Diwali

The first engagement today was at Leicester General Hospital to monitor the state of my right hip. The prosthesis has slipped but so far X-rays have shown that it has stabilised. I expected to be told that as it hadn't slipped any further, the NHS would put me on a nine month list before X-raying it again.

Not so this time. The radiographers examined my right knee as well as my pelvis, the revised left hip and then the right  hip. The very pleasant young consultant told me he wanted to refer me to his colleague at Glenfield Hospital who might consider a revision of the right hip. That's serious stuff. It took six hours on the operating table to do the left one. But if it leaves me better able to walk, I shall not resist.

This consultant brought up the strong possibility that the poor condition of the right hip was affecting my right knee which does ache a lot and does not respond to movement in the way it should. The X-ray shows that there is now nothing wrong with it after the replacement three years ago. Ironically, I first presented at the orthopaedic clinic 13 years ago complaining about severe pain in my knee. The registrar on that occasion said that it was due to my hip. How things go in circles!

Even better, the consultant said he'd pursue the Balance Clinic and physiotherapy on my behalf. I began to think that somebody cared.

We returned on the ring road to the huge Sainsbury's at Hamilton. I got to do the shopping this time. And what should greet me on my entry into the store but this large statue of Ganesha, the elephant headed son of the god Shiva and his consort Parvati.

Ganesh is variously the god of wisdom, luck and new beginnings. He is associated with Diwali at the start of the Hindu new year, the Festival of Light which is in progress now.

Doesn't it seem serendipitous that I should see him just after my trip to the hospital?

We left Sainsbury's and drove into Leicester along the city's Golden Mile, so called because of all the gold shops along the route. Leicester's Diwali celebrations are supposedly the biggest outside India.

Toasted sandwich, latte and ice cream at Café Piero, then to William's school to collect him after his school day. We took him to the play park but it was raining so we quickly adjourned to Morrisons for tea.