1.
The opposite of a hypochondriac is most likely an "anosognosiac" - someone who insists they are perfectly well when that is not the case. Such people try not to visit doctors' surgeries or other health facilities, often pressing ahead with their lives even when they clearly require health support or intervention. That's kind of like me.
Oddly, in the last week I have been a "customer" of the health service three times with one appointment still to go. Last Wednesday I had my prostate examined by a young doctor called Georgina with a chaperone present - a member of the reception staff. Fortunately for a man of my age there was no problem and Georgina dealt with the procedure very professionally. It was the first time I have ever had my prostate examined.
Yesterday, I went to The Royal Hallamshire Hospital to have bloods taken before tests happen and today I received winter flu and COVID vaccinations at my local health centre. On Friday I am going back there for a full health check to which the blood tests are connected.
My trolls may be disappointed to learn that death is not imminent.
2.
Above - for a year or so these messages have been appearing when I log into my hotmail account. At first I believed that they were from Microsoft so I started deleting hundreds of emails from the past - especially those with attachments such as images. My clearance efforts made no impact on the alleged percentage of storage used. Now I just click these warnings away because I believe they are spam messages that are trying to get me to pay for more storage when I don't need it. Has anybody else encountered this kind of messaging within hotmail or perhaps other email accounts?
3.
A rare picture of me with Phoebe - up on Stanage Edge last week. I appear to be squeezing out some people but that is merely an optical illision.
4.
And finally for all you poetry buffs out there and as half-promised yesterday, here's two recent poems by Bluto:-
Love Bluto
Olive, my darling, I dream of thee
When e'er I behold the briny sea
When e'er I behold the briny sea
Thy limbs as slender as a deer's
And golden studs in thy shell-like ears.
Oh Olive - why did you pick Popeye?
Your cruel choice oft made me cry.
I would have given you everything -
Upon your hand a wedding ring
And a little house with a picket fence
Where we could dwell in the present tense.
Such dreams have drifted away like mist
With memories of the times we kissed
Along the shore or under a tree
Olive, my darling, I dream of thee.
⦿
Threesome
He was Popeye the sailor man
He went to the pictures
And pulled down his britches
He was Popeye the sailor man.
But me? Well, let's see...
I was Bluto the aid worker
I was Bluto the aid worker
My voice was quite gruff
And my habits were rough
I was Bluto the aid worker
And she? Dearie me...
She was Olive the mum of four
She was Olive the mum of four
I loved her completely
And remember her sweetly
She was Olive the mother of four.
Now all you need is a colonoscopy and you've some of the unpleasant exminations.
ReplyDeleteI just assumed you squeezing out the people was a side effect of your prostate exam. I always apologize to men when I have to put xylocaine in their butts for their prostate biopsy or a gold seed insertion. It seems rude.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know there are some men who will actually visit a doctor. My husband would rather die than visit a doctor, I'm sure.
fence/tense - groan. Anything for a rhyme! But what mood?
ReplyDeleteInitially thought the first might be a sonnet but have decided it isn't. For one thing: couldn't find a volta!
Looking great--you and Phoebe make a lovely pair! I have an appointment for my yearly and am dreading it; I'm sure my numbers are off--cholesterol, b/p, glucose, etc. We won't talk about weight..
ReplyDeleteBluto was such a renaissance man! Who knew.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of you and Phoebe is the visible proof of a beautiful memory the two of you created together.
ReplyDeleteYou know how you can find out whether a message is genuinely from the presumed sender or not, right?
I am very glad that you are going to be around for a while yet! Your family need you, and your blogging friends want to keep reading your posts and look at your pictures, too.
If there is any kind of spam, I have received it. I do receive legitimate messages from Google telling my storage is near capacity.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she is too young yet to seat memories, but one day Phoebe will look back fondly at photos with her kindly old gramps. Children of today will certainly have many photos of themselves when they were young.
Good luck with the medical stuff but you seem to be quite hale and hearty for an old boy.
ReplyDeletePS: Tell Bluto he needs to work harder on his poetry.....
Hope that you have good results from your check-up.
ReplyDeleteI give doctors and all things medical a very wide berth whenever possible. The last time I saw a doctor was in July 2023, and I'd like to think that I make it through this year without seeing one.
Lovely photo of you and Phoebe.
ReplyDeleteyes to the probable scam about almost running out of Google space. It seems to have righted itself but then I am paying a couple of quid a month to them :( Glad you are getting yourself checked out, Covid and flu vaccination for me on Saturday. There is such a lot to worry about nowadays ;)
I can trump everyone with a CT-guided lung biopsy, gamma knife radiotherapy, chemo, and a brain op. Was the chaperone to protect you from Georgina, or Georgina from you?
ReplyDeleteThe first poem by Bluto is very sweet. I had a few similar emails, but knew they were spam as I frequently delete emails, mostly because I don't need them once I've read them and replied if necessary. Any that are spam get marked as such and thereafter any from the same source go straight to my spam email folder which I empty daily.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the tests and whatever else they do. I've been putting off a couple of tests myself, I guess I should soon "bite the bullet" and get them done.
I like the photo of you and Phoebe.
The phrase "a chip off the old block" came to mind for me with No 3 :) I don't use hotmail but I've received warnings from Google/gmail, which are probably genuine, because of also using Google Photos. They're warning well ahead of time, though. (So should be easily solved by deleting photos I've also got stored elsewhere... I just need to get round to actually doing it!)
ReplyDeleteGreat photo.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are in good health! I haven't yet been offered a flu and/or covid shot. I wonder if I'm eligible.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had those e-mails but I don't use Microsoft or hotmail so maybe that's why. Love the pic of you and Phoebe! You and I don't often post pictures of ourselves and yet we both did it today.
I'm not sure about rhyming "pictures" with "britches." I think that might fall into the "nice try" category. :)
I think Bluto has hired you to change his imagine in the media.
ReplyDeleteI hope all is well for you in the land of medicine.
It is so obvious that Phobe loves you so much!
Sweet photo of you and Phoebe! Hope all of the tests give good results for you, Neil.
ReplyDeleteBluto was a bully and you are taking a page from "he who shall not be named" and trying to rewrite history!?!
Grandchildren bring so much joy to our hearts and it sure shows in your photo.
ReplyDeleteYour regular hikes are the elixir for good health.
ReplyDeleteMy next appointment is coming up and I've been told a colonoscopy will be ordered. I'm not looking forward to it despite my lack of shame these days.
ReplyDeleteLikely, you have a virus on your computer if those are popping up. I would do a virus sweep to see if you can eradicate whatever it might be.
I am so thankful that you are getting all checked out! I, too, have had my 6-month checkup and required blood tests and I had to regretfully inform Big Bear that I most likely would live to 110 years of age!
ReplyDeleteThe urology consultant told my husband - 'Women have childbirth, men have prostates.' I'm not sure that's an exact comparison.
ReplyDelete