taking care of business

13 Tuesday May 2025

Posted by in health, health & happiness, home, hospitals, sevilla, spain

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It seems like all I’m doing these days is going to various doctor’s appointments, either mine or Peter’s. Shortly after Peter saw the nephrologist last Friday, which culminated in the fabulous breakfast you see above, before I had to give a Sherry & Tapas Tasting at 12.30 (no point in going home in between) he suddenly got a call saying he had an appointment for an abdominal ultrasound on Monday. Like wtf? Meanwhile I’ve been waiting since October to see the knee surgeon.

Anyhow, as Peter’s ultrasound was at the Virgen del Rocío general hospital yesterday I decided that, since we were there anyhow, I’d try and find out what’s going on with my other appointments. No small feat. I tried the general info office and was told I would have to go to each different department (in different buildings, natch) and check with their secretaries. To be honest, they were really nice, and when I got lost in the ultrasound dept a very nice woman (there with a friend, not employed by the hospital) helped me find the right secretary for echocardiograms. A shut door in a hallway, like what? And the woman said “just knock and walk in” so I did AND IT WORKED (who knew?) The secretary was on the phone but waved me in and motioned me to sit down. And she was great. Turns out I have an appointment on May 26th at 9.30 am. She said I will probably get the notice in the mail next week. Okay-dokey… but then the most important one was still not accounted for.

Off I headed to the Traumatology hospital (behind the general hospital). Yep more walking. Oh, I didn’t mention that getting a taxi to the hospital the day after Feria closed meant that the usual route was virtually shut down due to everyone trying to close their casetas and remove all their STUFF… when we finally managed to flag a taxi the driver said “it’s hell down there” and said he could find another less direct route so we didn’t end up stuck in traffic forever. What the heck. In the end it only cost about 4 euros more than the usual fare to the hospital and wow did we get a tour of the city! I was really impressed by this guy. But approaching the hospital entrance from “behind” meant we had to walk a bit to get to there. So then having to go BACK to the Traumatology hospital (where the taxi had dropped us off) felt a bit like OMFG… but hey we were already there. Or at least in the general vicinity. Whatever, went for it.

Hobbled over to the T-hospital and, after being misdirected a couple of times to the wrong person to ask, success! Just go down to the basement level and ask for the Secretary there. Downstairs. With only two of three lifts working and taking everyone from the basement, sub-basement and up all the floors up to the fifth one. Let’s just say they were SLOW in coming and then so packed out that I finally said FUCK THIS and hobbled/crutched my way down the stairs. Yeah, hurt like fuck, but so would have waiting half an hour for the fucking lift. Anyhow…

Eventually found the Secretary (I’m getting good at this!) hobbled in and said I was looking for my lost knee surgeon appointment. And, just like the other secretary, she was really nice and helpful, had a look around and said that because the original request for the appointment came from the Fleming Clinic I would have to back there to “reclamar”. And I just thought… oh no…

Because I probably should have done that last December instead of going to the Defensor del Pueblo, who are also very nice but so far… nothing helpful. And I should have definitely done this last March when I went to the Mercado Palmeritas doing research for a Bitesize article and WALKED RIGHT PAST the goddam Fleming Clinic on the way (it’s really not close to home). I could have just stopped in when I was in the neighbourhood. A missed moment? I guess I’ll find out.

Because I have a mammogram scheduled on Friday – SEE IT’S ALWAYS SOMETHING – and no it’s not really close to Fleming but it’s also not far, so I am going to stop in there on the way and ask what’s going on. Because even the secretary at the main Traumatología hospital said this waiting period (since October) is not normal.

I hate to think I may have lost months because I didn’t take a day in December to go back to the scene of the crime and just ask them what the hell was going on. What I found out today is that this seems to be what you have to do. Not call, not write, not whatever else… just go there and stand in front of an actual person and ask them to check for you. You may lose a morning or an afternoon but hey, better than losing months by being in painful limbo.

So, that’s the plan and I guess there’s no point in thinking about what has maybe been lost, or how this or that may have turned out differently had I known this or that sooner, had acted sooner or better. Because it may not have turned out different or better anyhow. And all I can do is hope to get this dealt with. I’m so tired of it all, feeling helpless, always in pain, not knowing when (if??) help will be offered. So very tired.

prepping for the HEAT

12 Monday May 2025

Posted by in casa azahar, home, seasons, sevilla, spain, summer

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I can’t live without electric fans. If I had my way (and if they weren’t so ugly) I’d have ceiling fans in every room. Last year I splashed out on this new Rowenta, intending it to replace the old faithful one I’d had for about twenty years, in the end held together by by twist ties and luck, until that luck finally ran out. Originally destined for my bedroom (and I did try it there) it was better suited for the living room, mostly because it didn’t have a timer and I don’t always want or need it going all night. Also it’s more attractive and I see it all day there (unlike in my bedroom).

Out of the two other identical bedroom fans bought years ago, Peter’s had begun sounding like a turbo jet engine, which he dealt with last summer by sleeping on his good ear. So this year he has inherited mine (which is totally fine, so far) and I’ve got this new one. Silent AF! With a timer. It also oscillates all over the damn place, not a feature I’m interested in, so side-to-side mode for me. But you know, with all these electronic features I expect it to conk out long before my old faithful one did, or even before the newer Rowenta (which just has a quaint three-speed dial, nada más).

Now waiting for handyman Luis to come over to do the annual filter cleaning on the AC unit. And then, fingers crossed, all is set for the summer HEAT.

málaga here I come!

09 Friday May 2025

Posted by in getaways, health, malaga getaway, travel, trips, work, writing

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The last time I was in Málaga was in December 2019 for what had become my annual pre-Christmas visit in what used to be my second favourite city in Spain, although I would often go a couple of other times during the year. Well okay, I did land briefly in Málaga in March 2020 just before YOU KNOW WHAT but was quickly whisked out of town by Victor to the Axarquía in order to do research on some wineries there for a Decanter article. I arrived home two days before lockdown. To be honest I haven’t travelled much since then, and still haven’t been outside Spain. Anyhow, I am now finally going back to Málaga.

At first it was a plan to just go overnight to the Vinos de España Una Pasión event, which takes place each year in a different Andalusian city. Last year the 10th anniversary edition was held in Jerez and I think this may have been my last trip anywhere (BC – before crutches). Then I remembered that my friend Jeffrey has been imploring me to visit his new restaurant Andala in Marbella, even offering to pick me up in Málaga and lettng me stay at their spare apartment there. Which of course I’m very excited to visit. So okay then… two nights! A plan was coming together.

The first thing I checked was train tickets. A stupid early fast train from Sevilla would get me into Málaga about an hour before the event, so okay. And Peter wanted to come too, so then the plan was that he’d come overnight and when Jeffrey picked me up the next afternoon he’d head back to Sevilla. This also meant the cats would only be left on their own one night. So… train tickets were purchased. Then I booked the event tickets in case they sold out. And then I started looking around for somewhere to spend the night and OMG…

I mean, I know it’s been a while but hotel prices have gone totally crazy in Málaga, though I guess this is probably true of everywhere. I just haven’t been staying in hotels lately. The cheapest places I could find, including a hotel offering sleeping pods (!!!), were honestly too depressing for words. A couple of “okay I’m just there to sleep” considerations were about 120€ but I just couldn’t do it. So in the end I splashed out on a very “just okay” hotel not far from the train station for 180€ (last week it had been 160€ so I decided to just go for it before the price went up again).

I also went for it because it looks like I may be getting a writing commission that could mean me staying down south another day or so, and so it’s a bit of a gamble. I mean, I can’t afford this! But I also kind of need to do it. Especially because I’m equally excited and scared about going. I don’t know how it’s going to be with the crutches. Even with Peter and Jeffrey there to help out I’ll end up at the train station a couple of times trying to drag my suitcase along with one crutch tucked under my arm and the other holding me up. As for getting on and off the damn train… I shall rely on the kindness of strangers.