MEDICAL MATTERS

[Big Kev]

Just a thought, the phone call gave a 15 week delay, you've already been waiting 2 weeks from the original referral...

[plaques]

Just a thought, the phone call gave a 15 week delay, you've already been waiting 2 weeks from the original referral...

When I was talking to the booking lady she was very apologetic that they were still sweeping up the March appointments. The 15 weeks was abroad brush figure from appointments going out against those coming in. No point in flaming off its not her fault and only reporting what's going on.
Call already made back to the Dr's explaining the situation. I have my own theories about what the root of the problem is but as always one has to tread very carefully when talking to experts.

[Big Kev]

When I was talking to the booking lady she was very apologetic that they were still sweeping up the March appointments. The 15 weeks was abroad brush figure from appointments going out against those coming in. No point in flaming off its not her fault and only reporting what's going on.
Call already made back to the Dr's explaining the situation. I have my own theories about what the root of the problem is but as always one has to tread very carefully when talking to experts.

I'm not suggesting 'flaming off' at the people at the sharp end, that's one of my pet hates. I would be emailing MPs and giving them a good verbal kicking.
I reckon you've done right going back to your doctor, if they consider it urgent they should be following it up. Either that or not tell you it's urgent, there are presumably different levels of urgent.

[Stanley]

I think that one explanation of what seems to be a general malaise in all health services is that for twenty years all governments have been trying to run health on the cheap and the Covid Pandemic has exposed all the weaknesses which are now beginning to show as we try to get back to 'The New Normal'.
On the same subject I heard one NHS manager saying that the biggest single action that would help is to carry out the promise the fix social care, he said that pensioners bed-blocking was still a major problem.
I seem to remember Johnson saying he had the answer ready to go....... I must have been mistaken...

[Big Kev]

My not so fat leg appears to have survived the manual work in the garden, in fact it's reduced in size. I can also see the tendons in my foot this morning which is an improvement, more manual work required I reckon but it'll have to wait until Thursday as I have 3 days of my regular job to do.

[Stanley]

That's good news Kev. I hope it continues to improve....

[Tizer]

I think that one explanation of what seems to be a general malaise in all health services is that for twenty years all governments have been trying to run health on the cheap and the Covid Pandemic has exposed all the weaknesses which are now beginning to show as we try to get back to 'The New Normal'.

Coincidentally....
`Operose Health: UK’s biggest GP chain replacing doctors with less qualified staff' LINK

[Stanley]

I heard that report Peter and yes, that's the sort of thing we are running into. There's no such thing as cheap health care bur try telling that to most of our leaders.....
My GP Hassan eventually rang me this morning and congratulated me on the best improvement in diabetes stats he had ever seen since I had my scare with the sugar spike over three months ago and went strictly low carb. Proof once more that Wendy knows best......

[Wendyf]

[Stanley]

Wendy, is there such a thing as a good low carb cook book or manual?

[Wendyf]

Yes there are a few, I'll have a look and get back to you.

[Big Kev]

I use this one Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet: My low-carb, stay-happy way to lose weight https://amzn.eu/d/g0d62WE

[Stanley]

[Wendyf]

I use this one Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet: My low-carb, stay-happy way to lose weight https://amzn.eu/d/g0d62WE

That's a good one, we still enjoy his paprika chicken and avocado recipe. I find that most recipe books written by chefs are a bit over the top with fancy ingredients that you wouldn't normally have to hand. Are you looking for recipe ideas Stanley or a guide to the whys and wherefores of low carb? We have a bookshelf full of guides and handbooks if you would like to borrow a few, most have recipe ideas.
One I can recommend is from X-pert Health, a diabetes education charity based in Hebden Bridge. You can buy it on Amazon but I know you aren't a fan!

https://www.xperthealth.org.uk/product ... mment-282

[Stanley]

I just want ideas Wendy so I can check if I am on the right track.

[Big Kev]

Some ideas here
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/catego ... -forum.18/
and a handy list of carb content here
https://www.diabetescarecommunity.ca/di ... ods-chart/

[Stanley]

Thanks Kev, Wendy is meeting me tomorrow on Bookie Watch and will bring me her books.
Thinking about your leg and Ken's as well.
My friend who has the heart arrhythmia had a second procedure on Monday but it failed. Not sure what happens now. At least we aren't bothered under that heading! So much can go wrong....

[plaques]

Thinking about your leg and Ken's as well.

My leg saga is still running (can't help these puns). Doppler checks on blood flow to the legs OK. Now on compression bandage to remove the swelling and help the wound heal, both are working OK. Why it puffed up in the first place is still a mystery. Ignorance is bliss so they say.

On arrhythmia I've had this condition for over 20 years it shows itself as a extra beat then a pause then OK for a while. No problem unless you start doing endurance events where the heart rate gets well into triple figures. (150+) Millions of people have this condition and don't know they have got it. As far as I'm concerned I'll leave well alone.

[Big Kev]

Thinking about your leg and Ken's as well.

My leg saga is still running (can't help these puns). Doppler checks on blood flow to the legs OK. Now on compression bandage to remove the swelling and help the wound heal, both are working OK. Why it puffed up in the first place is still a mystery. Ignorance is bliss so they say.

I still have a swollen ankle and foot but am not allowed a pressure bandage for another couple of months, I have to wait until the clot has completely dissolved. The swelling has reduced significantly over the last couple of weeks, fortunately it's been Birkenstock weather recently so no issues with having to wear shoes. I wear my 18 year old walking boots when digging which are like a pair of slippers.

Glad your leg is on the mend Ken, onwards and upwards

[Stanley]

Will both of you please look after yourselves!

See THISReport by the BBC on the harm that ambulance waiting times at hospitals are causing to patients. The governments response is to say ""The NHS has allocated £150m of additional funding to address pressures on ambulance services, with the number of ambulance and support staff increasing by almost 40% since February 2010," said a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care.. That is an insult, we all know what the cause is, the abysmal level of social care to get bed blockers out of hospital and back home. (In another news item I heard that one in ten patients in hospital are fit to go home with proper support. Go figure!)

[Stanley]

See THIS Report from the Lancet about the incidence of long Covid symptoms. The general conclusion is that they are more likely under the Delta variant than the Omicron.

[Stanley]

See THIS report on what seems to be a resurgence of Covid infections and hospitalisations. Are we looking at the new normal?

[Big Kev]

See THIS report on what seems to be a resurgence of Covid infections and hospitalisations. Are we looking at the new normal?

A couple of weeks after the jubilee celebrations...
I wonder how many people have contracted other respiratory ailments or stomach bugs from the same mass gatherings of people?

[Cathy]

Today we were advised of a new Covid variant, due in Australia in 4 - 6 weeks.

Tonight- now they have told us that it could happen in the next week.

[Stanley]

One thing is sure and certain, it doesn't suit the plans of the Buffoon if Covid19 is allowed to rear its ugly head again. Not after he solved it..... (Dream on Kid......)
Cathy, I think we may have to get used to regular recurrences of infection as the virus mutates.
Incidentally. I wonder what happened to the move to vaccinate the world in order to cut back on the production of new variants?