Waiting

Radiotherapy dominates our lives at the moment. If we take the average journey of an hour to the hospital and an hour home (more in wet weather) plus one to two hours waiting, it is difficult to do much else. Waiting for treatment is par for the course: sometimes a machine is broken, treatment needs to be verified or the power is off. At least the icy weather has one advantage for us in that it has lessened the traffic on the roads. All of a sudden the much-maligned 4 x 4 is valued once again. Our Jeep certainly enables us to get through the icier by-roads.

In other respects the country really is at a standstill. Obviously people have been told to limit their journeys and schools often have to close because the heating is poor and also because teachers often live miles away from where they teach, unlike years ago. Many can’t get from the minor roads to the main roads to travel to work.

We haven’t had any post for days yet when we talk to people in Yorkshire, the postmen are getting through. Businesses must be hampered by this. Nice to see neighbours helping out more especially the elderly who are housebound. I can’t help contrasting all this with the winter of 1962/3 which was very harsh in the South of England where we had snow from December to March.

Hopefully, either the weather will improve or businesses will decide that the snow cannot just be used as an excuse for lack of action. I really desperately need to know about my ENT operation authorisation but more particularly whether BUPA will agree to my transplant at the Royal Marsden. Time is moving on and it is so difficult to plan.

Meanwhile we have enjoyed seeing the deer in our garden at midday and fox tracks everywhere. It has been so good to be able to walk in the snowy countryside too. The snow has brought in a flock of redshanks and in our garden the birds are gathering round the feeders which have to be replenished about two or three times a day. Seeing so much wildlife keeps me calm when so much is undecided in our lives. Hopefully this week will bring some progress.