As I mentioned in my previous post, I had to have an x-ray on both my shoulders. This happened today. The NHS actually called me in 2 minutes after my appointed time - I think with clocks being inaccurate you could even say they were spot on - and the very nice young lady made do pilates exercises to get the right shots - so many I felt more like I was on a style shoot rather than a medical appointment. After 15 minutes I was back in the waiting room and 5 minutes later, the nice young lady was back out to tell me that the shots were fine, in other words, I didn't move! Then came the line 'The images should be with your GP in a week or so'.
Now, this in itself seem innocuous - a little slow but nothing out of the ordinary - until you remember that these x-ray images are now digital. That means that they are immediately available to view on a computer.
OK, I understand that they will need to be seen by a 'specialist' rather than just my GP but, what can possibly take 7-10 days about this?? Do they not have email????
All I can say is, it was a good job my arm wasn't hanging off!
Hmmmmmm....keep loving.
Friday 24 February 2012
Thursday 16 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 20
It never ceases to amaze me how the body has a natural mechanism for ignoring problems if there is something bigger going on. I mentioned one example in my last post regarding the brain only handling one major pain at a time - thus, I am guessing, giving the injured person a chance to cope - well now I have another example.
Today I went to the docs. Nothing major (I hope) but, over the last 12 months, I have been having intermittent issues with my shoulders. Pain issues that have sometimes made even rudimentary actions such as turning the wheel in the car extremely painful. Well, during the period that my wife has been ill, I know it has been there but, and this is not a suggestion that I have been manfully ignoring the pain, my brain seems to have been registering it, letting me know it hurts, then filing it away for future reference. Thinking back, it is quite surreal. I have felt the pain, I have reacted then, it seems like it has been logged away like some distant memory that occasionally peeks over the wall only to disappear as soon as you look in its general direction. The upshot is, a bunch of anti-inflammatory drugs and I have to go for an x-ray. My big concern (and remember, I am the biggest wimp going) is that it will turn out to be arthritis. Those that know me are fully aware that I am unfit. However, one thing I have always prided myself in is my strength of arm and leg. I can lift and push things far beyond my capabilities whilst never having the ability to run more than 10 seconds without running short of breath. If this insidious threat comes along, whilst not life threatening, will completely change how I live my life. I think I have had enough 'life-changeing' things happen during the last 12 months and frankly, any more can bugger off and go find someone else to play with.
Of course, this is the bleakest of outlooks. I have had enough experience recently of thinking the worst and being proved wrong - long may that continue but, even the most positive person has to reach a point when they say enough! All I want in life these days is an interesting and stimulating job (tick), a quiet home life (tick), a little time to play stupid computer games (half a tick), the odd chance to do some more theatre (tick occasionally) and good health (that's where it falls down). Is it too much to ask?
It has just occurred to me that, when I started writing this post, I was just adding some more detail to my blog and wasn't going to write much. Now it has turned into a rant that makes me sound like a selfish hypochondriac! I hope that is not the case but who am I to say? That is the joy of posting and allowing others to comment. They don't hold back. I might not like what they say but I'm sure it will make me stop and think (before I delete the worst!!).
And breathe.....
Well, back to calm self so time to sign-off.
Remember - keep loving.
Today I went to the docs. Nothing major (I hope) but, over the last 12 months, I have been having intermittent issues with my shoulders. Pain issues that have sometimes made even rudimentary actions such as turning the wheel in the car extremely painful. Well, during the period that my wife has been ill, I know it has been there but, and this is not a suggestion that I have been manfully ignoring the pain, my brain seems to have been registering it, letting me know it hurts, then filing it away for future reference. Thinking back, it is quite surreal. I have felt the pain, I have reacted then, it seems like it has been logged away like some distant memory that occasionally peeks over the wall only to disappear as soon as you look in its general direction. The upshot is, a bunch of anti-inflammatory drugs and I have to go for an x-ray. My big concern (and remember, I am the biggest wimp going) is that it will turn out to be arthritis. Those that know me are fully aware that I am unfit. However, one thing I have always prided myself in is my strength of arm and leg. I can lift and push things far beyond my capabilities whilst never having the ability to run more than 10 seconds without running short of breath. If this insidious threat comes along, whilst not life threatening, will completely change how I live my life. I think I have had enough 'life-changeing' things happen during the last 12 months and frankly, any more can bugger off and go find someone else to play with.
Of course, this is the bleakest of outlooks. I have had enough experience recently of thinking the worst and being proved wrong - long may that continue but, even the most positive person has to reach a point when they say enough! All I want in life these days is an interesting and stimulating job (tick), a quiet home life (tick), a little time to play stupid computer games (half a tick), the odd chance to do some more theatre (tick occasionally) and good health (that's where it falls down). Is it too much to ask?
It has just occurred to me that, when I started writing this post, I was just adding some more detail to my blog and wasn't going to write much. Now it has turned into a rant that makes me sound like a selfish hypochondriac! I hope that is not the case but who am I to say? That is the joy of posting and allowing others to comment. They don't hold back. I might not like what they say but I'm sure it will make me stop and think (before I delete the worst!!).
And breathe.....
Well, back to calm self so time to sign-off.
Remember - keep loving.
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 19
Isn't it nice when you finally get a couple of bits of good news in a row without the barrage of doom and gloom in between?
After the dramatic envelope opening just over a week ago (see part 18) we were bimbling along trying to approach 2012 with a sense of optimism. Friday was my wife's next appointment with the back doctor and we were a little apprehensive as she had been in some pain of the previous few days - this was obviously being masked by the 'discomfort' of the operation up until that point - so, as I left her awaiting the hospital transport and headed off to work, there was some tension in the air.
The tension was not improved when, having arrived at the hospital at 8.20am, she presented herself to reception as, with an appointment at 9am and the need for an x-ray beforehand, she thought it would help if she went for that early. The assumption being that they would be pleased to get someone out of the way. Oh how wrong she was. She was basically told that it was ridiculous being there that early (she was dictated to by the hospital transport), who on earth told her that she needed an x-ray first (it was in the letter she received) and there was no way that anyone would see her before 9am. Now, as she was in her going-out back brace, she was unable to sit down (this chops across her windpipe - the problem with only being 5ft 1 and a half inches tall) so, she asked if there was anywhere she could stand without being in the way. To this she received the reply NO! My wife's response?...'I'll go and play with the traffic then shall I?'
It was at this point that she phoned me at work and vented her spleen to me for 5 minutes about the stupidity of the NHS and the lack of empathy from the staff. This did not bode well for her appointment especially when she started threatening to get the next transport home! Anyway, she rang off rather abruptly and I assumed the worst. This was re-enforced at about 10am when the number that flashed on my phone as it rang was our home number. However, it seemed that, subsequent to her run in with officialdom, she was soon packed off for an x-ray and almost immediately seen by the doctor who pronounced himself satisfied with her progress. He prescribed some physiotherapy and said that she would only need to wear the contraption when in public. So, when she arrived at the front door of the hospital to find her transport waiting for her and having had a reasonably smooth journey home, she was much happier with life and suddenly things didn't look so bad.
So, onwards and upwards again and much more hope for the future. I'll be back soon (I know you can't wait!)
Keep loving
After the dramatic envelope opening just over a week ago (see part 18) we were bimbling along trying to approach 2012 with a sense of optimism. Friday was my wife's next appointment with the back doctor and we were a little apprehensive as she had been in some pain of the previous few days - this was obviously being masked by the 'discomfort' of the operation up until that point - so, as I left her awaiting the hospital transport and headed off to work, there was some tension in the air.
The tension was not improved when, having arrived at the hospital at 8.20am, she presented herself to reception as, with an appointment at 9am and the need for an x-ray beforehand, she thought it would help if she went for that early. The assumption being that they would be pleased to get someone out of the way. Oh how wrong she was. She was basically told that it was ridiculous being there that early (she was dictated to by the hospital transport), who on earth told her that she needed an x-ray first (it was in the letter she received) and there was no way that anyone would see her before 9am. Now, as she was in her going-out back brace, she was unable to sit down (this chops across her windpipe - the problem with only being 5ft 1 and a half inches tall) so, she asked if there was anywhere she could stand without being in the way. To this she received the reply NO! My wife's response?...'I'll go and play with the traffic then shall I?'
It was at this point that she phoned me at work and vented her spleen to me for 5 minutes about the stupidity of the NHS and the lack of empathy from the staff. This did not bode well for her appointment especially when she started threatening to get the next transport home! Anyway, she rang off rather abruptly and I assumed the worst. This was re-enforced at about 10am when the number that flashed on my phone as it rang was our home number. However, it seemed that, subsequent to her run in with officialdom, she was soon packed off for an x-ray and almost immediately seen by the doctor who pronounced himself satisfied with her progress. He prescribed some physiotherapy and said that she would only need to wear the contraption when in public. So, when she arrived at the front door of the hospital to find her transport waiting for her and having had a reasonably smooth journey home, she was much happier with life and suddenly things didn't look so bad.
So, onwards and upwards again and much more hope for the future. I'll be back soon (I know you can't wait!)
Keep loving
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Life's Little Dramas Part 18
Well, despite thinking that most of the dramas were over for a while, there was a major squeaky bum moment over the weekend. I retrieved the post on Saturday morning and flicked through the usual weekend junk mail only to come across a letter from the hospital stamped 'Gaenocology'. Now, if you remember, we were told that we would not hear anything unless it was bad news (malignant) so you can imagine the looks on both our faces. I attempted to be stoic and asked if my wife would like me to open it - always hoping and expecting that she would decline and open it herself - and she said yes. At this point she tells me that my hands started to shake!
I slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. It turns out that the surgeon had decided (presumably as there had been delays in getting the results) that it would be a good idea to confirm that it was definitely good news! At this point there were tears (of relief) and much hugging.
So, it just goes to show, you should never put off opening letters - it may actually prolong your agony and reading what is written could really improve your day.
And on that note,
Keep loving
I slowly opened the envelope and unfolded the letter. It turns out that the surgeon had decided (presumably as there had been delays in getting the results) that it would be a good idea to confirm that it was definitely good news! At this point there were tears (of relief) and much hugging.
So, it just goes to show, you should never put off opening letters - it may actually prolong your agony and reading what is written could really improve your day.
And on that note,
Keep loving
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