MEDICAL MATTERS

[Big Kev]

CT scan for me this coming Sunday at Blackburn Royal. I saw a sign at the start of the M65 motorway saying there may be closures. Too busy keeping alive at that time so didn't read the detail. Anybody know what its about?

8pm to 6am closures for barrier replacement. Ongoing until mid July I believe.

[plaques]

8pm to 6am closures for barrier replacement. Ongoing until mid July I believe.

Thanks Kev. That confirms what I have seen on Traffic England website. I'm always a bit sceptical of the accuracy of these web sites. Going via the old town routes would be at least 40 mins longer.

[Stanley]

Sue, I read your post about you getting the symptoms they assumed you had when you had the unsatisfactory appointment for voice therapy.... That is terrible!
Also the suspicion that Peter raises about destruction of medical records.... Yes, the old records took up a lot of space but so does old financial paperwork and property records but we don't destroy them!
I know I am in a minority but the further away from the medical profession I can get the happier I am. However, I realise I seem to be lucky and avoid many of the problems that others have to deal with....

[Big Kev]

I'm definitely falling to bits, I need hearing aids now

[Sue]

I'm definitely falling to bits, I need hearing aids now

Pardon….old joke lost because we aren’t chatting to each other

You are not having a good week Kev…..

[Big Kev]

I'm definitely falling to bits, I need hearing aids now

Pardon….old joke lost because we aren’t chatting to each other

[Big Kev]

I'm definitely falling to bits, I need hearing aids now

You are not having a good week Kev…..

It's been coming for a while, Paulette started wearing them a few months ago and now speaks quieter, I can't hear her
Most of the lower frequencies (traffic noise and general background noise) are just inside the 'normal' range of my hearing, higher frequencies like the beginning and ends of a lot of words are below 'normal' range. Which explains a lot.
The devices will be tuned to amplify the affected frequencies for each ear.

[Stanley]

"It's been coming for a while, Paulette started wearing them a few months ago and now speaks quieter, I can't hear her "
That must be perfect irony......

[Mags]

I have been wearing hearing aids since I was about 15, they have improved so much.

Now I have BAHA's - Bone Anchored Hearing Appliances made by Cochlear - they are wonderful. they are worn on the side of the head either a titamium stud or a magnet holding them in place (I have one of each). They are very Expensive but fully covered by our private health fund as they are classed as a prosthesis not a hearing aid, they also cover upgrades when new models come out.

[Stanley]

I can vouch for the change they made for Margaret. Lots of jokes about a bionic daughter!

[plaques]

Covid inquiry...I suspect we are being subject to a lot of mis-information on this subject.

England’s chief medical officer, Sir Chris Whitty, said the UK “did not give sufficient thought” to stopping Covid in its tracks as he listed multiple problems with preparedness in his first cross-examination at the pandemic public inquiry.

During Obama's term of office he put an embargo on American big Pharma doing in house research on 'gain' virus's ie: blending two different virus to make a completely new strain. The thinking behind this embargo was that it was too dangerous and if it got into the population nobody knew what would happen. Big Pharma stopped research in America but funded research in China and in particular the Wuhan labs. I think that we can now say with some confidence that Covid-19 came from the Wuhan labs.

Against this background SIR Chris Witty is saying "he never gave it sufficient thought". It looks like that he totally ignored the possibility that we were faced with a manufactured virus.

[Big Kev]

I have been wearing hearing aids since I was about 15, they have improved so much.

Now I have BAHA's - Bone Anchored Hearing Appliances made by Cochlear - they are wonderful. they are worn on the side of the head either a titamium stud or a magnet holding them in place (I have one of each). They are very Expensive but fully covered by our private health fund as they are classed as a prosthesis not a hearing aid, they also cover upgrades when new models come out.

I was impressed with the devices Paulette got, very small and programmable to only enhance certain frequencies. The tiny tube, that goes into the ear, doesn't completely fill the ear canal either and, I'm told, is hardly noticeable. I'm booked in for a 'fitting' on Monday.

[Stanley]

You make them sound almost attractive!

[Big Kev]

You make them sound almost attractive!

You can't actually see them on Paulette as they're hidden by her hair. They'll be more visible on my follicly challenged head but if I can hear conversation it doesn't really matter. I wear glasses to see better, I'll find out if I can hear any better on Monday.

[Stanley]

I hope they work for you Kev. Let us know and what they cost!

[Big Kev]

I hope they work for you Kev. Let us know and what they cost!

There's no payment, it's NHS.

[Stanley]

[Tripps]

Jus heard a brief news item that -

"Defibrillators are to be issed to all secondary schools - since the risk of a heart attack increases with age."

It implies the risk is greater at Secondary rather than at Primary school

More detail needed, but conspirators will say this is another step towards the 'normalisation' of heart attacks in young people. I think there has been a British Heart foundation advert showing a childhood heart attack.

I found this. BHF Advert

It looks like two ads have been spliced together. I don't see the connection.

Make up your own mind - personally I think kids have enough worries imposed on them during education, concerning the so called 'climate crisis' and 'gender' matters, and really don't need worrying about this very small risk.

[plaques]

Just back from my trip out to Blackburn Royal hospital. Set off with ample time to spare. M65 very quiet, making good time until the rise turning off to Blackburn. Motorway closed, everybody directed into Blackburn centre, no diversion signs, GOTCHA. Drifted about on guesses. Finally saw a small sign to the hospital confirmed it by a pedestrian brought me to the hospital in the opposite direction to normal. Car park almost empty. On a roll now. until I got inside, route march to the CT scan room. Automated check in had no idea who I was. A room full of helpful patients now know my date of birth etc. Best wait until someone comes out. CT scan was a piece of cake, a fishing expedition rather than a search and destroy. All I have to do is sit back and let the experts do their stuff.

Part two may be a bit more serious.

[Stanley]

I heard the same thing David and had the same reaction especially when they said that use of the defibrillator would be taught in First Aid classes. We decry their exposure to sex on the internet and then officially impose a different kind of X rated material, how to cope with your heart attack.
So I totally agree with you.
Ken, so glad I haven't got to go to hospital for anything, they don't sound to be happy places these days......

[Big Kev]

I have new ears, everything sounds a bit weird at the moment. They're 'tuned' to amplify the higher frequencies that I was unable to hear properly, currently I can hear myself breathing, the granddaughter clock ticking and the floor creaking when I walk on it. I've had a conversation with Paulette and heard every word
It will take a week or so for my brain to adjust to what I can now hear and filter out what I don't need. (Paulette told me).

20230626_113209.jpg

Other than the 'different' sound I can't feel them on my ears.

[PanBiker]

We have looked at installing a defibrillator at the Clarion, but we cant as we don't have power on all the time. We are organising first aid training sessions though for any of the volunteers and trustees that want to learn.

[Tripps]

I understood that they were battery powered and didn't need a power supply?

" Fortunately, most AED batteries last for anywhere from two to five years in standby mode"

What percentage of defibrillators are successful?
Deploying a defibrillator within three to five minutes of collapse means survival rates are between 50% and 70%

We have one outside the village hall and one a couple of miles away, in a rural disused telephone kiosk. I'd suggest there is little chance of it ever being used in a timely manner. You will need a "cabinet access code" code to open the cabinet, as a precaution against vandalism. I have one on a fridge magnet! Alternatively you can phone a number given on the cabinet at your location, and will be given the code. I think in the heat of the moment that is likely to take more than five minutes.

The drivers behind these devices are well meaning good citizens I'm sure, and I would hesitate to oppose them, but in real life. . . . ?

I've tried to find how many times they save a life - but failed. I can find no statistics. I suspect the figure is very low.

What if the patient has registered a DNR certificate? Do you need informed consent? Are there medico legal considerations?

[Big Kev]

I have new ears, everything sounds a bit weird at the moment. They're 'tuned' to amplify the higher frequencies that I was unable to hear properly, currently I can hear myself breathing, the granddaughter clock ticking and the floor creaking when I walk on it.

The keyboard clicking when I type.
My bracelet rattling on the desk.
Paulette opening a bag of tomatoes.
The bloody clock ticking...

This will all settle down soon.

[Stanley]

Sounds exciting Kev.....
I am getting quite concerned about the management of the Barnoldswick health centre in Park Road. For the second time recently I have had a letter saying they can't contact me on the phone and asking me to contact the surgery as there was a message for me. I did so and was told exactly what they told me in the last urgent message about my repeat prescription. I thanked them and hung up.