Peter's Hospital Diary

In fact I am very glad that I live near the top of a hill, and above the road level as the rainwater has been streaming past the drive this morning! Not as bad as Wiltshire where we have had quite a lot of road flooding, and of course nowhere near as bad as Cumbria.

It has been a busy three weeks though. My weekends have been taken up installing a network system for a friend. The picture shows the cabinet with some of the components installed. The finished installation has covers over all the wiring!

I have also been out and about. Last weekend I went up to see an old friend (Jane) from University days. Jane has had a couple of health issues recently so I went up with another friend from that era (Faith), staying with my parents before making a dash up to Yorkshire. The years just rolled away as we went out for lunch with Paul (Jane’s husband) and her mother. The photo shows Faith, me and Jane – it was a good day.

One consequence of the visit is that I have re-activated my Skype account (I usually use a SIP protocol for Voice over IP – VoIP) with the thought of using a webcam. Unfortunately the latest Linux version of Skype is a bit buggy, and my Windows version (Win2K) isn’t compatible with the web cam, so it is either video – but no sound on Linux, or sound with no video on Windows!

Last week I was back at Cranfield for another module of my Postgraduate course – this one on systems programming. The exam at the end was open book, although that didn’t make it any easier, however I think I have passed. The problem is both learning the syntax of a new language (Python – a scripting language) as well as analysing the problem to be solved and the program written. There is some coursework to do, but provided I pass the module, I shall be just 10 credits short of the PgDip. The module that would have given me that 10 credits has just been cancelled though, so it will be another few months before I can do another course. Meanwhile I have to see what topics might be suitable for the MSc project and dissertation, if I decide to go that route.

So back to work next week for the run up to the Christmas Holiday period! However it will be a short week for me as I have some more ECP on Thursday and Friday.

So on that note – Onwards and Upwards.

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It is a typical cold November day, and just back from the moving service at our local church. This is a service that is usually very well attended (probably more than any other) and today was no exception, with an Honour Guard for a local girl killed in Basra 2 years ago.

The last two weeks have been busy, with lots of meetings and travelling, and the odd hospital visit where minor treatment for the effects of GvHd have continued. My next ECP is scheduled for December, but my next haematology check up isn’t until the New Year! The meetings for work have gone well, and I have been doing one or two other bits and pieces, including the installation of a home/small office network, which has been interesting and challenging!

The first open fires of the season have been lit, and Winter Pimms is calling. However we seem to have missed out on bonfire night – all though the sky was illuminated from local displays, so the obligatory “Ooohs” and “Ahhhs” were made!

The recent heavy rain has brought most of the leaves off the trees, although they are still too wet to sweep up – maybe we will get some dry weather soon! However the wet weather did highlight the fact that the tyres on my car were pretty much worn out, so a quick trip to the garage, followed by a considerable lightening of the wallet soon fixed that!

So all in all, I am continuing Onwards and Upwards, but following on from the opening paragraph, for those that aren’t… “We will remember them”

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