Here I was, going to make a joke about the revenge of the chocolate bunnies, when all hell seemed to break loose.
For starters, I got told off for complaining about not being able to gain weight. This was from people who are always on a diet. Believe me, for years I was also on a diet. And now, no matter how much I stuff my face, I'm unable to gain the weight. So trust me when I say that I know what it's like. And I told my friend who is always whingeing about the fact that she's too fat (she isn't) that she should stop worrying and just enjoy life. What an oops!
The colorectal people took nearly five weeks-FIVE weeks!!- to suddenly decide that the biopsy results are inconclusive. They were supposed to order some really important tests-but didn't. Instead, they discharged me without contacting me about anything - excuse me! Here, I thought that I was the patient! They left the tests to my GP, who has been jumping up and down and calling them incompetent (they are). So the immunologist is dealing with everything-and it isn't even her job to do that. But nobody else will, so she's stuck with me. For now.
And I'm still extremely underweight and feeling like a bucket of fertilizer (I'm being so polite, aren't I?). Nobody has a clue. And the best thing I can do at the moment is keep eating, but be mindful of the things I'm eating. My stomach tells me now when I've eaten something it doesn't like.
That is the whole colorectal story, and how, when the NHS is good, it's fine, but when it's bad (like it has been), it is a total pile of shit (so much for being polite). But-at the moment, there are other things on my mind. Like: the complaint I made with the Ombudsman about the London Borough of Haringey.
Now-bearing in mind that in the many decades I've lived in this country, the only council property I've ever rented is this one, it has been a real eye-opener. No wonder the tabloids are filled with horror stories about abuse, rats (the two legged as well as the four legged), crime, everything you can possibly think of - and nothing is ever done to help people who need it.
The Ombudsman found in my favor-did I tell you? And I've been given an award, while the council has had a strongly worded criticism. I'm still waiting for the money-and if the council doesn't cough it up, on Monday I'm to inform the Ombudsman. That won't go down well, since Haringey is one of the worst boroughs in London.
To make matters even greater-I received an email from the Ombudsman last week. The complaint I made about favoritism, incompetence and racism on the part of the tenancy management team is now being taken up by the Ombudsman as a separate issue. I seem to be making friends everywhere in the council, don't I?
The lesson here is clear-at least it is for me. Nobody will speak up for me if I don't speak up for myself. Honestly, if you're a woman (of any age), and you're on your own, there are people who will abuse you, threaten you, try to frighten you, do whatever they can to assert their authority (even if they have none). If you don't stand up and fight for yourself and your rights, don't count on anyone else to do it for you-or even to help you do it for yourself.
Maybe I should invest in some boxing gloves. And a suit of armor...
