We have been in this house for 18 years. The cooker, washing maching and dryer are that old. One oven in the cooker stopped working two weeks ago. The washing machine refused to empty at about the same time. And my right eye packed up as well.
We sort these things out one at a time. Do we need two ovens? Shall we spend £200 on a repair or £1000 on a new machine? I'm in no hurry. One oven is enough, something might happen. The washing machine is different though. I research the world of washing machines and discover that my top-of-the range machine is not only smelly, blocked up, and stained but it uses too much energy, can't wash pillows doesn't do a 15 minute speedwash. I can repair it for £80 or get a new one for £300.
Then my eye. Do I need 2 eyes? can I get by on one- is there are repair or replacement? No replacement posssible, repair a remore posssibility. Do I sit back and wait or do I call for assistance.
I order a new washing machine and I report myself to the eye hospital. The people there repeat the information given to me before but attempt emergency treatment. While I sit in the ward ingesting massive amounts of prednisolone I chat to the people around me, they are all much, much, worse off than I am. I have cruised through 68 years of healthy life thinking that health is my right since I eat a good diet and exercise more than most. But there's a lot of luck about it. Things will wear out and must be managed. Some can be replaced, some can't.
I came home from the hospital at the same time that the washing machine was being delivered. It's quiet and quick and quite wonderful and I am enjoying refreshing pillows, and fleeces as well as efficiently dealing will different everyday loads.
The hospital has tested everything about me (except an MRI, due in a few days) I have had blood tests, a biopsy, hearing tests, visual fields tests, colour tests, urine tests, reflex tests. I have raised chloresterol, My contemporaries have diabetes, heart condiditons, wonky knees, blood pressure, glaucoma. It happens. We deal with it.
Dudley went on a help line for the oven and managed to get it going again. We'll ignore the part about the griddle shorting the electricity. Who needs a griddle anyway?
My consultant in now reducing the steroids as fast as posssible- they're horrible though powerful things which reduce your immune system make you liable to all kinds of horrors. I shall be off theim entirely by 20th February. Until then I shall stay at home keeping warm and having a lovely cuddly holiday. My GP will prescribe statins, I shall resume exercise and a healthy diet now and after statins start on work and bridge club and grandchildren support.
Who needs two eyes anyway? We have to manage on what we have. My new washing machine is wonderful and so too are all the lovely young people you see everywhere. They can make love, run marathons, change the world. Make the best of what you have. The cooker and I are quite happy to carry on the best we can too. I'm making an Irish Stew for supper with the grandchildren this evening. They will be sleeping in beds with clean freshly laundered sheets. Life is good.
We sort these things out one at a time. Do we need two ovens? Shall we spend £200 on a repair or £1000 on a new machine? I'm in no hurry. One oven is enough, something might happen. The washing machine is different though. I research the world of washing machines and discover that my top-of-the range machine is not only smelly, blocked up, and stained but it uses too much energy, can't wash pillows doesn't do a 15 minute speedwash. I can repair it for £80 or get a new one for £300.
Then my eye. Do I need 2 eyes? can I get by on one- is there are repair or replacement? No replacement posssible, repair a remore posssibility. Do I sit back and wait or do I call for assistance.
I order a new washing machine and I report myself to the eye hospital. The people there repeat the information given to me before but attempt emergency treatment. While I sit in the ward ingesting massive amounts of prednisolone I chat to the people around me, they are all much, much, worse off than I am. I have cruised through 68 years of healthy life thinking that health is my right since I eat a good diet and exercise more than most. But there's a lot of luck about it. Things will wear out and must be managed. Some can be replaced, some can't.
I came home from the hospital at the same time that the washing machine was being delivered. It's quiet and quick and quite wonderful and I am enjoying refreshing pillows, and fleeces as well as efficiently dealing will different everyday loads.
The hospital has tested everything about me (except an MRI, due in a few days) I have had blood tests, a biopsy, hearing tests, visual fields tests, colour tests, urine tests, reflex tests. I have raised chloresterol, My contemporaries have diabetes, heart condiditons, wonky knees, blood pressure, glaucoma. It happens. We deal with it.
Dudley went on a help line for the oven and managed to get it going again. We'll ignore the part about the griddle shorting the electricity. Who needs a griddle anyway?
My consultant in now reducing the steroids as fast as posssible- they're horrible though powerful things which reduce your immune system make you liable to all kinds of horrors. I shall be off theim entirely by 20th February. Until then I shall stay at home keeping warm and having a lovely cuddly holiday. My GP will prescribe statins, I shall resume exercise and a healthy diet now and after statins start on work and bridge club and grandchildren support.
Who needs two eyes anyway? We have to manage on what we have. My new washing machine is wonderful and so too are all the lovely young people you see everywhere. They can make love, run marathons, change the world. Make the best of what you have. The cooker and I are quite happy to carry on the best we can too. I'm making an Irish Stew for supper with the grandchildren this evening. They will be sleeping in beds with clean freshly laundered sheets. Life is good.