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Perhaps you'll learn more about me as you read my blog. For anyone who translates my blog using the translator facility, don't forget if you wish to read the comments in your own language to click on the title of the post down the left hand side otherwise they will remain in english. Also I assume that the translation is accurate but I don't know, so please allow for errors.

Friday, January 05, 2007

I'm Popping In...

I must...to say thank you for all the New Year Greetings and apologise for seemingly disappearing off the face of the Earth. Truth is I have let a lot of work build up on the computer and its taking ages to organise and clear off the Hard Drive. And that is the reason for my sudden disappearance.
I have to get on here as soon as possible otherwise I will lose my readers. Stay with me!

And even without worrying about a computer crash, don't do as I have and let files build up on the computer as they take forever to clear. I am now trying to lift everything off to disc as they are and go through them gradually from disc and edit them down. New files must be dealt with immediately. I think the time is right for a second computer that should speed things up.

A few people know of my medical history from previous entries and also those who e-mail me, I am awaiting results of my blood counts which I have taken every three months or so. If all goes well and I also get caught up on these tasks I will be back asap.
Update:The results appear to be good so that's a weight off my mind...a reprieve for now...

However, I have LBC 97.3 broadcasting from London, the presenter Adrian Allen is doing the phone in(when I started in Hospital Radio as a volunteer)some 21 years ago, he was one of the main presenters as I joined. He's started the programme by saying( I don't know what his source is)that the UK has just paid its final instalment to the American Government(approx $82Million)and the Canadian Government(approx $22Million)for loans taken out to pay for weapons etc...we needed for WWII. That means we have been paying this debt for about 60 years! So we have an extra £100Million in our coffers each month and that's like each of the population having an extra £1.50 to spend per week...yeah right!

I just thought it was interesting...

He's also jogged a memory of mine...he was talking of the National Health Service and would not mention which hospital he was talking about but said that he knows of a hospital that is going to be closed after only being built 3 and a bit years ago. He could be referring to another but my local hospital(the same one where this particular Hospital Radio station is located and we worked)has been mentioned in the media in that context so as his family still live in this area, its a fair bet that's the one he is talking about. It is a fine hospital but it was in a shocking state and many wards were just like tin huts made of corrugated iron. And then, I would reckon about three and a quarter years ago our Government invested in building a new modern hospital but not with Government money, it was built using private money as many new hospitals are these days and so they are renting from the builders and other investors behind it so I guess it will be long after I have gone before its paid for. Assuming by then it has not be closed and levelled to the ground or taken over by private care.

However, the stories have appeared but been denied that the hospital will close and after a lot of negative publicity, the latest is that the hospital is safe...for now...which could mean anything. And I think you can guess what that is really saying so the campaign is starting to save the hospital.

I'm afraid that I think we will see many more such stories in the coming years and yet without it, I doubt that I would still be here.

Also, in my town we have a well used health care centre that was opened by the Prime Minister maybe 4 years ago and it used by many in the community to learn and study subjects to help your well being and it also is a meeting place for disabled and mentally troubled. It is highly praised my charities and voluntary organisations and is never empty. You've guessed it...a campaign has had to be started to save it as the County Council is ready to pull all or much of its funding.

Its interesting that both the places that I mention are new and modern yet are the ones most under threat of closure.

7 Comments:

Blogger Rupe said...

Gildy, today is Friday...you are having your blood tests ....HOW ARE YOU, Rupe xx

5 January 2007 at 16:03  
Blogger ja said...

The debt repayment story was also covered on the Midday News (r5L), though the £1.50 weekly saving wasn't mentioned, interesting.

I'm not a million miles away from Hope Hospital, which was in the news recently because Hazel Blears took part in a protest over plans to shutdown the maternity unit.

6 January 2007 at 19:27  
Blogger Curmy said...

I think the whole things a complete scandal, they're massacaring the hospital services in Suffolk.

8 January 2007 at 00:22  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

I think its more than interesting considering that this is the Prime Minister's constituency and these plans of closure are starting to show at the time when he is likely to give up his political career after stepping down. He could stay in a back bencher capacity but its highly unlikely. In the town where he is based many there treat him as an idol and he pops into the workingman's club where they all try to cuddle him and he tries to look comfortable drinking a pint of beer. He looks like an animal caught in headlights and you know that he does not want to be there.

As he leaves Government, some other unpopular policies are being talked of being introduced in the area which suggests to me that,they knew that if such policies were introduced during his term of office would affect his popularity and may see him not being voted back into office.

8 January 2007 at 00:50  
Blogger Gavin Corder said...

Glad to hear twas not a case of unblogliness!

10 January 2007 at 02:07  
Blogger Rupe said...

Gildy, just read all this.
Have you ever written to your MP??

10 January 2007 at 20:13  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

We had a local MP for years and then the boundary changed and guess who became the MP representing the area? The PM ;-)

11 January 2007 at 01:28  

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