my london diary

i spent the first half of the month in hospitals, mainly in bed, though not feeling too bad. i didn't feel up to taking pictures though.

forget most of what you hear about bed shortages. what we have is a doctor and operating theatre shortage. i occupied a bed for over two weeks simply waiting to be operated on.

the three hospitals i was in all had plenty of others like me, yet there were multi-million pound facilities in use for perhaps 35 hours a week.

of course everything stopped for the weekend - except for the nurses. who were generally magnificient, working long hours, and putting up with treatment from some patients - especially the elderly confused (and there were plenty of them) that would have tried a saint.

finally i had my 'procedure' and when i really needed to rest after it was sent home. well, it is very difficult to rest in hospital.

two days later i took my first walk, very shakily, but i was soon up and getting a little gentle exercise, both of my legs and my shutter finger and occasionally even my brain, photographing around Staines.
more pictures

near the end of the month i felt well enough to get back on a bike and could travel a little further, and even get down to a little real work photographically