Nuffield clinic visit

I slept fairly well, and thanks to Clare, usually getting up before me and phoning the surgery on my behalf I was given a mid morning appointment with Dr Dyban, in which I was able to discuss the impact of my medication regimen and how to mitigate this by spacing differently ones with combined side effects that affect my quality of life. She reported back to UHW cardiology that I had been too poorly to attend for the fitting of a 24/7 blood pressure monitor, due to the effect of the clot dispersal medication, just in case the letter I sent had not been read and noted. It was a good conversation with no added prescription to take away with me, just a suggestion to take the blood pressure medication after lunch. My head is fairly clear, even if my blood pressure is high. As long as I relax and don't drive myself hard when I exercise I won't be making things worse. My shoulder joints have improved since my physio session with Clive yesterday. The numbness and tingling in my left arm hasn't gone away but doesn't vary in intensity so much as it did, perhaps because there's less pressure on nerve endings from stiff muscles. The strained right shoulder isn't so painful either.

America and Iran have signed a peace deal, but Israel continues to attack Hezbollah targets in Lebanon despite the Memorandum of Understanding stating that Israel's occupation of Lebanon will not continue. Shipping may be moving through the Straight of Hormuz and the American blockade of Iranian ports may be lifted at the moment, but for how long? Israel isn't safe from attacks by Iran's allies whatever moves it makes. America and Israel did not succeed in sparking a successful revolt against the Iranian regime. The regime change they achieved resulted in a more hard line leadership, daring to resist Western might. 

Despite the destruction of much of its military hardware and infrastructure, Iran is still able to fire missiles at any American supporting Gulf state, and still holds the geographically strategic asset of the Straight of Hormuz. Leading Democrats assert that Trump didn't start the war with any plan of how it would end. Diplomatic negotiations are finally taking place, but America is now in a weaker position, having failed to think things through thoroughly, with Trump treating the whole affair like a deal making game show, relying on uncertainty, making things up as he goes along.

While I was out at the surgery Clare went shopping. I made a seafood paella for lunch on her return. It's the first time I've done that for a long while. My head was swimming, as is often the case late mornings, due to the impact of medication on my stomach. I feel better as soon as I start eating, but never feel hungry, just more light headed than usual. 

Once I added the mixture of fish pieces at the end of cooking the rice and veg, I 'irrigated' the paella with a generous dose of Sauvignon Blanc, as I didn't have a whole lemon to use. It tasted good. I allowed myself a glass to drink with lunch as well, thankfully without ill effect. It's pleasing to know I've not lost my touch in cooking one of my 'signature' dishes.

Again, I took my blood pressure pill after eating and noticed less ill effect than when I take it with the other meds in the morning. That's an encouraging finding confirming the value of Dr Dyban's suggestion.

Clare and I took a taxi to the Cardiff Bay Nuffield clinic at tea time for an appointment about her increasingly painful hip joint. Dr Mohenty the surgeon who did her hip replacement examined her and established that there was inflammation in the lining of a group of muscles at the top of the hip bone. He injected the area with a mixture of anti-inflammatory and anaesthetic drugs, and prescribed her more physiotherapy sessions. We missed a number nine bus that would have taken us to the bus interchange in the city centre, and ordered a taxi to take us home, just too late to hear 'The Archers' live, so we listened on BBC Sounds as we got supper ready.

I watched a couple of episodes of 'Panda', the rather eccentric downbeat family comedy detective series, with love stories, confusing to follow on times. I'm still not sure what to make of it. Lightweight escapist entertainment, observing relationships in a quirky way. And so to bed.

Election news

Another damp overcast day, but I had a good night's sleep, and posted today's YouTube Morning Prayer link to WhatsApp when I got up at nine. I went to the Eucharist at St Catherine's. There were a dozen of us this morning. I collected my medication prescription on the way home and cooked a savoury veg and tuna dish for lunch. Afterwards, Clare went to Peter for an acupuncture appointment and I went to Clive for an osteo-massage appointment. Somehow an element of chaos crept into the situation, starting with the fact that Clare had double booked herself for both. I took on her appointment with Clive as I was intending to have a treatment on my strained shoulder joint. So far so good. I turned up to his place, rang the bell but got no answer. I called him to check if I had the time right, got his answering machine and left a message explaining that something had gone wrong, then walked home. 

Half an hour later he called and offered me an appointment in half an hour's time. I retraced my steps, rang the bell and got no answer a second time. I realised something else must be wrong and called Clare again. Only then did I discover I had the incorrect house number in my appointment diary, and my Contacts file had no address for him at all! Anyway, this time he was expecting me, and gave me a treatment which was beneficial to both shoulders. His practice website is marked as closed. I think he may be winding down towards retirement and isn't taking any new clients.

When I returned I found Clare in bed. Her hip is giving her a lot of pain despite this afternoon's treatment. I took supper upstairs to her on a tray. I felt a bit nervous about doing this as I was feeling light headed, and a bit unsteady. Maybe it was just tiredness after quite a physical treatment. It's made a difference to my shoulders, that's for sure. Hopefully I'll feel better after another good night's sleep.

Traffic is moving through the Straight of Hormuz. Global oil reserves are critically low and will take months to replenish, also for the industrial economy as a whole to recover from shortages of other raw materials and export commodities. The US blockade on Iranian ports has  been lifted, and Iran has agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons programme. Negotiations about the destruction of its enriched uranium stocks overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency will take place during the sixty day truce agreed in the 'Memorandum of Understanding' as the context for peace negotiations. Details are being slowly released, but it won't be signed until Friday. 

Things could still go wrong, and meanwhile Trump issues coercive threats to Iran to 'behave'. It's such foolish and demeaning talk when Iran has shown it still can close the Straights and perform retaliatory attacks to paralyse American supporting states in the Middle East. Uncertainty continues to prevail, as it has done for months.

The election of the Dean of Bangor Manon Ceidwen James as the next Bishop of Bangor was announced this evening. She was instrumental in the establishment of the St Padarn's Institute for ministerial training in the Church in Wales, the successor to St Michael's College in the same buildings in Llandaff. Following a troubled period in the life of Bangor Cathedral and Diocese she was appointed to help restore the Cathedral's reputation. She is now elected to the same role for the diocese, regarded as a safe pair of hands no doubt, entrusted to the sensitive task of rebuilding trust and confidence after a period of contention and dismay over the failure of leadership and erosion of authority in recent years.

Resilience

Another overcast and warm day. I failed to get a good night's sleep as painful trapped wind woke me up at first light. I took the platelet dispersal medication with breakfast and delayed taking the blood pressure pill to see what difference it made. Any time I don't get enough good sleep I expect to feel worse after taking all my meds. I was certainly aware this morning of how strong the ill effects of the former are, taken on its own. I took the blood pressure pill after lunch, and this didn't make me feel worse, just light headed with  thinking and senses less dulled than previously. 

I walked in Llandaff Fields for an hour. I saw a heron flying down the Taff and an egret wading near the weir. It's been a while since I've seen either bird and I was starting to wonder if they'd deserted us. A large tree trunk rests on the top edge of the weir. It was uprooted during winter storms and carried downstream when the Taff water level was very high. The water washed its roots clean of all soil within a short while of landing there. I thought it was dead and being leached of its sap by the water, but I noticed today that in several places on the trunk twigs have sprouted and bunches of young green leaves are flourishing. Such natural resilience!

When I got back home I slept in my arm chair for another hour. By supper time my head was even clearer. Rachel called. We chatted for an hour and a quarter on WhatsApp, and then it was time for bed.

Formalities relating to the truce between America and Iran will conclude with the Memorandum of Understanding due to be signed on Friday. Details of the content have not yet been released, much to the annoyance of Trump's critics. There's no clarity about how peace talks will work out. Trump is clear that Iran will not have nuclear weapons or the means to manufacture them. Details of the disposal of Iran's stock of enriched uranium are yet to be worked out fully, but at least the reinstatement of traffic through the Straight of Hormuz can proceed, provided that clearance of mines from the waterways can be achieved safely. Oil prices have dropped, and the price of related stocks has risen, but it will take time for the status quo ante to return. Trump has openly rebuked Netanyahu, as Israeli forces continue to bombard Beirut in its attempt to defeat Hezbollah. Iran regards this as violating the cease fire, adding continued uncertainty to a process overshadowed by mutual distrust.

Hormuz unblocked

Cloudy today, but warmer. I slept fairly well and woke up clear headed but that didn't last after taking my meds. The Prime Minister has announced a ban on social media for children under sixteen, in the light of the established harmful effects of addictive algorithms on young minds. It's about time this happened in my opinion. Every aspect of internet communication is capable of being exploited to hijack attention and make money from information gleaned about our interests and concerns. We're being manipulated by programming technology over which we have little control and even less accountability. 

AI puts us all at even greater risk of unforeseen unintended consequences from erroneous information and deliberate falsehoods. The spread of disinformation via 'fake news' on social media to deliver propaganda and  stir up unrest is already playing a part in cyber warfare. Recently a research team demonstrated the danger, planting fictional medical information with nonsensical citations from fake source material. It was picked up by AI bots and presented as authoritative without question. Painstaking verification of authentic data takes time, and the poison of misinformation spread by the internet can be potentially damaging and even dangerous meanwhile.

Iran and America signed the 'Memorandum of Understanding' agreement in Geneva, the immediate result of which will be the opening of the Straight of Hormuz to maritime traffic and the blockade of Iranian oil exporting ports will end. There will be a sixty day truce during which peace negotiations will take place, but there is little detail about what the talks are intended to achieve.

An estimated 750 ships are still trapped there since the war started with an estimated 20,000 seafarers between them. The agreement is being declared as a win for both sides. Iran has demonstrated its power to resist American might. Trump claims he's delivered a solution to a problem which his foolish ill-judged and very costly aggression caused. Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon continues and Hezbollah targets in Beirut are being bombed despite the the cease-fire. Will this 'Memorandum of Understanding' make it possible for a cease-fire to take hold and stabilise the situation? It remains to be seen.

Clare wanted to turn the big mattress on the double bed this morning and asked for my help. It turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated. The weakness of my strained right shoulder and aged muscles made heavy lifting too risky. We had to settle for turning the mattress around on its vertical axis instead of flipping it over horizontally. I hate getting old and losing the ability to do things I once took in my stride! When my brain clouds over with fatigue or the impact of medication, I notice how my cognitive function slows down. I make more typos, and when it's really poor, stop what I'm doing completely out of caution against making mistakes. It slows down anything I'm trying to get done, although my mind seems to continue to work at its usual pace, disconnected from the exterior world.

We had chickpea curry for lunch. I dozed in my armchair after eating, then walked for over an hour to clear my head. Clare had supper early and went out to choir practice. I watched a couple of episodes of 'Panda' and after that got ready for another early night.

Geneva in lockdown

A good night's sleep, waking up clear headed and refreshed to sunshine and warmer weather. After breakfast and taking the meds my head went foggy again. Is it something to do with the combined effect of the different drugs? I went to St Catherine's for the Parish Eucharist, while Clare and Kath went into town to check out a venue to hold our Diamond Wedding anniversary family feast. 

This afternoon, we had a phone call from our dear friend Gill Howie in Geneva to tell us she's moved into a retirement home in Grand Sacconnex. It's the first time we've spoken for a year. She couldn't get through to exchange greetings with us last Christmas because of the mess TalkTalk made of transferring our phone number to British Telecom. She said there'd only been an on-line service at Holy Trinity Geneva today as Geneva is on lock-down due to Trump's visit with the expectation of potentially violent protest against the war. 

Just as the cease fire was due to be signed between America and Iran in Geneva, Israel bombed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon again despite the ceasefire supposed to be in effect there. Inevitably this will delay the conclusion of the negotiations Trump has been touting for months. Trump has openly urged Netanyahu  not to attack Lebanon at this pivotal moment, but is he being listened to? A former Israeli ambassador to the USA expressed the view that Trump's annoyance with Israel reveals his recognition that Netanyahu is trying to undermine him. Whether it's true or not, it suggests he's not taking Trump seriously and misled him into making an alliance against Iran that has not delivered the success anticipated. Iran has emerged from the war stronger and more emboldened, while Israel now faces a less favourable regional balance It sounds to me like a retired diplomat speaking who disapproves of his country's leadership.

Kath left us for Kenilworth after lunch. Clare and I went to the Co-op to buy some coffee and kefir as we'd run out of both this morning. Then I walked in Llandaff Fields until supper time and resisting the temptation to watch telly, I got ready for bed early. 

Kath for the weekend

It seems I need to be in bed and ready for sleep before ten, just after sunset at the moment, to be sure of a good night's sleep.  First light is just before five at the moment, and the sky is often bright so I've taken to wearing a blindfold early morning in an attempt to prolong sleep time. Clare was up before me cooking breakfast pancakes. It takes me an hour or so for my head to clear, wake up properly and get on with the day. Sometimes it takes much longer. The morning just ebbs away with little achieved.

Details of the peace deal between America and Iran are being revealed, but Israel continues bombing Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, America again exchanges fire with Iran in the blockaded Straight of Hormuz. Trump keeps promoting promised progress. Is there any substance to his assertions? Trump claims there will be a signing tomorrow, but the Iranians are reluctant to commit, resisting Trump's efforts to control the narrative, which he's been trying to do from the outset. Damage to the American economy due to paralysis of trade through the Straight of Hormuz is resulting in American opposition to the war increasing and unpopularity for Trump whose cheerleader tactics further undermine his credibility.

Kath arrived at lunchtime, having spent last night catching up with her friend Emma. We had lunch in the sunshine under the garden umbrella. Then Clare and Kath went to see a dance performance at Chapter Arts, while I walked in Llandaff and Pontcanna Fields in a vain effort to clear my foggy head with fresh air. We had delicious swordfish steaks for supper. I risked drinking a glass of red Bordeaux wine to go with it, the first wine I've drunk since Christmas. I enjoyed the taste, and am crossing my fingers that it won't mess with my digestion tonight. I walked for half an hour after the meal, then we spent the rest of the evening chatting and planning the celebration of our diamond wedding when the family gathers for our sixtieth anniversary on the sixth of August. It's hard to grasp that we've been together that long - actually it's sixty three years since we met. Am I really that old? The answer is yes. These days I need to go to bed so much earlier, even before sunset, and suffer if I don't.

Truce talks announcement

Another dull overcast day. I woke up at first light and heard the garden blackbird singing. I benefited from getting to bed earlier somehow, but was awake for three hours  out of nearly eleven in bed. Bladder and bowel irritation in the night is inescapable and daunting. The impact of medication after I get up makes it hard to get started. Even if I don't feel tired, my senses are dulled, reactions slow, I'm not fully alert. I find it unnerving.

Artist David Hockney has died. His varied body of creative work embracing photography, stained glass, theatre design and painting invites people to notice things and see them in a new light. It's one the most important contributions any creative person can make. It's no wonder he has enjoyed popular acclaim.

Trump has called off strikes on Iran, claiming yet again that a peace deal to extend the cease fire and open the Straight of Hormuz is imminent. During the day, Pakistani mediators confirmed an agreement has been reached. Possibly this will be signed in Geneva while the G7 summit takes place in nearby Evian. That would be a suitably theatrical occasion for Trump to claim success. Israel's assault on Hezbollah in Lebanon continues unabated. If Netanyahu ignored Trump's calls for restraint, Iran would persist with retaliatory strikes against Israel, halting peace talks again. Netanyahu is facing criticism at home for doing Trump's bidding, as well as open criticism of his unilateral actions from Trump himself. It remains to be seen whether a 'memorandum of understanding' setting the agenda for future talks, will help de-escalate the situation or do anything to bring Israeli occupation of Lebanon to an end.

This evening we went to Chapter Arts centre for the launch of Diana Morgan's new book 'Sojourn with Ice Cream, the second in a trilogy she's writing about an elderly widow who is an intuitive listener to others in need of quiet understanding and support. She spoke about her main character and read passages to her audience. Several people were present whom we have as mutual friends.

Thankfully my head was fairly clear. We were home again by nine, and aiming for another early night.