Some of you may remember that my husband was suffering from anxiety and was prescribed citalopram which did not agree with him - apart from it worsening the breathing it also caused him even greater anxiety. All in all not a great success. He has been off the tablets for about three weeks and his anxiety levels have returned to his normal high levels rather than the extreme anxiety! On a brighter note we did have a little laugh when my husband asked me if the doctor understood he wanted to lower his anxiety when he asked for medication for anxiety not that he actually wanted anxiety!!!
So last week he was rushed to hospital on a blue light in the middle of the afternoon with severe pains in his lower back and radiating around the front. Ambulance crew were fantastic - interesting though they were looking to me for advise about his breathing. As we were travelling to the hospital - she turned to me and said she was worried about this breathing, was I? No, No said I in this situation don't worry! Aren't we lucky to have such a health service? Anyway onto hospital, quick scan in A and E showed up kidney stones - a cannula or two later (the first one was not a success, that poor nurse looked horrified and so did I the next morning!) and a bit of morphine we were back to normal. We were kept in for a couple of hours and sent home about 11pm. Back the next morning for a CT scan which didn't actually happen until 1pm.
A cautionary tale here - my husband hides his condition extremely well and refuses to admit to the wide world about his COPD. He is wheeled into the CT scan room and three minutes later a white faced nurse appears through the doors into the waiting room asking if I was his wife - "He needs you now". Grabbing my bag and desperately trying to find the spacer and ventolin - it had to be breathing..... Sure enough my husband was bent over fighting for breath. The poor staff just stood in stunned silence whilst I administered the ventolin - "Do you think he needs oxygen" asked one nurse, "Good idea" I reply - whilst thinking OMG I thought you are the nurses! As it turns out when the nurses said lay on your front instead of my husband explaining he had severe COPD and that might hamper his breathing - he leapt from the wheelchair and cheerily stated "I'll try"! Please all you proud COPD sufferers - tell people you have COPD, some things are just not possible!!
Apparently there are five/six as big as 5mm in his bladder and one very small stone waiting to move from his kidney to his bladder. Fortunately he has been given fantastic pain relief in the form of a suppository - possibly a bit too much information! So all Ok until Sunday night and then last night but at least we could cope which gives me confidence for our annual jolly in two weeks. Back to the hospital after hols and if not moved time for a local anaesthetic to wash them out. In the meantime I have read that apple cider vinegar - two tablespoons in a glass of water twice a day is good for dissolving kidney stones. Heres hoping!
The consultant says the most common cause is dehydration and I think subconsciously because my husbands breathing has not been great over the last six months he has been deliberately drinking less to reduce toilet visits! PLEASE drink - the consultant said my husband needs to drink two and a half litres per day.
Hope you are all well and enjoying this fabulous summer. Lots of love TAD xxx
What A Birthday I Had !
Table tennis consultant and Gp 
Severe Scarring From Pneumonia
Results of recent X-ray-Early signs of COPD non acute 
Putting things in order 
