The Mundane medical thread

The paper bag special didn't take off as she'd hoped.

Not sure why I am trolling my own mother here. I meant to say Ingo's mum.

Plot twist: she’s the same person.

Spent all night with a fever and a sore throat. Suspect I managed to pick up a dose of the rona. Perfect timing when I'm going on vacation on Wednesday.

That was me last Wednesday. Feel a lot better now but have an irritating cough that kept me awake all night. Mrs Charlie not amused either.

This was meant to be in Mundane Moments.

No news on my dad, but things are progressing and it looks as though his operation (which he was told would be major) is not going to be as complicated and scheduled in a few weeks.

Whilst all of this was going on, I noticed a reddish mole / blood blister on my chest a few weeks back. It was still there so I took a pic and went to the docs

Doc has a look, takes some pics and says "it's a melonoma" (an aggressive skin cancer,) gives a couple of reasons why and makes an urgent referral to a specialist along with the photos. My NHS notes say clear as anything: "diagnosis: Melonoma"

Mental numbness ensues - I'm only 54 next May - what's going on?....followed by all sorts of thoughts and worries about what to say to my family and children if it's all bad. clandestine messages from Mrs Dunc and her brother in the Netherlands who has had moles removed for skin cancer ("he's had 7 removed and only 1 had melonoma") - limbo land = nothing to do except worry even if you are doing other things.

Not heard anything back so I ring the specialists. They can't find any of the details. They said they will ring me back.

Get a call earlier, the lady says: "We've looked at the photos, there's a letter going out in a few days. It's not a Melonoma, it's an angioma (benign blood blistery thing) - nothing to worry about"

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Duncan - he's a specialist"

"OK, thanks"

"I hope that puts your mind at rest, OK? Take care, goodbye"

I manage to squeak out a "bye" before a few tears arrive

What a relief. The mood changes (although, given what my GP had said, 1% of me is waiting until the letter arrives before I can fully relax.)

Mrs Dunc tells me that this is a lesson learned - never fear the worst and always approach things with a "glass half full" attitude.

"And for your punishment" she says "You're going to have to watch Forest against Man City on the telly tonight"

I will be 55 next May. 56 Next June and haven't got the time to be sick. My 90 hour weeks are wearing me out and although we are getting ahead of finances and i can retire in roughly 6 and a half years, the fact that people younger than me are dying of horrible stuff every day makes me think is it worth me killing myself to get to an early retirement age because i may not make it. Shouldn't I be enjoying life now? And the answer is a little bit of both. Glad you are okay Dunc. Hope your dad's operation goes as smoothly as planned and hope that the world doesn't explode before we can all get together one more time before we croak. These are meant to be our golden years right? Seems like purgatory at the moment. I think we all need a Europa cup final to rally around... Or a mass comic reading... Tricky ? Tricky?

Stay healthy everyone...

Chicago: Trudging on..

Am I the only one who thinks Chic is nailed on to keel over a month or so after retiring?

Being serious though, you are fitter than me without doubt but every year thinks get a bit worse with aches and pains etc so there is definitely something in enjoying now as aging is a downward trajectory.

This sounds like advice everyone should follow.

My best mate from work died on Monday. He was 40.

We’d been working together just the day before. Monday he goes home sick - thought he just had a bug.

Turn up for work yesterday and we’re told he’s passed away. Didn’t smoke, drink or do drugs. A gentle, kind man (not a dick like me)

Devastated and walking around in shock.

Like Chic I work long hours sometimes and I do loads of weekends and bank holidays. The money is good.

Seeing as we could all just keel over tomorrow though, I think I’m gonna cut down on the work a bit and work on my diet.

That sounds shit, RC.

I'm way past retirement age but am still working, although not full on. I'm lucky because I'm freelance so can pick and choose, unlike those with proper jobs. I find that work keeps my brain going and gives me a bit of self respect. I'm good at what I do and the money helps of course. If you stop completely, I think you run the risk of ageing quickly. I know lots in their late 50s and 60s who took early retirement and they spend their time behaving like 80 year olds, moaning and voting Reform.

That must have been a huge shock, RC. I'm sorry to hear that. I think taking stock right now is a good thing

I took the opportunity of taking redundancy last summer when our team was told to commute to London. I could have made it work (being on the IOW, I'd have stayed over friends and family in Sussex in the week - not ideal but just about do-able)

But I'd had enough of 25+ years in Corporate IT and an increasingly hostile environment. Mrs D has a fully remote job that she likes and the money I've got will keep us going until the work pension comes and the mortgage goes. We won't be rolling in it but neither of us have ever been that bothered about having loads of money.

I'd started selling a few LPs and singles that I'd either inherited or knew I was never going to play again and also restoring 60s turntables and building plinths for them. Neither is anything other than beer money but this last 4 months had been I'd felt the most relaxed I've ever felt....until this week

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm a lucky bugger and you don't know what's around the corner so if the chance is there do stop the treadmill and do something you want - I wouldn't hesitate

This pisses me off. People in their early 20s can't find jobs because old cunts are holding on.

Doesn't help that government policy is pushing people to work longer, whilst not providing the additional jobs required for that expanded workforce.

Whilst I'm ranting. Further evidence of boomers sitting around fucking the world up. 1997 America elected a president born in 1997. 2007, sitting president born in 1947. 2017, elected a president born in 1947. 2027 sitting president, born in 1947 (unless he dies first). Boomers, time to exit exit stage left. You've got more wealth than any generation that follows will have. You've made sure of that by voting for Brexit and Trump. Knobs.