Monday 18 August 2008

Innerspace - part I

First off, call me daft, but this made me really quite sad: Pharmacists Defence Association

How have things got so bad that pharmacists have a union with a name like that? I know that unions are there to attempt to defend workers in all fields, but seriously, how under attack must they feel to need the word 'defence' as part of a name.

I'm aware that in recent years pharmacists have been pushed into taking on more and more duties, having consultation rooms on premises and so on - see The Welsh Pharmacist for a few cracking examples - but the name of the union says it all.

I had a capsule endoscopy last week. I think this is fantastic, non invasive relativley low risk test. But it's damn expensive, so my PCT view it as something of a last resort of all other methods have failed.

The first hiccup came with the instructions for the pre-test preperation regime. It would appear that a member of non-clinical staff has taken it upon themselves to amend this information.When I say 'amend' what I mean is 'balls-up'. Basic prep for any kind of internal camera is roughly breakfast the morning before test, light snack mid morning, clear fluids from midday and nil by mouth from midnight. It's a good job I know that, as the new leaflet advised me to have breakfast on the morning of the test and then go clear fluids during the test and nil by mouth after the test.

So I'm guessing there will have been a few people sent home recently, because good as the capsule technology is, it can't stand up to a full english.

So I turn up at the unit, get wired up and ingest the camera. So far so good. On checking with the nurse, she thinks that as I am off all meds, transit time should be fairly rapid, 6 to 8 hours.

So I settle down and wait.

Sunday 17 August 2008

Hiatus

As you cannot fail to have noticed, I had taken a little break from blogging, more as precaution than anything else. This was primarily because the industry I work in has been under some, er 'media pressure' in recent months and I thought it wise to keep my head down.

But now I know I won't be getting made redundant (dammit, there goes the money I'd mentally already spent) I think it's pretty much clear to start up again.

All I will say today is that I've been very good at work. I haven't sent out a mass mailing reminding people that borrowing money is a privilege, not a right.