Archive for the ‘health’ Category

Weight and blood pressure

March 17, 2023

Tuesday morning I popped into a pharmacy.

– weight 75 kg

– blood pressure low 90/60

Blood pressure was checked a few weeks ago in the pharmacy, low Checked a couple of weeks by a doctor, low. When checked by two hospitals, normal.

Weight needed for step counter.

Popped in the pharmacy on my way to Warehouse CO2.
A couple of weeks ago my blood pressure low. Was it still low?

Reading 90/ 60 yes still low.
But what is normal?
When tested in hospital, blood pressure was normal. When tested by a doctor two weeks ago low.
Could the pharmacy be reading low? Yes, except when I was tested a couple of weeks low, a friend tested high.
I only went in to be weighed. Weight 75 kg.

Hospital nightmare

March 4, 2023

Alexandra General Hospital no queue. I soon learn why, no doctors. Directed to another hopital, Evangelismos General Hospital.

No signage to hospital. No sign at hospital. No sign to entrance.

On entering it is like a scene out of a horror movie.

Luckily escorted to another wing of the hospital, covid-19 isolation.

Not long before I see a doctor. Asked questions, show medication given previously by hospital and by doctor, blood test results from previous visit. That have tested three times covid positive. Blood taken, blood pressure, blood oxygen level,  covid test , ECG, temperature.


After not very long wait taken for an x-ray. X-ray within minutes. Escorted back to isolation area.


Then wait for hours. No one informs why the wait. Blood results, who knows.


After many hours, escorted to another area of the hospital. More scenes from a horror movie.

Eventually asked the same questions as before,  blood pressure and oxygen level taken. Told I need a scan. Could be 12 hour wait. 

I arrived around three, but maybe that was the first hospital.


Ten at night I decide I am leaving. But cannot leave , a device is stuck in my arm.


I speak to staff, please remove, I wish to leave. Cannot leave unless doctor agrees.

It is now pouring of rain. I will get soaked. Anywhere, nowhere to go to eat, late?

Doctor says I can leave. I will have to sign release papers. Advised I remain for a scan.


I have had coronavirus for indeterminate period. This is not good. May indicate serious. That is why they wish to do a scan.

Given a drink for the scan.

Maybe a scan in two hours.  Previously told not until the morning at the earliest.

Midnight. When is the last Metro?

Two taken for a scan.

Three learn the result of scan. Shows nothing. Actually shows an anomaly. I put down to their CT scanner.

The only thing I learnt from the tests. 

Coronavirus positive.

Infection levels have dropped. 

Symptoms, tiredness, weakness, exhaustion, pain in joints, coughing, sore throat , all covid related. 

Pages of notes. All in Greek. 

I finally left at four in the morning. Had been there since three in the afternoon. 

Now in a little cafe across the road getting something to eat. Nothing to eat since breakfast . 

No Metro this time of night. I will have to get a taxi. 

Double check. First Metro from Evangelismos 0525. I could, but in the cold and dark, risk of heavy downpour? Maybe not.

Visit to doctor covid-19 positive

March 2, 2023

A week on from Alexandra General Hospital testing coronavirus positive, out of quarantine, still very sick, unable to revisit hospital due to Metro strike, a visit to a doctor yesterday.

– blood pressure dangerously low

– blood oxygen level 98%

– covid-19 positive

Third coronavirus test. Second was at a pharmacy last Friday. Each test positive.

Doctor wished to carry out further tests but not permitted as I have tested positive. Advised visit hospital.

Not able to travel or fly.

Prescribed medication.

Advised to rest.

Over a week has passed since notified Insurance, kept informed, supplied with all required documents. To date no response, despite repeated reminders. In the meantime I am racking up hotel bill, cost of doctor, medication, changes to flights.

Public hospital

February 22, 2023


Very ill for several days. I could have seen a doctor, but insurance fraudsters say no, have to visit a public hospital. What am I paying insurance for?


A trip on the Metro. I exit where it says hospital Then where? No signage for a hospital.

I ask and a lady directs me where I have come from.


No signage, not even for an entrance.
I ask a security guard. He says wrong hospital. Directs me to another hospital.

I am now exhausted.

Again no signage. No entrance sign.


I ask a security guard. He speaks to a doctor, who tells me sit outside on a row of seats.

The other people vanish. Leaving only me. I see people waking in and out. A queue outside the hospital door.


After half an hour I ask the security guard what is going on. Not helpful. He ordered me in Greek to sit down.

An hour passes by.

I observe a badly organised system. Security guards on the gate smoking. A small courtyard. Delivery vans, cars, blocking access for ambulances. One ambulance has police escort. Every second counts, and yet access for ambulances blocked.

I am sat by the gate. I ask a man. He tells me I should have a number and then I will be called.

I walk to the entrance, careful to avoid the security guard on the gate.

I chat to a young woman, who tells me they will call my name. How can they call my name when no one knows my name?

She asks to go inside as she is in pain standing. On my behalf she asks may I go inside as I have chest infection and not doing me any good stood outside.

Young security guard says I will be called next.

I am called into to see a doctor. Asked basic questions, blood oxygen levels checked, blood pressure. Then given a covid test. I am positive.

I am detained, isolated.

Two and a half hours have passed since my arrival.

The strange thing is, the symptoms of bronchitis but tests do not indicate bronchitis.

My oxygen level and blood pressure taken. Later blood taken for tests. Do I remain lying on the bed? I am not told.

Periodically someone looks in. Do not speak. Are they checking to see if I have run away? I wonder if I am locked in? I check. No, door not locked.

A man in full PPE takes x-ray. Most slapdash x-ray I have encountered. Plate is put under me on the bed. No warning to remain still.

I ask, and he tells me ten minutes for result. Does not know when blood results.

Hours pass.

Doctor calls me to pick up my things and follow him. He hands me the x-ray. Does not tell me what it shows. He does though explain blood tests. He is prescribing antibiotics and a powder to be mixed with water to open up my lungs.

He tells me to take my prescription across the road to the pharmacy. Explain that I do not have a Greek national insurance number.

Pharmacist asks for Greek national insurance number. I explain I do not have. He does not have the powder. Says I am unlikely to obtain anywhere. He offers an alternative. I say ok.

I am shocked the number of people walking into the pharmacy not wearing masks, especially as the are likely to be from the hospital.

Before I enter isolation for five days. I go for a walk. I have not eaten since breakfast and feeling sick. I take a coffee and something to eat. I stay outside to not infect anyone

On my return a minor detour to an Italian restaurant where a friend and I had eaten a few days ago. I remain outside. Explain I have coronavirus. They thank me for letting them know. If I want anything to eat, please let them know and they will deliver to me.

Now five days of isolation.

Strange. I do not have symptoms of coronavirus, I have symptoms of bronchitis. My Russian friend has the same symptoms.

Insurance fraudsters

February 22, 2023

What do you call insurance companies that happily take your money, then fall over backwards not to pay, to not provide service paid for? Fraudsters, criminals?


Last week I fell ill, delayed my flight for today, have progressively got worse. Coughing, very weak and tired. Three nights ago coughing up blood. Last three nights a fever.


I should have visited a doctor on Monday. But hoped I would recover.


Today visit a doctor. Hotel arranged a doctor. But first talk to insurance.


No,  we do not pay for a private doctor. You will have to visit a public hospital. What am I paying insurance for?

Injured in the street

February 21, 2023

On my leaving Little Tree my foot fell into a broken manhole cover. I fell.

Badly cut, bleeding.

I was lucky I did not break my leg.

I hobbled back to Little Tree. To warn them to warn their clientele. They did not wish to know. Not their problem.

I then warned the adjacent hotel. They thanked me. In ited me in,ave me ice to be stop swelling.

Secret service types milling around

Many more outside.

I learnt I had accidentally gate crashed a party for the Prime Minister.

Omicron doubling every 2-3 days introduction of Plan B and accelerated booster vaccinations

December 12, 2021

Omicron spreading rapidly in South Africa where it was first identified. It is spreading rapidly amongst those who have been vaccinated or who have high levels of immunity to covid-19.

Omicron is a wake up call. We may think we can forget covid-19, it has not forgotten us.

In UK, booster vaccine rollout has been accelerated, three months interval from second vaccine not six months, all adults. Now seen as a third vaccine.

But we have to have all our defences in place.

Mask wearing has to apply to all venues, not merely shops and public transport. And with enforcement.

For international travel, negative PCR test 48 hours prior to travel to enter UK, then on day 2 and day 8 with self isolation.

CEO of Moderna has warned vaccines may not be effective against Omicron. Work in the lab, two vaccinations not affective, addition of a booster vaccination adds protection, hence an accelerated booster programme to have every adult in the UK with a booster by the end of the year. That means at least one millions boosters every day, currently running at a little over 400,000 every day. A very ambitious programme.

We are now seeing he first omicron hospital admissions. Within the next couple of weeks we will see the first deaths.

Boosting the booster programme, the introduction of Plan B, are welcome measures, but we should have introduce Plan B more than two weeks ago, we now need to go further, if not lockdown.

  • coronavirus vaccine certificate produced and scanned to enter any indoor public space or outdoor gathering
  • enforcement of existing measures
  • social distancing
  • closure of nightclubs and binge drinking bars
  • ban on Christmas parties
  • sick pay for those self isolating
  • work from home wherever possible

I am seeing shops, public transport, a significant minority not wearing masks.

Lunatic fringe of Tory Party frothing at the mouth at minor inconvenience of wearing a mask is not helping, it plays into the hands of anti-vaxx fascists.

England new coronavirus restrictions

November 28, 2021

Emergence of a new covid-19 mutation in South African, UK has announced new restrictions.

Too little, and why the delay? Requirement to wear masks, will only come into force on Tuesday, and why only public transport and shops, though a small step in the right direction?

New measures include:

  • From Tuesday, face coverings will once again be compulsory in shops and on public transport
  • All contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be required to self-isolate for 10 days. This is regardless of a person’s vaccination status
  • Anyone entering the UK will require a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and will need to self-isolate until they have a negative result. The change will be brought in “as soon as possible” following agreement with the other UK nations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
  • The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) – the UK’s vaccine advisory body – will consider giving the booster vaccine “to as wide as group as possible”. It will also reduce the gap between the second dose and booster

Measures on mask wearing should never have been relaxed. Why does it not apply to hospitality, to places where people gather such as theatres?

Utter garbage from Hospitality UK, that mask wearing on public transport will hit public confidence. It is passengers not wearing masks that dents public confidence, that makes people reluctant to use public transport.

We need to be careful not to lump all hospitality together, a coffee shop or restaurant does not pose the same risk as a binge drinking bar or nightclub.

What we do know about Omicron, a new covid-19 mutation, is that it is highly transmissible, has large number of mutations, may not be recognised by antigens, which renders vaccines less effective. All the more reason to bring in measures to slow the spread. We saw how fast Delta spread when the government was slow to act.

  • place all countries in Africa on the Red list
  • random testing of all arrivals into the UK
  • mask wearing indoors and on public transport
  • work from home if possible
  • close nightclubs and binge drinking bars
  • social distancing
  • certificate double vaccinated to enter bars, coffee shops, theatres

The vaccine certificate would be scanned with a QR scanner to permit entry, green tick to enter, red cross not permitted, but if not permitted would advise what to do, for example vaccinated or a negative lateral flow test valid for 48 hours.

In Athens, require vaccine certificate double vaccinated which is scanned to enter bar, coffee shop, restaurant, theatre, shops. Failure to comply 500 euros fine, establishment 5000 euro fine and closed. To enter a building or travel on public transport mask wearing mandatory, 100% compliance.

Two flights from South Africa to Schiphol, sixty-one passengers tested positive for covid-19, of these thirteen were found to be infected with Omicron. Why was UK not acting as Schiphol, isolating and testing every passenger on flights from South Africa?

It should be a requirement, as is already the case for many countries, negative PCR test result within 48 hours prior to travel, in addition to negative PCR test and self isolation once in the UK.

UK has blocked relaxation of patents on coronavirus vaccines. UK is sitting on stocks of vaccines that it is unlikely to use. These stocks, within a month of expiry, should be shipped to poorer countries to help with their vaccination programmes.

Gatwick Airport lax coronavirus biosecurity

October 7, 2021

Not mandatory to wear a mask. Not even on the shuttle between terminals.

Passengers not wearing masks, staff not wearing masks.

M&S how many have touched the self-service touch screens?

EasyJet, lack of social distancing at check-in.

Passing through the airport mingling with passengers from God knows where, including high risk countries thanks to lax controls on entering the country.

Pfizer vaccine second dose

September 8, 2021

Last week tried at a pharamacy, mislead it was walk in, but was not, had to book anappoinatment, but can always try, we maybe have a camcelelatkion.

Tried again yesterday, closed for lunch.

I returned later, no cancellations, but as I was a couple of weeks at least overdue for second vaccination, they agreed to give me my second dose.

Ouch, it hurt. Rested for fifteen minutes, no adverse side effects.

A very hot day, as nearby Brayford, decided to sit outside for lunch, The Square Sale service abysmal, as was William IV and the food was disgusting. Smell of sewage wafting over whilst sat outside William IV but at least pleasant sat in the shade of a tree overlooking Brayford Pool, and I thought it wise to rest.

Evening, my arm ached, night-time, very tired, arm ached and made sleep not easy.

Next day, ie today, felt terrible, woke up not feeling good. Feeling a little better I got up, I felt as though hard work in the garden stiff, ached all over, could barely move.

Late night, very tired.


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