(no subject)

[turps]

I was checking my flist yesterday and was reminded that mini_wrimo had started. So, I started a follow-up to my Ted Lasso Roy is a werewolf story. I've got no idea where it's going yet, but I'm having fun thinking about it.

It's a horrible day today, windy, cold and wet and I'm very glad I don't have anywhere I need to be.

Yesterday it was James' rota'ed day off, and we ended up at the doctors yet again as the night before he'd had a reaction to something that caused him to be mega itchy. He called the pharmacist first as he wondered if it was a reaction to the statin he's started to take and the pharmacist said to stop that but go see the doctor as it could be something else.

The doctor suspected it was more likely the antibiotics he'd just finished taking, but still suggested stopping the statin and restarting in a week. She also cleared up something about James' limb surgeon. Unfortunately, despite there being an AMC specialist based in Newcastle, they only see children, so James has to see different people depending on what part of his body is having an issue. He had an amazing upper limb surgeon who kept him on a rolling appointment, checking in about once a year to ensure there was nothing brewing, but that surgeon left the hospital, so James hasn't seen anyone for about two years.

So, he asked the doctor how to get re referred, and she looked at his notes and saw he'd been sent two letters last year from the surgeon, one a personal one saying the surgeon was about to retire, and he could either pass James onto a colleague, or James could pick someone himself. Then another letter months later that had been returned saying we no longer lived at our address, so James had been completely discharged from the system.

We got neither of those letters which is frustrating as while the doctor has re referred goodness knows when that appointment will come. Thankfully, he's having no issues with his arms, but it was always reassuring to have the safety net of relatively quick access to specialist help if needed.

As medical things were sorted so quickly I also got to have a quick chat to the doctor. She was a medical student when I was having Corey and was doing her midwife rotation when I was admitted, so she's known Corey for all of his life, and likes to know what he's getting up to.

Sadly, this year we had no trick or treaters, not even the little girl next door who normally comes every year. I've no idea what went on there, unless they all headed for the nearby estates, where people had gone all out in decorating. So, the sweets have been bagged up to go to James' work, apart from a bag that is Bodhi friendly.

The Christmas adverts have started to appear, I got an email about Disney UK's this morning and it's very sweet. Though not one I'd seek out again. Also an email from M&S Food which features Ryan Reynolds as a mitten, which seems very random until you read the blurb that goes with it. Oh, and Lidl's is there too. I like it, and love the sentiment again, tying into the cost of living crisis and the toy appeal.

I finished watching the reboot of QAF and of course, after I got right into it, I Googled and found out the second series isn't going to happen. Now I've started on the Interview With a Vampire tv show, only one episode so far but I'll be watching the second later.

Comments

[dine]

how frustrating that James'd been dropped - too bad the postal service let you down repeatedly! glad James isn't having any issues; hope you can get on without another provider without too much delay

it seems early to me, but I do love the adverts. I'm especially fond of Lidl's, as I'm a huge fan of raccoons (and the sentiment is great)

[turps]

I was thinking about dates and I'm sure it was the period last year when the mail service was majorly backed up. Though, there was also a recent scandal here where a local hospital trust had lost 24,000 letters due to be sent since 2018 because of a computer glitch. So, either could be the cause.

It's good he found out now, at least there is nothing actually wrong, so waiting for an appointment with someone new shouldn't be an issue.

Yeah, I was surprised at the Christmas adverts being released now, too. I was expecting to wait a few weeks yet. Lidl always seems to bring out some nice adverts. Though Ryan as a mitten is probably the most surprising so far.

[badfalcon]

Oooh thank you for the heads up on Mini Wrimo... I can probably just about manage 100 words a day, especially the way my muse is firing at the moment.

Fingers crossed James' itching eases soon, that's never a fun side effect :( And how sucky about the discharge but yay for an awesome doctor to do the re-referral.

[turps]

Oooh thank you for the heads up on Mini Wrimo... I can probably just about manage 100 words a day, especially the way my muse is firing at the moment.

You're welcome! And yes, you're on fire writing wise lately. It's a challenge I like, because there's no judgement at all for picking a low target. Plus, they have pretty prompt pictures, which even if I don't use, are nice to look at.

Thankfully, the itching is going down now. But yeah, he said it was a horrible side effect.

[badfalcon]

I'm all signed up - and I've already written close to 700 words this month! :D

[jacieleigh]

That stinks about the postal issues which in turn caused aadditional issues. I hope it's all been sorted without too much trouble.

Things seem to go in cycles. Maybe it will pick up again in a year or two. At least James can take it all to work to share (other than the Bodhi-friendly ones *G*). We never got many around here, but I think my dad enjoyed the opportunity to stock up on Snickers! LOL. When he handed out candy, I think it was "one for them, one for me" sort of distribution model.

It seems we went through a phase around here where people were going to Halloween parties, but now they seem to be going door-to-door again. Many people bring out a fire pit and sit in their driveways. But apparently, another thing is to put an unattended bowl (or two) on one's front porch with a note to take X amount of candy. And sad to say, there are teens who apparently are DRIVING around looking for unattended candy and not only taking all the candy, but they're swiping the bowls, too! And of course, this is all captured on peoples' doorbell cameras. I kind of hope some parents are spotting their kid's actions and having some serious chats about their behaviour.

[turps]

That stinks about the postal issues which in turn caused aadditional issues

Thinking about the dates, that was the time when our post was completely messed up and we were getting piles of letters about once a week. So, I'm not surprised things went missing. I remember someone posted a photo on FB of our local sorting office, and the multiple cages that had been left outside, each one filled with bags of stuff to be delivered. I suspect a lot of mail went missing for a lot of people. We were lucky to actually find out. Though it's a shame James didn't get a chance to reply to the first letter which was a personal one from the surgeon.

I hope it does go in cycles and the trick or treaters do come back next year as I enjoy seeing them. I suppose it's inevitable that things change. I mean, back when I was a kid all we did was carve out a turnip, shove a candle in it, wear a bin bag and a witches hat and that was it, Halloween done. Now it's much bigger so I guess it's not a surprise when the kids head toward the houses that are decorated really well outside. I've seen so many spider webs going from upper windows to gardens this year, some people go all out.

Your dad's method of handing out candy. I mean, he was doing the work of handing it out, he deserved a treat *g*

I like the idea of a fire pit and sitting outside. But swiping the bowls is not on at all. Way to spoil it for everyone else!

[spikedluv]

I hope the itching has subsided and it turns out to be the antibiotic and not the statin.

How frustrating about the lost letters. I recall you talking about not getting appointment notices and such in the past.

We had two (out of the three) families that live on our road stop by. We live in the boonies and that's it for us. I got enough candy for more, though. *g* Pip didn't want to take it to work (they had enough at the time), so it's sitting in the table, taunting me.

[turps]

Thankfully, the itching has gone now so we're hoping it was the antibiotic.

Yeah, quite a few appointments went missing last year, the way the mail was backed up they'll probably turn up years from now after being found in a dusty corner of a sorting office.

I was wondering if you would get trick or treaters as your place does seem remote. That's the problem with this giving out sweets lark, get too little and you feel bad if loads turn up, too much and it's left to taunt you. We have such hard lives *g*

[spikedluv]

Yes, we live in an area where you have to drive, can't just walk up and down the streets visiting houses. It was the same when I was growing up, we'd have to drive. Luckily for us, we could just drive to the village we lived outside of, and that's possibly what people do here. Plus they do things like trunk-or-treat, which helps.

The only thing saving me (and the candy) is that I had already bagged it up before Pip said he didn't want it, so it is hidden a bit. Out of sight, out of mind.

[turps]

Plus they do things like trunk-or-treat, which helps.

Does that mean you get candy from the trunks of cars? It's not something I've heard of before.

[spikedluv]

Yes, lol! People gather at places like the local library (arranged in advance) and hand out candy from their trunks. I'm guessing because it's safer? (I found this article at NPR.)

[turlough]

All the good luck with the story writing! *waves encouraging pompoms*

I see from comments that James' itch is gone so hopefully it was the antibiotics and he can start with the statin again.

That's awful those letters never reached you! I'll keep my fingers crossed the re-referal won't take too long. Having a medical safety net is so important when you have cronic ailments!

Sad you didn't have any trick-or-treaters visiting but I'm sure Bodhi will enjoy her share and so will James' work.

I was just going to write that it's far too early for Christmas ads when I remembered it's actually November now :-)

[turps]

The story writing is going well. At least I've made target every day. So that's good.

Yep, the itching went away after a couple of days, which suggests it was the antibiotics. Though, not a side effect he'd ever had before, so that was weird.

It was a shock to hear about the letters, especially the first one as James had a good relationship with his limb surgeon.

It's crazy to think it's November now, and even heading to the middle of November. Weather wise it doesn't feel that late in the year at all.

[frausorge]

Oh yikes, that's super frustrating that you didn't get those important letters delivered! Thank goodness things are moving to get back on track again now and you didn't find that out in the midst of a more urgent crisis. But what terrible bureaucratic machinery.

[turps]

The missing letters are annoying, especially the first one which was more personal and not just the usual hospital appointment. I doubt we'll ever find out why they didn't reach our door, but guess just have to be thankful nothing has actually been missed that was vitally important.