Doctors instead, much to the delight of Tarmac who chose to join me. I woke up sweating buckets and thought something was really wrong until I realised I had a hot, furry body draped over me. I did feel better when I woke up and wondered if the cat had something to do with it. My mother is a great one for 'sweating' a bug to kill it off and used to cover me in blankets and feed me hot soup and cups of warm blackcurrant when I had a chest infection. She said that raising my temperature killed off the bugs, I think it nearly killed me off a couple of time too. However I'm now beginning to wonder if she had something there as I do feel a bit brighter this afternoon. Peter says it is wishful thinking and I probably just needed a sleep. He's probably right.

In the news the story that caught my eye was a report that the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in particular are slowly slipping into the Thames. Cracks have recently appeared in the Grade 1 listed building and the clock tower is leaning, half a meter at it's tip. These are indeed worrying signs and the subsidence is thought to have been cause by the extension of the Jubilee tube line and the building of a massive five story car park. Of course the knee jerk reaction has resulted in rumours that MP's will move out to new offices and the building be sold to private investors. As if that is going to happen. A more balanced view is that MP's might be temporarily re-homed whilst renovation work is done. That sounds more plausible but is there any reason for MP's to move out? They are all on holiday for three months every summer so why not do the work then? However I'm with Professor John Burland of Imperial College who has said "I calculated that it would take 10,000 years to reach the inclination of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It's moving incredibly slowly and always has done so and there really is no immediate danger at all." There you go, keep calm and carry on.