Thursday, May 01, 2008

Jellyhead's Wondrous Life - Chapter 354

I've been pondering various pressing questions lately. Namely - why my softly-spoken patient 'Ella' has such bizarre lab results, why someone dear to me is having to deal with a spouse's dodgy behaviour, and why the damn dog keeps puking up her dinner. I was awake at 4 am this morning pondering all three dilemmas.

I got up around dawn, and stumbled out into the cold (note to readers from Canada, the US, the UK and anywhere else 'properly cold' - Australians think it is bitterly cold once the temperature drops below around 20 degrees celsius. Well, at least the ones who live in the tropics do! And it was only 10 degrees this morning, so I was practically risking frostbite). I picked up the newspaper and searched for evidence of upchucked dogfood. As I wandered barefoot in the shivery, wet grass, peering into all corners of our yard for vomitus, it seemed to me that the day had started ominously. However, as the minutes passed, I forgot my icy feet. I stopped wondering if the neighbours would be offended by my mascara-smudged eyes and bedhead. There was no spew! Oh joyous day!

Safely at work a couple of hours later, I spoke to the specialist to whom I had referred Ella last year. The specialist sounded edgy and evasive. "Yes, this is all getting out of my league now", she muttered. "I'd like you to send her to Dr X." I dutifully phone Dr X. The next available appointment is July. I may, if I wish, ring Dr X tomorrow, though, to plead my patient's case. I feel confident I can wangle a deal. I've become an expert at begging in as dignified a way as possible.

Later in the day I phoned the person whose partner is causing them grief. Things sounded happier.

My daughter came home from school wan and febrile. I set her up on the couch with DVD and drink and nurofen. Within an hour, she had recovered enough to eat pikelets with raspberry jam and wander the backyard with her brother.

Now, the dog-with-intact-stomach-contents (touch wood) is lying nearby, curled up on her dog pillow. My kids are asleep. Fatty is out playing squash - keeping fit and getting in touch with his masculine side and male-bonding and all that. And here sit I, telling you of my day.

In case you're at all confused, my day has been thus - ( in order) - puppy puke, patient problem, pissy partner, pale progeny, pikelets. I bet you're simply gagging for Chapter 355.

19 comments:

rel said...

Jellyhead,
Just another day in paradise as we say here in the frozen tundra. ;)
And as far as #355 is concerned:
Physicians passions please peepers perusal.
Have a grat day Jelly!
rel

Susan Tidwell said...

Wow, you lead such an exciting life, how do you handle it all? And of course we are looking forward to the next chapter. Now I just have to figure out - what are pikelets?

Stomper Girl said...

Hurrah for no spew, that can only be a good thing. I am whinging about the cold on a daily basis, even though I prefer it to the heat. i just wasn't expecting it quite so early this year!

thisisme said...

Ten degrees! I would kill for ten degrees. We had 4 yesterday morning and no part of my body wanted to get out of bed, let alone wander around the garden.

Mmmm, pikelets. I went out for breakfast this morning and had them with salmon and cream fraiche - but I love them with jam.

Thanks for the update - and all the support!

Mackey said...

I am happy to hear that your day ended perfectly pleasant.
I second Susan.....what are pikelets?

Nestor Family said...

The alliteration in your summary was the perfect pinnacle! (Okay... not as good as you or remiman)

I know a good doggy internist if you ever should need one! (Too bad you are not in the states! ;-)

Dr Andrew Brown said...

Ah, pikelets! (Or, possibly, crumpets!) We used to have them for our tea on Saturday evenings while watching the Generation Game, back in the early 1970s. The whole family around the goggle box. Those were the days!

Jellyhead said...

Rel, your alliterative comment was very cheering. Thanks!

Susan and Mackey,
Pikelets are like small pancakes, and are delicious with jam and cream! Wanna drop by and have some with me?

Stomper Girl, only a true kindred spirit can congratulate another person on having no dog spew in their life! Thank you for your empathy!

thisisme, I know, I know, ten degrees is nuthin'. But I do like to complain anyway!

Heidi, - yes if your hubby could just fly over here and check our dog out, that would be great! ;-)

Dr Brown, I'm so glad you mentioned crumpets because I *love* crumpets with butter, and a thin smear of vegemite (sorry if this is sacrilege to you!). If it redeems me at all, I don't do anything nasty to pikelets - just sweet toppings only :)

Dr Andrew Brown said...

That's almost exactly how Mum used to serve them: lashings of butter and a smear of Marmite. That's the closest thing we had to Vegemite in the UK in those days. Nowadays you will find Vegemite on the shelves of any large Sainsbury's, but my poor old Mum buttered her last crumpet many years ago.

freefalling said...

Perfectly painted.

Cold????
Cold????
-0.1 a few mornings back, down here.
The whole town was whining.
I LOVE the cold - makes me feel ALIVE! (I hated living on the Gold Coast where every day seemed to be the same).

Ararat is even colder than Melbourne.
I've re-discovered slippers, flannelette sheets and electric blankets. Strangely enough, I grew up with all these thing in QUEENSLAND! Up in Toowoomba on the mountain - it used to get very cold in winter.
Yeah - I know, nothing like in other parts of the world. I can't imagine waking up and having to dig my way out of the front door through the snow.

I had pikelets yesterday.
With butter and strawberry jam.
And crumpets the day before.
With butter and honey and a cup of tea.
YUM!

Kerri said...

Oh yum..pikelets with rasberry jam! I'm on my way over for afternoon tea! (Don't let Laura eat them all...please).
I remember how cold 10ÂșC is in Oz. It feels much colder there than here, believe me!
Perfectly plausible ponderings for mid-week musings I'd say.
I hope all will be well for Ella.

John Cowart said...

From such days the universe is built.

Sorry about the cold there; here in Florida, US, it's swimsuit and tee-shirt weather. I was in the pool yesterday.

Michelle said...

Now this is the kind of novel I would read - short sharp and stimulating!! A few more hints on your patients worries could have made it a tad more interesting though.....but i am happy with teh condensed version.

Alice said...

Hmmmmm, can I skip to the last page, please?....lol.

Not at all, the bad with the good is what life is all about - although I tend to want far more good than bad....don't we all?

Sandy Hatcher-Wallace said...

Hehehehehe....I can't wait for Chapter 355! I always enjoy a good laugh when I come here. Your life sounds so normal, but you have the funniest way of presenting it to us.

Dragonfly said...

I second that statement about the weather dropping below 20. I feel my throat is cut if it is below 25 normally...
And as far as #355......peanut panic? (Hope there are no allergies in your house).

fifi said...

What strikes me is that there is frost on the ground and you're northerer than me.


That was a very sweet image I had of you, wandering and pondering, poking about with your toes into the frozen garden.


Nurofen. Mmmm...I had root canal last thursday, so Laura and I were both intimately acquainted with the stuff .

meggie said...

Ah Jelly, these are the days of our lives!

Thankyou so much for your wonderfully kind thoughts & wishes to me recently.
Greatly appreciated, & very healing.

Alipurr said...

love the alliteration at the end, very funny...

ewww. isn't it terrible when you step in slimy stuff with your bare feet. I haven't stepped in dog puke, but I have stepped on cat puke, slimy snails, big moths in my college apartment shower (now that was really freaky....not something nice for a near sighted person in the morning, ha ha)

hoping you see no more puke, get everything figured out with your patient, and that everything else goes well with your family

passing pleasant perusings per person please

ok, that was pretty bad alliteration

sending happy thoughts to you and your family :)