This is the new block of flats on West End Lane, where the old council office building used to be. They've really done it up for the holidays! As much as I complained about decorating in my last post, I must say it's fun to see other people's decorations. I just don't want to deal with them myself!
I have been slammed at work this week. I don't know why it's been so busy, but I am literally running all day. We seem to have a lot of classes coming in as we near Winter Break. I guess the teachers want the kids to have a reading project over the holidays.
And speaking of decorating and the library, here's how our Lower School handled the Christmas tree question:
I think that's pretty clever! And no expense involved!
Dave's hernia surgery is scheduled for tomorrow so he's taking today off to prepare. Unfortunately last night he got a call from the hospital saying that because of his Anti-TNF Lupus-like Syndrome, a side effect of his Crohn's medication, his surgery may be delayed. Dave flipped out at this news, because he's already arranged for substitutes for his classes and made lesson plans and announced to the kids that he'll be out -- he said in no uncertain terms that he wanted to go ahead with the surgery. The syndrome only flares periodically and in fact he was out with a co-worker when the call came. He told the hospital, "I'm fine! I'm in a pub!"
Now he's on pins and needles waiting to hear today what might happen, once the surgeon is consulted.
The NHS is so strange. For the longest time they wouldn't confirm his surgery date, so it was hard for him to make plans. They finally confirmed it just last week and now that plans are in place, they're talking about torpedoing them. It's like they never deal with people who have jobs and schedules to maintain -- they seem to think Dave has all the free time in the world.
My method of dealing with situations like this is, what's the worst-case scenario? The surgery gets delayed, in which case he cancels the subs and goes back to teaching his classes. It's not world-ending. But he really wants this procedure done, as the hernias are getting more uncomfortable and more visible. Fingers crossed he gets good news today.
I feel for Dave . I had to have surgery on a badly broken shoulder earlier this year and on the morning I suddenly got a UTI. There was much drama about whether they could go ahead (I had to have it done as soon as possible) but in the end they gave me a massive dose of antibiotics and did it. Hopefully his will go ahead as well!
ReplyDeleteOh, no! That would have had me in a panic! I'm glad you got the drugs and everything worked out.
DeleteI hope for Dave's sake it goes ahead. Generally in the public system here I am given plenty of notice about surgery.
ReplyDeleteWe couldn't believe how tentative and last-minute all of this seemed.
DeleteI would rather not think about hernias and hospital operations thank you very much. Instead, I will say that whoever came up with the idea of a library Christmas tree made from green books deserves The Turner Prize!
ReplyDeleteI will tell the responsible teacher to watch for a nomination. :)
DeleteHow infuriating about Dave’s surgery. I hope it goes through as planned. That Christmas tree is inspired! I’m with you this year. I don’t want to DO Christmas but I do want to SEE it.
ReplyDeleteHa! Yeah, exactly -- just a small touch of yuletide cheer does it for me.
DeleteGood luck for Dave, keeping fingers crossed not just that he can get the surgery as planned but also that it's easy and a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteThere's a video out there on social media of a person building a similar xmas tree with his entire (massive) library in colour coded sequences, very high, use of a ladder involved.
Certainly got his work cut out once the season is over.
Wow, that sounds like quite an undertaking! I think I prefer the tabletop version.
DeleteI have had similar experiences when having knee surgery both times I was given dates that were then cancelled and re-scheduled and out patients appointments were always the middle of the working day. I have always maintained that the people that run these things think that the only people that use the NHS are either unemployed or pensioners and therefore can go to appointments at any time of the day and of course there is no thought of weekend appointments which would not course any problem the clashing with work hours. I do hope Dave gets his opp tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteJane
That's exactly what we said! They're used to dealing mostly with retirees!
DeleteI've found that attitude in medical systems here, too. Son having to get up at 2am in colon prep because it fitted their schedule! They forget people have jobs and lives and commitments they can't just jettison. And that goes for retired people too, commitments and need to arrange rides, all that. Bah, humbug!!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a degree of inconvenience, but a 2 a.m. rising time seems extreme.
DeleteI love the Christmas tree! I'm already looking around our office to see if we have enough green books to make one!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the same thing in our library. I think Lower School books are particularly suited to this project because there are lots of big ones for the base.
DeleteThat Christmas tree is quite clever! So sorry to hear about the potential delay in Dave's surgery. I remember what a pain it was to be out when I was teaching. Lesson plans, finding a sub, etc. I can see why he's frustrated. Fingers crossed that the surgery happens.
ReplyDeleteIt did indeed happen, thank goodness.
Deletevery clever tree from the Lower School. and I'm with you. I like seeing other people's decoration with the exception of those stupid blow up things that are collapsed during the day. I understand Dave's attitude. just do it and get it over with.
ReplyDeleteYeah, those inflatables are terrible, aren't they? I liked them when they first came out but they're everywhere now, and so energy-intensive.
DeleteI'm guessing it is more of a psychology thing. The thought of any surgery makes me nervous and takes a lot of mental preparation and having that undone and having to go through it all again in the future would make me come unglued a bit too.
ReplyDeleteActually, that's a very good point. It's more than just the practical preparation.
DeleteOh, I hope Dave can go ahead with the surgery tomorrow. I can understand why he wants to get it done now that he is so ready for it. Hope it goes smoothly.
ReplyDeleteIt is happening as I type, thank goodness.
DeleteHow annoying for Dave! Seems like health care system drama exists everywhere.
ReplyDeleteIt's looking like we'll definitely not put up the tree this year, so I definitely get where you're coming from. I also wrote the most half-assed Christmas poem ever - I know you can't wait to read it. Ha!
Ha! You really know how to sell your poetry!
DeleteDo ANY of us like our medical systems? I guess some do. And honestly, when you think about all of the different physical situations each patient presents, it must be a nightmare to be on the scheduling end of.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess that yesterday was the day to get scheduling/rescheduling calls from our "care providers." I sure did. I really hope that Dave can go ahead with this surgery and get it over with. Hernias are not something people want to live with.
I'm sure scheduling is a nightmare, especially because the inevitable emergencies do crop up. But still -- you'd think they'd build all that into the system somehow. I guess they probably do but the results don't seem very efficient.
DeleteMy fingers are crossed. I hope it works out. I love the book tree. That is very clever and it looks great. I like those festive decorations at Buzz Coffee. Decorations are popping up all over town. It's fun to see them.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Buzz Coffee yet. It just opened!
Deletethey're like a cat playing with a mouse. Teachers have a lot of preparation.
ReplyDeleteYeah, they may not appreciate the level of preparedness that has to go into a teacher missing work.
DeleteI can't believe they're thinking about postponing. What will be different in the future? Hernias themselves can be dangerous, it needs to be fixed!
ReplyDeleteWell, that's what we said! Crohn's is a lifelong condition, so it's never going away. But hopefully the Lupus-like drug side effects will subside after he's had a course of treatment and started his new meds. I guess that's what they considered waiting for.
DeleteI sure hope things work out the way Dave wants them to. 🙏🏼🤞
ReplyDeleteI think that bookish Christmas tree is brilliant! 🎄
So far, so good! He is in surgery now.
DeleteThat's an excellent and creative tree! I hope the surgery goes forward as planned. I know how it feels to be ready for a sub, then have it fall through. It's a lot of work!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it really stinks to put together a whole plan for nothing -- especially when the absence is relatively long-term. (Dave will be out four to six weeks, but part of that is Winter Break.)
DeleteThe health care systems everywhere are in a state of disrepair. I know the populations are ageing and the demands on health care are enormous. Why they are not fixing the system(s) to deal with the current needs makes no sense. Do they not know what the needs are? What a sorry state.
ReplyDeleteI hope Dave gets his surgery.
Here in the UK, I think it's mostly financial. The NHS has been starved of resources by several successive governments (plus Brexit, which affected staffing) and we're seeing more delays as a result.
DeleteI can see why Dave wants the procedure done. Waiting is miserable, especially if one is physically uncomfortable. So, I hope all is well. Give him our best. I love the book tree. I've seen those before but having one in a library is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good wishes -- I will pass them along!
DeleteHernias can be really uncomfortable. I hope if they re-schedule there is a good reason beyond the surgeon's schedule. The book tree is a cool idea. Do you have a photo of it lit up? Mercy got her name from the friend who found her and then gave her to me. She was found on Thanksgiving with a chunk of fur missing from the back of one ear, so she had escaped something as an under two pounder who could have easily been a hawk snack and she was otherwise healthy. Mercy seemed an appropriate name. Give my best to Dave.
ReplyDeleteThe photo DOES show it lit up, but it's not obvious with my camera phone. (The lights actually flash!) Thanks for the back story on Mercy's name.
DeleteThat is craziness, to be jerked around like that. Good luck to Dave, but I am so disappointed...I thought it only happened here in good old America.
ReplyDeleteNah, medical systems everywhere have their dramas! People here in the UK say the NHS is much less efficient now than it used to be, even ten years ago. The system is struggling for many reasons.
DeleteWith the hernias getting more uncomfortable, I'd say the sooner the better too.
ReplyDeleteThat is the best Christmas tree!!
I love the lights and decorations in the first photo.
Aren't they great! And we don't have many colored lights on our high street so this is a nice change.
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