Thanks – you always leave such kind, encouraging comments here. The ECG was prescribed by my GP, not the hospital, and it’s coincidental that I managed to get an appointment before the surgery. It arose out of the meeting with the GP last Friday week when we talked about my unusually high blood pressure at the pre-op assessment earlier that afternoon. I go back to see him about the BP in a month, when I shall also have had another blood test just to confirm that my kidneys are OK with the new medication.

Great to hear from you again and glad to hear you’ve still been reading! The schedule over this current week is abnormally heavy, directly as a combination of catching up after the sabbatical and then squeezing things in before the surgery. Tonight’s meeting in Bishops Stortford is a case in point. The meeting is being put on twice, but the second time is tomorrow morning, when I’m in hospital, and my District Chair understandably wanted me at one or other of the meetings, as we now begin the process formally to discern whether we stay here in Chelmsford beyond next year. However, it does make life fraught.

Interesting to hear your perception about me beating myself up. I think I do at times, but I’d hoped it was less now. At one stage a few years ago (I mustn’t be more specific), there were two or three church members who latched onto everything I did and turned it into poison. I thought I’d got that out of my system, but maybe there’s something still lurking there. There are other things I can’t mention at all in a public forum like this. But thank you for mentioning it: I’ll try to be aware of it more.

I’ll be praying for you and your op today.
I have been reading all your daily blogs but haven’t always found the need to comment, but for the sake of your health, I do notice you seem to ‘beat yourself up’ quite a lot in all areas of your life if you don’t meet certain standards . I’m not sure whose standards you are trying to maintain (God’s?) but in my humble opinion you do more in a normal day than I do in a month sometimes! OK, I’m not a minister, but it’s no wonder your blood pressure is always high! When do you really relax? I have to ask myself whether your doctor knows your true schedule Your children are a real credit to you and Debbie, but I’m sure they’d rather have fewer outings or treats with a healthy Daddy around than one who is dibilitated by ill health.