Pig of a Day

I did just post but the forum seems to of eaten it.

It was a hell of an insightful meaningful, and draw i say it heroic speech..

I’ll sum it up, hope you’re ok Bob. ?

Yes Bob, I have had that in the past, sometime when other bugs have been in play and weakened things, sometimes due to a strain. At a guess it is likely a result of a strain, but always check such things out. It could be an infection, so doc should have done the easy checks. If you are down for the tests I think you hinted at, they are a bit ‘up close and personal‘ but unlike some tests they are not normally painful – unless there is a problem. Whatever it turns out to be I hope it is easily and soon cleared up.

I was in one of the hip replacement pioneering hospitals many years ago*. They should have had a ticket booth and turn styles to charge the tourists who came through from all over the world. Back then it was a ‘big deal’, however since then methods have improved and minimally intrusive surgery is the normal style. Hospital stays are now much shorter as a result because patients do better being made active and more content at home – if circumstances allow. Places with forty flights of stairs need not apply!

*The hospital had many lives once being a TB sanatorium before it became an orthopaedic hospital. Now it is a housing estate and the operating theatres are lounges and dining rooms. They did not do sick people, they were strictly grease and service only when I was their guest.

That sucks Bob, hope it’s nothing serious.

I knew, worked with,  an old brickie in about 2002, he was 65yo, had his hip done, 3 days later he insisted on returning to work. We had to lift him in and out the van and put him on running corners up.

The man was a machine. I’ve mentioned him before. He is the one that would play footy with his grandkids every day after work. His wife was always was in goal. If he had a bad bay and was knackered, he would ping the ball at his wife so she would give in, so he could blame her for ending the game.

Funny guy, I saw him a few weeks ago, retired 5 years ago, and the boredom has done him no favours. A proper old rum scouser.

No Bob, the orthopaedic in question was in Exeter, and the Exeter joint was an early hip replacement*. To be fair there were probably very good reasons for closing it as it was old and spread out over a large piece of ground. However, the main reason for closure was that the  entire hospital base was moved from a number of decaying old sites to a spot just across the road. So all of the functions were in one, newer location. Though it was a jolly, friendly place because no one was sick, it was a bit of an anomaly. It had been located there more on the basis of we ought to use the space for something as we own the buildings. There was not quite enough space to shoehorn the replacement main hospital, which was sorely needed. I think I was done sometime in the 1970s after years of planning, debating and arguing while the old buildings practically fell down in the centre of town.

Seriously, blood discharging from anywhere is never a comfortable event and I hope you get some initial resolutions ASAP.

*Apparently at the time there was one surgeon in the country who was both a medical and an engineering specialist – might even have had a PHD in both. One tourist group from an analogue of the UN with a dozen surgeons from different countries started a heated debate. Apparently the double PHD  was concerned about whether joints should be regularly serviced to check for wear. It all came down to the mechanics of joint movement: fascinating stuff if you were not the groggy drugged patient.

I had a cataract done last Thursday and will get the next one done tomorrow. I did not think the first eye was that bad – until it was done. Wow what a difference it has made. Driving and even walking are so much easier and as for seeing colours and focusing, hugely good results all round. Christmas is the only time when other appointments take a break, they start again in January with a medical flush, the first Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday so one for everyone in the house.

Just noticed the post Bob, hope all works out for you ?? A few prods and pokes and you will be fighting fit and rearing to go for Bob’s story corner ?

Richard wrote:

…….. they start again in January with a medical flush, the first Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday so one for everyone in the house.

I’ve read that five times now, and I’m still no clearer whether that is a Poker-type Flush or a hosing-through type flush!!! You don’t need to enlighten me!:)

The wife had both cataracts done about two years ago and noticed the same thing. It’s amazing what poor performing eyes you adapt to – until they change dramatically for the better. The only downside she noticed was the increased sensitivity to bright lights – sun/headlights etc, but that was manageable with sun-glasses for driving – transition lenses were too slow to change. Best of luck.

Not being a card player of any type I grabbed the term out of the air. I had wondered about a health run, but that has similar pantomime double meanings. Everyone has something to start the year on those days.
I would not be sure about sunglasses for evening and night use, I have not yet tried any such glasses during the day and while the low sun is trying, the improvement in performance is stunning.

The NHS recommendations suggest that if the problem is affecting life, unable to read, drive or do everyday things then that should be grounds for action. Currently I am almost the sole driver to two others whose disabilities are currently impacting life. My wife drove for the first time this year when I went for my operation, daughter would have serious issues catching a bus on her own.

I tried to renew her bus pass. What a shambles, I sent in all the papers and had them signed for. After the processing time had expired, I rang to check progress. ‘Oh we don’t have any record on the items we signed for’. Some slightly more meaningful emails and phone calls followed. Then they advised, half the guff was not needed anyway and the whole thing could be done via the website, as at least one medical condition will never change.