No it's not falling out. I keep giving it a tug and nothing comes away and now and then I shake my head and just get the odd strand floating off with all of the dust motes showing up in this lovely winter sunshine we are having. Nonetheless it's a bad hair day, mainly because I haven't had it cut since before I went to Dresden and that was last year! For decades now I have been going for the gamine look, well on my head anyway the rest of me hardly falls into the elfin category. If I leave it longer than six or seven weeks, it turns into the gammon not the gamine look, flat, flabby and in need of a pineapple to perk it up. I know I have time on my hands these days and I could try blowdriers and crimpers, but I learnt long ago that I had no skill and was perhaps put off by the grips and rollers and, if I recall, something called a razor cut that my Mom tried to bring into force to persuade a bit of style into my hair when I was a girl. These days, if it can't be sorted by a quick run through with the fingers after a nice soaky bath it's no good to me. I don't even own a comb.
So I have just booked a cut for Thursday and it will be a race to see who gets there first the chemo or the hairdresser. I will get Stuart, hairdresser not husband, to cut it as short as he dares and not worry that it will cost me half of our day's being on a pension allowance and it might be a waste. If I dare I may even go blond or bright pink because after all it won't last for ever.
Jean
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of the NHS was very interesting - so I thought I might briefly comment on the Irish HSE in the same way.
Access 9
Mostly we have had access as private patients - there is a strange, some say iniquitous, system whereby public consultants can take private patients into public hospitals - so access here has been pretty good, as I assume that it was for you in Germany.
On the 2 occasions when Mary needed emergency treatment access was immediate.
Right Person 9.5
Again, looking at Mary's cases the main consultant was on hand and visited the wards at least once daily. Also I never had a problem, as her spouse, in getting access to them either, even if it meant during his lunch break!
Waiting 7
Mixed report here. The cases when urgent help was needed were superb, but I know that if you walk in off the street to A&E it might take 6-8 hours waiting around. I think that full public access to elective surgery is very slow.
Buildings 4
It would be much worse except that the brand-new ICU in Galway where Mary was first admitted was superb. Otherwise pretty dire. The orthopaedic ward I stayed in was in a 1930s fever hospital. Again, shared bathrooms down the corridor.
Doctors 8
Very good in general, and easy (for me, at least) to speak to. Not higher because the Professor of Psychiatry was an arrogant and evil f%$%%$!!
Mind you they are paid at least TWICE what they are paid in the NHS. In order to persuade consultants to work on full-time public contracts (rather than private patients in public hospitals)the latest salary scale starts at ~ £250K
Nursing 9.5
Superb. The ICU nurses in Galway and Dublin in particular were amazing.
Food 2.5
Dire. None or v.little choice. Boring and stodgy
Cleanliness 9
Actually very good in spite of the buildings. Mostly E-European contract staff cleaned, mopped and dusted everywhere several times each day.
Rest 3
Terrible. Mary was kept awake by poor old ladies talking and shouting non-stop. One poor dear spent 24 hours dying, scared and lonely - it was harrowing.
Parking 5
Expensive and not enough
Overall 6-7
Mike