On Sundays, I teach for 3.5 hours. The students come to me for all levels of tuition. The Sunday just gone, 18th October, I was feeling unwell. Nothing specific: just a general lethargy, bit of a headache, feeling a little nauseous.
As I have done on numerous occasions during my career, I managed to get through the work and was very relieved indeed when I could just slump in front of the TV. An early night, I was sure, would sort me out.
The following day, Monday, I felt dreadful. I hoped I would feel better as the day wore on. I didn't. I felt worse.And worse. Finally at 10.30 pm I had no choice but to go to A+E. I believed I knew what the problem was. I have Addison's Disease - the condition named after Doctor Addison who discovered it.
So, what is it? Until I was diagnosed with it ten years ago, I had no idea at all about it. That is not in any way surprising, as it is very rare. Addison's Disease is a failure of the adrenal glands, which are at the top of each kidney, to produce sufficient adrenaline and other hormones. It is a gradual thing. You feel unwell, you feel sick, you lose your appetite and have great difficulty in performing the slightest physical movement without feeling out of breath and exhausted. The doctor told me I had a virus initially and then on several more occasions. This was some virus! This 'virus' made me barely able to go upstairs - I had to take each step very slowly, arriving at the top, puffing and panting and needing to sit down to recover. This was no virus.
After being rushed into hospital, I was finally diagnosed with Addison's Disease. A drip of pure adrenaline was attached and within hours, all was well again. I learnt I was in good company. It is believed that Jane Austen died of Addison's and that President John F Kennedy had it too, and thanks to him, there is a cure today.
So, in the hospital I knew what was needed. Most of the time, Addison's is stable, but there are the occasional blips and this was one of them.
For a Monday night A+E was packed. There was shouting, swearing, drunkenness, people with mental health problems and many with physical problems. It was a long wait, but at two o'clock in the morning, I was dealt with. The doctors were junior doctors, but very skilled and energetic. They were pleasant and respectful - really respectful, throughout.
There were people coming into A+E at an alarming rate. One man came in after having had a crash on his motorbike. He had been placed in a neck and back brace but wasn't happy at all wearing them. He was sitting up on the trolley he'd been placed on. He had been expressly forbidden to do so. He was also attempting to remove the two braces he had been placed in for his own safety, to prevent the possibility of paralysis. With superhuman patience the nurse kept telling the patient to lie down. The nurse would then readjust the helmet and brace. A number of times this happened. The nurse spoke firmly, but did not raise his voice at all, or shout - suit yourself mate! as I probably would have done.
So much work, so many people to deal with, real skill and intelligence in evidence, none of the staff complaining.
Our NHS - and I use the word 'our' advisedly, is far too precious to allow the Tories to dismantle. I am, and have always been, so massively impressed by the NHS. It is our country's pride and joy and the people who work in it on the front line are a special breed of exceptional human beings.
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