Heartbeat

Had to go for an exercise test for my heart at the hospital today. This involved parts of my chest being shaved and then wired-up to a computer and then me running in different stages on a treadmill to test the effects of exercise on my blood pressure, something my less than perfect heart struggles to monitor. 


Wasn't looking forward to this very much today, not least because I am tremendously unfit at the moment and was a little anxious about my performance, but also because of the kind of crowd I seem to attract at these sorts of things at the hospital. Having a slightly rare heart condition, for my age, always seems to attract a large number of trainee doctors to these things. So today I was prepared for the assistants charged with preparing me and monitoring my test, my consultant, and a couple of junior doctors observing what was, essentially, a slightly fat bloke running on a treadmill for half an hour. 


It went okay in the end. I seemed to sweat heavily all over their treadmill though. My consultant, who I have been seeing for many years, was as calm and pleasant as ever told me that I'd performed much better than expected in today's test, which was good. Next appointment six months time. 


I sometimes wonder how some people always seem to slag off the NHS and the hospitals. I know situations and experiences are always different for people, and some may have acceptable grievances, but I have been visiting hospitals all of my life for regular heart check-ups and procedures, and I have to say I think the whole institute is totally fantastic. I couldn't have hoped for better treatment, monitoring and care throughout my life, and long may it continue. And I struggle even more when you hear of the struggles to install a national health service in the USA. It seems to be the most obviously needed, and therefore necessary [and humane], public services you can have. I think we are extremely lucky to have such a fantastic service, and any that oppose it in america are simply greedy and selfish. 
Just a thought.


Noticing that I'd put on a bit of weight since I'd last seen her, my consultant suggested that perhaps I should start drinking a little less beer and start doing a little more exercise. Naturally, I was straight in the pub for a quick pint before my train home.