Too much time to ponder the possibilities. Or the weather. Granted, this year, watching the prevarications (lovely word, that) of nature has been better than a good movie. Who would have thought that seeing a snow plow in action could be such fun?
posted in health | Comments Off on No more itching | 258 words
Another morning among the specialists; hard to believe that I’ve been making the pilgrimage for close to a decade already. This time, a new face. Just as busy as any of the others, but still ready to peer through his lens, checking to see if I showed signs of a pucker. I learned that term, thanks to the Internet.
posted in health, media | Comments Off on A coastal tour | 259 words
Another cold winter day. Or, how I spent hours warming a chair in a waiting area. Mix and match.
Yesterday, the “clinic” called; a chance to fit me in with the specialist. In a world of socialized medicine (as in, I don’t really know how much it actually costs), there’s no thought of refusing such an offer. I arose with the sun, prepared myself mentally and physically, and then made my way to the frigid bus stop. Just like the good old days.
posted in food, health | Comments Off on Do you see what I see? | 254 words
I’m not vaccinated, but I’m immune… the cry of my generation. Unlike a whole class of socially irresponsible adults in certain “educated” sectors of the population, I owe my lack of certain innoculations to a historic reality; they weren’t available “in my time”.
posted in health | Comments Off on More reasons to get your shots | 248 words
Several months ago, I had a confident step and a slightly bruised arm. Vaccinated, thanks to the generosity of the state, against the “biggest risk of winter”. And now, after a single news item, my hopes for good health have been reduced to zero. Or, at least, my innoculant has a value of 0% against the current strains of influenza.
posted in health | Comments Off on Totally inefficient | 255 words
A near miss… the storm that was heading my forecast list, this time yesterday, never showed. By dawn, the warning was over. Maybe someone had an itchy finger and the posting was just a result of an over-active imagination.
posted in health | Comments Off on Alternative price point | 259 words
With the right amount of money, I can go everywhere. Such is the premise of local public transit. Standard fares. Free transfer (in one direction). Seating for almost everyone. With those things in mind, I left the car (and driver) at home and went back to my first love, the bus.
posted in health, travel | Comments Off on Inside view | 286 words
Where we live, the health system “belongs” to the government. Lock, stock and barrel. The quality of care is good. However, in a non-emergency situation, don’t expect speed. The doctors and nurses are busy, and you can have a chair, over there, for as long as you need it. A typical day, from where I sat, involves an appointment at 11h00 and an actual consultation at 18h00. In between, amuse yourself as best you can.
posted in health | Comments Off on Waiting for confirmation | 260 words
Bulletin at noon! Shooting season has begun. That wasn’t exactly how the story was reported, but it was important news, just the same. The vaccination campaign, against whatever strain of influenza is likely to cross my path in the next few months, started this morning. And here we were; already lunch time and we weren’t in line. I’ve learned that getting a place, early, counts.
posted in health | Comments Off on Seeking a scar | 316 words
I required three days to learn two important things. Guess I’m not as swift as I used to be. Here goes: if one piece of dry toast isn’t particularly good, then two pieces does not improve the appeal. If you must lie quietly on your back for (the best part) of those three days, beg for a pillow. Otherwise, you have returned to something that was considered a form of torture by earlier generation.
posted in health | Comments Off on Probably nutritious but devoid of flavour | 279 words
