gooster

Marion It probably will be cataracts Suzeanna - they tend to develop quickly after detachment surgery. The only thing I would say is that you are given a lot of information at the consultation (I know as that is what I do) and he has a high chance of the detachment happening again, so the consultant may want further vitreo-retinal opinion before proceeding with surgery (especially as his detachment was quite recent). I know if he came to see me, I would get his file reviewed by a surgeon before giving a date. Most patients who are straightforward can be given a date (some even for the day after their assessment), but the more complex ones need to be reviewed before listing. He'll probably be fine, but I don't want you to get your hopes up that he will be done same day. The guy who does same day may well be private or if he is NHS, is likely to have a huge waiting list, so I'd ask the optician (if they do assessments in house) to refer to whichever hospital has the shortest waiting time. The consultant who operates same day might have a huge waiting list, whereas there might be somewhere by you like where I work, where you can be referred, seen within 2 weeks for your pre assessment and have your surgery within 2 weeks after that. I had a patient who was seen by their optician on 20th september, was seen by me on 26th september, and had their op on 28th September. They only went to get new glasses as their vision wasn't as good. Turns out it was their cataract.

You might have had some small haemorrhages that can be a sign of early diabetic changes, but depending on the photographer and grader, they might be more subtle this year so not seen. Just landed in Manchester - got to have a look in the cockpit and meet the pilots. One of them was fit, I was the victim of a yoghurt splatter disaster Why do I never meet fit pilots when I'm looking good

The diabetic screening just looks at the back of your eyes for diabetic eye changes. Nothing to do with cataracts/prescription or anything else.

They ask that Griff as if you are, you get a voucher from the NHS to help towards the cost of your glasses and a free NHS eye test. It's nothing to do with selling you something you don't need. Some places I've worked, you get patients who are on JSA every time they are tested and always get the free glasses. Some optical assistants (wrongly) assume that NHS patients always want the free glasses and will never pay towards the cost of their glasses. Most patients are willing to spend something if it means they get a slightly more stylish pair of glasses.

Is your diabetes well controlled? If your sugars are all over the place, that causes changes in your glasses prescription. You might be better having a new test and maybe getting single vision reading glasses so you have a bigger reading area. Some varifocals don't have much space in the reading zone, so can be harder to use. A lot of people will have varifocals for general use and a pair of reading glasses for concentrated work. As you are diabetic, you will be entitled to an NHS eye test, because you have been tested this year, you aren't technically due, but you can have an early test if you feel your vision has changed. If your prescription is the same, you won't be entitled to any optical vouchers that you may get towards the cost of your glasses (if you are on ESA/income support/JSA/tax credits etc). You can still choose to buy a pair of reading glasses if you want some. The NHS won't fund varifocals and reading glasses either, they will fund either varifocals or distance + near glasses.

Have you got any reading glasses Jazz? Most people 45+ need to wear glasses for close work - it's the muscles and ligaments in the eyes losing their flexibility over time. Most people who come in to see me are amazed at the difference a pair of reading glasses make. They struggle along and don't know what's going on, then they come to see me, I give them glasses and it's like a miracle has happened

Feeling so much better today. Last night I stuck to water and had a bowl of chicken Hakka noodles. I went out for tea with the girls last night - we were all feeling rough yesterday. Even the thought of drinking anything remotely alcoholic still makes me feel queasy though Can't believe you are up to wrapping presents already Griff I have bought the grand total of 3 presents and they are all stocking fillers My family are so hard to buy for! Feeling so much better today. Last night I stuck to water and had a bowl of chicken Hakka noodles. I went out for tea with the girls last night - we were all feeling rough yesterday. Even the thought of drinking anything remotely alcoholic still makes me feel queasy though Can't believe you are up to wrapping presents already Griff I have bought the grand total of 3 presents and they are all stocking fillers My family are so hard to buy for!

Spent all day feeling ill - one of the girls in the next room was going out in Candolim and asked if I wanted to join her. I went. I drank quite a lot. Not had a hangover like this ever We were drinking local brandy and lemonade. I don't usually drink spirits (and have no plans to ever drink them again now ). I have moved from my room to the sun lounger and not moved all day. I've not been able to stomach eating anything and have just been able to have regular sips of water Never again. I've not had much booze this holiday (maybe a glass of wine or beer with food), so think my body got a bit of a shock. I don't know what I'm going to eat tonight - can't face a curry

Just had an email from the HR manager at my new job confirming my new hours and giving me a rather nice £2k payrise as well I start full time on 3rd January. I'll be gutted to stop working in Didsbury as it's a really nice practice, but I love my new job

Apparently it's been snowing quite heavily back home. It's been sunny here My biggest issue is that due to the placement of the palm trees, I keep having to move my sunlounger so I'm in the sun Griff, look after yourself - don't bottle things up, come and see us and vent - we are all here for you Our dogs haven't had their vaccines for a couple of years now - pretty much ever since I took less responsibility for them. My brother has taken Amber to his house - he doesn't even know which vet she is registered with. Mum and dad don't vaccinate Ted now - he only pootles around one field now, he's had a vaccine every year since he was a puppy and some studies have shown that after a certain number of vaccines, they are covered for life anyway. I get the cats vaccinated though - I only do that because they go into the cattery a few times a year - being house cats, they don't really get exposed to anything.

My nest just heats up the house to 17.5 degrees (even when I'm home) and then turns off again. I was worried that the cats might make it think I'm at home, but it ignores the cats. It also uses my mobile phone to decide if I'm at home. It's very clever. Going to set the heating to come on at home before I drive home from the airport when I get back so that it's nice and toasty when I get home (it's been 35/36 degrees here today!).

Suzeanna - have you thought about getting a nest (or other smart thermostat) installed? I have one for my house and it's brilliant. It knows when I'm at home, so won't switch the heating on when I'm out at work (unless it gets really cold, then it turns on to stop any pipes freezing). I can also control it from my phone, keep an eye on my usage etc. Other than that, how about a log burner? Mum and dad have one, they hardly use their heating at all now - they have become total wood nerds and collect spare wood whenever they can, but the initial outlay will have been repaid after a year or so

Glasses are expensive to make up for the fact that the average eye test costs each practice about £85. We can't charge that, so have to make up for our losses somewhere. Some glasses are just expensive though - my latest pair were £110 cost price Made it back in one piece to my hotel in Goa. A 5 hour train journey in India is the most bum numbing thing ever Yesterday my wake up call was at 4.30am, we left the hotel at 5am, got to the top of a mountain at 6.15, had breakfast and then went to see the elephants. I had mixed feelings about that. The elephants were ridden in chains, but as soon as they got to the watering hole, the chains were taken off and the mahout gave them a bath. After their bath, they got a feed of hay and fruits (as well as lots of bananas from us) then a check over, before being taken back out into the jungle. They weren't fenced in at all, and were just mooching around an area of jungle. After the elephants, we drove for about another hour, then went to the opposite side of the sancuary to see the tigers. We were in a bus and the tigers were roaming free in a massive safari park type area. After that, we had lunch, then went back to the hotel. We had an hour to get showered before going out again to a temple. There was a ceremony going on, it was boiling and the women had to be covered up from shoulders downwards. There was some dodgy looking guy who kept coming standing right next to various members of our party and staring at us. Then he would wander off and pretend to look at the stalls, but keep gazing over at us. He tried to talk to me as I was getting my shoes on after visiting the temple. He followed our group for about an hour. Am not sure if he was a distraction technique for a pickpocket, a really crappy pickpocket or was genuinely interested in us. We mentioned him to our guide who went over to speak to him, then he ran off. Then another guy who had been acting similarly appeared Got back to the hotel and had tea at 9pm. This morning it was a 6am alarm call, 7.30am train, got back to my hotel at 2.30. Am now on my sunlounger and not moving till I fly home

Yesterday I was really stressed, I was fine once I got back to my hotel though. I parked my ass on a sun lounger and didn't move Got back to my room though and found the air con is dripping shed loads of water onto the bathroom floor (it has been dripping a bit since I arrived, but now it's really going for it. Good timing really as I have 2 nights away on my trip. So they can mend it whilst I'm away Griff - hope you are feeling better soon. And am sure Steve will give his head a wobble soon

So I managed to get some money today in the process I walked over 13km, burst into tears in front of a Canadian guy who gave me the last cash he had when I went to yet another bank that had no money, met an obnoxious horrid British woman who when I told her that I just want to buy an ice Cream and a nice cold bottle of water, she told me to deal with it and just cut back on the luxuries like you would at home if you were skint. It's not like I've ran out of money - I just can't get to it. Even if the banks had money, I'd only get access to 2000 rupees per day (about 19 quid) This was before I met the nice Canadian man - he restored my faith in humanity. I found a bank that had cash, but you can't withdraw money over the counter without a cheque book. The ATMs were empty and not going to get any cash until late afternoon. On my way back, I remembered a conversation with a guy on the dive boat yesterday, who said he had changed money opposite his hotel and they had small notes (all the other changers were giving the old currency - some shops accept them, most don't). I found the changer, gave them £60 sterling and got about £50 worth of rupees back, but it was all small notes that I can spend. I don't think I'll come back to India in a hurry Still planning on using my card to pay wherever I can, but at least I have some cash for bits and bobs now. I bought my bottle of water and a chocolate brownie magnum - am tempted to go and find that horrid woman tomorrow and eat a cornetto in front of her

Hope you get sorted soon Alex My hot water and shower run off the boiler too. It's a nightmare when it breaks. Thankfully I shower at my gym in this situation

I've got a few bits for Christmas, but not much - suppose I need to get cracking on that when I get home Hope the a/b work Griff Still got no Indian money Still surviving on my card and food from the diveboat at night. Went to a couple of ATMs and banks yesterday. They were either out of order or had about 70 people in the queue. I don't need cash that much The first thing I'm going to buy when I do get cash is an ice cream Holidays just aren't the same without cornettos and magnums. Did you see that jet2 were running a competition giving away free return flights last week? Well I managed to win a pair Not sure where I'm going to go though - either a city break or somewhere like the Canaries for my birthday holiday

Karnataka. I've read some dodgy stuff about the ones on Kerula, but not much on the one in Karnataka. It's a Thomas Cook excursion, so they have to be health and safety (human and animal) approved. They stopped offering some trips because the animals weren't treated well (horse riding etc), so hopefully it will be ok. Am not going to ride an elephant - I think that's cruel.

To the next state. I think it begins with K. There is an elephant training camp and other stuff to see. I've been told not to wear white on the train. Am gonna assume this is because it'll get filthy

I just wish Obama could stay in power - he's been great

So do I! But TBH, till I'm done with my diving - I can cope without any cash. I'm just charging things to my room and I get drinks and snacks on the dive boat. I'm going to need cash before I go on my train journey though - that's a given. Food is included on that trip, but no drinks.

Well the banks are open. They all have massive queues outside them I'm sticking with room service until tomorrow - let the madness die down today and hope the banks are a bit quieter tomorrow.

I can't believe they voted him in I am very worried for the world right now. Got to Goa safe and sound. I have absolutely no money though - the Indian government decided yesterday that as of midnight last night, the 500 and 1000 rp notes were void. This led to panic and nobody has any other notes to sell apart from 500 and 1000 rp notes, but shops aren't accepting them. If they are, they can't give you any change. ATMs and banks are closed. I flew out here with a prepaid currency card and some cash to change (since you can only get Indian money in India ). I've found nowhere that can change my money, so I'm stuck. I'm only bed and breakfast at the hotel as well Thankfully the hotel is allowing me to charge drinks to my room and they have room service, so I hope the food is decent, as I'm stuck eating that until I can get to a bank I can't believe they voted him in I am very worried for the world right now. Got to Goa safe and sound. I have absolutely no money though - the Indian government decided yesterday that as of midnight last night, the 500 and 1000 rp notes were void. This led to panic and nobody has any other notes to sell apart from 500 and 1000 rp notes, but shops aren't accepting them. If they are, they can't give you any change. ATMs and banks are closed. I flew out here with a prepaid currency card and some cash to change (since you can only get Indian money in India ). I've found nowhere that can change my money, so I'm stuck. I'm only bed and breakfast at the hotel as well Thankfully the hotel is allowing me to charge drinks to my room and they have room service, so I hope the food is decent, as I'm stuck eating that until I can get to a bank

Evening all Hope your doctor is back soon Jazz I'm flying to Goa tomorrow morning - doesn't feel real. Been so busy with my new job, not had chance to think about it already forgotten my hairbrush and fly repellant, so I'll have to buy those at the airport

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