Good luck to Rosemary

[rosemary johnson]

Thanks, Andrew.
Duke is definitely getting better - his coat is looking dappled again, which is a good sign he's feeling in good health.
When I first met him, I reckoned he had the dapple-iest brown body I'd ever seen on a horse. And you can tell if he's off-colour, because it goes plain brown and loses the dapples.
He's also very full of himself, tryng to run off and break into the hay store/feed store/someone else's stable while I'm trying to elad him in from the field, etc. And very difficult to groom, as whenever I get to a tickly bit where his winte coat is growing out, he's very keen to spin round and try to kick out.
We ent out for ride, with Danny walking along beside us to "manage" the traffic coming up behind which, of course, I still can't see. His feet - Duke's not Danny's - were lipping on the road quite a bit.... and I thought he'd been reshod not long ago! Also very nervy, peering around, and wanting to sset off up the wrong turnings, and neighing loudly. Rather too bouncy for comfort in places.
Got his recovering hind foot soaked this evening - by simple measure of waiting till his dinner was ready, putting the bowl down in front of him to keep him busy and promptly picking up back foot and plonking it in button of salty water while he was too busy eating to walk away.
He's sufficiently better that his Guinness rations have been suspended. I might end up drinking the rest for him anyway. It was me who brought the 12-pack along for him anyway!
Actually felt really rough this morning, and pretty rough and down last night. And bits of my back and sides keep tingling.
..... I think this is the chiropractor's new set of exercises...... are reaching bits of muscles that other activities haven't reached for a long time..... and hence have been dislodging.... well, who knows what?!
Exercise...... last week he started with a strengthening exercise, to build up the muscles that keep the back the right shape.
Lie flat on your back (on a nice soft surface, not a concrete floor).
Bend both knees, so feet flat on floor and knees in air.
NOw lift your bum a coule of inches off the - ground, bed, rug., whatever. COunt to 10, then lower again and relax.
Repeat twice more. Do this twice a day.
Fine. OK, can feel strengthening, but that's OK.
This week, he got me to do this again, then said "Now, lift this foot up."
Much harder - not to mention not wobbling over. But OK.
"OK, put that foot down" - this all still with bum lifted about the couch 0 "and lift the other one."
Much more difficult! He says most people find one side easier than the other.
"Now lift up both feet."
WHAT??!!!!
"Only joking." Right, thanks a bundle, Terry!
Well, tried these again (without lifting both feet at once!!) back home. And it's definitely working unaccustomed muscles. And i can feel bits of them tingling...... the tingle has been going up my back gradually today, and down again. Like SOMETHING!!!! is working its way out.
Oh dear.....
HOW MUCH MORE OF THIS STUFF IS THERE HIDDEN AWAY?????????
Rosemary

[rosemary johnson]

Well!
Got letter from hospital today. Tore it open eagerly, in fond hope of finding something about appointment or similar to sort out problems with anaesthetic.
Nope, letter from Freedom of Information Act person to say they have sent me everything they have on me.
I know this is not true, because they have correspondence with a certain manager about a previous complaint I made, and about why the AGMs are not accessible (becasue of flash bulbs).
COuld I be bothered to argue about this matter of definition?????
SO - still no news about sorting out anaesthetic probs.
Had another bout of the stuff coming out and giving me hallucinations (if that's the right word) on Sunday.
Very, very very fed up.
GP today - a different member of team practice - says she knows nothing of anaesthetics - except, she says, that the modern variety all wear off rapidly. Yes, I know = at least, I kno that's the theory but it isn't doing with me. She says to ring the hospital.
ANd ask for whom?
GP says no use at all going to A&E - so I'd noticed from previous occasion!!!!!!
Eye feeling sore and itchy again - think it got rather dry being out in open air yesterday - or possibly this afternoon.
Apart from writing/emailing eye hosp, anyone got any suggestions for where I go from here?
Is there such a thing anywhere as anaesthetists in private practice with whom one can just walk in/ring up and ask for an apointment (at a pirce, of course......)?
Meanwhile, I really need to get oving, get fit, get back to work...... but currently don't feel I dare do anything that would dislodge another load.
Rosemary

[rosemary johnson]

Glory - ALLELUIA!!!
Post arrived finally late afternoon - with a letter from the Eye Hospital.
From the head of the anaesthetic service.
With date for next week.
Hooray!
NOw I just have to survive that next week wihtout too many nasty patches in between.
At last ! = and I realy, really, really hope we can work out some answers.
Wish me - well, us - all the best, won't you?
Now I just have to reorganise my schedule for next week to make way - but no problem; this is higher priority.
Rosemary

[Anne Klepacz]

Excellent news, Rosemary! I do hope the meeting goes well, and you get some answers. Very best of luck!
Anne

[Andrew MacLean]

Rosemary

You will be in our thoughts as the new week begins and you move towards the answers for which you have waited so long and worked so hard.

Every good wish.

Andrew

[rosemary johnson]

Thanks, Anne and Andrew!
I hope !!!!!! we can work out some answers - I have a suspicion this is something very odd and they like I can really only hypothesise. However, working hypotheses with expert professional opinion supporting them would be a step forward - particularly if there is something to be done onthe strength of it.
I have been working on a list of questions and am about to email it over to them in preparation.
Rosemary

[Hilary Johnson]

Good luck from me too!

How many different experts will you have seen by the time this is all over?!

I suspect it's going to have to be you that pulls together all the expert opinions to get the REAL answer, like in the old story of the 6 blind men and the elephant - 'cos they'll all just see their bit of it, you're the only one who'll see the whole elephant, as it were. (No offense to elephants, of course.)

Hilary

[rosemary johnson]

Hi H!
No offence to elephants taken....
HOw many experts? - well, not too many so far, that may be the problem.
Not counting That Surgeon who did the op, nor his sidekick with the focus strictly no wider than the eyeball, one might count:
- my new consultant, except I haven't actuallymet her yet, and her to deputies
- Ken about my contact lenses
- the two I'm due to see on Friday ( hope and trust)
- Terry (chiropractor) who's been good at sorting out neck and back problems, but is baffled by anaesthetics (and is interested, as are his receptionists, to hear what transpires)
- neurologist, who seemed more intent of testing whether messages are getting from extremities to head and back rather than possibility of brain damage/malfunction
- GP, who also claims no knowledge of anaesthetics, put neurology referral on hold for a month after hearing from Certain SUrgeon - if he'd done it right away, they might have found something before Terry fixed it! - and I'd love to know what he wrote tot he neurology people
- nurse-consultant (whatever name is) and another partner at GPs who I went to see about something different, both of whom claimed to know nothing about anaesthetics and siad I'd have to go back to the hospital on that one
Then there's you, Barbara, Vic, the online BNF, comments from various online friends in the US and even a comment from Mother's surgeon (!) and of course the hospital's Medical Records Manager, Freedom of Information manager and complaints manager and one of the BOard of Governors who first got things moving. And who else in the background, I know not.
Have just realised, thinking of this list, that I am still awaiting an email back from the Eye Bank person.
The significant item missing from the above list is: anyone who sorted out what the original neck injury was caused by that accident at work a few years ago. If that had ever been investigated and understood properly, this may never have happened!
YOu'll be glad (I take it) to hear that I have writ large on my list of question I emailed over: "What guidance should I be giving to my Next of Kin and/or attorney".
Rosemary
who managed to dodge the downpours enough to get out for a potter round the block on Duke today, but is still pretty shakey going downhill - not helped by him having pulled his front-right shoe out of shape at one corner - no wonder he's slipping on the roads.

[rosemary johnson]

Well!
Had appointmnet about contact lenses today.
Realised was the same day as That Certain Surgeon has his clinic "next door" as it were, so taped eye patch back on with folded tissue underneath. Call me a bitch if you like..... both he and his number 2 were out and about, but if they registered I was there, gave no sign of registering it.
Ken very keen and enthusiastic (and being perpetually interrupted...... I suppose I've been the guilty party before now....)
Good news:
1. he reckons the left eye is fine, and piggybacking it (ie. scleral over soft daily disposable) is doing fine, so if it improves comfort/wearing time, keep doing it.
2. he reckons that fitting ascleral over the fragt is going to be fine, fit well and come up with good vision and work out well.
It felt very strange, uncomfortable in a surprising way at first, and I don't know how it will work out, as the eye still gets dry and sore and itchy easily. SHort wearing times????? Well, ATM am still putting drops in every 4 hours anyway.
Bad news:
1. sitting there doing the "better or worse" routine with different power lenses in front left me feeling very, very dizzy. Ended up sitting there with hands over both eyes, trying to stretch neck and feeling very shakey. Poor Ken had to get me glass of water and ask if I needed to lie down. He thinks that it will be OK with the power built into a contact lens, becasue the trial set are "glasses" lenses but I don't think that is the problem - rather, that the bit of my brain which (no longer) processes motion sensations couldn't cope with rapid changes in the way the world was looking, and was sending out urgent distress signals. Ending up sitting with hands over eyes, trying to stretch neck in case, and to sit as still as possible to let waves of dizziness fade. Poor Ken had to ask if I needed to lie down and get me a glass of water. Bit better when he changed the lenses over reeeeeeeeeeaaaaally slooowwwly, but disturbing all the same. SOmething else to tell to anaesthetists on Friday, no doubt.
2. Ken keen to order new lens, but cashiers won't do anything about this until I fill in a huge form (which from a quick look is going to need a lot of input or at least data from my IFA, and then they won't understand it I'm sure!) and it has gone through the works.
WIll put huge ong form in bag to deal with in any slack moment over next couple of days.
Noen of this really deals with issue of how much this THING is anathema......
Eye feeling sore again this afternoon. Not too bad, just a bit dry and gritty.
Both Ken and new consultant's deputy (who came round to ask him about something different, said hallo to me and that it was ok by him to go ahead, thought letter and meeting on Friday sound positive.
GOt orund to one of y semi-regular client's places to earn a few quid later - much needed.
Nice lady in cashiers office recommends CAB...... another thing to do and place to go.
Further developments awaited with baited breath.......... we shall see (or not).
More techie details on robcm's thread (assuming I can find it).
Rosemary

[Barbara Davis]

Rosemary asked me to report the latest developments to you. (Her phone is out of order and in any event she's away at a conference until late tomorrow. I've reported the fault and it should be fixed tomorrow.)

She had a long discussion today with three people including the anaesthetist at her op and the one with whom she discussed her anaesthetic options before the op. Both seemed very helpful. They don't know the answers but will be looking into certain things further, such as the possibility of testing for derivatives of something in the anaesthetic.

Barbara