A Real Pain in the

…neck.  No, it’s not another piece of introspection or self analysis, though some may disagree.

Spondylosis.  That’s what it is, and at times it is indeed a very real pain in the neck.  For some years now I have managed the effect with herbal remedies from my friends at Ayurvedic who send supplies from India.  These have always proved to be safe, and free of side effects; and they work.

I know from experience that a daily dose of my regular tablets has been sufficient to keep the pain at bay.  In times where it worsens I revert to the recommended two tablets per day.  And my fall back for those now thankfully rare occasions where the suffering intensifies has been a rub with some wonderful oil from the same source.

Earlier in the year I realised my supply of tablets had run out.  Being macho I thought I’d struggle on, see how it was, as if the daily dose over a number of years may have built up the defences and provided a long term cure.  But it was not to be and I had to re-stock, building up my resistance once again.

In recent weeks the problem has intensified, and the oil had been a regular rub, a couple of times each day.  When spondylosis gets to this stage there is pinpoint accuracy to the area in question, and the oil has provided real relief, which means I can get on with other things without any noticeable increase in the suffering of others who may encounter the male of the species in full low pain threshold mode.  Think of it like man-flu without the snot.  Oh how we suffer, in silence or otherwise.

Anyway, the oil ran out, so off we went with a few clicks of the mouse to arrange a delivery.  Into the cart it went.  Then we got to the checkout.  Log in, call up the details.  You know the process.

But what I didn’t expect was a red-lettered legend at the top of the screen.  It is 2015 now, and no longer it seems, can a few 50ml bottles of safe herbal liquid be shipped from the sub-continent to the former mother country of the Raj.  Not to the UK.  Merde.

I can only assume that this change in policy goes back to the issues that sees us all removing our shoes at airports and keeping toiletries to small bottles or checked into the hold.  I’m probably now marked as a security risk by the Big Brother Police, a potential importer of dangerous substances.  Hell they might even read these words.

Just think about it, 50ml bottles, checked in the hold.  I could carry it on as hand luggage, to anywhere.  But this fine country of ours will not accept a tiny consignment coming from another fine country.

Meantime I’ll just keep taking the tablets; and be a real pain in the neck.  Nothing new there then.