Too many pills and potions?

Too many remedies, rather! I am currently taking: phosphorus 30; prune juice (to counteract the constipating effects of antacids); aloe vera juice; arnica gel topically, on my bad finger. I suppose that's not a lot compared to the amount of pills some people take to keep them going. My dad used to take ten a day, including Warfarin. It's when they took him off everything that his body suddenly rebelled and he died five weeks later.

Off to the doc's tomorrow to discuss the ulcer situation. I want to stop Omeprazole and take Ranitidine instead. I've been buying it over the counter at great expense and in 75ml tabs rather than the 150ml ones you can get on prescription. And now that I don't have to pay for prescriptions any more, why should I have to buy Zantac?

My arthritic finger is giving me hell at the moment. Well, they're all arthritic but the right index finger is the worst and typing, which I do for a living, is getting to be a major problem. I have been surfing hand clinics that perform arthroplasty (replacement finger joints, to you!). I thought there would be loads, all over Europe - 'Have your new finger joint done in Hungary - only £1500', that sort of thing. But nix. Nichevo. Nilch. My best bet looks like being either the Hand Clinic in Windsor which opens your finger joint and smooths the bones down so they don't grind together, and which cost £3,700 a few years ago and probably a thousand more now, or Vancouver, which is a long way to go for check-ups. Wish I'd kept my private health insurance going.