The call came...

not too early, but early enough to slightly alarm me.

‘Don’t come expecting me to be too bright, I’ve had some considerable blood loss. 8pm, 9pm and 4am, in total about 15 fluid ounces!’

We were off to see the specialist later that day.

At 93 I suppose you get quite blasé about your slowly winding down bod.  I made celeriac soup to take, then set off on the hour drive full of what to say and how to play it.  I had said on the telephone calls prior to me leaving to prepare mentally for being admitted and whether she was happy to go along with that idea?

We talk straight that is the crux of our special bond, she knows I will support her whatever my views are. 

Much to my surprise she didn’t look too bad, pale, but otherwise her usual self... chatty, I suppose that is a symptom of living alone?  We talked through 
my idea of taking an overnight 
bag, at 93 she like a pregnant mum to be has a bag packed in readiness!  Although slightly anti the idea I won the day by saying it can stay in the car unless and until needed.  We arrived in good time and we’re called before our bums had hit the seats in the waiting room.

The very dishy young specialist had two even younger doctors in tow.  By now A is becoming a medical mystery so her fame for all the wrong reasons is spreading.  Her blood loss he batted away like a fly.  Her curve ball of... could it possibly be 

TB from the ovary removed fifty years ago making a comeback?  He  looked into re. the blood tests and carefully explained that it most definitely wasn’t even an outside chance!  There was no talk of her being admitted, there was however still infection very much 
in evidence.  He proposed steroid 

treatment which was very clearly rebuffed by A, and the reasons why!  We looked at photos of the inner workings of her body and he suggested that she have another thorough internal with himself at the sharp end this time!

Sitting there I thought of the how the NHS gets such stick and how horribly wrong people’s perception  is. He was absolutely charming with us both and as we walked away I glanced at the clock, we were walking out at two minutes past the appointment time!