Directions
Barry and I are different in the way we approach matters. He plans carefully and for every eventuality. I have a more cavalier attitude, plan marginally and rely on things behaving as they always have, forgetting about the time the car ran out of fuel, or the fact that dark clouds often foretell rain. (I’m not really that bad, just by comparison . . . )
So, yesterday, as we set off in the car, we had two Sat Navs telling us which road to take and where to turn after so many yards/miles. Both gadgets employ soothing female voices, with some strange pronunciations, which make us smile. They don’t utter simultaneously – there is a slight hiatus between the two.
We were some way into our journey, actually approaching the end point, when the devices started contradicting each other. We had left plenty of time to reach our destination, so were not unduly worried. Well, I wasn’t. Barry tends to get a bit huffy about such things.
Anyway, we finally arrived and then had to find a parking place. We had noticed cars parked along the approach road, and even backed up on grassy slopes. Having eventually found a rather muddy spot, he decided it was too far for me to walk, so drove back to the entrance of the hospital. I haven’t been able to walk more than one hundred yards since July without considerable pain, but wanted to get Barry through all his unexpected appointments before embarking on any investigations for me.
I have been having physiotherapy for my back, which has helped with the pain and the posture, but my lovely physiotherapist thought I should see a spinal consultant, just to make sure there was nothing going on that she couldn’t detect. The consultant, dressed rather pleasingly and reassuringly in smart casual wear – checked shirt, no tie, dark trousers – asked all the usual questions, expressed surprise that I wasn‘t on any medications (I thank my parents for my good genes) made me do a few tricks and then said I should go back for an MRI scan.
So that’s next on the agenda!
I am quite pedantic when preparing for an event, including the exact time to be arrive, the route to take, the clothes to wear etc etc. Do you think my husband, a radiologist, should do MRI scans on me? By the way, he is VERY cavalier :)
ReplyDeleteOpposites attract, so it is said. 😉
DeleteI like to plan, Carlos likes to fly by the seat of his pants. But it works more often than it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteIt's worked well enough for us for many decades. 😁
DeleteSending healing thoughts your way!
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteI like to plan too, but so often plans go awry because the buses aren't running to schedule. So I plan without an exact time for arriving or coming home, as long as it isn't an appointment outing, and I need to be home before dark. I'm too old to be running away from muggers.
ReplyDeleteDepending on others, whether public transport or friends/family can disrupt plans mightily.
DeleteI like to see a map, to see the whole journey, then the sat nav can say what it likes, and I feel safe. Hope your back improves.
ReplyDeleteSat navs so often get it wrong and you end up on a farm track. It makes life interesting!
DeleteLove the contrasting styles of you and Barry! Interesting to see how different personalities navigate life's little adventures!
ReplyDelete(My latest post: Blog post comments and replies on Google's Blogger)
It can lead to little storms at times, too.😉
DeleteI do hope this leads to less pain and better mobility for you. I'm the one who is always calculating what time we need to leave to go any place and all the tiresome details. My husband doesn't, knowing that I certainly will.
ReplyDeleteWe each have our role to play . . . 😁
DeleteThe pronunciation mangling of names does amuse me. Google Maps does better than the car sat nav.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what it would be like to be in a relationship with someone who thinks exactly yourself. Rather boring, I should think.
I sorry to hear of your severe back issues. My own spinal issues are quite enough, but I can mostly walk distances by lunch time.
I suppose it would be easier to live with someone who lives their life in the same way, but, as you say, rather boring. There are days when boring would be quite restful, though!
DeleteI am very sorry that your back is causing you such pain. A slipped disc several years ago taught me how debilitating chronic back pain could be. I hope you find answers and some relief.
ReplyDeleteI am the planner in our relationship...down to the minutest detail (a touch of OCD). P is more last minute panic.
I have to leave the room when Barry starts planning as I soon end up with a headache, listening to all the possibilities and potential pitfalls. A touch of OCD is not always a bad thing. 😁
DeleteSat Navs - they can be so much fun. I remember having a 'boy band' voice on ours. It sang every time we came to a roundabout. My husband got more and more cross. We, on the other hand, were singing along and crying with laughter. Husband was not a happy bunny, to put it mildly.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the joy of a good physio. Best of luck with all of this - pain is not nice. Wishing you well!
Choosing the Sat nav voice is fun, too. I don't think we staid Brits have a boy band choice, though I could be mistaken. It would drive me up the wall, too - not a good idea in a car!
DeleteHi Janice - I'm glad it's getting sorted ... I too have good genes and seem to just keep going ... and one time turned up at someone's house in Cornwall ... and was asked how I got there ... using my brain I answered!! But yes - I do prepare (vaguely) ... and always have - my parents' influence again ... post war and all the poor roads. Now I think how on earth do people set out on cold snowy days ill prepared ... Cheers - all the best - Hilary
ReplyDeleteYes, there's casual and there's ill-prepared.
DeleteThank goodness for good genes and sensible parents.
Hope you get your back sorted soon, I have a weak back, so I understand to a point, yours sounds much worse, hubby does all the planning here, I enjoy the ride.
ReplyDeleteI find it's easier to let Barry do the planning and he enjoys it . . . I think!
DeleteBack care is so important
ReplyDeleteIt is. We should really still be walking around on all fours.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear this is why you had to make a trip. Sometimes I like that the navigation system tells us which way to go, but other times I know for a very good fact, that it's telling us the wrong way to go. Hope you work things out so that by Spring you're feeling much better.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynn. I really want to get out into the forest again with the dogs.
DeleteI don't think I could handle an MRI, psychologically.
ReplyDeleteThe one I'm going into is a 'feet first' job, so I'm quite relieved about that. I just hope it will be a 30 minute thing rather than two hours!
DeleteIt's the other way around with Jos and me :-) but I definitely got experience with two contradicting Sat Nav's ... Anyway, not being able to walk more than one hundred yards sounds quite serious. Good luck with the MRI! xxx
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'd do better on all fours . . . 😂🤣
DeleteI am sorry to hear of your mobility problems. I have arrived late at Jabblog and missed all of that stuff. What do the initials MRI stand for? Make Ratatouille Instead! Sounds better than lying on your back thinking of England.
ReplyDeleteMice React Instinctively. Mothers Raise Infants. More Respect Involved.
DeleteI have an old back injury that plays up from time to time. So I have much sympathy for your pain.
ReplyDeleteWe're meant to be quadrupeds.
DeleteAs someone whose back also causes a few issues I do sympathise with you. I do hope the MRI scan goes well and you are able to find an answer to your problem and hopefully some relief from it.
ReplyDeleteSending positive thoughts and good wishes.
All the best Jan
Thank you, Jan. Back problems seem to plague a lot of people.
DeleteI sympathise with you as my mobility is poor, having had two operations three years ago; it is frustrating when one has always been active. I hope that things improve for you! Sending you good wishes. 😁
ReplyDeleteTwo back operations sounds alarming. I hope it solved the problem.
DeleteSorry about the back pain.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is so good at directions. He's very detailed. He's good at NSEW and basically going in the right direction. Me? I can't find my way out of a paper bag lol. I'd get lost.