Medical Attention

20 Months ago, I had to have an MRI scan, I'd been experiencing sciatica and the doctor wanted to see what was going on. The scan revealed I had a bulging disc at the bottom of my spine, but as it wasn't causing too much trouble it was left to it's own devices. Fast forward a month and my back gave out completely. The pain going down my left leg was horrendous, I couldn't stand up, I couldn't sit down and I ended it up going to A and E. They filled me with co-codemol and sent me packing, 4 days later I ended up back there. This time they kept me in overnight, filled me with diazapam, got a physio to give me a crutch and sent me home. I ended up on my back for 2 weeks, my sister had to come down from Devon, it basically took me a long time to get back on my feet without the aid of crutches. It was a horrible experience and I have taken great pains not to repeat it, but 2 days ago my back went again. This time I could stand, but the pain was excruciating. MHTTB kept urging me to go to the hospital, but in view of my previous experience with a British hospital I decided against it. Then last night MHTTB contacted a pharmacist friend. A lot of the Pharmacists here are also doctors. You can buy prescription medicines over the counter at a lot cheaper price, my regular medication, which consists of 3 items is the less than the price of one item in the UK. His friend arrived last night, and this morning with a syringe and a phial of diclofen and a muscle relaxant, after 2 injections my back is almost back to normal. It's easy to think of Turkey as a 3rd world country, I know I used to, but the medical care here is first class, a lot better than I have experienced in the UK recently. The elderly are revered, the local old peoples home is free for all the old people. I remember the incredulity the call centre operator expressed when I was setting up a monthly standing order for my dads care. I get British television, I can see what is going on with the NHS and I fear it can only get worse and the people I feel for most are the hard working nurses and doctors. 

Honestly, I looked like poop today, I threw on an old jumper, leggings, no bra, my hair was a mess and then MHTTB decided to take me out for a little ride, while we were out he then decided to take me to Nil bar, which is a little bar we go to in Calis beach. I'm glad I had my coat with me, but also I'm glad I relented because one, the sunshine made me feel better, and two there were lots of little yachts out practising for a race next week. I like that I can do what I want, when I want, even though I didn't particularly want to do anything this morning. Spontaneity seems to be the name of the game.

I went looking at cars this week. I drove a Vauxhall Meriva in the UK and loved it, so I took myself off to the Opel dealership. The Meriva has been replaced by the Crossland X, and a very nice car it is too, but with basic models starting at the equivalent of £21,000 it means I am going to have to wait a while before I can get one. Cars are very expensive here in Turkey, second hand cars are also very expensive, and in all honesty, it's doubtful many of them would pass a UK MOT. I got an excellent deal on my last car, but I know I won't get a deal like that again, so have decided to buy new, when I can. The car will have to have special plates, foreigners that own cars have to have an M in the plate, it also means, that unless I share the same surname at MHTTB, he will not be allowed to drive it, unless I give him power of attorney to do so, having experienced his driving at times, especially when he gets pissed off with another driver, it's something I will have to think carefully about. But not too carefully................