Ranty pants goes to the doctor

Today I went to the doctor. It was just to talk about the fluid I've had in my ears for 2 weeks. But he decided to take the opportunity to play "Twenty Questions".

"So, how's your pain?"
"It's worse than ever" I reply.
"What's changed lately?"
"Well, nothing really. I have hypermobile joint syndrome."
"Yes, I see that. But you would have known about that all your life, right?"
"No."
"Oh well. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Really. I shouldn't worry about the severe & chronic pain I suffer every single day. About my pelvis & upper back subluxating at least once a day. Huh. Good to know. I wish I had known that when I was spending the last few days in tears scared I can't breed because my pelvis won't cope with pregnancy, that this condition is inherited & the drugs I am on are not conducive to baby-making.

"Well, I wouldn't if it didn't hurt so much", I say. "I'm really only here because my ears have been blocked for a fortnight."

"Yeah, well it says here benign hypermobile joint syndrome, see?"

You're an Arse. Don't you know the difference between hypermobile joints & benign hypermobile joint syndrome? One means you're a little bit more flexi than average. The other one stalks you like death. It changes the way you live your life. It's like the difference between CF & ME/CFS. It's the difference between a headache & migraine. A cold & pneumonia. Do they not teach you anything at school these days? You are an Arse & if I didn't need you & your prescription pad I would tell you that you are an Arse.

Maybe you can tell I don't really like doctors all that much. This one had a band-aid on his finger that looked like it had been there a week; fraying & dirty. He asked me about my meds but didn't know any of them when I told him. When I stood to leave he didn't move toward the door to see me out. I waited politely & then opened the door & let myself out.

Extreme recycling

Recycling at our place (with help from Dad) has really taken off. At our new home I've been amazed at what we can recycle. Back living in an apartment in The Big City we'd separate our waste from paper, plastics & glass & that seemed alright. But I've attained a whole new level of recycling now we've got a spot with a section. It's a level I like to call "extreme recycling". Yeah.

The bird feeder

Crusts & mouldy bread rates pretty highly with the birdlife at our place. They also get our apple & pear cores (and any other fruit bits), fat (skimmed from the top of the Chicken soup for the curiously sensitive soul). Cooked rice that has been sitting in the fridge for a day too long is very popular, as are the flax seed innards from my recently worn through heat pack.

The birds do very well out of this deal & I have to admit to supplementing their diet with seeds bought from the store as well as jam. But mostly they just eat what we have left over. They get a feed, I love watching the birds & so does my cat.

The worm farm

The worms eat pretty much anything the birds don't. Except meat & dairy. Which is fine because we don't eat those either, except for the chicken. The worms enjoy the vege trimmings & peelings. Vege that sat in the fridge a day too long they love. Egg shells are good in there too. Plus this is where any paper or cardboard that has already been recycled (e.g. egg cartons) go. The worms are going gangbusters, to my amazement. I honestly thought they'd all be dead inside eight weeks. The worm farm is in a shed out the back. I don't think they'd have coped with the snow the other week.

The worm farm itself is made from recycled bins that were left at the property when we moved in, with a bit of info on how to build a worm farm from ye olde internet.

I got a council subsidised "Bokashi Bin" as well, but the worms are developing quite an appetite & I might not be using it much longer.

After that we do the glass/plastics/paper/cardboard separating & what's left is not much.

We've also (thanks to my Dad), had some joy recycling some other bits & pieces.

So far our "new" house has gained:

•  1 recycled rimu lounge floor
• 1 shower door, circa 1970s. It was in the family house when we moved in & it wasn't new then. It's now our shower door.
• 1 glass panel door, origin unknown (that is, Dad was asked to store it by someone who has never returned to collect it. Dad can't remember who that was). The door is not an exact fit for the doorway. Actually there's an inch gap at the bottom.
• 1 weather proofing strip. I can't remember how long Dad said this had been sitting upstairs at the shop. Maybe 10 years.

Dad's threatening to clean out his garage. Better get out my shopping list.