As a doctor you never really want to sit in that other chair, the one for the patients. That's probably why a lot of doctors don't even have a doctor to look after themselves. They are their own doctor. Have to say that the role of being a colleagues doctor is not an easy one as the moment he or she decided to see you they have already concluded there was a medical need for it. Often you just have to agree with your colleague and just acknowledge that he or she is right and their proposal is just what needs to be done.
Something wasn't right, and I'm not talking about this weird spooky clock of ours (check out the second hand). After the trip to the South island my belly did not settle from all that food (and a few drinks). So after a while the doctor in me thought 'let's check a few things'. Good news on the belly front as there were no alarm symptoms. But I had also ticked the prostate box and that came back as increased. Bummer (well, that's more or less where it is located). I consulted my colleague who agreed with me that this needed further investigation. I got an MRI which showed 2 suspicious lesions. So, last Monday I had the pleasure of performing as a dartboard while a medical version of Michael van Gerwen threw a couple of '180's'. 28 biopsies if memory serves me right (which it might not as it is not an experience you would like to remember). Anyway, now we have to wait for the results.
Enough you say? If only that was true.
Will get a colonoscopy and gastroscopy the coming week. The first one because of my belly symptoms and age and the second one because, well, I will be there anyway. OK, because me and my family have been buying large bulks of anti-acids for years. As of today I'm on a diet for the colonoscopy. White bread for breakfast, horrible. So, turbulent is a bit of an understatement.
In the meantime I keep myself busy with hunting rabbits and the odd magpie. There are thousands of them. I usually shoot 5-12 a day. Just bought a new torch for the gun, a Convoy C8+ Cree XPL HI, 1350 Lumens. Amazing thing, gives a bundle of light with a range of 630 meters. The rabbits are totally confused. Unfortunately I still haven't got a good silencer. This little guy managed to trap itself in the possum trap. Uh, no, I did not let it go. One pair of rabbits (and their offspring) can create nearly 4 million rabbits in 4 years. A female can get pregnant at 3 months old and from then on produce a new litter every month! In New Zealand we're waiting for the rabbit version of covid.
Our pigs were not fazed by this at all. I had just chased this one (only Nienke sees the which one is Thelma and which one is Louis) from the other paddock as I needed to work there. Told her to do something useful. Well, she just found another spot to do eh.. nothing.
While writing this blog it is raining pretty hard. It is an exception though as we have more and more beautiful days. Summer is definitely coming. This week we had a south-easterly and while the sun was shining when I was working in the garden, the peaks of the Tararua were covered in ice. It shows you how the weather is not to be trusted in New Zealand and you always have to be prepared. People start a hike in the sun and freeze to death later on the day. This little blue creature is a Blue bottle by the way. They end up on the beach by the thousands when there is a fierce wind.
No, not a difficult meeting for Nienke (although she has more then enough of those), but the 30th anniversary dinner of 'the Dutch borrel club'. It is a club for males only (with the exception of the ambassador). But we have so many dinners that half of the meetings are mixed anyway.
Our FDC (Friday afternoon drinking club) is mixed though, a group of friends meeting once a fortnight. Tia, the little girl, part of it as well and often takes care of the entertainment. Her they are playing a game she came up with.
Little joke in from our kitchen drawer.
The Dutch doctors that came to work at Otaki Medical Center last year welcomed a little girl into the world, Mette. So Nienke and I took the two boys out for a few hours to give the couple and baby a rest.
Brings back memories of our own boys who thoroughly liked the railway museum in Utrecht or all the little trains in Madurodam, Here they are en joying themselves in the drivers seat of a '30's Wellington tram.
And the biggest surprise were the 'real' trains.
Enjoyin multiple rides on the mini-trains in the Raumati Marine gardens.
Told Nienke so many times we need a digger (to build my own tennis court), but she doesn't budge (or I am just a weakling). She is enjoying herself pretty well here though and I can remember now she once enjoyed herself even more on a real digger during the Mitre 10 womens open day (the NZ equivalent of the GAMMA). Maybe.......
Last week we visited the Wellington van Gogh exhibition. The placed a few big white containers in a circle and project van Gogh's painting on them while they play classical music.
Good music too, although they were mainly all the popular classics. Pretty impressive not, well, the Kiwis' thought so. Some of the projected paintings had moving objects in them. No idea if this is a travelling exhibition, but it is recommendable.
A nice break from all the news around Covid and the elections in NZ and america.
No, we haven't kept anything from you guys. This is Nienke with Mette, the new Dutch-Kiwi. We were all invited at our new neighbours and Mette was there as well.
I have picked up playing golf again. Became member again. In NZ you do that by just paying. None of the ridiculous Masonic style committees you have to address. And you can wear what you want. Had a pretty good day with Roger and Dick on the Otaki golf course.
And a last update. Labour won the elections in New Zealand. The charismatic, honest and empathetic young Jacinda Adren won a majority in New Zealands parliament. I'm happy with that, we need a greener and more honest future.
This is Judith Collins, the third leader of the National party this year. They were in total chaos, lost almost half the party on their way to election and now another half because they were almost annihilated. Well, with a grumpy face like that (and to be honest, they were inconsistent and always squabbling amongst themselves), what do you expect.
I have picked up playing golf again. Became member again. In NZ you do that by just paying. None of the ridiculous Masonic style committees you have to address. And you can wear what you want. Had a pretty good day with Roger and Dick on the Otaki golf course.
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