So Husband phoned the consultant's secretary yesterday to let them know he'd had the angiogram. The secretary said the operation was likely to be in the New Year unless he fancied going in over Christmas.
I think we'd both been assuming that once the angiogram was done the op would follow soon after so it was deflating to hear this. For the last two months we've been living in a state of waiting, putting off plans, refusing to commit, and - I was going to say not living but that's not strictly true.
I have kept saying I shall be glad when this year is over and we can begin again: it's been a rubbish year for Husband with his cancerous ear and pneumonia and heart problems. I'd thought - hoped - he would be back on the road to full health by January.
But who knows? Perhaps the doctor will over-ride his secretary and move Husband up the list. We'll see.
Now let me tell you about Iolo Morganwg (1747-1826).
I'd never heard of him until I read a poster in Cowbridge on Wednesday yet he's an important character in Welsh history. Iolo Morganwg is his bardic name; his real name was Edward Williams. It was he who was responsible for the creation of the Gorsedd of the Bards, a druidic order, in 1792.
The Gorsedd continues to this day as an association of poets, writers, artists and musicians, as well as others, who have made an important contribution to the Welsh language and culture.
As well as poet, hymn-writer, and historian, Iolo was an abolitionist and refused to sell sugar produced on slave-owning plantations in the West Indies, in his grocer's shop in Cowbridge. He also refused to let slave traders to subscribe to his books.
You'll notice Literary and Historical Forger under his name! He forged many of his manuscripts and ancient documents and they were accepted as true. But he invented them all!
Also notice Opium Eater. When in Debtors' Prison he began using laudanum for pain relief.
Thou faithful friend in all my grief,
In thy soft arms I find relief;
In thee forget my woes:
Unfeeling waste my wintry day
And pass with thee the night away,
Reclin'd in sweet repose
14 comments:
I'm sorry you have been left hanging again. It would seem sensible to have the operation as soon as possible. Perhaps the consultant will move your husband up the list when he's seen the angiogram results.
Iolo sounds an interesting character. I wonder if he became addicted to laudanum, as so many did.
I imagine so. I was listening to a radio programme yesterday about Lizzie Siddal, muse and finally wife of Rossetti, who used laudanum to relieve morning sickness and became addicted.
We only have Xian hospitals here. So Xmas week is a good time to get a free bed. Go for it !
I would be a relief to get it over with. I know it is shameful to end a sentence with with. But now I've done it again.
Too bad about the bard's laudanum addiction, a terrible thing to endure despite the temporary pain relief it brought. I've read Wordsworth's descriptions of the suffering endured by Coleridge due to his laudanum addiction.
There was a report saying that weekends get the most deaths in hospitals so Christmas might be worse!
It certainly would. And if you know the rules you are free to break them.
And it was given routinely, and thought beneficial.
Likewise smoking was thought to ease breathing troubles. Gah. Laudanum was even given to fretful babies at one time.
The GP in Call the Midwife used to smoke. Always shocked me.
People on the mend are sent home so less staff are needed at the weekend. Thus patients in over the WE are on average more ill. But with less staff. So in more danger. Thats your NHS for you !
Just watched Nye from the National theatre. We need a Nye now!
Iolo is fascinating, thank you for telling me about him. Poor guy, addicted to laudanum and in debtor's prison, but a very creative man. Forging ancient documents is a pretty impressive task.
What a let down to hear you will likely wait till the first of the year.
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