2011 A new decade

2010 was a year of change on a personal level. I seemed to have one health problem after another: gout, chest pain incident and sciatica. The latter I still have and will probably need surgery on. However, through all that I've had a happy year. Work has been successful and we've continued to develop an excellent antimicrobial resource that has exceeded 8000 hits per month and now contains around 100 guidelines. Antimicrobial use is still reducing for broad spectrum agents but its difficult to be accurate with poor tools but a solution is coming next year. I've been invited onto the external groups that I desired. DH ARHAI Prescribing sub committee and HPA Primary Care committee. I've had a number of posters or communications at conferences: EAHP in Nice, BSAC QI workshop in Belfrey, Irish Antimicrobial Pharmacists Group in Dublin, Northwest Antimicrobial Pharmacists Group in Ormskirk near Liverpool and FIS in Edinburgh. More importantly a publication in JAC on Antimicrobial Stewardship for Acute Trusts. Have finally stopped doing vascular wards - really miss the patient contact though but it has freed up so much time. Set up a new Primary Care Antimicrobial Pharmacists Network which has been slow to get going. Also was the RPS spokesman for European Antibiotic Awareness Day. Really looking forward to this. year. The LDG have been a good bunch and enjoyed their company and banter.

At home, it's been a time of change. Abby and Dominic spend more time away from home at their respective friends houses. We even holidayed alone in Northumberland with the dog. Corrinne said it would be his last summer! Gulp. A different beach and castle each day. Even became National Trust and English Heritage members. Corrinne is also falling to bits and has sufferedwith her shoulder all year - surgery awaits. She also returned to work as a carer for people with mental and learning difficulties. After a rocky start she loves it - super mum. Sophie has found her soulmate in James at Manchester University and has planned her life! It's been a challenging time having to live as a couple again, especially with a lack of money and little in common. A goal for next year. The dog is slowly dying of a throat tumour which presents as a cough. The theophylline the vet recommended helps.
Got into technology more towards the end of the year. A new smartphone HTC Desire got me into Twitter @philiphoward64 and @antibioticLeeds.

My sister finally moved into a new house near Cambridge. I hope she's learnt from the challenging experience and realises you make your own happiness rather than searching for it. Parents are slowly getting frailer. I wish Dad would go out more. But both are hugely supportive. Corrinnes parents have helped greatly.

Christmas was one of the best in ages. We rediscovered the joy of sitting around the table and chatting for hours. Xmas day at the Crumps was grand. Alan is a true friend. Had Corrinnes parents, brother and partner for Boxing day. Discovered Stichelton cheese - unpasteurised creamy blue cheese.
Last year I tried a number of different things: tai chi, Bonsai, rowing on water and mountain biking. The latter two contributing to my sciatica. I also became more spiritually and culturally aware. I read more, walked more and went to new places. Leeds city library being one of them.

So for 2011, a year of change. After much discussion I'm becoming a vegetarian and a minimalist. Part of Abby and my journey to lay Buddhism. January will be the detox month with the obligatory omission of my current favourite painkiller - alcohol. I plan to entertain more at home, read more, blog more and go and do more non work related things. Once I get my discectomy out of the way, I'll get back to exercising fully. I so miss this.

Overall a challenging year healthwise but fulfilling in many other ways. Looking forward to this one. Happy New Year.