A tempting Lunch?

Not quite my usual photograph but today I was in hospital from 7.30am until 3.45pm. This was one of my 'long days' as part of the Heart Drug Trial that I have agreed to be part of. It is an international trial, but with only 600 of us, across America, Europe and Dundee. It will last for 7 months and means filling in a daily e-Diary, visits to hospital for tests and phone calls to check that everything is OK.

Only 400 will actually have the drug, the others will have a placebo - and no way of knowing which I am on. However, if there is significant improvement from actually being on the drug, you accept that at the end of the trial you come off the drug. It will be several years before it may be licensed, depending on the outcome of the trial.

If you are of a squeamish disposition, look away now. One of my problems is that my veins, while they carry my thin blood round my system, in the words of the Senior Nurse, 'they don't like being interfered with'. Basically, I was supposed to have blood taken 5 times during the day but each time required about 4 attempts and in fact a couple of times they gave up. It was a close run thing as to whether I would have to come out of the study - but as I am the only one in Dundee currently on the Trial I told them to persevere. The Senior Nurse was close to tears - I, like a brave soldier, gritted my teeth and got on with it - I have had years of experience of this kind of 'interference' to my veins.

I would like to say Lunch was a highlight of the day ..... but it was just ok!