MEDICAL MATTERS

[Stanley]

I heard that report Peter and it struck me that on the plus side the pandemic has stimulated investment in many medical fields and this is just one of them. I wonder how many lives will be saved in the long run to set against Covid Deaths?

[plaques]

Stanley. It looks like you too fast ordering another engine from Stuarts in the belief you will live longer. The new 'Levelling up' white paper has saved our bacon without any extra expense .

• By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years

All we have to do is sit back and wait until we reach the average age of the best areas. Then by hanging on a bit longer we could get an extra 5 years.
What could go wrong.

[Stanley]

I watched Lisa Nandy attack Gove over the Levelling up White Paper and thought she mounted a credible attack on the 400 page document which I confess I haven't read. However, her description of rehashed policies, double counting of funds and the old trick of taking a fiver away and then giving a pound back with a flourish sound about right to me. (Remember 40 hospitals and £350million a week?) I also believe that Sunak is holding the whip hand and is controlling the Party. He is not going to give anything away as his imminent bid for power is going to be on the basis he is an Iron Chancellor.

[Tripps]

It is reported that HM Queen has started to use the walking stick that was Prince Phillip's favourite. Having seen the picture it looks far too big for her. I'm sure she realises it isn't suitable, and possibly unsafe. I guess she's asked for an Ocupational Therapist appointment to be assessed for something better, but I believe there's a terrible long waiting time for them. Let's hope for the best.

[Stanley]

Sorry to say that worrying about Brenda's walking stick will not be top of my agenda David.
Take my remarks about Sunak the Iron Chancellor and his financing levelling up and transfer them to the statement about the health service.

[Wendyf]

Two weeks since Col had his bladder operation (a TURPS) and yesterday he went back to Airedale to have the catheter removed (TWOC) and it's been a success, he can pee better than he has been able to for years. An unexpected joy!

[Cathy]

That’s really good news for Colin,Wendy.
He must be relieved.
(That wasn’t a pun.)

[Big Kev]

Great news Wendy. I have some relief now I'm taking Tamsulosin and hopefully, now I'm into week 4 of a 6 week course of antibiotics, everything else will settle down.
For the blokes who haven't already done so, don't ignore your prostate. I consider myself lucky to 'only' have chronic prostatitis, not nice but better than the original potential outcome of the MRI results.

[Wendyf]

Relief is exactly the right word Cathy! Bladder and prostate problems need talking about which is why I post about Cols issues on here. This op saved Col from having to self catheter following the bladder cancer operation eight years ago but his bladder neck had become restricted again over the years. The chemo and major surgery last year didn't help and he has had to use a catheter every night since then to drain his bladder, this combined with diabetes has made him very prone to infections. Fingers crossed this lasts!
I hope the antibiotics do their job Kev.

[Cathy]

[Big Kev]

Bladder and prostate problems need talking about which is why I post about Cols issues on here. This op saved Col from having to self catheter following the bladder cancer operation eight years ago but his bladder neck had become restricted again over the years. The chemo and major surgery last year didn't help and he has had to use a catheter every night since then to drain his bladder, this combined with diabetes has made him very prone to infections. Fingers crossed this lasts!
I hope the antibiotics do their job Kev.

A lot of us blokes, me included, find it difficult to discuss any problems in the 'trouser department'. This has changed for me recently and it was a social media campaign, highlighting prostate cancer, that prompted me to go to my GP and the resulting referral, MRI and biopsy happened within weeks. The initial MRI diagnosis wasn't encouraging but the biopsy results identified nothing cancerous. The covid impact on the hospital delayed the process, from May 2021 until January 2022, when I was given the chronic prostatitis diagnosis. This was linked to 30 years of intermittent epididymitis, which isn't nice. Potentially further tests could have been performed 30 years ago after a couple of bouts of the epididymitis but, if the pain was bearable I chose to ignore it only resorting to my GP and ABs if I couldn't do my jeans up (tracksuits were essential wear for a few days). I am no longer embarrassed to talk about it (it is much easier to write it than talk face to face though) and would encourage action sooner rather than later. It's much better to find out sooner rather than later.

[PanBiker]

Excellent news for Col Wendy and you also Kev.

[Stanley]

So pleased to hear about Col Wendy, please give him a hug from me. You and Kev are both correct, being embarrassed is a very poor excuse for inaction if there is a problem.
I consider myself very lucky with my bladder. Little doubt that the cancer is growing again but so slowly I have taken the view I'll die with it, not of it. The odds are that something else is going to get me shortly so why look for trouble by chasing what is most likely not worth worrying about? That's why I refuse further treatment.

[Whyperion]

Stanley. It looks like you too fast ordering another engine from Stuarts in the belief you will live longer. The new 'Levelling up' white paper has saved our bacon without any extra expense .

• By 2030, the gap in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) between local areas where it is highest and lowest will have narrowed, and by 2035 HLE will rise by five years

All we have to do is sit back and wait until we reach the average age of the best areas. Then by hanging on a bit longer we could get an extra 5 years.
What could go wrong.

Working it out in 2030 , the 60 year olds will have been born in 1970. Roadkill aside and ignoring the self harm of some drugs, Working lives will less likely to have been in dangerous occupations ( mining and asbestos related), and use of cigarettes fell away too along with the impact of clean air acts in the cities (its the villages that are the problem now, and for a while the PM10s etc in urban areas, so its hardly a surprise. But it does seem areas with lower incomes still tend to smoke more , maybe that will change. Of course you will have to work until you are 70 so the number of years in genteel retirement at the bowls club may actually be less, plus the diet changes (I still blame fructose from corn syrup mainly), and sedentary occupations possibly still giving heart problems. I am reminded my cousins aunt, I think she smoked all of her life, used to live in South London, moved 50 years ago to the Bognor area on the south coast , died last week, aged 101.

[PanBiker]

Just been round to the surgery for a blood test. Booked it a couple of weeks ago as a follow up when my last one showed slight iron deficiency. I have popped the iron tablets as advised for a couple of months and then had a month off as also advised. Thankfully my bowels have recovered from the onslaught!
Anyway, I rocked up at the required time and was called in. Nurse had a go in my left arm, started and then stopped. She swapped to the right arm with apologies and could get nothing, more apologies and back to the left, nothing, further apologies and a then a wait for another nurse to have a go when she was free. New nurse, straight in the left no problem, samples taken and I'm done. Four needles, two syringes and two plasters, feel a bit like a pincushion! Maybe first nurse was having a bad day or something or lack of practice.

Ring in a week for the results. If I am clear I will book my next donor slot, I never have a problem at blood donors and have the tracks to prove it.

[Wendyf]

A friend of ours from Skipton had an awful experience couple of months ago when he went for a routine blood test. The girl damaged veins in both his arms before he begged her to stop and get help. One vein bled into his arm causing it to swell horribly and become practically useless for nearly 6 weeks. He lodged a complaint with the health trust and got an apology but he is now very worried about having blood taken again!

[Tripps]

before he begged her to stop and get help

I had a similar experience, but was told that after a failed attempt in each arm, it was the rule that another person must take over.

Don't know if that applies nationally or just locally. Seems sensible to me though.

[Wendyf]

This was our friend's arm the day after his nasty experience and before his hand filled with blood!

cv5h4s0f.png

[PanBiker]

My first blood donor session went wrong in a similar fashion. started OK but the flow stopped so a nurse came and adjusted the cannula. She managed to go right through the vein at which point my first session was terminated! I got a slightly extended stay at the tea and biscuits and dispatched home with the standard bruising card. Bruising was from my wrist to just short of my armpit. It's a wonder I ever went back, but I did for the next session, that was 43 donations ago.

[Stanley]

Horror stories on the morning I have to go to the doctor! But no needles, this is consultation. I must have been lucky over the years.......

[plaques]

I'm one of the lucky ones with veins that stand out a mile. Looks like you're in for a bit of pummelling Stanley. Then comes "turn on your side" and no laughing.

[Stanley]

You're right Ken and the sooner I am out of there the better!

[Stanley]

Sitrep. No problems in my stomach, prostate is slightly enlarged but benign and normal for my age. Improvements I have noted in the last 5 days are down to my change of diet and Hassan strongly approves. He also thinks losing some weight will be good. The bottom line is that I am in surprisingly good condition for the mileage and he doesn't want to see me for 3 months. My reaction is YIPPEE!

[PanBiker]

Excellent news Stanley.

[Tripps]

Well done young man. . . . we can all breathe again.