Patient's Day

[BobD]

Well 2017 Patient's Day is now over and I do hope all who went enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks you to the few who made the effort to come to supper on Saturday evening especially new Pink Carnationeers Kerri and Pete. Quality rather than quantity lol.

I had to leave earlier than I wanted to so missed the last two sessions but was gratified to note that what I have been saying for years about the importance of anticoagulation in AF and the unsuitability of aspirin is still current thinking.

Also that there is no cure for AF and that all treatment is about improving symptoms and quality of life. I hope the message about life choices such as smoking and alcohol are taken on board and that the help available regarding the mental side of AF is carried through.

As usual thanks to all the organisers especially Trudie our CEO and Matt our indefatigable GP and hero of the hour. I look forward to the day when all CCG areas are run like Bradford.

Bob D aka Jack. (in joke I'm afraid).

You are not alone!

[KelliDoug]

Geez Bob, I can't believe you've forgotten my name already! Ha Ha! It was wonderful to meet you all at this informative day in Birmingham. It's wonderful to know we are not all alone in this. Good health to you all. Kelli (not Kerri) ;-).

[BobD Volunteer in reply to KelliDoug]

I could make a joke about something there but mea culpa. My spelling has never been too good Kelli. Need a new hearing aid obviously. How on earth did I do that?.

[KelliDoug in reply to BobD]

Ha Ha Ha! I must need a hearing aid too, as never heard you call me Kerri once.

[CaroleF]

Thanks again to Bob for arranging the Pink Carnation supper. It was lovely to meet those who attended and it's good to put faces to names. It was a very enjoyable evening. The Patients Day itself was very useful and particularly so, I'd have thought, to those fairly recently diagnosed.

The message about adopting a healthy lifestyle as a way of mitigating the frequency/severity of AF was one which cropped up in several of the talks. The last talk in particular emphasised the advisability of getting one's weight within the 'healthy' BMI range.

It's not rocket science. To lose weight eat less and exercise more! I've been there and done that in the past. However I do think that the side effects of medication such as Bisoprolol make this more difficult than clinicians appreciate.

As Bob says, the 'line' on anti-coagulation was loud and clear at this Patients Day. At risk? Be anti-coagulated!