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Sunday Ok, so here we have it. A week of stress and strain. Late breaking news on the Nancy front, and a resolve to change my work habits. I think the only thing that will last more than a week will be the stress at work. I approached Carole about changing my work hours. She seemed really positive about it, and actually agreed to letting me make it more formal. Tuesday will be my first day of early start, early finish. Of course in true Carole form, the "issue" has to be raised in the *Monday Meeting*, and discussed before I can go ahead. Nancy is still an involuntary patient in the psych ward. In discussions about her treatment this week, there was talk, at length about treatment options. In her mind she believed that a decision was made to raise her medication, and continue to monitor her progress within the safer confines of the ward. There was discussion about Electro- Convulsive Therapy (ECT or shock therapy), but Nancy not too keen to go down this road declined the procedure. After the meeting, the two assessing Psychiatrists, a nurse and her counsellor held a meeting. In this meeting they decided to proceed with the ECT, feeling that in Nancy's case, medication was failing to work, and the best option at this time would be for a 6 treatment course of ECT. She was stunned. Tony was stunned. Both attempted to argue the point. They were told that as an involuntary patient, whilst still retaining the right to question and seek a second opinion about treatment, where two doctors were in agreement, and other courses of therapy had been explored, the doctors could override her wishes and impose a treatment on a patient. This is not good news. Even though this type of therapy is far removed from the "Freak" show type images seen in 50s horror films, it is still a brutal and physically damaging therapy. Drastic or radical were words used by the medical staff. I don't want to lose my friend. I'm afraid for her, and afraid of what this may do to her. I know it's an accepted medical treatment, but there are dangers and side-effects. I hope that the treatment is successful, and hope she will be alright. We dined extensively on Yum Cha this morning. Dumplings, pork buns, chicken feet and custard tarts galore. Wee Ha, I love all those little tiny crunchy foods. Must do it more often. Probably shouldn't though. Other notable foods included - congee, melon tapioca and thousand year old egg. These I did not eat. Although some at our table did eat the horse piss soaked eggs, and pronounce them de-lish-us! I was nearly ill. Funiest thing seen in ages - Upon visiting Nancy at the hospital, where extensive building and landscaping works are being undertaken, a cleaner/orderly person was out on the front entrance area, vacuuming (yes I said, vacuuming) up tan-bark from the asphalt drive way. It was a windy day, and there was bark everywhere, but hell no, it wasn't going to stop her from vacuuming it all up. And the crazies are inside? Smilla's feeling for snow. Well, I have said previously that the novel suffered at the hands of poor translation, but I think the film was quite successful. I had not heard one good thing from reviewers in this city, or on major national broadcasters, about this film, so I was really expecting the worst. I was pleasantly surprised. One thing that did irk me was,,,,, reviewers panned the casting and acting and International- isationof the cast and story, but raved on and on about the beautiful scenery. Hmm, I wasn't so sold on the scenery, felt that some of the shots looked a little staged, a little created, felt that a lighter hand with the effects and more *real* outdoor shots would have improved things a lot. My only complaint about the cast was Gabriel Byrne. Hmmm, he was a little clunky and hard to believe. Julia Ormond was delightful. Two stars "Now all this you have said, my child, was fair and orderly.
The Plums Gun |