Monday, December 31, 2007
New Year's Eve. May we all find what we are looking for.
Happy New Year to you.
It is what Bill and I would wish for all our family and friends and are beginning to feel desperate for a sniff at some happiness for ourselves.
Today has been like like the other days with the added confusion of having to deal with doctors and hospitals.
A letter came in the post this morning from the GP to inform me that my recent blood test showed some improvement but that they would like me to be monitored once a month. This "recent" blood test was nearly 3 weeks ago and since then I have had a relapse and been in hospital. The instructions are now different.
I decided to ring the hospital for help which at first seemed a bit thin on the ground. I am still contacting the urology team about a problem which is outside of their speciality.
But the young junior doctor, who was shortly to go off duty to enjoy New Year Festivities, rang me back a bit later. He had been in touch with the GP for me. Between them they agreed with my request that I go to the hospital on Wednesday morning for a blood test on the ward. I will then wait at the hospital until the results come through and then some decisions can be made.
For a short while I felt quite pleased with myself that I had managed to persuade the experts to do things the way that seemed best to me.
I enjoyed the chicken dinner - the 3rd day of eating the pre roast chicken that Bill had bought on Saturday. The tasty chicken korma was very satisfying.
Then I had a good sleep on the sofa. When I woke up I actually felt relaxed and thought I felt quite well - until I stood up. Then a huge wave of nausea hit me.
This evening I have talked with Jean in Wales. Most people I know will not realise that Jean's son Paul is a consultant in chemical pathology and ideally placed to have some opinions about my condition. He has suggested that the adrenal glands be checked out and that maybe what I need is a course of cortisone which could right the situation quite quickly.
I shall not be shy about passing on Paul's opinions when the right time comes. It may be that when I finally get to see the correct doctors that they will already have thought of that.
Well, that is today's medical bulletin.
I shall be in bed well before the midnight hour. I expect though I might be awake - for expensive fireworks are now the norm at parties and big occasions.
The days when our family (and only our family) had a few paltry fireworks at midnight are long gone. But we still thank our German friends who were with us one year and got us started on that tradition.
One year I remember we went to Brighton with Ashley and Liz with the intention of stopping at the top of Devil's Dyke to see the New Year in with a few rockets. Just like last week it was exceedingly windy and we failed to light a single firework. It was nearer quarter past midnight when we let them off lower down the hill.
One year we had a couple of rockets on the beach at Bournemouth in the rain!
This New Years Eve we are of course at home.
We have set up the video recorder to save Jules Hollands Annual Hootenanny to enjoy tomorrow some time.
Bill is in the shop tomorrow - just a short day from 11 til 4. Jo is coming over for a while to keep me company.
Whatever you are doing tonight may it bring you peace and I wish you the same for 2008.
It is what Bill and I would wish for all our family and friends and are beginning to feel desperate for a sniff at some happiness for ourselves.
Today has been like like the other days with the added confusion of having to deal with doctors and hospitals.
A letter came in the post this morning from the GP to inform me that my recent blood test showed some improvement but that they would like me to be monitored once a month. This "recent" blood test was nearly 3 weeks ago and since then I have had a relapse and been in hospital. The instructions are now different.
I decided to ring the hospital for help which at first seemed a bit thin on the ground. I am still contacting the urology team about a problem which is outside of their speciality.
But the young junior doctor, who was shortly to go off duty to enjoy New Year Festivities, rang me back a bit later. He had been in touch with the GP for me. Between them they agreed with my request that I go to the hospital on Wednesday morning for a blood test on the ward. I will then wait at the hospital until the results come through and then some decisions can be made.
For a short while I felt quite pleased with myself that I had managed to persuade the experts to do things the way that seemed best to me.
I enjoyed the chicken dinner - the 3rd day of eating the pre roast chicken that Bill had bought on Saturday. The tasty chicken korma was very satisfying.
Then I had a good sleep on the sofa. When I woke up I actually felt relaxed and thought I felt quite well - until I stood up. Then a huge wave of nausea hit me.
This evening I have talked with Jean in Wales. Most people I know will not realise that Jean's son Paul is a consultant in chemical pathology and ideally placed to have some opinions about my condition. He has suggested that the adrenal glands be checked out and that maybe what I need is a course of cortisone which could right the situation quite quickly.
I shall not be shy about passing on Paul's opinions when the right time comes. It may be that when I finally get to see the correct doctors that they will already have thought of that.
Well, that is today's medical bulletin.
I shall be in bed well before the midnight hour. I expect though I might be awake - for expensive fireworks are now the norm at parties and big occasions.
The days when our family (and only our family) had a few paltry fireworks at midnight are long gone. But we still thank our German friends who were with us one year and got us started on that tradition.
One year I remember we went to Brighton with Ashley and Liz with the intention of stopping at the top of Devil's Dyke to see the New Year in with a few rockets. Just like last week it was exceedingly windy and we failed to light a single firework. It was nearer quarter past midnight when we let them off lower down the hill.
One year we had a couple of rockets on the beach at Bournemouth in the rain!
This New Years Eve we are of course at home.
We have set up the video recorder to save Jules Hollands Annual Hootenanny to enjoy tomorrow some time.
Bill is in the shop tomorrow - just a short day from 11 til 4. Jo is coming over for a while to keep me company.
Whatever you are doing tonight may it bring you peace and I wish you the same for 2008.
