The doctors' receptionist phoned bright and early to say the results of my latest blood test had come in and a doctor could see me today. Since lockdown, it has not been easy to see a doctor, so I was taken aback. But in I toddled this afternoon and I was surprised again.
I'm not anaemic now, though advised to carry on taking iron for the next few weeks. But my •something I didn't recognise* markers are up, which indicate the ovaries, apparently. It's most likely to be an ovarian cyst, she reckons, as they're not up all that much and it would be much higher for cancer. So now I'll be referred for an ultrasound to have a look. She doesn't think it's likely to be any problem with my digestive system. So there we go. I'm still down for the other tests, but we plod on.
On the way out, I saw a friend in the waiting room, who wasn't surprised that I'd been seen so quickly. She says they're fabulous at the practice and she's never had any problems. I said, it was the speed that disconcerted me, I assumed it must be worrying news, but she said efficiency is typical. But I must be costing the NHS a packet - other than vaccinations, I haven't troubled it for a decade - a couple of brief interviews with nurses is all - but I'm getting my entire money's worth at present.
We have had rain this week, not in great quantities, but some of the lawn is already showing green. It's shaded by trees, so hadn't been so badly affected as the rest of the grass. I have little doubt that it'll all green up in the next few weeks. We visited Beth Chatto's garden on Tuesday. She created this garden from the 1960s onwards and was a firm believer in planting the right plants for the conditions, not planting what you want and trying to make the soil and the climate fit them. She was especially known for planting in poor, dry soil, which is what I have. Back in the day, they never watered the driest part, but did do some other watering. Now, nothing is watered. There are basically four areas - the dry part, the area where a stream runs through, where a large pond was created, a - can't remember what it's called, but a 'difficult' area, next to where a farmer created a reservoir and dumped a whole lot of excavated earth and everything else, to which she added a huge amount of mushroom compost to try to make it workable before planting, and a woodland. This was already a wood, but much of it blew down in the 'great storm' in 1987, which freed her to replant with what she wanted.
Of course, it's suffered in the drought, but it's interesting to see what's done well and what hasn't. I've visited the garden before, but not for many years and, going on the A140 rather than the slow A12, it took less time to get there than we expected. We plan to visit again in the spring.
1 comment:
I've had that test too - twice last year and twice in 2007. Nothing at all to worry about there - the 'internal probe' is half the size these days as it was 20 years ago - not even uncomfortable now - and they are much more aware of modesty and making you feel comfortable and not degraded and exposed now.
Beth Chatto's was lovelier before they built all those dreadful houses next to it. At one time (when there was just a vending machine and a block of 3 or 4 outside toilets and it was totally uncommercialised - the plants were cheap and you had to write your own labels) I went weekly as I was supporting a school in special measures nearby. Once I got rid of the head the school improved enormously so I got to go less! They had just turned what was the car park into the dry garden then. In those days Beth was frequently working in the gardens and I often chatted to her. One of my 'gardening heroes'. I think of her every time I hear 'right plant right place'. Many of the plants in our previous garden came from there in the mid to late 1990s - so many of our plants here now, as descendents - cuttings and divisoons that we brought up with us.
- BW
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