If my Doctor is to be beleived (and he is ever so proud of me and my surgical scars), then I am about to start a "new life"! The plumbing has been re-done, and after the pains subside, then I should be able to do absolutely everything I couldn't do before! Should this really be the case, then I work out that this would be the start of a 3rd life. Nr 1 up to the first heart attack, 15 years ago, Nr 2 from then onwards, until the latest by-pass surgery, and now this one! Not bad for someone who couldn't really give a ******! Still, if I'm there, then I'm there, and although I can't really go to town just yet, I'm saving up all my memories to share with you in ONE lovely big article, covering all the events of the last 2 months. This will take me a while to do, since finding out the truth isn't always easy, since I'm dealing with Doctors and Administrations etc. I wasn't aware, for example, that I had developed a lung emboli, whilst on the ope...

This, I am afraid to say, will be my last spot on this Blogspot for quite a while, and (if I happen to be amongst the theoretical 1-2%)maybe my last! Probably not the best auspices to announce the existence of something new, but that's the way things are, and since I have already announced the existence on the "mr le Marquis" web page, the least I can do is to announce the same on this Blogspot, to which I am always attached, for it was thanks to Googles' system of Blogging which gave me back the wish to write things down, knowing that they would be kept, safely, at least for a while, and be accessible to millions of people. Not quite the same as in my younger days, when I spent quite some time in writing poetry, probably very bad (although some WAS accepted for publication). Bad or not, I was always losing finished works, and couldn't figure it out, until one day I met my mother coming out of my room in the London manse, her hands gripping tightly the ripped up m...

I promised her that I would publish her photo world-wide! I held my promise!Mlle "bebe-ours" de Montagne, Chez Mr le Marquis!  

Well, I'm afraid I may have some bad news for some of you! Yesterday, I put my pen-ultimate test into operation, and passed! You see, whilst not mocking or disbeleiving Doctors, Surgeons,Politicians, I have always worked on the basis of testing myself to standards laid down by myself! Having passed the last 15 or so years, in trying to find out just how much I could physically and mentally go through, before falling flat on my face somewhere, I thought that, in these moments of decision taking, I owed it to myself, and society as a whole (who will be paying for these events), to give it a last REAL test/try! Since it was the end of the month and I needed just about everything from toilet paper to wine, and since the pro's had banned me from doing heavy work - until my operation had gone by and recuperation had been made-I set out on my travels, rucksack on my back, shopping trolley being pulled along, all the world like an out of work, out of address, tramp (which some would sa...

Karnaval Jan Jeck Originally uploaded by iwmpop . The only jester who is nice! Mr le marquis is not far away!

Karnaval Fasching im Wertach(Bavaria) Originally uploaded by iwmpop . This is the parade in the small mountain village we lived in. Snow obviously had a large role to play, and ski-ing, with torchlight processions on skis etc!

Karnaval Modern narren Originally uploaded by iwmpop . And the modern day jesters are just as bad, tending to be "sticklers" for law and dis-order!

Karnaval Originally uploaded by iwmpop . Ancient celebrations!

Karnaval-fastnacht im mainz Originally uploaded by iwmpop . This is a typical street parade.

Karnaval Narren Originally uploaded by iwmpop . This goes back a while, but the jesters were rather naughty little b*****s, not at all nice to know!

I've wanted to get an article on this Blog about Carnevale/Karneval for quite a while, and since "Mardi-gras" is on the last day of February (28th) when I'm not sure that I'll be here, I thought I'd get it off now! The British and the Americans (USA) tend not to make a fuss about it all, since it is really a "heathen adapted by the Catholics" festivity. The word itself is quite interesting, coming from "carne" (derivations are found in latin, Spanish,Italian) having to do with "meat", as in carnivore, which we all are ('specially Chippie who loves his roast poultry!). The Germans even went one better, since the word "carne" or derivations thereof do not exist in German, they simply changed the "C" for a "K" and Germanified it! Actually, in German, the name given for Good Friday ( the day on which we stop or start eating fish or meat-I've never known which) is actually Karfreitag, and there is...

R-J at Castries trial @50 resolution Originally uploaded by iwmpop . Nr 3 at 158kbs - I must confess I can't see a great deal of difference! I prefer nr 1 at 8kbs. Maybe I should go to the Optician's?

R-J at Castries trial @50 resolution Originally uploaded by iwmpop . Nr 2 (kinky) at 1kb!!! Usable as "arty"?

R-J at Castries trial @50 resolution Originally uploaded by iwmpop . Cos I think I've upset my mate Chippie, I'm going all the way! Number 1 of 3 versions of the same photo, but all 3 at different scanning levels. N1 is stored at 8kb, Nr 2 (kinky) at 1kb, Nr 3 at 156kbs! If you store a lot of photos is it interesting to scan lower down the resolution grade? So - Have I finally upset Chippie enough or what?

Main Parking Originally uploaded by iwmpop . First of 3 photos regarding my trip on the 26 January 2006 to the Arneau Villeneuve Hospital at Montpellier, to see the Anaethetist concerned. After waiting 3 hours, I had my throat checked (making sure there is enough room for tubes and stuff!, had blood taken (to determine type etc), and was informed of the future events(on the 9th February 2006) Apparantly they are not sure yet if 2 or 3 by-passes will be necessary. The OP will take between 5-7 hours. The period passed on the heart/lung machine (heart stopped) is limited to the minimum, around maximum 1hr.After circa 3 days in Int Care, I may (or may not) be transferred to Nimes.After a total of circa 10 days, I can go home! During a period of 1 month I must not lift or carry things, and this is a problem at the moment-who can I get to shop etc for me, I've still got to eat and drink! Although a certain Magali Coicading has proposed her services to "guard" the flat ...

Main Reception Originally uploaded by iwmpop . This is where I shall probably spend a lot of time waiting on the 8th February 2006, to be admitted to my bed!The cafeteria is just underneath!

Cardiac Surgery reception Originally uploaded by iwmpop . 26 January 2006 -Here is where I spent 3 hours waiting to see the Anaesthetist! The wait almost sent me to sleep!

Healthy Hospitals (continued) So, I reckon you must have got the idea now about how this system works, with little sticky labels of all colours, depending on what you’ve got/haven’t got are/are not! Bit like the Concentration camps really, and the food is just as bad! Anyway, having got my little sticky labels, called etiquettes, without which you go or get nowhere/nothing, I hurried off to my next confrontation – my room! Not being rich, I didn’t have a private room, and in any case, in my limited experience of such things, I never stay much in the room anyway, just for the necessary things, I’m always wandering around! This meant, of course, that I could expect one other person in the same room, and this is where the principle of lottery comes into the game! Very important (particularly for a longer stay) your “room-mate” mustn’t snore, screech,scream, fart, burp, must comport himself in a reasonable...

I finally found something to show you all where the problems lie! If you look at the design below, you can see the areas which will be "sites" of by-passes if it all works out. These are the arteries 1,2 and 4. The main arrival points are blocked to 70%, so these by-passes will take the blood around the "almost blocked" points. The artery 3, and the left side of the heart (together with the smaller blood vessels shown) is mainly dead tissue, since the first infarktus of 15 years ago! So now you know why I was only half-hearted in certain situations!!

I guess it must now be accepted! Since this morning, on the local Supermarket parking area, as I was struggling with my gloved hands, to put the little disc (jeton) used for the caddy, back onto my key ring, and a little old lady (you know, the type I normally take across the road whether she wants to go or not) came up and, tapping me with her walking stick, asked me if she could be of assistance!! Now, I could have taken my gloves off before, I did now, and promptly they fell on the ground. My little old lady simply bent down and picked them up, before I could move, saying something about modern day life not being easy for the elderly!!!!! To be honest, I was so taken aback that I didn't have time to say anything, and by the time I had got my wits back, my little old lady-Superwoman had disappeared somewhere on this large parkplace! Wow! She moved! She must have been rocket propelled! Anyway - I suppose I'll have to accept the facts, now, and I'll probably start by...