Not the easiest of weekends

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 07 April 2003 13:57:00

Our town lies between two other towns, all three being of similar size. But one thing which differentiates these towns is their distance from Edinburgh. One is, effectively, adjacent to the metropolis. We, tautologically, are in the middle. By the time one reaches the third town, travelling away from the centre of the city, there is a real feeling of having left Edinburgh behind. Certainly, whenever I visit this third town, I feel, not always comfortably, that I am in the country.

We did our bit for the local economy, buying a pair of shoes for son, and a pair of Doc Martens for daughter (daddy thinks that she suits them). Also a bicycle helmet for son (to wear while roller-skating), and arm and elbow pads for daughter (who already has a bicycle helmet (and a bicycle, which she has hardly ever ridden)). But the sense of isolation seems to have got to me, and we had a difficult evening, when things were said which, perhaps, would have been better left unsaid.

Perhaps, also, I was affected by having imbibed too little alcohol. When I saw the optician a few weeks ago, she told me that my eye was sore because the abrasion which had been inflicted upon it was being eroded by the eyelid, and prescribed some eye gel to apply before going to bed. I guessed that the problem might have been exacerbated by general dryness, not helped by the two or three beers (small bottles, not pints) I was in the habit of drinking every evening. So, towards the end of last week, I started drinking fruit juice instead. Just maybe, I had got used to the relaxing effect of the beers.

And the change in pattern hasn't worked. Last night we experienced a 'double whammy', when son woke up with sore feet, and then daughter woke up because she'd been sick. It became a 'triple whammy' when I felt the searing pain in my eye which told me that the graze had reopened. I hadn't applied the gel, so it was partly my fault, but it is difficult to find the right time, when son and daughter have definitely gone to sleep, and I'm not too drowsy to do anything useful.

This morning, the whole family trooped into town to see the oncologist. There is some concern over a discoloured patch on daughter's neck and shoulder. She was given an X-ray while we were there (we even got see a couple of the pictures), and her next MRI is being brought forward. Hopefully, no reason for serious worry ...