Heavenly Beverley : Anxiety Girl Takes Flight...Again!

What started out as only a trip to our dentist, the meticulous and gentle Vincent at Avon Valley Dental Centre yesterday turned into a full afternoon of leapfrogging from one appointment to the next. And due to a series of circumstances, some beyond my control, my alter ego, Anxiety Girl, began flapping her wings once more. Anxiously.

The day started with our favourite handyman, Mister Guy Slingerland, waking us out of our usual heavy slumber. Never famous for our early rising, the situation had recently deteriorated with the passing of my darling Dad's alarm clock from old age. The clock, not Dad. He had already left a couple of years earlier and is probably now rejoicing in a fond reunion with the clock. Dad always preferred clocks that don't rely on electricity. As a fellow Luddite, I concur.

I have yet to replace the dearly departed timepiece, thus we have no means of telling the time in our bedroom. And before anybody helpfully points out we could use our phones, mine remains firmly in the OFF position until I have properly woken.

Anyway, I have digressed. Guy was at our door to assist us in solving the remaining mysteries of Digger the caravan. Why is the gas connection unreliably dodgy? Is the hot water service operational at all or dead as a doornail? He also introduced us to his newish pup, Rusty, a handsome four-month-old Kelpie. Rusty joined Stella in the house for a Grand Old Time. When Guy and Michael had concluded their initial foray into the unknown workings within Digger, Rusty was begging for mercy and lying on the floor, totally wiped out by his playdate with Stella. She followed suit shortly afterwards, delightedly exhausted by doggy shenanigans.

Progress on Digger was rather disappointing, though Guy assured me that he would Get To The Bottom Of The Problem. We farewelled Guy, undertook quick ablutions and set off for the wilds of Northam. First Port Of Call was an appointment with one of our GPs, Richard, at the Grey Street Surgery. Richard is straightforward, knowledgable, amiable and witty. Michael's ongoing battle with reflux was our primary reason for attending. Richard's suggestion was to trial a drug that empties Michael's troublesome gut as quickly as possible, whilst continuing with his acid-reducing medication at night. A brief look at Michael's healing lumpy foot and we were off.

We paused to visit the Dome Cafe for a quick snack. I took the opportunity of filling the prescription and purchasing some other items. Michael set off for his fillings with Vincent the dentist. I consulted Doctor Google over my coffee about Michael's new meds, his acid-reducing meds, my hazy eyes and promptly entered a state of mild hysteria. All I needed to do was don my Anxiety Girl cape and my panic would be complete.

Anxiety Girl retreated somewhat whilst I was massaging Michael's feet at the dentist's to shift his mind from what was happening in his mouth. My focus remained elsewhere until we were ready for our next appointment - with Nick the optometrist at Simply Spectacles.

The saying - "a little knowledge is dangerous" - was surely written for me. I was convinced that the fogginess of my sight was due to developing cataracts and I was already planning which eye surgeon to attend. Much to my amused and predictable relief, the cause of my vision issues turned out to be the coating on my glasses had crazed. Or was crazy. Or both.

So, instead of needing an operation, I was thrilled to choose new lenses for my red and black frames. My spare, pristine leopard-spot glasses initiated a vast improvement in my vision when I donned them in the Simply Spectacles reception area. Staff Toni and Beth were suitably entertained by my antics.

Our final stop was the vet hospital to make an appointment for Stella next week. Research and training are helping but she is still suffering from separation issues and during this morning's thunderstorm, she was not a Happy Camper. Next Wednesday will see a check-up for her, nails clipped and our options discussed for calming measures.

I have already started researching. Perhaps I need a Thundershirt for my anxiety too!