Your day (apart from gardening) what took place ? 2024

A lot of chocolate now has various stuff in it to mimic cocoa mass so this can be reduced, making it cheaper. Vanilla is added to disguise the taste of mould growing on the cocoa beans. And much of it contains high levels of lead as the beans are stored in heaps at the roadside.

I do check the ingredients. I am fine with cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar and an emulsifier, but anything else I leave on the shelf.

Some info ...


What’s really inside your bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk?

 

Anything with palm oil or palm sugar gets left on the shelf.

 

Yesterday actually.....
I kept my appointment at Spa-medica, a clinic specialising in cataract operations.

Spec.... a nationwide opticians had referred me there thinking both my eyes needed the operation.

Imagine my relief when, after a thorough examination, the Optician told me that I do not need any surgery -- Phew !!

 

Not just the chain you went to, @Cordy. A neighbour was referred by another optician, a national pharmacy chain, and on examination, was told she didn’t need cataract surgery. And a friend referred to hospital by an independent optician, having been diagnosed with a hole in the retina. Turned out it wasn’t, and something minor instead. OH cynically remarked that he was surprised that the private company doing the surgery on behalf of the NHS didn’t go ahead anyway, to claim the fee.

 

As someone who has benefitted from cataract surgery on my second eye at a private company used by the NHS, I'm really grateful.

 

It seems like a very good system, @ViewAhead, and obviously not being abused either. My friend only had to wait four weeks from referral to consultation, and if she had needed treatment, had been quoted another four weeks. Almost instantaneous compared with some waits for treatment!

 

Wait at my local NHS eye clinic (walking distance from home) - over 2 yrs. Wait for Optegra, about an hr's drive away - 4 weeks till assessment, then 5 till surgery.

 

Spa-medica are a private company used by the NHS, they have 51 clinics.
The clinic that I went to at Newton Le Willows is a brand new property, about 3 miles from my home -- waiting time was less than 1 week.

 

What's the average cost per eye for cataracts done privately? My dad's got them but is still waiting for a date to go in. He can barely see writing now.

 

It is roughly £3,500 per eye if you have a standard lens and local anaesthetic (ie you are awake throughout). You can't feel anything but you do see very bright lights and you have to be able to lie completely flat and stay extremely still. It takes about 15 mins. You do need to put in drops for up to 4 weeks afterwards and avoid dusty areas and water splashes for a week or so.

 

I opted to have mine done at my local hospital but was told I couldn't even get on a waiting list! I turned to Spa-medica who I will see tomorrow for my assessment. It was only two weeks from referral and their correspondence has been amazing. It looks like a private hospital but they do see NHS patients. I am very happy.

 

I've just done the job I've been putting off all weekend - applying privacy film to my front room window. I've always had vertical blinds there, but they take up all the windowsill and since it's south facing and a really nice wide window I should really be using it to bring on seedlings.

 

@
Mrs. B. We don't know what area you live.
Is there a Specsavers or other optician that your dad can get to ? they will refer him for free if he lives in the UK
Free NHS Cataract Surgery in four weeks - SpaMedica

Mrs Cordy had both her eyes done earlier this year and his very happy with the operations and the result -- she now drives without glasses, before, Mrs C could not drive.

edit - Mrs C was waiting one week from referral, then it all happened quickly.

 

A neighbour celebrated her 100th birthday this weekend. Made a lovely (well I think it was lovely) bunch of flowers from our garden. Took them over this morning. The farm dogs met me barking but moved on.
Stayed chatting for some time (she doesn't look 100 at all) and then left.
Dogs outside and seemed to ignore me BUT one didn't. It bit me 3 times in the ankles. A&E visit needed and thankfully only one and half hour wait.
Wounds cleaned, dressed and antibiotics now being taken for 5 days and yes a tetanus jab.
I only wanted to do a kindness!

 

I went shopping and bought a 1 kg box of Growmore in Poundland for £2.