10/06/21 (2) Springfield has a bad day, and more Boules

Not too pleased with Springfield Oncology Centre today. I arrived a little early for my 12:00 appointment, and a good hour later they still hadn't managed to get a canula in for my Zometa drip. We had four failed attempts and three nurses on the job before they got it right on the fifth attempt. I don't think it's ever needed more than one try before, and they always talk about what wonderful easy veins I've got - but perhaps that's just part of the routine chat rather than actually meaning anything.

Then the pharmacy struck - they didn't have any of my 15mg Lenalidomide/Revlimid in, and I need it tomorrow (Friday) evening to start the next cycle. I was told to expect a call later today or tomorrow to sort it out. Nothing so far. That'll probably mean having to go out there again to pick up from the pharmacy - we'll both be out for much of the day so a delivery may not be practical.

And then we checked the bag of meds the pharmacy had provided. Not for the first time, no dexamethasone. It took another twenty minutes or so to sort that out.

I think the whole place is beginning to show the strain of all this time with COVID restrictions combined with the extra pressure of handling a large number of NHS patients on top of the usual load. There's a slight but detectable edge of frazzle and everybody being on edge, underperforming but not knowing how to get back to the calm and efficient ways of old. Nothing I can do but sit there and be as patient a patient as I can. But the sooner we come out of COVID and back to normal the better.

I've been exploring U3A (the University of the Third Age), which I've been meaning to get involved with for years but never got around to. And  I've discovered that my local branch (The Rodings) has a Boules group. I sent them an email and it resulted in an invitation to join them and play later this morning. They use the same Ongar piste that I know, which is a little unfortunate as some variety would have been welcome, and play on alternate Friday mornings. So the plan is for an early breakfast followed by U3A boules, then of to Springfield to collect my Lenalidomide, get some lunch somewhere and back to Ongar for the Ongar club session early afternoon, then back home for the Tesco delivery. There are a couple of other U3A groups not too far away that claim to be full (as the Rodings one did), and I'll investigate further... What I really want now is another piste with different surface characteristics to improve my game.

Irrelevant to myeloma, but my left hearing aid is playing silly bu**ers again in the charger. I think I've got it charging OK again. Just another little technology frustration that I could do without.

UPDATE: I think I've got the hearing aid charging properly again. And I also see a substantial bruise developing on the back of my right hand after those abortive attempts to insert a canula. It's my boule delivery hand...