MEDICAL MATTERS

[plaques]

My health clinic now has a forward booking system that restricts you to mornings only and limited to not more than two weeks in advance. Consequently, the "two weeks" is invariably fully booked. At this point you have to ring for an appointment as the next slot opens up. Not always a successful operation. But! If you have an internet agreement you can book as soon as the clinic closes. A high tech: form of queue jumping. The all business is a retrograde step in my view.

[Stanley]

I agree P. What possible disadvantage can there be in a normal rolling calendar based booking system. Must be some advantage to the clinic like saving on customer contact by phone. Luckily, even though our surgery uses an illegal phone number, I am close enough to walk in and make an appointment face to face.
One side effect of the powerful steroid and antibiotic eye drops I have to use for 3 weeks is that it has improved my hearing in the left ear. Presumably by the drops leaking into my sinuses and Eustachian tube. Very welcome!

[David Whipp]

I popped into the Barlick surgery to collect a repeat prescription last week and enquired about a cholesterol blood test. Looking at the screen, the receptionist said that Marie was free in ten minutes. As I walked down the corridor, Marie emerged with a clutch of bagged samples. "I won't be a moment," she said. From stepping into the surgery, I reckon it took about 150 seconds before the sample was leaving my arm.

Whilst I'm in Medical Matters... regular readers may recall my series of unfortunate swellings... For some months, this has been well controlled by anti-histamines. The consultant said that symptoms disappear in 90% of cases within a year.

From time to time I've dropped the dose and was on a single tablet at the end of September, which I stopped at the beginning of October. On the 3rd, I woke Stanley style, but with a mouth full of tongue. I managed to get a couple of anti-histamines down and the swelling subsided over the next 12 hours.

Hey ho, I'll try cutting them out again in a couple of months.

(I appreciated the secondary benefit of the anti-histamines with very little hay fever last spring....!)

[Cathy]

Re the internet agreement for booking appointments. I imagine it cuts out a lot of small talk and organising on the side of the patient, if they are elderly they might have to organise a lift for a particular time, they might have to ring back and cancel, it costs the surgery money and time. Can't be good for the elderly, especially those who don't book thru the internet. It's all about keeping the production line going.

[Stanley]

David, that sounds nasty, glad you could swallow the pills!
Cathy, you may be right but it's not a 'production line' it's a service that should accommodate people no matter how old or difficult.

[Cathy]

Totally agree Stanley, I was saying that the weakest link (often the most in need) always comes off worst, falls thru the cracks and gets left behind.

[Tardis]

Yesterday I introduced one friend who wanted to be a live donor and had many questions to another friend who's sister had received the same kind of gift,

[Tardis]

I get 3 more months abeyance

No further deterioration, but have to get specialist dietary information now, will have to see how that interferes with the consumption of Christmas Cake

Got to have another chat with my pharmacist, see if they can suggest a way to make my medication less life limiting. But won't be increased again because of the side effects, just yet.

Bonus: the comparative MRI study that I volunteered for can now be used by my consultant.

[Stanley]

My consultant assesses vision in left eye as 'Pilot' grade. Wonderful! He asked if I wanted the right eye advancing to the same standard. Of course I have to give consent before he can proceed. I simply said "Please!". I have a feeling the wait for the op will not be as long as the first, the sooner the better!
On the way home Susan and I were discussing what certain people would do if their consultant was of an ethnic origin that they disapproved of. If you're going blind and the person who can cure it is objectionable to you, what do you do? I'm happy to report that, as a person of mixed racial origin myself, I have no such problem, I think the man is GOD!

[David Whipp]

Met Stanley on the market yesterday and (with consent) peered deeply into both eyes; I couldn't see any difference between operated and unoperated eye at all.

Stanley commented that it's the first time he's been able to see without glasses for eighty years. (At the risk of a Stanley rap... I suspect it's the first time in recent months that Stanley has recognised me when I greeted him...)

Both Stanley and Jack looked in fine fettle.

[Moh]

Down to walking with one crutch now and the wound nurses are pleased with the way it is healing - onwards & upwards!!

[Stanley]

Good news Moh and I'm glad you are making progress.
David, you are right in your comment about recognising people. Truth to tell my sight outside, particularly in bright weather, has been a lot worse than I let on for a long while. I have little doubt that many people will have wondered why I ignored them. One good thing about it is that it has made me realise that there will be many in the same boat as I write.

[Stanley]

Got a pair of el cheapo non-prescription readers from Nutters on the Square to tide me over between second operation and getting prescription readers....

[David Whipp]

I use cheap readers most of the time (with optician's approval). My prescription glasses are better, but the readers tend to be more robust (they survive rolling around on the floor and humping and dumping). At £1.25 I've found Majestic have the cheapest ones in Barlick, followed by Shambles (£2.50).

[Moh]

Got rid of vac therapy and now down to a stick - bopping up the Majestic next!!! - in my dreams.........

[Stanley]

Moh, you might even surprise yourself! Glad to hear you are progressing well. I remember how surprised I was in the early 1970s when I came across Mrs Drinkall sweeping the yard at Church Farm Gargrave shortly after having a replacement hip......
David, Majestic couldn't get any readers, Nutters have them at £1.99.

[PanBiker]

I have related this story before but worth repeating. When my dad has his done, (without major complications it has to be said), he cycled from Barlick to Skipton General for his first outpatients appointment. Not only that but he cycled back as well, an 18 mile round trip. That was after his second hip replacement, greatest danger I suppose would have been falling off but that would have been true before or after a joint replacement. His orthopaedic operations on hips and knees over about 6 years revolutionised his mobility, he continued to ride his bike until a few weeks before his death.

[EileenDavid]

Hello All
I am back eye still not good but my right eye is excellent. The left eye that had the torn retina, trouble with scar tissue caused it to detach 2nd op put retina on again new lens and catarach removal but 10% came off again through scar tissue another op needed 10% put back on guess what scar tissue again has distorted the vision so another op in January to peel the scar tissue off. Hopefully then everything will be ok well at least able to get new glasses At least I can drive again now which is a blessing. Haven't had time for site to busy on other projects. Eileen

[Stanley]

Eileen, that puts my eye problems in perspective. Glad they are persevering and I hope it works when they do it again in January.

[Cathy]

Good news Moh and Eileen, nice to hear.

[EileenDavid]

Thanks for that Stanley, It really is the scourge of eye surgery is the scar tissue according to my surgeon but he says that it's a 60% chance that the peel will take away the distortion of sight in the eye and the vision will improve. I can see through it which I couldn't before the 2nd operation. So fingers crossed. Glad to hear your sight has improved Stanley. Eileen

[Stanley]

Eileen, left eye fighter pilot, right eye knackered. Roll on the next op to put a Belgian lens in the right eye!
NHS working well. Blood and water samples today, Diabetes clinic a week later.

[Tizer]

Stanley, make sure you don't end up with a Flemish in one eye and a Walloon in the other or you might end up with incompatibility!

[Tardis]

I received this:

Know your risk of stroke on world awareness day

EVERY six seconds, regardless of age or gender – someone somewhere will die from stroke.

Although that is an alarming number, stroke is more than a public health statistic. These are people who, at one time, were someone’s sister, brother, wife, husband, daughter, son, partner, mother, father… friend and this is why East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is supporting World Stroke Day on October, 29th 2013 and helping to raise awareness of the fact that stroke can be beaten.

The World Stroke Organisation’s overarching “1 in 6” campaign celebrates the fact that not only can stroke be prevented, but that stroke survivors can fully recover and regain their quality of life with the appropriate long-term care and support. The campaign aims to reduce the burden of stroke by acting on six easy challenges:

1. Know your personal risk factors: high blood pressure, diabetes, and high
blood cholesterol.
2. Be physically active and exercise regularly.
3. Avoid obesity by keeping to a healthy diet.
4. Limit alcohol consumption.
5. Avoid cigarette smoke. If you smoke, seek help to stop now.
6. Learn to recognise the warning signs of a stroke and how to take action.

The 2013 campaign also aims to highlight the myths around stroke care with the slogan ‘Because I care..’ which attempts to address prevailing misinformation about the disease, e.g., ‘stroke only happens later in life’ which isn’t correct as stroke can occur at any age.

Commenting on the warning signs of a stroke, Jamie Walford, Stroke Research Nurse at the Trust said: “The faster a stroke patient receives treatment, the better their chances are of surviving and reducing long-term disability.

“The warning signs of a stroke can be identified with the help of the FAST test - Face, Arm, Speech and Time to call 999. If a patient’s face falls on one side, or they cannot lift both arms and keep them there, or they have slurred speech, it is important to call 999 quickly as time is of the essence in treating a stroke patient. FAST is a simple test to help people to recognise the signs of stroke and understand the importance of emergency treatment.”

The Trust is also active in research to find better ways of preventing and treating stroke and is part of the National Institute for Health Research and North West Stroke Research Network. The network is marking World Stroke Day with an event to showcase stroke research in the region. This will be held at DW Stadium, Wigan and stroke survivors and members of the general public are warmly invited to attend. The event is free and you can book your place by emailing Pamela.halsam@nhs.net or calling 0161 206 2018. You can also ring this number for information about the Trust’s Patient, Care and Public Involvement groups, which offer stroke survivors the opportunity to give researchers their opinion on future projects.


Chris Cunniff
Communications Officer
Communications Department
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

T: 01254 732190 (Ext: 82190)
chris.cunniff@elht.nhs.uk

[Tardis]

Thank god for opiate based painkillers