The long day................
Col's Friday clinic appointment took Hours. I've never seen Addenbrookes so busy. We had to be there for 9.45 for blood tests and to have his Hickman line dressed and see the pharmacist before the (in theory) 10.45 appointment with one of the post-transplant team. By noon, after sitting on waiting room chairs Col was starting to flag, luckily they were able to let him lay down in the adjoining Cancer Assessment Unit and after more hours of waiting, he saw the doctor and we finally escaped at 2.45.....not a moment too soon.
Saturday 20th to Friday 26th
Little Penny Pinchers................
Printed out Asda price match voucher 73p (This is the first time I've actually qualified for one since I started doing this after Sue in Wales said about it on her blog, which must mean that Asda is often cheaper than other places at least for the things I buy.)
Brother in law came for Sunday lunch and to help clear the fallen tree from next door and brought beetroot.
Filled the oven with baking while cooking dinner.
Got washing completely dry on the line on Monday and Thursday.
Picked up twiggy bits from the meadow to dry for kindling wood
Ran water into jug while waiting for hot water to appear when washing up.
Took flask and food when we went to hospital for Col's clinic appointment.
Used leeks from garden
The Spending..............
Xmas Cards 74p (Cancer Research Shop reduced to ¼ price. Fulfilling all criteria - never full price and always charity, rounded up to 75p for accounts)
Grey Car Diesel £29 + New Tyre and fitting £76.50
Phone Top up £10
Asda Shopping - milk, fruit, bread, veg, juice etc and things Col fancied £15.00
Eggs from local stall £1.40
Direct Debits..... for Charity and BT £49
Chemist 75p (this is how much it blinkin' well costs to buy a pee sample pot for Col to take a sample to hospital!)
Car Parking at Hospital £3.60
20kg Bird Feed seed mix £10.25
Total £196.25 (worst week of the month!)
That's 4 weeks gone
Back Monday
Sue
Our local chemist sells sample jars for 60p, which I though was bad enough, at the time I was using two a week. It's not cheap being ill.
ReplyDelete60p is a bit better. I thought 75p was more than we'd paid last time we had to buy one
DeleteDon't they give out sample pots at the hospital? Or what about your GP? Ours gives them free. Sorry you had such a long wait at the hospital....I know there's lots of sick people and not enough staff, but a very long wait when you're already very poorly is not good.
ReplyDeleteThe GP only gives them free if you go to the doctors and the doctor has asked for a sample to be sent off.Hospital if you are there and in clinic they ask for a sample. But Col was phoned up and asked to bring a sample so 75 pence to pee!!
DeleteWhat an exhausting day for you both at the hospital, Sue. Seems shocking that you have to pay for sample bottles after all that Col has been through. You’ve done well with careful use of resources and glad you are both safely home now. Catriona
ReplyDeleteYes safe and sound and not there again for another week - thank goodness
DeleteSooze asked the same question I was going to. Surely if they need a sterile specimen they should provide a sterile container.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately when it comes to weekly spends its often a case of your win some you lose some!
see reply above!
DeleteLocal GP nurse should supply you with sample pots. Just call in and ask, if they don't then report them to local medical council. It's a legal requirement for cancer patients that all practices are supposed to be abide by.
ReplyDeleteSee replies above! Not sure about the cancer thing I shall ask next time I'm picking up prescriptions.
DeleteStill a great frugal week xx
ReplyDeleteIt felt jolly expensive to me!
DeleteI'm rather shocked too that you should be expected to pay so much for a wee pot (in both senses of the term).
ReplyDeleteYou did have the tyre expenses, that will have pushed the spending up a lot. Hopefully next week will be very light to compensate.
J x
See replies above
DeleteSue, I am appalled that you have to pay for a sample bottle, I get 3 at a time from the Drs surgery.
ReplyDeletesee replies above!
Deletei can't believe you have to pay for a pot..
ReplyDeletei'd ask at reception at the gp's surgery ..failing that I bet mr amazon sells them cheaper.
see replies above!
DeleteGone are the days when you could use a jam jar or a mustard jar.
ReplyDeleteVery True
DeleteI realise re replies above, but I echo other comments in that I am sure that you should ask the GP for a small supply - or even one at a time if they are that tight - as I cannot see how it is possible to charge for this!! Or ask macmillan if they can assist with this too.
ReplyDeleteHe may never need one again
DeleteThat's an expensive way to 'spend a penny'. ;-)
ReplyDeleteSorry I couldn't resist ... I did 'see all the replies above' ... honest :-)
Wish I'd never mentioned it!
DeleteThat's a long day at the hospital for you both, bet you were glad to get home weren't you. I've read the replies about the pee pot but feel the need to also register my shock that they're not provided. Hope you've both having a nice weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteNasty weather today, chilly and wet
DeleteOh my, that was a long wait at the hospital. I hope that you don't have that long a wait ever again.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It seems to be one of the ironies of hospitals that you must wait in uncomfortable circumstances when you are already in poor shape . . . I dread going to outpatients even when I know it's necessary because our average wait time is four to six hours for anything that's not critical. It would be even worse to have that wait for a pre-arranged appointment, as you did. I do hope your husband is getting his strength back, being at home.
ReplyDeleteI love how you separated it into categories.
ReplyDeleteGood to learn that Col is home...even with regular checkups...x
ReplyDeleteI remember going to the RVI in Newcastle for an outpatients 9am appointment in the early 1970s and finding the waiting room full. On talking to the people around me we discovered that everybody had been given the same appointment time. Many years later in Norwich at the Fracture Clinic I found the same thing. 2 to 3 hour waits for some were the result.
ReplyDeleteVery good to catch the first water from the tap to use elsewhere, Sue! It's unconscionable to waste water when so many don't have enough, or any. I do the same.
ReplyDelete