Almost six months after I started consultations over my poor old hip, I finally saw the consultant at UCLH today, complete with MRI scans.

When it came to the moment of decision – he asked me what I wanted to do – I almost flunked it. The thought of more hospitals, surgeons’ scalpels and saws cutting into my flesh, gnawing at my bones….aaargh! But good sense prevailed and I said ‘yes’!

Amazingly the waiting list is very short now – in two weeks I will get a pre-op appointment, go in and be admitted a few days later. They do it on a Friday and I will be out on a Monday. So it looks like mid June to early July….but I will have to juggle my opera ‘season’ around it if I can!

Because of my osteoporosis history they will probably to a cemented joint, with a titanium cap that screws into the pelvis. Whatever all that means. He said no difference between cemented and uncemented. ‘I must have a good surgeon’, was my final bon mot of the appointment…he assured me i would. Whether I will get the great man himself, Prof Haddad, I doubt but all the surgeons I have seen so far have been charming.

Amazingly the appointment was only 3 minutes late an I had a good 20 mins with the doc. Once again I am impressed by teh NHS.

So you had better vote Labour if you want to preserve it! Soon it will all be privatised and belonging to the likes of Richard Branson if the Tories continue the plan they have started…

No photos for such an event so instead here are some pretty pictures of my gardens….both here and in the mountains.