Can anyone help, please?

I suppose I'd better say something about my situation as it stands at present, although I'm still pretty much in the dark myself - the wheels of the public health system turn very slowly indeed. I'm afraid the pleurisy is the least of my problems now, although I would very much like to have it got rid of. Would you believe that I'm STILL not getting any treatment for it? Since being diagnosed with it I've been sent for more tests including a CT scan, which was pretty comprehensive. The resulting report from that scan reveals that aside from the pleurisy symptoms, there is an underlying problem of far more seriousness . . . paraseptal emphysema. Now, as you might imagine, I'm somewhat alarmed by this news. I'm told there is no cure for emphysema, which is hardly comforting, and I have no idea which symptoms are those of the pleurisy or which ones are the emphysema. My doctor expressed dismay at the report from RPH, which apparently did not specify which type of antibiotics they gave me for the pleurisy, and consequently has refrained from administering any treatment of his own. Why he couldn't pick up the telephone and call RPH is a mystery to me, but it makes little difference really because the antibiotics didn't do anything much anyway. Since RPH recommended further tests, my doctor has just hand-balled the whole process over to them, and now I must wait until April 2nd to undergo 'lung function' tests. In the meantime, my discomfort continues, with some days better than others. Pretty fed up by this stage, I've tried to get in again to see my own doctor, but cannot do so until the end of this month. Reasoning that if pleurisy CAN be treated, then I damned well WANT it treated, I've opted to see another doctor instead. Even so, that won't be until this coming Friday. Fabulous isn't it? If you're sick and need to see a doctor, then be prepared to wait a very long time! The upshot of all this is that I really don't know if I'm going to be able to be involved in community theatre any more. Whether I can get rid of the pleurisy and then just learn to live with the emphysema, is something that remains to be seen. I've learned to live with my spinal problem, so perhaps I can adapt to this new problem as well. I certainly bl**dy well hope so! But for now, or at least the next few months anyway, I won't be doing any acting, singing or scenery painting. I might actually get around to SEEING a few shows for a change! Anyway, I'll see you all at the Finleys this Saturday night - only, please don't anyone offer me a cigarette!