First days at the Pirogov centre

This will be a post in two parts. Monday morning I was a tourist in Moscow, Monday before lunch I was a patient in the hospital. Such a contrast in one hour. So the first part will be the usual photograph gallery then the second part is where it all gets real. That’s rather how I feel at the moment, reality is becoming very apparent as I sit on my hospital bed, rather than in a cafe or boutique hotel.

More Metro stations, they are spectacular although this is the first where the entrance has been a feature.

That commute to work ! Buskers playing classical music helps the mood as well

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, this one is less than 100 years old. Grandiose and somehow monolithic. The weather has suddenly changed, to cool and cloudy, which is a pleasant change to the unseasonably hot weather when I arrived. The beanies and puffy jacket now seem more relevant.

Excuse the squinting nearly closed eyes ! But the other photograph of me here had them tight shut, not sure how I manage that perfectly timed blink so often

The contrasts of the Moscow skyline and buildings

Yes, drinking coffee again, this is a bar I have to return to in a different situation. The list of cocktails was very dangerous and extremely enticing

Street art, graffiti is heavily penalised but street art is paid for by the State and gains the artist respect and exposure

Moscow is a more vibrant place for this support of the arts. Street art on various buildings, buskers in the subway playing classical strings and on street corners channeling Nirvana, free classical concerts broadcast into the park at sunset

And now …

img_0662-1 — Not my usual boutique hotel or wilderness campsite by a river

The tests so far

blood test
ECG
weight and height
urine
ultrasound of lungs, heart, legs, arms
lung capacity
MRI
Xray

I now feel like a bit of a pincushion, I’m not needle phobic butt really don’t like looking as they stab me !

We have tomorrow off, and sometime ( not sure when) hear from Dr Federenko once he’s reviewed our results. He’ll advise if there are any issues preventing treatment, which is unlikely but possible, and our likely chances of halting progression. That meeting to discuss our individual cases is rather important so I’m hoping for a time as soon as possible.