The COVID-19 Test

I have a long awaited colonoscopy and gastroscopy on Thursday at the West Middlesex hospital. As part of that, I have to have a Covid-19 test today and then stay at home until my appointment on Thursday.

I didn’t have to be at the hospital until 3.30pm but we left the house in good time and arrived at the hospital around 3 o’clock. Kathy came with me. We got coffee.

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I decided I would go into the department early in case I could get seen earlier and that paid off. I got taken straight into a room and had the Covid-19 test. I had heard from some that it was most unpleasant, but actually it wasn’t that bad at all. I had a throat swab first – and that was no worse than a visit to your G when they put a spatula on your tongue to look at your tonsils. The nose part was pretty like having a cotton bud up your nose. It was all over in a minute or two.

We left the hospital and went straight home, although we had to take the 117 to the Treaty Centre so we could connect with a diverted 111; Kingsley Road is currently closed at the junction with London Road due to road works.

When we got home we ate the leftovers that we had from Sunday at the Queen’s Head. I had chicken Tikka and naan bread. I have to eat low fibre stuff today and tomorrow to get ready for the procedure on Thursday.

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We spent the evening indoors before retiring to bed.

Social Media – Good Or Bad?

Some folks seem to almost live on one or more of the major platforms. Whilst it can certainly be fun, informative and even educational at times, perhaps it’s going a bit to far to conduct your whole life online?

I pretty much have membership of all the major social media platforms, but I don’t spend much time in them. Facebook: a 5-10 minute dip in a couple of times a day; much the same with Twitter.

I post a few photographs on Instagram from time to time, and spend a few minutes then looking the uploads of those I follow. I don’t go there for any ‘influencers’ just to spend a few minutes enjoying some photographs.

I don’t do LinkedIn – I have an account, but never use it or feel a need to use it. Mostly when I have some spare time, I read. I read a lot online these days. A couple of newspapers, picking out the articles that look interesting. I read a couple of magazines – The Economist and The Spectator, for which I have subscriptions. I read articles on Medium.I usually do all this in my down time, when others are probably watching television (which I don’t do much of), or on my very short commute to work (thirty minutes max, if there’s traffic; more usually about fifteen).

I feel that moderation, rather than abstinence is the key.

My Covid-19 Precautions

My take: If you can, carry on with life. Wear a mask when you are in close quarters with others in a confined space (public transportation, stores). I’ve been lucky, in that I haven’t had to take any time off work.

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The Mask

Recently pubs. cafés and restaurants here have re-opened. I don’t go anywhere that’s absolutely heaving – that’s MY choice. I’m not living scared; just a little cautious, and trying to help dial down any risk when I can without hiding away and putting my life on hold.

Have I got the correct balance? I don’t know, but nor does anyone else.