Medical matters
Opiate dependence has its drawbacks in terms of getting things done, so now that I have full medical insurance I decided to do something about my shoulder. After a couple of hours of blood tests, X-rays, prodding and poking, the diagnosis is not as bad as it could be: osteoarthritic changes of the left shoulder joint with narrowing of the lower part of the joint space and marginal osteoaphytic lipping at the lower acetabular margin, just to be clear. What this means in practice is a 10 day course of Divido and Gupisol , followed by a few months on various things to arrest and perhaps reverse the degeneration of the cartilage. Fingers crossed. The clinic itself was a microcosm of Doha: an excellent Egyptian doctor, Indian assistant and Filipina secretary, all speaking good English and working in high-tech efficiency. No queues, no waiting room: in, tests, diagnosis, prescription and the bill - 800 riyals (150 pounds) including the pills. Can’t be bad, especially as I’ll get it bac...