A tour of NHS departments

What a week. Breast scan due Tuesday, wrong date on letter from date given over phone. Sorted that then they told me I needed longer appt for my problem. What problem? Couldn't give answer so just accepted new date next week. Now worried - did I get correct letter last time saying everything ok?

Wednesday, yearly Diabetic check. Hab1C results bit higher than would like but still reducing, pred interfering with that. Christmas and birthday probably didn't help either. 3 month retest must do better. Now down to 6mg pred.

Friday - had urgent appt Eye Dept hospital. Cataracts found by Specsavers in October.Been having pain and aching around eye socket so consultant brought appt forward . I have leaky fluid near retina plus the cataracts. Am going to go ahead with these, one at a time, and he said I can be sedated if |I wish as I've a real fear about eye ops. (Not as brave as my mum who had it done aged 88, sorry mum). Pred induced problems. They had nearly finished photographing both eyes when another nurse came in, no word, and pulled the plug out! Everything lost! Big mouth me said 'It's a good job I'm not on a ventilator I would be taking my last breaths!

Good news, when I finally got home, a neighbour gave me a bottle of fruit flavoured gin for looking after her two cats. I count each glass as one of my five a day with no medical intervention.

[HeronNS]

What a saga! You write so well. Hope all these troubles resolve soon with no complications.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you HeronNS. We have to laugh with our PMR and pred journey , or we may go mad...

Just taken a swig of the gin, it's blooming lethal!

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Feeling no pain, then? 😉

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

absolutely not. anymore and I will be semi embalmed.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

Wonder if it is protective against Covid ...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

I am doing trials with different varieties of gin daily once sun over yardarm (somewhere in the world).

At least they didn't try and bully people to use germ-laden signing in machine at surgery this week!!

[SheffieldJane]

Admirable glass half full attitude - of Gin. Good luck tansy! 🍀

[Hidden]

Phew!!!! And gin... Errr breathe. 🍸

[YuliK]

I love your sense of humour. “Pulling the plug out”

I spluttered my coffee laughing. I can just imagine the situation. 👍. 🤣🤣🤣

YuliK 😷

[Hidden in reply to YuliK]

Not feeling too good this morning. Blasted pmr pain in hips and shoulders. After pressing snooze button FIVE times it was only a feline paw slapping me in the face that stirred me. Too much activity this week. Had to get up as I've a parcel due - why, oh why did I order a flat pack cupboard!!

[YuliK in reply to Hidden]

Maybe you are on a too low dose of prednisone. ?

Sometimes taking a 500mg paracetamol may help those morning aches. ( of course not instead of the prednisone medication)

Feel better.

YuliK 😷

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to YuliK]

Most people find it is when they are on high doses that they make dodgy purchases online in the middle of the night ...

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Apparently I ordered garden stuff last night. Time to remove my credit card details again!

[Hidden in reply to YuliK]

my aches and pains Yulik were from overdoing it last few days attending medical appointments. LOL.

[YuliK in reply to Hidden]

Tansy, it’s really such a nuisance all those hospital and medical appointments. I totally agree with you.

I have a list of medical appointments as long as my arm, pinned on to my fridge.😃

Ears, eyes, boobs, oncologist, dentist, now to top it all, plastic surgery to biopsy a suspected bleeding ( not intended as a swear word🥱) BCC thing on my ear.

Oh well, I can handle it all, after all, they say “worse things happen at sea”..😂

YuliK 😷

🌹🌹🌹

[Hidden in reply to YuliK]

Such a heavy load you're dealing with Yulik. I like it when they ask - do you get much exercise? Yes, attending all these appointments, at different venues, different days!

[YuliK in reply to Hidden]

Look at the bright side Tansy, we have to get dressed up and put our glad rags on. Spray of favorite perfume and off we go.

My late mother always use to say, cleanliness is next to godliness. So firstly showered , undies changed, and off we go to our doctors.

Taking everything in our stride is the best way to do things.

YuliK 😷

[Hidden in reply to YuliK]

It was funny at the time - it wasn't the pmr but an nhs plug that got me. Haha

[Hidden]

Sedation with eye things everytime for me. 👀

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'll definately have sedation .Eurgh!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Exactly. I shudder thinking about it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I must say the Eye consultant has been brilliant. I did thank him for pulling my appointment forward as I was very worried. Got another appt with Rheumy in a few weeks, wonder how that will go?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hopefully just as well. Communication is a good start!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Taken a while but I think Rheumy realises I will listen to my body, slow taper only and if I'm on one dose for several months, so be it.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

At the end of the day it's your body and your (quality of life) that is a priority.

[Hidden]

You gave me a good chuckle for the start of my achy morning. Thx. My best.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thinking of registering with a vet - treat all ailments in one place, one consultant (vet) who looks at entire body as a whole and prescribes accordingly!

[susanspurs]

Love your post. Just some reassurance. I’m very eye phobic and the thought of needles and sharp things near my eyes is making me feel funny right now. I have had both cataracts done (not together) and had anaesthetic eye drops and very light sedation instead of injections. I was wide awake and looking up into a really bright light so couldn’t see anything. Honestly I didn’t feel a thing. Surgeon chatted to me and kept me posted as to how it was going - no gory details though. It was a bit of a non event really. Having a tooth out is much worse. Good luck and be prepared for seeing the world in amazingly bright colours once again.

[Hidden in reply to susanspurs]

Thank you susanspurs, for your reassurance, most welcome. I also think us pmr sufferers are extra caucious because the slightest thing seems to trigger pain /flareups. Non sufferers, in my own family, don't seem to grasp this no matter how many times I explain.

[susanspurs]

That true. I hurt in so many places as my skin has become tissue paper like on shins and hand. Have had so many leg ulcers. But on the positive side I’ve had two knee replacements and a shoulder op while I’ve been on steroids and have done really well. They do give you a big shot of steroids during op and my moon face came back for a star appearance but all ops and cataracts went very well. Good luck with yours tansy13.

[sandydame]

I don't do Gin but if I had such a day if such a nightmare day where to happen to me I would be stopping for a giant double dip ice cream cone forget the carbs forget the sugar we have our survival tactics. I so wish you well my eye surgery went fine for cataracts I was given liquid valium it was totally peaceful and very successful. Fear not. I checked in after many responses to you and I know it's a difficult situation but I laughed so hard after reading a few that my aching shoulders, aching hips, and even my ankles were hurting from laughter jarring. We need each other, those who do not have PMR simply cannot grasp what it's like. Maybe you'll have a chance to take care of the cats again!! 🍨🍸

[Hidden in reply to sandydame]

We certainly do need each other. Treat others how you'd like to be treated, don't assume people are malingering - they may have unhidden disabilities and try and appreciate what benefits you do have and what's surrounding you in nature. My husband had early onset Alzheimers and it taught me to be patient and understanding when someone is struggling say, at checkouts, with money or assist them getting on a bus. My daughter's fibromyalgia has left her struggling on crutches at home and in a wheelchair outside of home bringing a ton of problems. So many people offer help by opening doors, getting over doorsteps into our town's listed buildings. Yes, I've pmr, diabetes, asthma and now cataracts but I'm determined not to be a miserable sod. And armed with information, encouragement, laughter and support from this site we are stronger.