Up The Farway Tree

Trials and Tribulations

The saga of the last two weeks has been travel insurance. I have phoned around 15 companies (all who specialise in pre existing conditions) and was refused cover by all except one who would cover me for ....£2,400. More than the holiday cost! I had looked into insurance before we decided on Florida and had a policy sussed out where I would pass the initial medical screen thereby not needing to answer in more detail. However one of the questions was about seeing a specialist in last 3 months other than regular check ups. Of course I was at the new pain consultant a few weeks ago and although this is for a chronic problem they did not accept this as a regular check up (this was after much to-ing and fro-ing and discussion with managers etc). What really makes me angry is that I was referred back in October last year but the referral got lost...which is the only reason I had that appointment within 3 months of my trip. Grrrrrr!! Also what I have found to be very ironic is that the transplant is not what causes the insurance problems - it is the CF! The condition that is now least likely to cause me to claim on holiday. Freeman transplant unit are also the only ones in UK who do routine bronchoscopy in the first year - so all those 1 night admissions are counting against me even though it was for testing only. Anyway after some more phone calls the broker I am using has managed to (hopefully) get the £2,400 policy for closer to £1,200. I have yet to see this policy in writing though. I cannot believe that this 2 week saga has altered my perception so much that I now think £1,200 is actually a good quote!!! I think I will be holidaying in Europe for the foreseeable future ;-)

After all that stress it was just as well me and mum had a wee trip to Stobo Castle booked last week as part of our Christmas. We headed over on Thursday afternoon, got straight into the fluffy white bathrobes and floated about the spa for the rest of the day. I had an Indian head massage on the Thursday and a french facial on the Friday morning. The facial was nicer actually as you are lying down and they also do a face/head massage, where as you are sitting up for the Indian head massage which actually started to hurt my back (kind of defeats the purpose). The therapist said my shoulders were so tight she couldn't really make much headway with them but they also had these amazing water jets (like a very very strong shower) in the spa area which really helped my shoulders and neck - although I did keep getting knocked over as it was so strong. I kid you not. The food was lovely and you get to go down to breakfast in your bath robe which I liked :-) I would definitely go back again and would love to stay two nights next time for the ultimate in relaxation. We might start saving now..

Last week we went to a play (The Ching Room and the Moira Monologues) at the Citizens Theatre - it was being directed by someone I went to primary school with so we thought it would be nice to go along. This friend left for Canada at the end of primary and I have not seen her since, until she added me on facebook! We caught up for a quick catch up after the show and it was really nice to see her again....and really strange to find that I recognised her immediately. Apparently I have not changed much since primary school either haha....apart from not having the pony tail with the white ribbon any more ;-) When we were at primary school we spent an entire year making a series of Vampire plays, enrolling various classmates and then performing them for the teacher. Sacha was a key instigator in this so I wasn't surprised to hear she ended up doing theatre studies. Clearly I wasn't that shy at primary school either.

Seb has been getting better when I go away now although still gets huffy when he sees me packing. I actually toyed with the idea of getting another Tibetan Spaniel to keep him company when I'm at work - the breeder is looking for a retirement home for her 7 year old female Belle. I thought it would rather cute to have 'Belle and Sebastian' :-) However I guess it is twice as much work, twice as much cost and maybe he is too old and set in his ways now. I will leave you with a picture I took this morning. The washing pole was lying along the bench and Seb appears to be performing some acrobatic tight rope walking exercise.....please note the small back leg hanging casually off the side of the pole.

"Yes...is there a problem?"