MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

P, my reason for avoiding pain killers whenever possible is because I learned over many years that their use as a prophylactic could actually trigger small flashes of pain that stopped you in your tracks. This is evidently a well known side effect. Even Aspirin did it. They served me well initially in controlling chronic back pain but eventually became counter-productive.

[Tizer]

Another day, another health disaster...
`Thousands caught up in 'appalling' cervical screening blunder' LINK

[Marilyn]

I take it you weren't one of them Tizzy....

[Stanley]

I saw that Tiz and it is a disgrace. Capita seems to be dogged by these sorts of cock-ups but still gets new contracts.... Ask yourself why.
Woman's Hour did a piece this morning about the general neglect of pregnant women in prison. One or two examples of good practice but the majority are terrible. Including women going into labour in the night, being assessed by unqualified staff and delivering the baby alone in the cell. I don't care if they are offenders, it would be illegal to treat animals like this.
One nice thing, another good BP reading 126/77 this morning. Cheers me up no end!

[Tizer]

I take it you weren't one of them Tizzy....

No, that's one free offer I can't take up!

[PanBiker]

We have Samantha who is from the Occupational Therapy department calling tomorrow. She will be looking to get a couple of hand rails installed. One at the back door as we have a step up into the kitchen and a high thresh to negotiate, would be handy for entrance and exit. The other, a vertical rail to help getting in and out of the shower which at the moment is over the bath.

Samantha called yesterday as arranged and ordered up via telephone prescription the rails that we required. She said that the installation guy would ring us before calling within the next couple of days. Good news is there was a knock on the back door at around 10am this morning and the installation guy was on site ready to rock! He had misplaced our phone number but called anyway. 20 minutes later and we now have a short (18") vertical rail at the back door and a 24" waterproof job set horizontally (better functionality) on the back wall in the bathroom behind the bath to help getting in and out of the shower. Fantastic and efficient service from the ancillary NHS rehab groups.

[Big Kev]

Excellent service

[chinatyke]

This is what happens when you don't have any NHS service: My friend in Nanning got bitten by a neighbour's dog on Wednesday. There is little risk that the dog is infected but he went to the designated hospital and was started on a course of anti-rabies treatment at a cost of £460. That sum would be beyond the poorest people here who no doubt would take the risk and not seek any treatment.

[Stanley]

The same thing applies in the States China. I know of people who killed themselves when diagnosed with cancer because they knew the family couldn't afford the treatment and it would bankrupt them. I always made sure I had an expensive but very good travel insurance that I knew worked and it saved my bacon a couple of times. Even so I had to buy my own ABs that cost $50 and that was in 1980.
Ian, exceptional service......

[plaques]

Received our Liberal Democrat news sheet yesterday and had a very long chat with their delivery activist. Mainly concentrated on the possible closure of the sports centres. My experience from the swimming side is that possibly 70% are ladies trying to undo years of neglect this together with 60% of the men. How do you put a value on this activity? The bean counters will simply look at the bottom line, money in / money out, but indirectly we are talking about the health of the nation, not an easy thing to put a value on.

[Tizer]

My experience from the swimming side is that possibly 70% are ladies trying to undo years of neglect this together with 60% of the men.

Perhaps that's because you're going to the Pensioners' Swim Night!

[plaques]

Sorry Tizer. Late afternoons , in and out before the rush hour traffic. I've a lot of sympathy for these people. It takes some courage to appear in a bathing costume the shape some of these are in. Nobody bat's an eye. The general opinion is that at least they are doing something about it and its not in anybody's interest to put obstacles in their way, which closing these pools would do.

[PanBiker]

My wife Sally normally goes twice a week with her friend who is an amputee. Early morning 7am session on Tuesdays and a bit later around 9am on Fridays, she generally does 40 or 50 lengths.

[Stanley]

Swimming is probably the best exercise there is and further, if someone is severely disabled it is possibly the only time they experience personal freedom. Pools are essential if only for that one reason!
The Attendance Allowance people arranged for me to be sent the Macmillan brochure. Very impressed by presentation. What impressed me is that it was delivered in a plain envelope and when you open it it is plain and untitled. I later realised this was so that nobody seeing it arrive or laid about would associate it with cancer. Of no importance to me but to some it will be vital that they keep it quiet for personal reasons. A nice touch!

[Marilyn]

Gosh...what a waste of public money. We have a 2 hour trip each way to the hospital...no such thing as travel allowance! I have paid up to £20 to park the car! And hubby certainly doesn't need a Macmillan Nurse... ( what a lot of twaddle).
They will be giving you a badge to pin on your chest next...
Bladder Cancer is nothing more than a mere nuisance. I can't understand the fuss!

Having said that, hubby must be at the hospital at 7.15am on Monday for his Cystoscopy...(groan)

And possibly I should qualify that by saying low grade bladder tumours are nothing more than a mere nuisance. If you have aggressive/infiltrating/disseminating bladder cancer, obviously that is a different story.

[Stanley]

Maz, sorry but you're jumping the gun a bit. Perhaps I haven't explained adequately. I agree with you, I don't need Macmillan (A wonderful organisation who do so much good) or Attendance Allowance as things stand but don't forget the whole body scan on Tuesday to check for secondaries. As yet nobody knows what that will flag up. In view of that I have been advised to get myself on to the system now as the process takes a long time. Doing what I have done involves no demands on the system or the charity.
In the unlikely event that things get serious all the things I am doing are resonable forward planning and I think that you would be sensible enough to do the same if you were in that position.

[Marilyn]

Still putting the cart before the horse.
They may have done paperwork for nothing prior to any of Tuesday's results...
( and hopefully all their prep is for nothing, of course...but it does seem terribly odd to have services and funds on standby at this stage...wouldn't happen here in Oz)
Don't think we could get any help here even if hubby's cancer was terminal. We certainly haven't heard from any organisations. And don't expect to.

[Stanley]

That's where we are lucky Maz. Some very good systems in place and working well. Look at how Ian has been treated! (And all free...... Let's hear it for the NHS!

[Wendyf]

Maz, Attendance Allowance isn't about attending hospital, it's a benefit which goes towards paying for someone to attend to you if you need care at home. I'm sure that all Stanley has done is to send for the forms to fill in if he needs to, which is very wise considering his age ... cancer or no cancer! No one will have spent time doing paperwork apart from putting an address label on an envelope.

[Marilyn]

Ok. I understand now.
( we would have to pay for anyone to "attend"...so it would be me washing hubby with a warm face washer! And darn grateful he should be for that too... )
Of course you get certain help here if you are living in poverty. No help though if you earn a dollar more!
( maybe it is our culture, as I've mentioned before, but we really don't expect any help with our troubles)
I know we have Breast Cancer Nurses, but you need to be referred.

[plaques]

Marilyn, My understanding of our 'care allowance ' system gleaned from helping a friend to fill in his 20 page questionnaire is that in normal circumstances you have to have been suffering the debilitating condition for a number of months before you start to qualify. This condition obviously varies from person to person. The allowance is handed to the applicant who can then use it as they wish. For people with terminal illnesses the qualifying waiting period is cancelled and you get the allowance as quickly as the system will permit.

[Wendyf]

Bloody hell Maz you are tough down there! You would be too young to claim Attendance Allowance here anyway, it's for the over 65s.

Just another small but important point, the Macmillan cancer support organisation, the same as with any hospice in this country is a charity and is not government or taxpayer funded.

[Big Kev]

That's where we are lucky Maz. Some very good systems in place and working well. Look at how Ian has been treated! (And all free...... Let's hear it for the NHS!

Not entirely free, part of national insurance payments go towards the NHS and some treatments incur additional charges.

[Marilyn]

Hubby is nearing 70, Wendy. He is still working full time, from home, but plans to give up work mid next year ( he loves his work. He can't wait to get started each day and is as happy as happy when he is working. He struggles on days where he doesn't have much work. He designs houses, and is very good at what he does. Being able to work from home has been a very positive thing in his life. He is employed by one of the top building companies and it has been a very good thing all round.)
It has been a wonderful union between a gifted man with so much to give, and an employer who saw beyond the 65 year retirement age. People who want to continue to work should not be put out to pasture.
(. He would drive me nuts if he had nothing to do....and I'm wondering if they could keep him on until he is 80! )

[Stanley]

6 months wait normally P. I was impressed by the level of support I got when I rang them to ask whether I was correct in making the claim. he was very reassuring, hoped I didn't need it but urged me to fill the large form in (which was very well designed....) so that I was 'on the system'. It all makes sense to me. It also opens the route for Susan to be able to claim as carer if the need arises. There is one further factor. My brother had the same operation as me and his result was the removal of his entire bladder and prostate. I'm happy to say he has survived, but don't tell me it can't be serious and this obviously is in my thinking.
Kev, being retired and not paying NI any more was what prompted me to say it was a free service.
Roll on the scan on Tuesday and the result!