Sixteen years later

Ronda…

It’s not often that I can say that I know precisely what I was doing on 30th November in a given year, but in the case of 30th November 2004, I know exactly where I was – in intensive care at Airedale Hospital on the morning and in the Stroke Unit at the same hospital in the afternoon.

I was one of the most mobile on the Stroke Unit in that I was allowed out of a wheelchair after the first day or so. The care I received over the period I was in hospital was great, but the food was a bit Meh…

Sixteen years on and there’s still respect for the NHS, especially in the way it has had to cope with the additional pressures this year due to Covid-19.

I still get check-ups, but things like warfarin levels are done on home visits rather than at my GP’s surgery at this moment in time. Yes, my flu jab was done at the surgery, but in a very, very secure way.

Will I be getting the vaccine when it becomes available? Yes, but when I’m called in for it according to my place in the queue. Why? Because it seems to be a good idea to get rid of any Covid-19 threat and because I want to travel!

As ever, it’s many thanks to those from Airedale Hospital and to my partner Caroline too – she had just started a new nursing job on the day everything went bang and got one hell of surprise when she found out…

Here’s looking at you kid!