It's oh so quiet shhh! shhh! We don't want to tempt providence, but everything seems to be going well of late.
Roger will soon be going "in" to have a small hernia (caused by all the surgery in the past, weakening the stomach wall) repaired.
We hope this will go as planned, and will be day surgery only.
Thankyou to all who have been concerned lately, that there were no new blogs. Truth is we were wallowing in the calm!!!
Sunday, 24 March 2013
Monday, 17 December 2012
No News - Good News
It's been a while since the last entry - generally that's good news!
I saw the brain man and there was nothing to indicate why I had the fits, except that he told me that the brainwaves passing through the left temporal lobe are slow. He doesn't want to see me again, and I'm to continue with the 'Tegratel' probably for life.
I'm due a CT scan tomorrow (Tues 17th) to check the cancer is still at bay.
So, all remaining the same I will be out this Christmas - a bit different to last year!
I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a healthy New Year.
I saw the brain man and there was nothing to indicate why I had the fits, except that he told me that the brainwaves passing through the left temporal lobe are slow. He doesn't want to see me again, and I'm to continue with the 'Tegratel' probably for life.
I'm due a CT scan tomorrow (Tues 17th) to check the cancer is still at bay.
So, all remaining the same I will be out this Christmas - a bit different to last year!
I hope you all have a lovely Christmas and a healthy New Year.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
Two down, one to go.
After a quiet period I've been to two out patient appointments this week (one more at the end of the month - the brain man) The first, on Monday was with St Mark's Hospital, Harrow - all's well and they will see me once more, in 6 months, and if all is still well they will sign me off.
The second, with the cancer man at the Berks, was also OK, he will send me for a CT scan in December just to be sure, and if that's clear he'll see me in 9 months.
We enjoyed Malta (4-18 Sept) but it was odd. they drive on the left, in right hand drive cars, everyone speaks English, and there are loads of Arriva bendi-buses - to everywhere - every few minutes - it just didn't feel like being abroad, a bit like Cyprus - UK with 30 degrees! Still it was a good rest, lovely roof-top pool and a beach 10min away.
I'm coping well without driving, the only difficult bit is carrying things but there's lots of help - if you ask! I'm a 1/3 of the way through now (no reduction for doing a course!!!) I get a great deal of use from my bus pass and my 'Disabled RailCard' - which gives us both, me and my 'carer', 1/3 off.'
The second, with the cancer man at the Berks, was also OK, he will send me for a CT scan in December just to be sure, and if that's clear he'll see me in 9 months.
We enjoyed Malta (4-18 Sept) but it was odd. they drive on the left, in right hand drive cars, everyone speaks English, and there are loads of Arriva bendi-buses - to everywhere - every few minutes - it just didn't feel like being abroad, a bit like Cyprus - UK with 30 degrees! Still it was a good rest, lovely roof-top pool and a beach 10min away.
I'm coping well without driving, the only difficult bit is carrying things but there's lots of help - if you ask! I'm a 1/3 of the way through now (no reduction for doing a course!!!) I get a great deal of use from my bus pass and my 'Disabled RailCard' - which gives us both, me and my 'carer', 1/3 off.'
Sunday, 26 August 2012
On the up
Today is an anniversary, significant for some people but probably not for others - it's 4 years since I last had a drink! (alcoholic that is!).
I note that my health problems started from that date, not month or week but day! That bank holiday weekend I caught a really bad urine infection - could that make me a stand-in for HRH? - following a routine cystoscopy on the Friday.
We were in Stamford, looking at possible locations post retirement and made a rush for home in some discomfort, preferring to be treated in Reading. Since then it's all gone wrong! but then as a blogger of considerable stamina, you'd know that!
Since the last blog things have improved, with support from the Stoma Nurses, such that we have booked 2 weeks in Malta. We've not been there before but hear good things about it.
I'm coping with not driving much better than I expected. I have my disabled rail card and been to Oxford for an EEG, an interesting experience - 24 probes stuck to my head and an hours trace - awake, resting and with a strobe light pulsing at various speeds. The Technician didn't say anything, they never do, but the vibes were that nothing showed up.
I note that my health problems started from that date, not month or week but day! That bank holiday weekend I caught a really bad urine infection - could that make me a stand-in for HRH? - following a routine cystoscopy on the Friday.
We were in Stamford, looking at possible locations post retirement and made a rush for home in some discomfort, preferring to be treated in Reading. Since then it's all gone wrong! but then as a blogger of considerable stamina, you'd know that!
Since the last blog things have improved, with support from the Stoma Nurses, such that we have booked 2 weeks in Malta. We've not been there before but hear good things about it.
I'm coping with not driving much better than I expected. I have my disabled rail card and been to Oxford for an EEG, an interesting experience - 24 probes stuck to my head and an hours trace - awake, resting and with a strobe light pulsing at various speeds. The Technician didn't say anything, they never do, but the vibes were that nothing showed up.
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
A week and a bit on.
One week on we're progressing. After the RBH fiasco we decided to contact my Surgeon at St Marks, I called her Secretary and suggested that if we sent some pictures of the stoma (yes I'll spare you those!) could they diagnose over the Internet? - she agreed and later we got a call from the Stoma Nurse who took the view to watch and wait. So far the swelling is about the same but the bleeding and more important, the black area, is receding. So we live to fight another day - I wonder what the next challenge will be?
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Where did that day go?
First day that the Sun comes out and where are we? RBH!
It started with the stoma doubling in size over the last few days, on Friday night, about 10:30 we noticed the bag was a quarter full of blood! - you sure you want to read on? - and an area of it had gone dark grey towards black. There was no pain or discomfort and it was working as it should, but could it be left till Monday for the GP or Stoma Nurses to check, or was it urgent? We elected to see how it was in the morning (I still, with all the ambulances we've had, have never had 'blues and twos' - could this be the one!)
It was much the same in the morning but it still left the dilemma - wait or go? Being Saturday the surgery was closed so we had the brainwave to try the NHS 'Walk in' place in St Mary's Butts - just looking for simple advice. we left about 10:30. It's a nice place, well set up, light, clean, and comfortable with attentive staff. We were told from the outset it would be a 2 hour wait - probably better then A+E and a lot nicer. I filled in the obligatory questionnaire and was given a number, a lucky draw ticket! On the hour we were called into 'Triage' and a nurse quickly established he knew nothing about our dilemma and passed us on to the a GP, who was a little wiser but not much, still she did ring the RBH, and spoke to the on-call surgeon - which we could never have done - he said 'send him in' - that's all I needed! - I'm going to get a flat in the 'Berks' it will be nearer and easier! She had to check my blood pressure to see if I was able to travel to the Berks unaided - I passed the test.
We got to CDU (Clinical Decisions Unit) and I was admitted, yet another wrist band - I should have collected them from the start, I could get in the Guinness Book of Records - the most admissions in 3 years! They tried to get blood, but gave up, no change there! I was seen by a Dr who gave me the once over and said he'd talk to a colleague who turned out to be one of the team who tried to do the reversal. He was in two minds, operate to trim the 'gangrenous' bits or push it back in and hope it sorts itself out in a day or two, 'the dark bits will probably slough off'. We went for the latter, I've had enough operations and he answered my main query - urgent or not - it seems not.
We were out of there in 5 minutes - the shortest admission in history. We got home about 5pm. We hope it will settle down in the next week or so, if not I'm inclined to try and bring my October out-patient appointment at St Marks forward.
It started with the stoma doubling in size over the last few days, on Friday night, about 10:30 we noticed the bag was a quarter full of blood! - you sure you want to read on? - and an area of it had gone dark grey towards black. There was no pain or discomfort and it was working as it should, but could it be left till Monday for the GP or Stoma Nurses to check, or was it urgent? We elected to see how it was in the morning (I still, with all the ambulances we've had, have never had 'blues and twos' - could this be the one!)
It was much the same in the morning but it still left the dilemma - wait or go? Being Saturday the surgery was closed so we had the brainwave to try the NHS 'Walk in' place in St Mary's Butts - just looking for simple advice. we left about 10:30. It's a nice place, well set up, light, clean, and comfortable with attentive staff. We were told from the outset it would be a 2 hour wait - probably better then A+E and a lot nicer. I filled in the obligatory questionnaire and was given a number, a lucky draw ticket! On the hour we were called into 'Triage' and a nurse quickly established he knew nothing about our dilemma and passed us on to the a GP, who was a little wiser but not much, still she did ring the RBH, and spoke to the on-call surgeon - which we could never have done - he said 'send him in' - that's all I needed! - I'm going to get a flat in the 'Berks' it will be nearer and easier! She had to check my blood pressure to see if I was able to travel to the Berks unaided - I passed the test.
We got to CDU (Clinical Decisions Unit) and I was admitted, yet another wrist band - I should have collected them from the start, I could get in the Guinness Book of Records - the most admissions in 3 years! They tried to get blood, but gave up, no change there! I was seen by a Dr who gave me the once over and said he'd talk to a colleague who turned out to be one of the team who tried to do the reversal. He was in two minds, operate to trim the 'gangrenous' bits or push it back in and hope it sorts itself out in a day or two, 'the dark bits will probably slough off'. We went for the latter, I've had enough operations and he answered my main query - urgent or not - it seems not.
We were out of there in 5 minutes - the shortest admission in history. We got home about 5pm. We hope it will settle down in the next week or so, if not I'm inclined to try and bring my October out-patient appointment at St Marks forward.
Thursday, 5 July 2012
What a Difference 3 Weeks Make!
We saw the "shoulder man" on Tuesday and he said I can leave the shoulder holsters off - Hurrah! they were a pain, I couldn't scratch my ****, I had to sleep sitting up - not good.
Interestingly he didn't recommend physio' at the moment, due to the type of dislocation. He's anxious that they could go in 'all guns blazing' and that's not good for posterial bilateral dislocation (that's both, out the back), he said just do what's comfortable and they will strengthen in time with normal use. Physio later maybe!
I am getting used to not driving, can bus to the office - free to wrinklies after 9:30. We went to Henley on Monday - 'Marigold Hotel' (if you've not seen it, do - it's great!) and got the train back, no probs!
Looking forward to Wednesday (11th) the Olympic Torch goes past our door! good way to start the day!
Interestingly he didn't recommend physio' at the moment, due to the type of dislocation. He's anxious that they could go in 'all guns blazing' and that's not good for posterial bilateral dislocation (that's both, out the back), he said just do what's comfortable and they will strengthen in time with normal use. Physio later maybe!
I am getting used to not driving, can bus to the office - free to wrinklies after 9:30. We went to Henley on Monday - 'Marigold Hotel' (if you've not seen it, do - it's great!) and got the train back, no probs!
Looking forward to Wednesday (11th) the Olympic Torch goes past our door! good way to start the day!
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