The Passage of Time

Life goes, on and here I am a year on from my first post as a Blogger.
I hadn't written much for public consumption for a few years prior to that; just dusty dry reports. Security doesn't lend itself much to humour especially the analytical side. So writing for possible scrutiny by a public eye was quite daunting, especially with my rather fragile well being only just starting to show signs of healing. Anyway despite misgivings I did it. As we teeter on the edge of perhaps a new political landscape it is perhaps good to reflect on that which has occurred since then
I made some new friends as a Blogger and a few enemies, sadly some of the friends became enemies, which actually hurt quite a lot at the time and still does. As a chronic (but well concealed, except here) depressive, I take too much to heart and am probably ill prepared for criticism, but I'll get over it. I marvelled at the strength, eloquence and beauty of much that was written by Bloggers and indeed remain in awe of many, even now. I still wish that I could match the power of their writing; it is a good stimulant. One to make me attempt better things than I have thus far.

I have been ill, quite seriously in fact but hopefully not terminal, although life itself is, and has no cure. Well the tests say I'm normal despite J's assertion that has to be a mistake, if only as a statement of her viewpoint. She continues in robust health despite her disability, her Diabetes and hatred of the snails she constantly wages war on as they munch through her young plants. Oh and not forgetting the squirrel, whom she constantly rants at, for digging up her bulbs and leaving them neatly at the side of the the hole in which she placed them, covered in soil, the day before. She implores me to shoot it and then relents, before thankfully, I would have to tell her, that my shooting of anything is now over. Her rude health is also confirmed by the tests, although I do have some concern, that her beta cells may have become completely exhausted, despite the very low carbohydrate diet. It's not the end of the world even if true, but it does make things a little more difficult to manage.

The NHS has got no better, in fact to view the writings of the medibloggers, consummately worse. The Complaints system rumbles on like some wheezing steam engine in a world of super trains; not fit for purpose. The 'Bolam Test' still exists and it is still legal for doctors to lie about treatments and errors and even forge documents without any legal retribution. My friend Jan Ooms explains this, for those who may be unfamiliar, here, somewhat better than I have thus far. That in itself is an anathema to any civilised and just society; an affront to those who have lost loved one's, who now live in limbo for want of redress. As a consequence, good and decent people, have their lives blighted in such a way as to damage their futures, perhaps to the end of their days.

'Big Pharma' is still peddling it's wares to a naive (or stupid) Health care system for conditions they have invented or at least subverted. It now seems that we all need a 'polypill' to ensure our vascular parameters fit into a closely defined algorithm, set of course by them, to generate a profit. Never mind that in the process, this morally bankrupt protocol, could endanger the health of all at enormous cost, for no good or useful purpose. They have given us vaccines' that do not work, that endanger life and can cost us our futures. Drugs that are little better than placebos but generate vast sums for their bottom lines. Protocols that enrich Doctors by gist of the Quality Outcome Framework but do little to make their patient cohort healthier or longer lived.

There is paucity of compassion or indeed empathy with a populace unfortunate enough to find themselves in Hospital or in the Consulting room. Medic's have become like their masters; the politicians. So far removed from the society they serve, that they have little or no understanding of the  simple needs of dignity, honesty or integrity in their treatments. Integrity has been traded for a checklist, that yields rewards to them for dogmatic goals, alleged to be for the  health of their patients, that does little or nothing to advance that goal, just to cow and bewilder them. Five-a-day has been proven as being substantially worthless (2.5% less risk of cancer in ten years) with the fruit portion actually that; worthless, or in my view quite dangerous. But despite this the sales pitch of the Food Standards Agency still continues to pander to this misguided notion as well as the wholly unscientific view about fat making you fat.

One of the more rewarding aspects of the year to date is the launch of the NHS Justice website by my talented friend George Kuchanny, who is building a site for all who seek help, advice or just to reveal to others, how bad things happen to good people in the name of Medicine. For those of a nervous disposition it may be best to take it in small bites. The exposition of what is really going on is not to be feasted upon for fear of emotional exhaustion.

There is hope, so he tells me, that Will Powell may at last get some sort of Justice for his son Robbie. After nearly twenty years, his determination and sheer bloody minded obstinacy, to not let the books be closed, is an example to us all. One I hope and trust will be rewarded. Or as Jan would say 'there is no such thing as failure, just delayed sucess'.
 And so I thank them, my friends all, for keeping me at least moderately sane, reasonably sober, and most of all alive. So George, Charlotte, Jan, Will, Rita, Rohan, Angus, Nikki, Julie and those who I cannot name, either to protect them like me, or simply because I don't know who you are (see blog roll) thank you.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible (whoops that's Gordon's line).