Up The Farway Tree

Ten Lessons of Painting

1. Make sure you haven't got paint on your slippers before wandering around the house
2. Make sure you don't have paint in your hair before going to work
3. Make sure you don't have paint on your glasses before going to work
4. Do not use blade from dissection kit (you got at med school) to scrape paint from glass.  It will snap in two.
5. Try to limit the amount of volatile paint substances you inhale.  You may not sleep. At all.
6. Limit the amount of volatile substances the dog inhales.  The dog might not sleep.  At all.
7. Do not allow dogs with ridiculously large and fluffy tails to wander through newly painted doorways
8. Do not avoid changing into old clothes because you are "just going to touch up this bit so wont spill any paint"
9. Do not use fingers to "blend" paint. You are not doing a piece of art work even if the brushes do look similar
10. Make sure the door can shut easily before adding another inch of paint around the edges. It might jam.

Yes, we have been painting and I have learned a  lot through the process - which is far from complete.  There is lots of dark stained woodwork in the house and we have been talking about painting it since we moved in.  We did paint the skirtings and windows in the dining and living room but I really couldn't tolerate the paint fumes pre transplant - to the point I would be coughing up blood the next day.  However we took a notion at the weekend to start work on the hallway which has a stair case, three glass panelled doors (with 15 tiny panes), lots of skirting boards and, including upstairs and downstairs, 10 doorways that need facings painted.  It is a mammoth task!  The wood is stained dark mahogany and makes the hallway very dark so we are priming all the wood and then painting it white/cream satin.   I have given up on the primer because it made my chest feel a bit funny, so Andrew is priming and I am painting with the satin (it's water based so low fumes).  So far I have finished the staircase, which took ages, and one panelled door.  There is a long way to go but already the hall looks brighter and bigger, so we are really pleased with how it is looking.  This is the start of house decorating which has been put off for so long and since we are going to be doing the extension, we thought it best to get started.  There is still no word on building warrant but it can't be too much longer..

It seems to have been a really quick week, probably because been busy painting when not at work.  I caught up with my friend Alison on Thursday which was great and tonight we are going through to Edinburgh for Jennifer's birthday.   Yesterday I met with a psychologist from the sleep research centre in Glasgow whom I arranged to me to discuss a patient, so that was really interesting and I now have a pile of articles to read.  I am rather keen doing that on my day off but I plan to take back the time when I get the chance -probably go in later one morning because the chances of leaving early are pretty remote.  I also had my consultant at work fill in a citation explaining why I should be an affiliate of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, so that was approved and I can now get the journal and attend meetings etc.   You are automatically a member once you sit all the membership exams but my route through psychiatry has been different because I haven't been able to sit the exams yet have been working in this area for a long time and would benefit from membership.  They therefore have the affiliateship to the college as an alternative.  Still costs me a pretty penny though..

Anyway tomorrow is the end of National transplant week so it will be interesting to see what statistics are on the organ donor register sign up rates.  My little poll showed that most of my blog readers were already registered - only 2 said they weren't and one signed as a result of the post.  It is not surprising that readers of my blog are more likely to be registered (I go on about it enough!) but there was also a large proportion of doctors signing the poll after I posted in on the doctors forum - so encouraging to see we at least practice what we preach.  I am probably preaching to the converted via this blog but will consider some other ideas of reaching people who have not been educated about organ donation.  Any thoughts welcome :-)