Wednesday, February 25, 2009
From a couple of AF old folk
I haven't achieved all that I planned today - and yet I feel I made a good effort.
The news that Bill is being tested for more heart problems set me thinking of course. Bill feels able to push it out of his mind - he says that there is no point thinking about it when he doesn't know yet what is actually happening.
We even had a laugh about the doctor's notes on the blood test form; under the words swollen ankles he had added "?AF".
AF is a well known abbreviation in the antiques trade and should be written on some of the price labels. It should be written if there is some fault with the item and stands for "As Found".
So, Dr Oliver thinks Bill is possibly AF!
Though of course it actually refers to Atrial Fibrilation.
Today Bill had a blood test.
And next Thursday he will have an ECG test by the nurse at the doctor's surgery.
He had one a year ago when the high blood pressure became apparent. It is good that the doctor will be able to look back at that tracing to see how much change here has been.
I don't know when Bill will know exactly what is going on - probably not until the week after when he can have an appointment with the doctor again.
So now both of us are in a state of waiting and wondering.
I wait until next Tuesday for the results of the CT scan.
Having checked out the AF web sites we are both fairly well informed now about possibilities. If the problem is deemed to have deteriorated since last year, Bill may well be on warfarin. As life goes on there might be a possibility of having a pacemaker fitted. His father had one fitted.
But, Bill is right, there is no point surmising too much right now, though it feels good to have knowledge.
I am a little concerned as to how much insurance is going to cost for our trip to Thailand. Bill is over 65 and will have to declare the heart problems. I am hoping that I shall only have to declare routine follow up appointments.
This morning we walked to the local shops for our hair cuts. Tony, the rugby player, does the men. He is off to Dublin at the weekend for the Ireland v England match. Rob, the Chelsea supporter, does mine. He is such a philosopher is Rob. I told him that Jamie is almost 40 and that this makes him him too aware of the passing of time. And Rob came out with all sorts of thoughts about the subject - so my appointment took a long time as he stopped cutting to talk.
It was a chilly wind that blew out there - although the thermometer recorded that it was quite mild.
This afternoon we went to the hospital for the blood test and then on to Lidl for a few bits.
By the time we got back we wanted a cup of tea and somehow no further describing for EBay was done today.
I am about to get my 4,000th positive feedback from EBay customers - and, of course, no negatives.
I have sold more than 4,000 things - some people don't bother to leave feedback.
But it feels like a landmark.
It will be almost 2 years I would think before I make it to 5,000.
This evening I have watched TV. This is the final week of Master Chef. It is amazing to think that the three finalists, who were just enthusiastic amateurs have learned so much.
I wonder who the winner will be - decision time tomorrow evening.
Bill has stripped the old wall paper from the bathroom walls and the old bathroom cabinet is down. Tomorrow he will do a little preparation work for the new wall paper, and not much more. If there is a hint of sunshine we think we should go out somewhere.
Goodnight.
The news that Bill is being tested for more heart problems set me thinking of course. Bill feels able to push it out of his mind - he says that there is no point thinking about it when he doesn't know yet what is actually happening.
We even had a laugh about the doctor's notes on the blood test form; under the words swollen ankles he had added "?AF".
AF is a well known abbreviation in the antiques trade and should be written on some of the price labels. It should be written if there is some fault with the item and stands for "As Found".
So, Dr Oliver thinks Bill is possibly AF!
Though of course it actually refers to Atrial Fibrilation.
Today Bill had a blood test.
And next Thursday he will have an ECG test by the nurse at the doctor's surgery.
He had one a year ago when the high blood pressure became apparent. It is good that the doctor will be able to look back at that tracing to see how much change here has been.
I don't know when Bill will know exactly what is going on - probably not until the week after when he can have an appointment with the doctor again.
So now both of us are in a state of waiting and wondering.
I wait until next Tuesday for the results of the CT scan.
Having checked out the AF web sites we are both fairly well informed now about possibilities. If the problem is deemed to have deteriorated since last year, Bill may well be on warfarin. As life goes on there might be a possibility of having a pacemaker fitted. His father had one fitted.
But, Bill is right, there is no point surmising too much right now, though it feels good to have knowledge.
I am a little concerned as to how much insurance is going to cost for our trip to Thailand. Bill is over 65 and will have to declare the heart problems. I am hoping that I shall only have to declare routine follow up appointments.
This morning we walked to the local shops for our hair cuts. Tony, the rugby player, does the men. He is off to Dublin at the weekend for the Ireland v England match. Rob, the Chelsea supporter, does mine. He is such a philosopher is Rob. I told him that Jamie is almost 40 and that this makes him him too aware of the passing of time. And Rob came out with all sorts of thoughts about the subject - so my appointment took a long time as he stopped cutting to talk.
It was a chilly wind that blew out there - although the thermometer recorded that it was quite mild.
This afternoon we went to the hospital for the blood test and then on to Lidl for a few bits.
By the time we got back we wanted a cup of tea and somehow no further describing for EBay was done today.
I am about to get my 4,000th positive feedback from EBay customers - and, of course, no negatives.
I have sold more than 4,000 things - some people don't bother to leave feedback.
But it feels like a landmark.
It will be almost 2 years I would think before I make it to 5,000.
This evening I have watched TV. This is the final week of Master Chef. It is amazing to think that the three finalists, who were just enthusiastic amateurs have learned so much.
I wonder who the winner will be - decision time tomorrow evening.
Bill has stripped the old wall paper from the bathroom walls and the old bathroom cabinet is down. Tomorrow he will do a little preparation work for the new wall paper, and not much more. If there is a hint of sunshine we think we should go out somewhere.
Goodnight.
