Gilberts' Fridge

The efficiency of the National Health system…

I really wish there was a way to show sarcasm in typing without sounding completely juvenile. If there was, I would tell you how impressed I am with the efficiency of the national health service in England.

I had that horrible HSG x-ray last week, and then I got a letter from my doctor on Saturday. Enclosed was a prescription for doxycycline, with instructions to start taking it the day before my HSG and continue taking the rest of the course. I was terrified! I thought I’d have to do the HSG again, as I had no idea what this drug was for.

I did a little on-line research on doxycycline, and I was relieved to find out that it is an antibiotic, so I probably would NOT have to repeat the scan. However, slightly alarming was the fact that it’s a VERY strong antibiotic. They actually use it to treat people who have been exposed to Anthrax. On further research I read that it was prescribed to patients about to have an HSG to diminish the risk of spreading an existing infection when they insert the little plastic bubble into your cervix. Great!

So I called my doctor’s secretary, and she was very quick getting back to me (sarcasm again here). Dr. Odukoya was in meetings all day on Monday, and she told me she would get in touch with me by Wednesday. So I have just learned that I am NOT to fill the prescription. My doctor considers me a low risk for an existing infection. Nice, huh?

Irritation about the NHS aside, things are going well here. My membership at the gym has paid for itself in the last week. I have gone swimming or worked out 6 times in the last 8 days, and I plan to go tonight. I have also discovered an exercise that I really love/hate--the evil rowing machine! I love it because you could spend 20 minutes on that thing and get a total body workout. Funny thing is, I hate it for the same reason. Who knew that rowing could work every single major muscle group in your body simultaneously? I think I will be spending some time rowing every night from here on out.

In other news, we are having the missionaries over for dinner on Friday night. I am preparing a Mexican feast, complete with home-made tortillas and salsa. Elder Millar was transferred, so our Mexican food will be served to the new elder instead, who is German. I hope he likes spicy food!
Our landlord has given us the go-ahead, and Martin is going to tile our bathroom on Saturday. We are going to do the shower cubicle and get ourselves a temporary shower. I am so sick of taking baths! We also put a shelf up in the kitchen (isn’t Martin handy?) and did some more work in the bedroom. Every week we get a little bit more settled in. I have hanging baskets outside and curtains inside. Soon our little cottage will feel like a real house.