Pauline and I went back to the Walton Centre in Liverpool yesterday (12th March) for a post op check up with Mr Mike Jenkinson, her consultant neuro-surgeon. We broke the journey at Llandudno where Pauline bought a couple of things she wanted. Then we went round to Venue Cymru, the theatre and conference centre in Llandudno to have lunch. The restaurant was closed! So, off we went, heading for Liverpool via Queensferry where we bought sandwiches for lunch and West Kirby where we ate them, looking across the Dee estuary. We were parked near to the yacht club and there was copious sea water to look over. However, I suddenly spotted a man and then lots of other people walking along several hundred yards from us. No matter how hard I looked it appeared that all these people were walking on water! It was obviously an optical illusion, because no one appeared to be wading!
After lunch we set off again for Liverpool and the Walton Centre in Fazakerly. Arriving 20 minutes earl;y I dropped Pauline off whilst I searched for a parking spot. The Walton Centre has the smallest car park you have ever seen at a hospital. If you get a place in an afternoon you are very fortunate indeed. With all the people visiting patients together with out-patients appointments there is little chance of getting a parking space. So I parked elsewhere and walked back to the hospital. I was in time to accompany Pauline for her appointment with Mr Jenkinson. He explained that, providing Pauline had no objection, the two people in his room would stay and listen in. One was a medical student and the other was from Channel 5 TV who are preparing to do a programme about the neurological work carried out at the Walton Centre. The good news was that the operation was entirely successful. The bad news is that we still need an explanation for the aphasia she is experiencing. Arrangements will now be made for Ysbyty Gwynedd to do a head scan which will be sent to Mr Jenkinson for assessment. Watch this space!
For some time recently, Pauline has problems with acute pain in her right hand, wrist and arm. Because she has had arthritis for a number of years we assumed it was that. However, following a recent blood test, it has now been diagnosed as gout. There will now be two of us taking Allopurinol each day! Very soon the pain will reduce and she can start driving the car more often. It isn't good to be in pain daily, so I am looking forward to a better spring this year for her.
Our next trip is at the weekend when we stay overnight with my brother and sister-in-law in Simonstone, near Burnley, and share a meal at a local restaurant to say thank you for their support when Pauline was in hospital and I stayed with them. The following day we shall celebrate Pauline's 65th birthday with our family. Her birthday is the following day, 19th March, but Monday is not an ideal day for a get together.
Two days later spring will arrive. Already the trees and bushes here are in bud and we look forward to the leaves re-appearing. On Monday 26th March we are due to have a visit from my cousin, Brian, and his wife, Heather. From time to time they come to Anglesey to play golf near Beaumaris and they always call in on us. They only recently returned from their annual winter sojourn in Spain and Portugal. They are quite nomadic and take golf clubs everywhere together with binoculars for bird watching which they have done in many countries.
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