MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

Good news Moh! Now all you have to do is keep away from hospitals!
Four weeks on Friday since my operation and I can stop using the eye drops, that will be a blessing! Slow improvement continues...
I found that another of my mates was virtually blind in one eye after an operation when he was a child to realign a skenning eye. His other eye is developing a cataract but he is afraid to have the replacement lens because it could go wrong. I can see his point, at least he knows what he has now. Some people are worse off then us!

[Stanley]

See this Guardian ARTICLE for news of Type 2 Diabetes. When scientists at both UCL and the Mayo Clinic warn us about something we would do well to take note.
This is part of the growing concern about the 'medicalisation' of health. The recent argument about statins is another example. The suspicion is that much of the pressure to throw medication at groups of people held to be 'at risk' is largely emanating from drug companies looking for markets for their products. Once you start on statins you are on them for li9fe, a perfect marketing opportunity. Opponents of this trend argue that each patient is an individual and should be diagnosed and prescribed for as such. I agree completely with this. There is no such thing as an average patient, we are all individuals. In my case the drug companies know nothing about my care with diet, regular exercise and general stress-free life style, all factors which have a bearing on my health and medication needs.

[Big Kev]

Health News: The NHS has revealed plans to scrap traditional anti-bacterial drugs and instead replace them with generous measures of gin.

The move comes after a number of warnings about the growing threat of resistance to antibiotics that could cast the world “back into the dark ages of medicine”.
“It’s obviously very unsafe to mix medicine with alcohol, so we intend to stop using medicine altogether,” said a senior NHS spokesman.
“Gin has many excellent medicinal properties that would benefit patients – it can dull all kinds of mental and physical pain, the slice of lime served in a gin and tonic is packed with vitamins and antioxidants, plus LIDL Club gin is less than eight quid a bottle, so we’ll be massively reducing costs.”
“Our studies on this subject have indicated that patients who receive regular, large doses of medicinal gin tend to be much quieter and hardly ever complain about hospital food, paying five quid a day to watch TV, or having to put up with some knob from the government turning up for a photo opportunity.”

[Tizer]

Nice one Kev! The Radio 4 News quiz reported a supermarket gin bottle carrying a security label that said "Remove before microwaving". The mind boggles at what would happen if someone microwaved a bottle of gin - I wouldn't want to be living next door!

[plaques]

After my little mishap in the garage I've been getting bi-weekly dressings from the Health Clinic. These have been applied with either a seaweed formulation or one of medical grade honey. The honey application is quite interesting because it is now known that it acts as an antibiotic and to-date there is no evidence that there is any signs of antibiotic resistance.Honey Link.
Ref Seaweed. Alginate dressings maintain a physiologically moist microenvironment that promotes healing and the formation of granulation tissue. Alginates can be rinsed away with saline irrigation, so removal of the dressing does not interfere with healing granulation tissue. This makes dressing changes virtually painless. Alginate dressings are very useful for moderate to heavily exudating wounds
Ref Honey. The researchers also say that honey has been shown to exhibit “broad-spectrum” antimicrobial activity, being able to act upon more than 80 species of pathogen. They point towards previous research that has demonstrated that honey can inhibit pathogens normally capable of causing wound infection, including strains that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. They also highlight the growing number of clinical reports that have shown that wound infections (including those infected with MRSA) can be cleared by the topical application of manuka honey.

I like the idea of a swig of gin as a pick-me-up after treatment.

[Tripps]

A bit intuitive, I know, but has there been any research into the anti bacterial properties of deep mined treacle?

[Stanley]

Any sugar is a good microbe inhibiter, that's why Jam keeps so well. I used some honey from the back of the cupboard yesterday to make mint sauce. It must have been three years old....
Glad you're wound is healing P, did I miss the accident?
Four weeks today since the eye op so I have stopped using the Mydrilate eye drops which are a powerful mix of steroids and antibiotics. I have no doubt they have done a splendid job but they irritate the eye and I think may have an effect on vision. I shall be monitoring any changes.....

[Stanley]

Freedom from eye drops is great!

[Moh]

Got discharged from fracture clinic but he will keep his eye on me and see me in 12 months.

[David Whipp]

Good to see folk getting signed off.

Last appointment before September at Manchester Uni Dental Hospital tomorrow morning; gnashers are the best they've been for years!

[Stanley]

Lovely Moh! Keep away from the doctors if possible!
David, my teeth are always fine......
Diabetes programme at the doctors is working well, I'm due for a foot inspection...... No problems, I have good circulation, sounds like a feed pump on the Ultra sound scan.

[David Whipp]

I've had to keep the trial denture (provided last week) in place for a full 24 hours before this morning's appointment - can't wait to get the blasted thing out!

[Stanley]

Courage Mon Brave! It will be worth it....

[David Whipp]

Dentures adjusted; instructed to resume using them during 7 weeks to next appointment after the ulcers they've rubbed up have healed...

[Stanley]

Get some borax David and swill your mouth out frequently with a weak solution, an old remedy but still a good one! A good thing is to alternate this with salt water.

[David Whipp]

Thanks for tip. Surprised you're not suggesting thin bleach, Stanley!

[Stanley]

No! Borax! Don't ignore the tip, it works....

[Tardis]

We got the call at 11pm on 12th June, " hello! we believe that we have a match. When can you get here?" quite a surprise, and made our way to St James in Leeds.

After what seemed an age, we were told that they couldn't proceed as there was an aneurism on the main blood vessel. Dejected, we got home about 6am.

At about 1pm there was another call "We realise that you were here last night, but can you come back? There's another one"

Just after 1am on the 14th I received this donated kidney.

After 12 days in hospital they allowed me out and my care was transferred back to Bradford.

After 6 weeks I am down to only weekly outpatient clinics and everything seems to be ticking the right boxes. I'm told that I can not do much for 12 weeks, whilst everything knits back together.

I can not thank enough, the family who took the decision to donate, wherever they might be, and gave me the opportunity that meant that I avoided dialysis and possibly worse as I was in Stage 5 renal failure all of this year.

Merlin has enjoyed his 6 weeks away on holiday, but has now returned and will be part of my convalescence.

The high point will now be the Transplant Games on the 10th August in Bolton.

[Wendyf]

Wonderful news, I hope your recovery continues smoothly.

[PanBiker]

Excellent, all the best for a speedy recovery.

[Marilyn]

Great news, Tardis.
My driver's licence displays my desire to donate my organs...they can have the lot, though I intend to get full use out of them for some time yet.
Hope everything continues in the right direction for you.

[chinatyke]

Yes great news. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a bright future.

Good old NHS.

[Stanley]

Good. And I'll bet they never asked you for your bank details....
Merlin had a clip while he was on holiday, looks like a Lurcher almost!
See this LINK for the latest on the Ebola outbreak. It is not showing signs of easing.

[David Whipp]

Hi Mike. You looked well when we saw you with Merlin yesterday.

[Tizer]

Well done, Tardis, I hope you keep on the upward slope.