One thing about having a chronic illness is that you're fair game for the host of suggestions you receive about cures from diet improvements to herbal remedies; from specialist doctors to vitamin (etc) supplements. This morning I was accosted by another person with advice. Always well meaning, I'm sure and always offering that little glimmer of hope that *this* could be the thing that changes everything. I've long 'believed' in the 500mg Vitamin C tablets I take daily knocking all the colds I used to get on the head. I used to catch everything going and one 'in between'. But since starting the Vitamin C some years back have barely had a cold since. But in addition to that I've had my Mum recommending Vitamin D [1], a Christian lady I meet on the bus swearing by coconut oil [2], a friend of my wife's suggesting a couple of things I'd need a presecription for. It's hard to keep track and I endeavour not to try everything at once so that I can see if it makes a difference - not that it is a very scientific trial with just one patient and no 'control' subject. This morning's enthusiasm was for specialists 100 miles away who focus on CFS, immune systems and 'environmental factors' and can test for a whole host of things that aren't normally looked for apparently. My accoster's husband had 18 blood samples taken. Of course, none of this is cheap. $2000 just for that much... not to mention what any course of (daily) injections subsequently might cost. I shall wait to hear of any results with interest. None of this, is to say, of course if you're reading this that I *don't* want to hear of any miracle cure you might have come across. But it might explain why it gets treated with a certain amount of - if not sceptism - at least patience. Yes, I do want to hear, but it can go in the queue... [1] Perhaps not so unwise having heard a doctor on the radio the other morning saying that in this particular climate/latitude none of us obtain Vitamin D from the amount of sunlight we receive between October and April. Of course, neither is this suggested as a 'cure' for CFS - just as a support to a compromised immune system. [2] I had thought this was a medicinal kind of thing - you know - take a spoonful before bed or something. I'd imagined some oleaginous liquid such as cooking oil, or ground nut oil. But it turns out to be a dietary thing. Comes in sizeable jars or tubs of a white solid 'paste' - more like butter. It can be used as oil to cook, butter to spread, or lotion to rub into skin. Two snags: firstly since a poor experience with illness from bites of coconut sold off trays on the heads of kids in Nigeria, I've never really been fond of the taste of coconut; secondly, used as butter it makes everything taste of coconut! Whether it will make the tiniest bit of difference I don't know, but I heard twice in the same week of it being a 'miracle' cure for an alzheimers patient.

Last Friday advertisements for both of my assistant posts appeared. The subject one I share with the science librarian and the promotions one I share with his/her enquiry work. Both internal only at this stage which rules out my brother looking for a changing of scene. (Now that would be weird! Little brother as an assistant!) Next Friday is the deadline for applications. No idea who might be thinking about it so anything could happen.

My subject assistant (the one who applied for the business post)... got the job. She starts today. (So from my point of view has now finished.) Congratulations to D and I'm sure she'll be good at it.

On the other hand that means I've lost both my assistants in very short order. To lose one might be regarded unfortunate, to lose two just looks like carelessness.

There's a part of me however that, recognizing she's been more than a little involved with helping at other posts for the last couple of years of our restructuring, thinks that it will be a good opportunity to start again. At least I understand that both will be replaced, but it will be a couple of months most likely.

What was interesting, just before Easter, was the person who approached me about the possibility of replacing D and making it a job share. But that's supersecret and I promised I wouldn't breathe a word of it until personnel have worked out some details.

Nice to have had three days away from work. I was beginning to struggle the last week or so and feeling very rough.

Actually have the rest of this week of as well however to go to an Easter celebration of teaching and worship. That won't be so restful and after last year's experience I'm a little concerned about how it's going to go. Plus we're sharing a chalet with a friend from way back.

Great to see my brand new nephew yesterday at my parents'. There were 18 of us around the table (Mum, Dad, us four 'children' and our spouses, eight grandchildren!) The newest one was only born on Wednesday and balances us all out to two a piece for myself and my three siblings. Any bets on whether that's us lot 'maxed out'?