Strawberry Fields Forever

I managed to get the teenager to surface in time for us all to get out for me to get to Morpeth for the orthopaedic appointment with Mr Muller. There was nobody else in the waiting room before or after my appointment. He was very nice and asked me about my situation. He showed me the X-rays which showed I had only mild arthritis. He said some people with severe arthritis suffered little pain while others like me had “sensitive knees” and had a lot of pain. He didn’t recommend I have a joint replacement because the sensitive knees meant I would be highly likely to have as much if not more pain than before. He acknowledged that there was nothing he could do for me apart from suggest I try turmeric capsules which, though they didn’t work for him, were effective in some cases. I did say the pain wasn’t the same as the usual arthritic pain and that it woke me every hour and that my leg locked so I needed a stick when I got out of bed but he could offer no explanation. We discussed strategies to try to increase my mobility which amounted to what I’m doing now - the exercises and walking 2-3 miles one day and resting the next and trying to build from there. He said I was very fit for my age. I said I was fit till this happened and it is very hard to regain fitness after a 4 month gap at my age. He wished me luck.

Mr C picked me up and we drove back to Felton to pick strawberries. The children were happy with their 2 boxes. They cost £7.30 a kilo so they had £15 worth. Then we took them home.

We’ll enjoy our G&T tonight! I’m enjoying The Corner that Fed Them. It’s unusual - no plot, no character development, but it explores poverty and inequality as well as communal living in the 14th century and it’s keeping me engaged. It could be Marxist.