Hysterectomy Diary

Monday, 7^th June, Day 5

For anyone worried about hysterectomy, I have to say that I feel very well today. All medication is now finished with and I can be sure that no pain is being masked and waiting to catch me out.

Just before I came in here, there was an item on the radio, maybe Women’s Hour or similar about nursery education. As someone who stayed at home with the children throughout their young lives, I have to say that I have no evidence now that they are adult that this has necessarily made them more loving, more attentive than otherwise would be the case. And having see in their children the situation where two have been cared for at nurseries since babyhood and one has been at home, I can see no difference in them either. The only thing I can add is that it was a very good nursery and that, had it not been, I might feel differently.

The physiotherapist just visited and we went through the exercise routine. She stressed that for the next six weeks - no lifting, carrying, pulling or pushing and two hours rest on the bed too. No telephone calls during that time, either.

Two interesting points on health in the Telegraph today. One that people don’t really care about choice – they want their local hospital care for their needs. I agree with that, for when the OH damaged his hand, it was a great relief to be able to drive for only 15 minutes to get to the casualty department of our hospital, even though, once he was bandaged up, we had an hour and a half train journey to a centre of excellence, where they eventually operated on the hand. I also believe that this applies to schools too. My son got a better deal in secondary education, when he went automatically to the next school than my daughter. When choice was available, many of my daughter’s contemporaries opted for a church school, leaving my daughter without her group of friends.

The other point was about the doctors involved in the MMR triple jab. The writer seemed to be in sympathy with those doctors and against the principle of mass inoculation. I thought it was a typical libertine, ‘freedom to do what we want to ourselves at all cost’ argument and that he was wrong in this. OK, so we don’t (I don’t) want the Nanny State, but I don’t want to veer too far in the other direction either.

Alistair Darling has been on the radio challenging David Cameron’s suggestion that we are to make huge cuts. I am happy with the new regime – it was time for a new colour government and I like the idea of the coalition. However, I also know that Cameron has to blame the previous administration and that Darling has to point out that he will automatically do this. Actually, I have a certain amount of sympathy with Darling, as opposed to Brown, the former having received the poisoned chalice of Chancellorship when it was too late to do much about it.