Of Weather Reports And Medical Mutterings

We’re back to our, “traditional Welsh weather,” as they say,which means the weather has been much cooler this past week, with plenty ofrain.  That’s just fine with me, since Idon’t like hot weather and I find rain soothing.

 

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Since I don’t have a lot to say about this week, I thought I’dgive you a bit of a medical update.  Morethan just the fact my spoon supply is at an all-time low, so my energy level islow and quickly depleted, I mean.

 

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When I was in hospital back in July, I finally managed toget someone to look at my back and listen about the issue I’ve been having withit for ages.  And I do mean ages.  It’s been a problem on and off for years, buthas gotten gradually worse.  I did trytalking to doctors about it before, but they kept just blaming my weightwithout even listening or taking a look. The only doctor who ever listened was my haematologist, who told me todo a self-referral for a physiotherapist so they could take a look for me.

 

The hospital had me see a physiotherapist for some reason(as far as I could tell, it was to see if the blind lady could be walked to thebathroom or not) so – since my self-referral still hadn’t come through - Ifigured I’d take advantage of having a physiotherapist checking me out and gether to look at my back.  She’s referredme for an MRI to take a look, because she agrees it’s not weight-related.  She suspects nerve damage, or somethingbehaving like nerve-related issues.

 

Shortly after I got out of hospital the self-referral for aphysiotherapist came through, and I still went for the appointment.  I saw him in mid August (August 16th).  I did admit to him that I’d seen aphysiotherapist at the hospital, and that she’d referred me for the MRI, but Inever told him what she said.  Yet hegave a similar response; he also suspects nerve-related issues, or somethingbehaving like nerve damage.

 

I’m glad they both agree I’m right that it’s notweight-related.  But I hope it’s notnerve-related, because something like that would be difficult for anyone to doanything about without risking making things much worse.  Either way, both of them gave me someexercises to try and help it, but they don’t seem to be doing anything.

 

Anyway, I was meant to have had the MRI by now, but theappointment they made me was too late in the day for the hospital transport tobe able to take me, so I had to call to reschedule.  Unfortunately, they apparently do thingsdifferently if you’re a patient coming in with hospital transport, and thedifference means needing to go to a different hospital, so I’m waiting for anappointment from the other hospital now. If it follows the same kind of timeline as the first appointment did, Ishould get that appointment letter some time in the next couple of weeks.

 

I think it’s strange; I don’t see why it makes adifference.  I’m taking advantage of thehospital transport – or, “non emergency ambulance transport for the elderly anddisabled” to give it its full name – because I qualify for it due to beingblind, and my former rides to the hospital are no longer an option.  I don’t see how using that means they have todo things differently to how they would if I came in by car with a familymember or friend or whatever.  But thereyou go.

 

In the meantime, one of the doctors at the hospital had referredme for a sleep study because they noticed my oxygen level drops when I’msleeping, so I have an appointment for that this coming Monday (September 25th).

 

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I hope you’re as well as you can be, and that September isturning out to be a good month for you so far.