Monday, April 12, 2010
Bill joins the tribe of medical problem people
Bill should be writing this evening - it has been his day.
He has now joined my tribe - the one where you need to have undergone nasty investigations and suchlike in the hospital to belong.
I am a longstanding member of this tribe.
Bill has generally been quite fortunate thus far - apart from high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and osteo arthritis!!!
But, so far, his appointments have involved talking and medication, blood tests, steroid injections and needles draining fluid from the knees.
Mmmmm - perhaps he has been an associate member of the tribe for a long time!
But today's investigation felt more daunting.
We arrived at the hospital at the right time - but things began to go wrong.
We sat in the waiting room as directed.
Suddenly an alarm went off, doors automatically closed, lights dimmed and staff moved out of the endoscopy unit.
But those of us in the waiting room sat there - certainly not advised to move.
The ringing went on an on.
And then silence.
The man and woman waiting with us both went off to have their own investigations - and then left.
Bill and I sat.
And sat.
We did pick up that there were now problems with the "scopes".
But nobody actually told us that.
It was frustrating, but we have learned patience and tolerance over the years. Nobody at the hospital was deliberately keeping Bill waiting. And my experience tells me that the calmer one remains and the friendlier you can be to staff, the better the treatment you will feel you get.
Bill was taken through to discuss the procedure, have blood pressure taken etc.....but was advised that the waiting would have to continue.
Eventually after 2 and a half hours he nervously went in for his gastroscopy. He had elected to have the anaesthetic spray on the throat, rather than be sedated.
He seemed to be back out very quickly.
He told me that the spray tasted nasty, but the tubes did slip down quite easily.
He said that the biopsy taking felt like being pinched on the inside - and indeed that was exactly what was happening.
Everybody told him he had been a very easy patient to give the gastroscopy to - no tension to hinder the procedure.
He has a copy of the results and somebody came to explain it to him before we left. He definitely has a hiatus hernia which has caused acid reflux which has caused inflammation and soreness in the gullet.
Biopsy results will take longer to come through.
But we don't expect them to reveal any problems.
Bill can now return to the medication that Dr Oliver has already prescribed, which should control the acid.
Mostly a hiatus hernia can be lived with, providing that the acid levels are kept low.
This can be done with tablets and perhaps some modification to diet.
Dr Oliver will advise more - better than just reading web sites.
The anaesthetic spray wore off quite quickly.
He had a cold drink after an hour.
After another hour Bill was rewarded with a visit to Wetherspoons for some food.
In view of the hiatus hernia problems - maybe that was actually punishment, not reward!
Though it is possible to eat very healthily at Wetherspoons.
We picked up some shopping at Asda - mostly expensive cat food.
The damn cats are turning their noses up at Wiskas - they lick off the gravy and that is all they want.
They then turn and seem to demand, "Well, where is the Sheba?"
Thank you cats - only one of the most expensive cat foods will satisfy you.
But they are getting old and George is not completely fit and I am happier to see them eating well.
Having had a late afternoon meal out, we need nothing else.
That is one thing the websites say - people with acid reflux should not eat in the evening.
I shall have to bring forward our evening meal a bit perhaps.
Tomorrow it is my turn for medical appointments.
I will have my B12 injection and then see Dr O about results of recent tests.
He has now joined my tribe - the one where you need to have undergone nasty investigations and suchlike in the hospital to belong.
I am a longstanding member of this tribe.
Bill has generally been quite fortunate thus far - apart from high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis and osteo arthritis!!!
But, so far, his appointments have involved talking and medication, blood tests, steroid injections and needles draining fluid from the knees.
Mmmmm - perhaps he has been an associate member of the tribe for a long time!
But today's investigation felt more daunting.
We arrived at the hospital at the right time - but things began to go wrong.
We sat in the waiting room as directed.
Suddenly an alarm went off, doors automatically closed, lights dimmed and staff moved out of the endoscopy unit.
But those of us in the waiting room sat there - certainly not advised to move.
The ringing went on an on.
And then silence.
The man and woman waiting with us both went off to have their own investigations - and then left.
Bill and I sat.
And sat.
We did pick up that there were now problems with the "scopes".
But nobody actually told us that.
It was frustrating, but we have learned patience and tolerance over the years. Nobody at the hospital was deliberately keeping Bill waiting. And my experience tells me that the calmer one remains and the friendlier you can be to staff, the better the treatment you will feel you get.
Bill was taken through to discuss the procedure, have blood pressure taken etc.....but was advised that the waiting would have to continue.
Eventually after 2 and a half hours he nervously went in for his gastroscopy. He had elected to have the anaesthetic spray on the throat, rather than be sedated.
He seemed to be back out very quickly.
He told me that the spray tasted nasty, but the tubes did slip down quite easily.
He said that the biopsy taking felt like being pinched on the inside - and indeed that was exactly what was happening.
Everybody told him he had been a very easy patient to give the gastroscopy to - no tension to hinder the procedure.
He has a copy of the results and somebody came to explain it to him before we left. He definitely has a hiatus hernia which has caused acid reflux which has caused inflammation and soreness in the gullet.
Biopsy results will take longer to come through.
But we don't expect them to reveal any problems.
Bill can now return to the medication that Dr Oliver has already prescribed, which should control the acid.
Mostly a hiatus hernia can be lived with, providing that the acid levels are kept low.
This can be done with tablets and perhaps some modification to diet.
Dr Oliver will advise more - better than just reading web sites.
The anaesthetic spray wore off quite quickly.
He had a cold drink after an hour.
After another hour Bill was rewarded with a visit to Wetherspoons for some food.
In view of the hiatus hernia problems - maybe that was actually punishment, not reward!
Though it is possible to eat very healthily at Wetherspoons.
We picked up some shopping at Asda - mostly expensive cat food.
The damn cats are turning their noses up at Wiskas - they lick off the gravy and that is all they want.
They then turn and seem to demand, "Well, where is the Sheba?"
Thank you cats - only one of the most expensive cat foods will satisfy you.
But they are getting old and George is not completely fit and I am happier to see them eating well.
Having had a late afternoon meal out, we need nothing else.
That is one thing the websites say - people with acid reflux should not eat in the evening.
I shall have to bring forward our evening meal a bit perhaps.
Tomorrow it is my turn for medical appointments.
I will have my B12 injection and then see Dr O about results of recent tests.
