New Car

So I took delivery of my new car on Monday. I've never bought brand new before but with an hour-each-way commute and my GTI costing me an arm and a leg I figured it was worth investing in something 'sensible'. Sensible in this case being a Skoda Fabia in Cappucino (Its not beige!). With a 1.2litre engine it certainly doesn't do much between 40 and 60mph but around now I would be refilling the old car and this one still has half a tank. Going from group 17 insurance down to 3 is going to save a bucket load as well.

The car's got lots of extras (they need to, so people will buy them) and is a very comfortable if unexciting drive. The most fun thing however, is the reaction on the road. Other cars just 'have' to overtake, even if it means they spend the next 20 miles only one car in front. I still beat cars on take-off at lights (nowt to do with my car of course, just me being more awake) and ooooh that pisses off the BMW drivers. Plus all trucks seem to think that a woman driving a Skoda is obviously very nice and will let them in.. I don't.

So.. I highly reccomend people who want to have a little fun with other idiot drivers on the road to buy a Skoda... Beige or otherwise.

Eyes down

So, off I toddle to the hospital again. Finally I'm due to see the consultant. After the joy of eye dilation once again and struggling to read some trashy magazine with pictures of the insanely rich and skinny I finally get called in. There are two doctors, they both look deeply into my eyes (which wouldnt have been half bad if either were cute). Then they spend 15 minutes talking the foreign language of 'medical', while I'm sat there feeling like a lab rat.

Eventually one doc walks off with a casual "Mmm interesting." The other looks at me and says that all my symptoms pointed to MS but my scan was clear. She seemed rather disappointed by this as now there was no easy answer. My eye has spontaneously improved over the last two weeks even though they have given me no treatment. No love, you haven't but my good friend the ever-Druidic Obatala reccomended some things to me which I shall continue taking religiously.

Upshot is, I've probably lost 2-3% of vision in both eyes overall and I am now 'at risk' of getting MS and was given instructions on what to look out for and a return appointment for a months time.

As I was about to leave, the doc said "Oh could my collegue just look at you?" So I was subjected to more "Look left, look down, look right" get blinded by this insane blue light. Right.. all done? thanks then. This ticking time bomb will go home now.

Actually, once I had considered all things I figured I dont have any illness right now, so its the perfect excuse to get healthy and stay that way.

Eyes 2

It was very close to being an ARGH moment at the hospital yesterday as I turned up letter clutched in one hand, GF in the other only to be told that I wasn't due to see the consultant but instead had been booked in for a further test. I very nearly lost it, but thankfully the nurse managed to find a doctor who looked through my notes at the results that had come back so far and pronounced the blood tests and MRI all clear! (insert much cheering). They still wanted me to have this other test though that involved putting dye in my veins and then taking pictures of the back of my eye.

One thing to say even with the balls up, the nurses were all brilliant. I was having a right giggle with the poor nurse trying to find a vein somewhere and telling her I expected it to be as pain-free an experience as when I had my blood taken.. It wasn’t! So I was all indignant as my hand lay across a pillow covered in red stuff but it was all in jest. That might sound a bit odd, but at least it made a not pleasant experience, and a worrying test (there was a chance of major allergic reaction to the dye which would have meant emergency treatment and such) a little more bearable. As my eyes got dilated a nurse put a magazine in front of me so I could at least still make out the pictures of the lovely country homes, while another came and sat down and we discussed which of the 2.4 million pound houses we would pick… The nurse that took my needle thing out got some free PC consultancy as she was having printer problems :)

The GF ended up getting the life story of the old dear who went in before me to have the eye pictures. She was very sweet and we talked a bit after (as you have to wait 30 mins to make sure there is no reaction). I ended up chatting to an old bloke who was before me while the GF went and put more money for parking. He had no teeth and a strong accent so that was challenging :). Another nurse came over later while we were waiting and said she had arranged a free parking permit for us for the rest of the day bless her. Which meant that once I was finally allowed to leave, we had a spot of lunch in the canteen while my pupils were still huge and it was too bright to walk outside.

So, hopefully the next appointment in September will be the last one, and I will get an answer and any treatment I need.

Thank you to Alixx for the kind comment on my previous post. I wish you all the best and your words were a comfort to me.