In week 47 of 2021, I visited my doctor´s surgery for a dressing change & to have the wound in my stomach cleaned.
Week 47 of 2021.
Friday, November 19th.
This morning I have a sausage sandwich for breakfast. Once again it is overcast this morning & I decided to walk to the doctor´s surgery to have my dressing changed. I am quickly seen by the nurse who changes the dressing & asks me when I am due to see the surgeon again. I tell him that I am seeing the surgeon on Tuesday & he tells me there is no need to have the dressing changed again before I see the surgeon.
I leave the surgery & take a walk along to the Rambla in Los Alcázares. My friend Seb used to run a bar there that is now a cafe. I have not been in since it's been a cafe & I decided to try it out. I order a cappuccino & sit there for a while resting. My stomach is always a bit sore after they have changed the dressing but the walk this morning has made it more uncomfortable. The cappuccino is quite good & at only €1.50 is the cheapest I have had anywhere.
I finish my drink & head down to the beach to walk home. As I pass La Playa bar I decide to stop for another coffee & to sit & read my kindle for a while. It's been so long since I have been out it is just nice to be out. I drink my coffee & read my kindle for a while before heading home, I do notice that the short walk has worn me out more than I expected & I decide to have complete rest for a couple of days.
Saturday, November 20th.
The day is spent resting in front of the computer & the television. I flit between football matches on the television, I am waiting for the Liverpool v Arsenal game this evening.
Liverpool deservedly beat Arsenal 4 - 0. I don't think Arsenal played badly they just made a few defensive mistakes, giving the ball away in front of the goal is never a good idea & Liverpool took full advantage of Arsenal's mistakes. I think & hope that they learn from the game & I am looking forward to their next few games against Newcastle United & then Manchester United, who are both having problems of their own at the moment.
Tonight I flip between channels on the television until I settle down to re-watch a masterpiece of filmography, The Wizard of Oz.
Sunday, November 21st.
I woke up this morning & take my penultimate lot of antibiotics before sitting down at my computer to check my email & update my website. This afternoon I watch the Arsenal ladies beat Manchester United 0 - 2 to stay on top of the WSL. In the evening I watch ´An Evening with Adele´ on the television, she is a fantastic singer & what a beautiful woman.
Monday, November 22nd.
I have no milk left this morning for my porridge & decide to have breakfast out. I go to the Tipsy Thistle & have a small English breakfast, it is lovely & I am glad I came out for breakfast. After breakfast, I make my way to the ASSSA office in Los Narejos on my disability Scooter. I make sure the lady has my correct bank details to reimburse me for the ambulance that I had to pay for to take me to the hospital.
Whilst I am there I again ask about the bill that ASSSA had refused to pay. I have to go back to the hospital to see the surgeon tomorrow & don't want anything holding my appointment up. It turns out that the hospital as well as not sending it to ASSSA had also made a mistake on the number of nights they had billed for. They hadn't actually billed for enough nights & this is what ASSSA are still querying before they pay the bill.
I then head to La Sombra Pizzeria to meet my friend Martin for our normal, regular business meeting. It is great to catch up but the staff are surprised to see me drinking coffee or soft drinks. We explain that I have recently come out of the hospital & they let our business meeting continue. After the meeting ends I go to Mercadona to get some milk & a pizza for my lunch.
This afternoon I watch television & rest before my trip to the hospital in the morning.
Tuesday. November 23rd.
I am up early today as I have to go to have a check-up with the surgeon who did my hernia operation in Cartagena. Lesley picks me up just before 9 am & we are at the hospital in plenty of time for my 9:30 appointment with the surgeon.
The surgeon takes off the dressing, inspects the wound, cleans the wound & tells me that it is healing well & that he is very pleased with it. He then sends me to see a nurse who removes the stitches, also tells me it looks good & told me that I should just wash the wound carefully when I shower & put Bentoline on it afterwards to keep it clean. I am told I no longer need to go back to the hospital.
After going to the hospital, Lesley takes me to a nearby cafe where we have a coffee & get some empanadas to take home. She then drops me off at home where I eat my empanadas & have a pot of tea.
This afternoon I contact Amazon again, to try to get my account reinstated. After talking to an English-speaking lady about my account she informs me that a different department is dealing with the request & that they will email me within 24 hours when it is reactivated, I cross my fingers & hope for the best.
Wednesday, November 24th.
I get up early this morning, walk around to my doctor´s surgery & get my regular blood test done to monitor my sintrom levels. Whilst I am there an elderly couple come in looking for a different doctor´s surgery. I am able to give them simple directions to get there but they have already missed their appointment, I hope they managed to rearrange it & could be seen today.
After my blood test, I walk home via Bar Espejo where I stop for a Tostada & a coffee. I read my kindle whilst having breakfast before heading home. Whilst at home I play a game on my computer to pass some time before the pharmacy opens up, once it opens I go to the pharmacy on my disability scooter to purchase some dressings, iodine & a solution to clean the wound on my stomach. Once I have made my purchases I head home to take a shower, clean the wound on my stomach & dress it. Once it is done I sit down & realize I forgot to put the iodine on the wound & have to do it again.
At lunchtime, my friends Martin & Kate pick me up & along with their daughter Aria we meet Dave (Martins dad) & Viv at Oishii restaurant in San Javier. We have the Menu del Dia for only 10€, it is very good. After lunch, we have time to go to, two of the large local Chinese stores that sell everything. I buy myself a new pair of warm, soft pyjamas that will be comfortable for laying around the house whilst I fully recover from my surgery & some incense sticks, some that will make the house smell nice, some that will keep any mosquitos & flys away.
After buying my shopping I am dropped home where I rest & watch television for the rest of the day, even the small amount of exercise today has worn me out.
Thursday, November 25th.
I go to the doctor´s surgery this morning, on my disability scooter, to collect the results from my blood test yesterday. After collecting them I go to the San Juan bar on the promenade. I sit there for a while reading my kindle & drinking coffee. After drinking my coffee I continue on my disability scooter to the local supermarket to get some milk & a few other bits of food before I head home.
When I have worked out what dose of sintrom I should now be taking I realise I need to get some more tablets. I call my friend George & arrange to meet him for a coffee at the cafe next to the pharmacy. When the pharmacy reopens I walk around & collect my tablets & then meet George & Yvonne in the cafe next door. Now I am no longer on antibiotics I am able to have an Asiatico coffee, I have it with bailieys instead of brandy & it is beautiful. After the drinks with George & Yvonne, I slowly walk home, it may have only been a short walk again but I am again worn out when I get home. I rest in front of the television for a while before going to bed early.