Day 7

I lied, or at least I am being contradictory. But the explanation can wait a little.

It is now 7 days since my diagnosis.  It seems much, much longer.

In the morning I go straight to the Surgery and book a lunchtime GP appointment – the earliest they had. I drive down from work and see the duty Doctor whom I have seen a couple of times before. He has a slightly diffident style which masks the fact that he is taking in every word you say while reviewing your case. I am not bothered by bedside manner, I like this approach and trust him.

I manage the smallest urine sample in recorded history and he tentatively diagnoses the infection which I suspected. Some is sent to the lab for analysis. I have some antibiotics and go straight back to work. I should start to feel easier in a day or two but there will be no operation until it clears.

OK, so why am I being contradictory? On Day 1 I said I did not care what people thought, that their ideas are unimportant. But at least 3 close friends have been in touch about the great Taoist classic Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way). So I care about this. I am happy that my blog has provoked discussion. Here is creativity at work. Really very welcome.

Here is a photo of my copy.  It is the Stephen Mitchell translation and getting quite dog-eared now. Like me, Lao Tzu is also contradictory so I’m in good company. But I think I understand why. Like many oriental tests (I Ching, for example) I consider that the Tao Te Ching acts like a mirror to the mind. You read what you want to read. That is the point. I learn about myself.

I am not a religious person and I have always considered myself to be non-religious. But increasingly now I accept the label Humanist – picky me!! Indian philosophy/spirituality has never spoken to me as powerfully as Chinese and Japanese forms. It is non-judgemental, does not go on about suffering and contains much humour, some of it zany. But this is not a comparative religion blog so I’ll leave it there at present.

This post has departed from my usual focus on recollections of the day. But, hey, it’s my blog and it’ll wander where it wants.

I wait to see what tomorrow brings.