MEDICAL MATTERS

[Marilyn]

Panbiker...our organ donor system began like that but is now ( and has been for some years) part of the plastic driver's licence card...forever preserved in acrylic and one of the first things folk seeking your identity will lay hands to.
You don't actually have to tell loved ones your choice. Just make up your own mind when you renew your "drivers". I don't have any problem with that system at all. I'm not saying that having the conversation with your loved ones should be completely dismissed, but...ultimately...it is the individual's choice.

[PanBiker]

I am all for an automatic inclusion but unfortunately we still have a voluntary system in the UK for some reason. Very few people are ineligible to donate even those with long term or previous chronic or life threatening conditions may be able to donate some organs or tissue types.

[Marilyn]

It is a voluntary system here. If you don't tick to be an organ donor, your licence will be blank in that spot.
mine says "organ donor".
( mind you, I'm not saying I'm keeping mine in pristine condition for someone else's use.... )

[LizG]

My understanding is, for Victoria at least, that even if you opt in to be a donor your family can decide against it. And if your organs are old they won't take them any way.

And the opposite also applies. If you haven't ticked the box then your family can opt in on your behalf, providing the organs are not too old.

[Marilyn]

Absolutely Liz.
But with that on your licence, they are more likely to take those vital first steps of preservation and testing until relatives have had their wishes taken into account. If they don't keep those organs alive and perfused, game over before the discussion takes place.

[PanBiker]

Hence the "I have discussed my wishes with my family" box on our card. I have just thought that your system is like our old one apart from it being an integral part of the driving licence, which is OK but I never carry mine around with me as I don't have one of the new credit card sized ones.

Our donor card is still separate but your details and choices are on a central database NHSBT - Organ Donation so no doubt will be flagged up on the hospital systems. It doesn't just cover major organs there are many tissue types that can be used. I have registered for any bits they want.

I would be in favour of a universal ID card which could carry all necessary information about you. ID, blood group, medical needs, (and wishes), allergies driver ID etc. Could easily be done nowadays with re-writable ram on board.

Not medical but technology related to the above. We used our new bio-metric passports for the first time when re-entering the country at Manchester Airport last week. Two years ago when we still had our old non bio-metric ones they only had two scanning gates at Manchester, I think I counted ten last Thursday. Two years ago it took 20 minutes to half an hour in the queue for the manual border check officers. On Thursday it was 5 minutes to traverse the zig zag to the bio-metric gates and about 5 seconds to complete the scan. Biggest problem seemed to be inserting the passport the wrong way into the scanner. Could easily be solved if they embossed an arrow on the back cover, or reading the instructions on the way to the gates properly.

[LizG]

Good point Maz.

Ian, Melbourne airport uses facial recognition, not sure if it's what you're talking about, but it speeds up the process incredibly.

[PanBiker]

Yes Liz, biometric or e-passport uses an integral electronic chip and face recognition. the built in chip carries the face recognition data that the scanner compares with your face and the photo on the passport.

[Stanley]

Once again my body seems to have come to the rescue after my stupid mistake when I exposed myself to the grinding dust last week. The rawness in my chest has completely gone and I am unloading a lot of muck from my lungs. Sorry about that detail but it really is wonderful how our bodies look after us if we give them a chance!

[Tizer]

Talking about `expressing one's wishes', I wonder how many people in Britain realise that the instructions in their will are no longer binding? If you chose to leave your money to the dog' home your children can go to court and get it over-turned and given to them instead. It's happening frequently now.

[Stanley]

Improvement of the chest continues, no fool like an old fool!

[Stanley]

Almost at the end of my chest cold. Good! One thing I have noted and have no explanation for it is that my sense of smell is suddenly far more acute! I hope it lasts, I love the smell of my pipe tobacco!

[Wendyf]

I have all the symptoms of classic case of 'flu. My temperature is still high, aches all over, sore tummy and runny eyes. The sore throat and dry cough are just developing....it must be over twenty years since I last spent a day in bed, never mind three!

[plaques]

Did you take up the Flu jab offer this time round?

[Wendyf]

I don't get offered a jab, but as I am now 66 I should be. It must be because I'm a very rare visitor to the surgery. Too late now, I'll get it sorted for next year. Colin had one last week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he won't catch this!

[PanBiker]

I am not of age yet but I get mine off the back of Sally's compromised immune system, the surgery officially class me as a carer for the statistics. As I have said before I would gladly pay for it if not on the list. Nurse made a right mess of my arm this year though the bruise I inherited is about 2" diameter now. I think she must have nicked a vein or something as I bled when she had done the jab which is not the norm. I hope you are felling better soon Wendy.

[Wendyf]

Getting worse at the moment, my temperature has risen to over 39c and even a trip to the loo is an effort! I'm trying to keep cool but the desire to get wrapped up in the duvet is very strong. Paracetamol or ibuprofen for bringing a temperature down.....any thoughts?

[PanBiker]

When we had the full blown version of viral influenza it started on the 17th December and we started to see light at the end of the tunnel on the 5th January with a desire to eat, we had sickness with ours just for good measure. I think you are doing all you can Wendy with trying to fight the fever. We lived on the sofas downstairs for over 2 weeks, the loo was a challenge and not very often with not eating. Keep hydrated but if your chest gets worse its time to hit the panic button and get the doc to visit. It's horrible and I hope you can fight it off, don't try and do too much too soon.

[Cathy]

Not good. Wendy. All you can do is follow what your body needs. Forget ought too's or should haves.
Hope you feel much better soon.

[Stanley]

Wendy, theoretically the fever is your best ally. The elevated temperature kills the virus. So welcome it and keep hydrated! It's miserable I know but all you can do. Get Col to make some Jewish Penicillin, chicken soup. Much derided over the years but it's just about the finest thing you can eat in your circumstances! Look after yourself......

[Marilyn]

"The elevated temperature kills the virus"
Not quite right...bugs and viruses prefer a temperature a little higher than our body temperature...so they adjust it upward to suit their requirements. That's why you know you are winning the battle when the fever drops.

[Tizer]

Poor Wendy. Real influenza is serious and it's tough - I hate it when people talk about having `flu' when it's just a bad cold. Once we've had influenza we don't call a cold flu any more! Avoid stress, both physical and mental while your body's in this state.

[Wendyf]

Still incapable of anything but lying in bed! My cough has loosened but that seems to have brought nausea with it. Just going to try some soup.

[Stanley]

I stand corrected Maz. Another long-held belief bites the dust!
Tiz is dead right about flu being a serious matter and I share the hate of describing an ordinary cold as flu. It's completely different. He's also right about taking it seriously. I once 'fought my way through it' and when I went to the doc in the end he congratulated me on having a classic case of pleurisy verging on pneumonia! He sent me straight back to bed with more medication than you could poke a stick at. Frightened me to death!

[Wendyf]

Feeling a bit more human this morning, my tea tasted like tea instead of poison! Col kindly bought a small loaf of bread yesterday and I've enjoyed a piece of toast with marmite. Temperature still raised and I'm coughing up a storm but I think a corner has been turned.