northallerton hospital and david hockney

Today l had my appointment at Northallerton Hospital for another ECG and an Echo scan thingie on my heart, which was pretty cool as l could watch it pumping away on the computer while they were doing it. Also had more blood pressure checks, all OK. After all the tests it turns out l am exactly the right height for a man (spot on - six foot), blood pressure is fine, and l have the heart of a lion, or maybe even an ox. What they do think though (l saw the consultant after all the tests) is my heart slows down and stops working, probably the top part of it. It then kicks in again (thank you lower part) and it's back to normal. this apparently will not kill me (damn!) but it has to be sorted. I have to go back to get a recorder inserted into my chest, then when l next collapse, l have another part to attach to it so it can record what has happened. It will probably then be pacemaker time (already been given the leaflet). I am now waiting for an appointment for the recorder to be put in, it's the size of a memory stick and goes at the top of my chest, my left side. I was also informed that people who die unexpectedly (say while playing football), usually flake out because their hearts go too fast. Mine is just too laid back. I was saying earlier on to the FPO that l would not be surprised if it just shut off when l am out in the pub and am finding people boring. That would explain a lot.

Also went to the David Hockney exhibition which was also in Northallerton. Not really a lot there, as most of the stuff was from 1969, work done for the Grimms Fairy Tales book. Still interesting and l have to make sure l keep on my toes and put the hours in. It's all culture and dicky hearts around these parts!

That's it for now, off to work again for another waking night (l did one last night as well), as l foolishly volunteered. Gives me a chance to doss about though, as there is no work l can be getting on with while l am there. That means reading, watching todays footie and listening to my ipod. Superb. Back home at 8am then it's a couple of hours kip, pub, footie and mayhem (if the heart lasts out).

toodle pip