h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, Lockdown II, The Quickening, was about as naff as most sequals. Though I fear its heading into some kind of dredful mini-series, with all the endlessness that entails, at least until March, as it may now seem.
Guttered pubs aren't now reopening, unless of course your eating which now seems the ultimate protection from the killer--virus. Perhaps rather than face-masks we should wear sandwiches or pies on our faces as protection
At least the gym is reopening from next week - its getting a bit cold out for that much in the way of walking

In otter news... nothing... nothing at all just reading, and reading. finished the aaronvitch London series, and then read all the Robert Rankin books/series, which were both good authors/series still have some William Boyd left to read, but, really must try find some more authors to delve into, reading about 1 book a day ATM, sometimes more (varies from 6-8 hours (short book), to 30-40 hours (long book). the longer ones last a few days but the shorter ones vanish in a day ATM.
Currently reading the Ian Rankin Rebus series, about 30 books I think, each fairly short, so that should be nearly a months work. having said which I've read 3 of them in two days so far

Good to hear from you. I'm in self-isolation since Tuesday. I'm probably okay since the only potential carrier has just been acquitted.

But I'm attending a birthday party for my 80 year old friend on Monday and all the guests are also close to 80 and I do not want to risk it being me who infects them.

Happy reading!

The Robert Rankin series is excellent - I've read the Brentford Trilogy in Five Parts, amongst other books, and was a member of the Sproutlore Fan Club for a while

Another author's books I enjoyed reading is Alan Hollinghurst A87826783

If you ever fancy writing a book review for h2g2, it would be appreciated!

Look after yourself and enjoy the gym when it reopens

I read most* of the Brentford trilogy; the RMIB audiobook library doesn't quite have all the series = I also read all of the barking mad trilogy/series, and the apolypso book, then the short series I can't recall the name of.... and then the entire armagedon series - I really liked the Aaronovitch series too, the Peter Grant series (I think commonly called the Rivers of London series).

Otter books I've read since the first lockdown.... The whole of the Agatha Raisen series (yes, about 35 of them), just because it was silly and light hearted/easy going everything I could find by Graham Swift, Pratchet, Durbridge, plus a load of random authors I forget Hollinghurst rings a bell... think I've read something by him already, but not sure I recall what

Well, we made it to the gym Wednesday
yesterday was too wet, and, today, we've got snow, and now slush everywhere so can't go - with no changing facilities, and no lockers, its impossible to go when its this wet, out; no where to change and no where to store wet clothes and big waterproof hiking boots

Glad you got to go to the gym, but sorry to hear about the snow

No snow here, but it has definitely been wet - I still went out for a walk, but chose a different route so I didn't have to go through the mudbath that had formed at the base of the dropped kerb I usually use.

Well, we made it to the gym yesterday (Saturday), and are booked in for Monday, Wednesday and Friday coming
- after several years of Drs at hospital not making a descision, one has, and asked the GP surgery to prescribe me Statins - elevated lipids due to the hormone nonsense I have, mainly, they think due to the untreated thyroid - quite why they won't let me try the other thyroid medication I don't know... (well I do, its the cost of it I think) Also awaiting letter from hospital to GP, to prescribe a different formulation of injectible growth-hormone, as the one I normally take is not being produced at the current time...

Only two obvious spelling mistakes in the Dr letter to the GP; misspelling hypothyroid, and misspelling prednisolone = actually that's quite good going, I think its because the Consultant letters are dictated rather than just typed

Yikes!

Mispelling prednisolone is bad as it's already so easily confused for prednisone.

Precisely

Still waiting for hospital to get a message to GP, to prescribe the different brand/make of growth hormone. I think* I'm still waiting for the hospital to contact GP to also ask they do the blood tests they're ment too , before each testosterone injection (the Dr never mentioned these on his letter origionally to the GP; in which he managed to say 12 months, instead of 11 weeks. seriously )
Got the prescription for statin, which I put off taking as it said on it, don't take if you've had hemorridge, stroke or have hypothyroid
Had a phone consultation with GP today; waited in all afternoon for that, as they don't give a time anyhow, I'm to take the statins anyhow, he tried to persuade me to take levothyroxine even though it makes me so ill - I get the impression he doesn't believe my sideeffects are real, as I describe symptoms that don't exactly match the small list of side effects on the box; even though I get six side effects from it, counted as 'severe', and 'tell your Dr immediately'

In otter news went to gym today, and had a PT session

have managed to run out of magnesium tablets (a non-prescribed medication/supplement that does more good than any of my prescribed meds)

read for some of the day when not at the gym, felt dizzy all day, palpultations most of the day oh, and that depersonalisation/derealisation thing, seems perminant now too, whatever that is Finding it difficult to cope with the heat, as the heating is on, sweating constantly; its too cold to turn it off though

How are you on D-vitamins? I hear the jury is still out on that one but having read a number of experts recommending taking 50 micrograms daily I have begun to. - What harm can it do, as one expert puts it.

that smiley should have been instead of

Old habits die hard

I'm on a statin and levothyroxin. I don't recall being told of any concerns. I don't typically read the drug info sheets.

I think the problem is, I'm not on levothyroxine; but should be; I just can't take it.
Trying to make the hospital consultant understand why I can't take levothyroxine, really makes me question their intelligence;
1. I'm on prednisolone; without which I die; if, whilst on this medication I get diarrhea or vomiting, I'm likely to go into crisis, coma, and die.
2. Levothyroxin gives me diarrhea (amongst other side-effects).

The consultant seems unable to see why point 1 + 2 = its life threatening for me to take levothyroxine; Not including all the secondary side-effects of the levothyroxine, which make it impossible to function day-to-day. Plus of course the fact it just makes me feel more ill taking it, than I do not taking it; indeed I get more symptoms of deficiency when taking it, than I do, when not taking it

Vitamine D- I'm not sure which Vitamine D is the one suggested as protective as regards the Sars-Cov-2- I'm already on at least 1000 McG D3 a day; that's the one that is actually a hormone, and which helps cause bone deposition; I'm on that already due to my osteoporosis (which I no longer have, apparently ) - the other form of Vitamine D, is D2, and, TBH, I'm not quite sure what that does



nothing much to say, really, that's new... nothing happening cept gym, reading (currently reading a mix of the Ian Rankin books, plus reading through the Flemming Bond books) and, well, nothing else really insomnia operating in force

Must start some Christmas preperations this week I guess...

Not sure which type but as I understand it both D2 and D3 are inactive forms that are converted to 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the liver.

Maybe this will tell more:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076020302764

Also, D2 (Ergocalciferol) is derived from plants and D3 (choleocalciferol) is animal based. D2 is probably less effective and also some manufacturers of D2 are less discriminating regards to what they put in their pills.

Here's a quick overview of the two:
http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d2-vs-d3

Thanks!

I really oughta read that If I wasn't so tired

Nothing much happening here... except my sleep has just vanished again, not slept for more than 2 hours a night, since... last week some time

Went to the local pub we normally used (closed ATM due to Covid, and because it doesn't sell food), but they've started 'takeout', so W bought me 2 bottles of the fabulous mead they sell for me to have over Christmas

and just booked our final gym sessions on the run up to Christmas, Monday, 2 sessions Tuesday, and one on Wednesday.

Still must go to the shops at some point during the week, get some food in for Christmas

Will probably do Cauliflower and Stilton soup, Christmas day, and if we need or want more, do fish for a 'mains' and... not sure what else really TBH I can't be bothered with any of it, at the best of times, and this year, well, with no pubs open, and not being able to see anyone just be quiet and involve the mead I guess

and, what's happened to HooToo over the last year, its just dead

Damnit
Its raining... Normally wouldn't be enough to stop us going to the gym, but now, with no changing facilities or lockers open at the gym, if its raining, we can't travel on foot to the gym, and be able to change out of 'outdoors' gear when we arrive; especially changing out of hiking boots, and into trainers, there just isn't anywhere to store the boots now, due to covid they've closed down use of changing rooms and lockers etc
Well, no there is no excuse not to catch up on housework.
didn't sleep again last night