Always choose your battles-carefully

I'm glad, on reflection, that I decided to let the Homes for Haringey situation go. It's very unlike me to avoid a fight-especially when I believe I am in the right. But I remember at the time, my GP was the one who suggested that I think about whether my reputation with Haringey is important enough to go to the media and start a war - a war which I would never win, given that H for H will never change (until someone changes the law, and that only happens once every 300 years or so).

I mention this because I'm in a much more important war: I'm in litigation with Barts and the London, and that is a fight I will continue until the courts decide in my favor. I mention THIS because I had a phone call from my solicitor yesterday. The specialist consultant who is preparing a report wants to see me before he writes his update. And that will be on Monday. He is the fifth specialist I have seen, and the fifth to categorically state that this whole affair is down to negligence on the part of the two idiots, Sofia (the crippler) Grigoriadou and Phil (not so) Bright. And this specialist is happy to put that in writing - in case Barts decides to go to court.

I told my solicitor that I'm not going to quit, and she needs to inform Barts that if they keep wasting my time, I can hear the kerching of the settlement growing higher and higher.

This  is what I mean by choosing your battles. I would rather say hang the reputation, because the people who count know who I am, and the rest can go jump in front of a speeding train (I've cleaned that up!! I was actually thinking what they could do to themselves!!).

I'm fighting for the money. I'm fighting for compensation. I want Barts to admit culpability, and I want them to pay for the ordeal of the past two years, as well as the lifetime ordeal they have caused - and the suffering, which really has no price.

My theory is: if the financial penalty is severe enough, this will not happen to anyone else, because the hospital will ensure their resident idiots are careful in the future.

There is no such thing as a class action suit in this country. In fact, the laws are such that I'm surprised that anyone gets paid at all. Gentamicin is so toxic, it needs to be withdrawn from the market. There are other drugs that are just as effective; sadly, gentamicin is cheap, and that's why it is still in use.

Meanwhile, I am back to eating something that is recognizable as food (and my broccoli is actually green!!). I'm also walking, although my balance has suffered badly since I developed this chest infection. The only thing that stopped me from falling over this morning was the wall that was next to me!!

I am persevering, though; I'm too afraid not to!!!!!