The start of stealth mode

Well, this is odd. I'm preparing to go into shielding or, as I prefer to call it, stealth mode.

I've done a big shop, seen my parents - at a distance - and now I'm about to close my doors, just as much of the world is emerging from lockdown.

On 7 July, I'm undergoing the delights of a colonoscopy and a gastroscopy. Yes, both on the same day, although not, thankfully, both at the same time. In order to be safe for those procedures, I'm having to be shielded - sorry, in stealth mode - for seven days.

If you've heard the long and boring story of my recent illnesses before, please skip the next paragraph.

In November 2012, I had a bad car crash, resulting in me being cut out of my car and having to take lots of pain killers. Then in January 2013, I broke my shoulder on my 50th birthday, resulting in more pain relief. By March, my shoulder was recovering nicely, but seemed to have frozen (of which more, later) and I was feeling very sick quite frequently. I have a great GP (shoutout here to Alistair Cruickshank) who at first thought it was a reaction to the many painkillers. Eventually, in June, he gave up and sent me for a scan, which revealed a lump on my stomach. Said lump was removed by the thankfully dextrous Mr Al-Bahrani at Watford General Hospital in August 2013. My shoulder was still frozen and this then moved to the other shoulder, too, although I recovered well from the stomach op. In August and November 2014, I had arthroscopy surgery on the shoulders, which has left them better than they were before. Hurrah! Fast forward to March 2016, when a new lump in my stomach burst, causing me to be hospitalised once more and eventually removed in April. Another great piece of keyhole surgery from Mr Al Bahrani.

The bad news is that, after nearly four years of improvement, I started to feel unwell earlier this year. Then lockdown kicked in and my planned tests were put on hold.

Now, two of them have been scheduled in for Tuesday and stealth mode begins in preparation. I can walk the dog, but I can't go out otherwise.

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Hilary Seabrook - writer, podcaster, musician

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