Peter’s Hospital Diary

It has been a long gap since my last post, mainly because there has been a lot going on!

I started my contract in March but for two weeks I stayed in a holiday cottage not far from where I was working. It was set in lovely surroundings and I was fortunate enough to be there at the start of Spring with the emerging daffodils. It was lovely to be self contained rather than staying in a B&B.

Sadly the contract ended at the start of April, and while there is the possibility of more work later in the year, there is nothing much (apart from a little private client work) in the offing. However that has enabled me to start my MSc dissertation, which has slipped by a couple of months.

I have been doing a little plumbing too. The hot water cylinder started leaking a few weeks ago, not a lot, but enough to know that it wouldn’t get better on its own! The tank is quite tall, but small diameter to fit in a confined space, so I had to find one the same size. That was no problem… except that the insulation standards have improved, so while the tank dimensions and capacities are the same, the external dimensions are bigger. The various connectors are in different places too. However it was all done, apart from the replacement of a tiny valve on the hot water outlet fitting which draws water for the shower from a lower level. I was fitting it – when it slipped and fell to the bottom of the tank! So it all had to be drained, removed and refitted! Much quicker second time round! The pictures show the top of the tank before and after. The fitting at the top (removed in the first picture) is where the little valve fitted! Next job is to box it in again!

I also had a day out in the dive boat last week Note the words carefully! It was a day out to test the boat and equipment, rather than a spectacular sight seeing dive (yes, there are some in The Solent!) The boat performed well, and we kitted up, me in my newly serviced and refurbished dry suit. Into the water, and after 30 seconds my buddy commented that his suit was leaking, so out we came. Twenty minutes later, back in the water with another buddy. We descended to the bottom (only about four metres – it was a check dive) when I noticed a wet and soggy feeling, so up we went after three minutes. It seems that the neck seal is too large for my neck, so the suit will have to go back to have that changed! Very irritating! However, I was supposed to be on an expedition this week, (it was postponed) so I would have been even more annoyed if I had gone away with it! What was pleasing though was that my upper body strength was sufficient to allow me to get out of the water into the boat (it is a RIB) with little difficulty.

So the week was spent on dissertation, and corporation tax returns – deep joy!

Last weekend we had a visitor, Melinda, who I have known for a long time, but haven’t seem since my transplant five years ago. It was good to catch up on news and stuff.

And that leads me onto health, which seems OK! I have a dermatology check up on Tuesday, to see how I am getting on without ECP, and then towards the end of May I have a haematology check up, a lung function test, a bone density scan and a few other clinics monitoring the after effects of GvHd! I am glad that they are all on the same day! A busy day, but only one trip to London. And in between times, I have another trip to Lausanne booked.

The only other thing I need to get done is a little bit of outstanding dentistry (another crown).

So on that note I will end with the customary “Onwards and Upwards”

Tags: Diving