5 hours to go!
Just logged onto my other blog and clocked the count down widget is showing just 5 hours to go. This is 5 hours until tomorrow, 26 July, which is my last day at work and the start of retirement. As previously mentioned, I’m meant to be chairing a meeting in the morning followed by handing back my ICT equipment and a little “leaving do”.
I must admit to feeling a little apprehensive about the meeting. As I’m completely in “leaving” mode, all gate happy and so on, I will probably have forgotten a number of points especially as the last meeting was about a month ago. I might even be usurped as chair! Still, just one meeting, can’t be that bad, can it?
As for the leaving do, I am looking forward to that. Instead of everyone disappearing down the pub or other catering establishment, we are using a meeting room at work. All being well there will be a buffet and a suitable gathering of my immediate colleagues. I understand a handful of external subcontractors will be coming as well and it’ll be nice to see them.
The traditional thing is for the line manager to say a few words and present a token gift and card. I am planning to follow this up with a few things myself, including saying how much I will miss my colleagues and perhaps some slightly humorous examples of things I may not miss.
Family update
This is a delightful time for us. Our eldest daughter has just left her teenage years behind and is currently on her way to South Africa for a family holiday, with her fiancé and his family. A precious time.
Our other daughter is currently working as a sailing instructor in North Wales and getting to know the ropes of her profession more generally. In a couple of days I’m heading over to see her for the weekend; hopefully it will include a hike up Mt Snowdon with the possibility of some fine, clear views. I should say, I’ve only been up once before and then it was a case of low cloud and rather disappointing.
These are definitely tender times with our daughters gradually living more independently and stepping out into the world. It is lovely to see this happening and I remember the feelings myself at that stage; I was full of optimism and a sense of the future unfolding in front of me. It was (and is) so compelling and I hope some of this rubs off on our daughters!
Health update
On my other blog I have recorded my current woes in waiting for a prostate operation. I have been waiting for three months and this is much longer than what was originally suggested. Next week I have a pre-operation appointment when various measurements etc will be made.
With this impending operation, it means I still have this indwelling catheter in place and this drains urine out of me into an external bag. I can tell you it is no fun having a tube fed into your ureathra and right up into your bladder. Once in place a syringe is used to inflate a balloon right at the far end with 10mls of water – this is actually in my bladder and prevents the tube from falling out.
So far I it has become blocked and have had to have it changed 3 or 4 times (the District Nurse service is brilliant as they’ll come to our home with very little notice) and I’ve had one infection which required a course of antibiotics. Apparently this is all normal and for me, incredibly frustrating but I’m getting used to it.
Cycling and running
With the catheter in place, cycling is rather problematic. I did try a short ride using my ultra comfortable Brooks leather saddle. It was absolute agony after a while and I had to walk home. More recently I have tried another saddle where the centre ridge is cut away, where you then sit on a different part of your butt. While this was good to try, it was still painful and means I can’t cycle while this tube is inside me.
As far as running is concerned I have a tap device where I can disconnect the external bag and block off the tube. My consultant said this was fine to do for a maximum of 30 minutes as the exercises good for me. I have had some good runs and have certainly felt the benefit. Alas all the jostling around has caused the end of the catheter to rub inside me and made me bleed and lose quite a bit of blood. This is not good and therefore have decided to avoid making things worse. It won’t be long before I had had my operation and then be able to gradually regain my fitness.
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