all things medical

Ahhh, weightloss is a wonderful thing - 6lbs in 2 weeks and all thanks to a little thing I like to call the stop-taking-half-my-meds-lots-of-running-and-hula-hooping-and-salad diet. Half a stone 'til I'm back to my pre-meds weight, and I've promised myself an iPod shuffle for when that happens (my big iPod has just died completely, meaning I've lost a shitload of music). I see the very helpful psychiatrist tomorrow to find out more about changing my other meds to stuff that hopefully isn't quite as evil.

Another bonus is that my hair has grown back (some fell out last year) and, as it said on the list of side effects, "regrowth may be curly". Yes that's indeed true. I have curly hair, but only at the front. The back is just mildly wavy. Things aren't so bad though - Maso was complaining yesterday that he has a mullet. Given Aaron's locks and penchant for bandanas, I think our team has what Dylan Moran terms "Irish Hair".

I have to keep an eye on my health on this rally. It will involve a bunch of sleeping tablets to ensure I have regular rest, plus watching out for warning signs like, ooo, hallucinations and delusionary behaviour. I do have medical insurance, but it excludes bipolar. Apparently if you want cover for mental health issues, even if you have never been hospitalised, the lowest insurance quotation is about £658. That was an interesting conversation:

Insurer X: Hello Dr Devlin, you got an online quote from us for £1207. Would you like to follow up on that?
Me: Er, no. I went with a cheaper insurer.
Insurer X: Might I enquire how much you paid?
Me: 45 quid.
Insurer X: That can't possibly cover your medical condition.
Me: You're right, it doesn't. But it does mean I can afford an emergency flight home if I need it.

So screw you, insurance people, I'll spend my money on rabies and tick-borne encephalitis vaccines instead. Might just get a sticker for the car saying "Warning, may contain nuts".