You Must Be Well To Be Ill

[Richard]

Michele had a telephone call on Wednesday calling her to come in the next day for a preparation session for her radiotherapy. So off we went to the North Middlesex Hospital. I had previously suggested that the option of Addenbrooke Hospital might have been a more comfortable one to take up, even if it might require a week or so for the papers to be shuffled. The journey to Edmonton was OK-ish but after a string of delays and complications at the hospital we were late getting away. The first couple of miles back took nearly an hour and suddenly Michele knew why I had not been keen on the pilgrimage into the devil’s stew pot known as London. By the time we arrived home tired and more than a little burned out she wondered if she could stand three weeks of the struggle starting in the New Year.

London is clearly a dump in which even the devil would fear to tread, mind you why would anyone want to tread in their stew pan?

[JayCeeDee]

Couldn’t agree more, Richard. ?

Which in itself is strange as I spent best part of 40 years in and out of it every day, 25 years on BT and 15 on the flower stall. Anne also spent 35 years working in London, a good few of those when she also lived in London.

When asked about it she would say she loved living in the countryside but enjoyed being amid the hustle and bustle that was London.

When I was diagnosed and I transferred from our local hospital to the Marsden we were at the main hospital at the Brompton Road in Fulham. We’d only stopped working ( around half a mile away ) 5 years earlier, yet the journeys in and out were horrendous, time consuming and stress inducing – how quickly things change!! On a side note I found the journeys were easier when the schools were off – it’s amazing what a difference that makes to journey times and congestion. I was very glad when my treatment regime meant that I had to use the Sutton branch of the Marsden – it took an hour off the journey time!!

We rarely go back into London these days, but about a month ago there was a family gathering in Putney Heath, near where Anne was brought up and still central for a few family members. We picked our son up from Stratford ( velodrome ) which took an hour and a bit to get there from home. The journey from there to Putney Heath took a further hour and a half and this was on a Sunday!!

 

Never again is a cry frequently heard here when discussing journeys or plans into London. I feel your pain.

[PlaneMan]

When my brother lived in London, Wimbledon way, it often took longer to get across London by car than to get to London. If I was in a larger car (I was driving a proper Mini Cooper at the time) it would have taken a lot longer.

It was bad enough getting there, the fuel tank was the size of a small jerry can in the boot, usually 3 fill ups on the motorway and one just before hitting London, sometimes one in London as well.

[Dave Rice]

It’s much the same with Bristol and I guess any big city these days.

We really enjoy a city break in London, have a great time. But when I have to go up and attend anything at a specific time and place I remember why I hated working there (part time) in the 90s. The dash back to Paddington to see the train you have seats booked on leaving, the next one being chock full, etc.

I had to get to the other side of Bristol (11 miles as the crow flies) on public transport, 2 buses or 1 train 1 bus. Should be easier as we now have an express bus that takes 40 minutes off the time so as quick as the train. Left the house at 7, got there at 10:20 as the express bus was full and the next one got me there just too late for the connection. Went again this week, left at 9 got there at 10:20. The difference was no waiting at bus stops.

[PlaneMan]

Rush ‘hour’ is the killer.

I had 4 stops this morning, shopping, pick up a click and collect order, doctors, pharmacist. One side of Cardiff to the other and back, via the doctors (maybe 1/2 mile from the centre) and back to Penarth to the pharmacist.

It was easier and quicker to go to the quite new Aldi first, via the A4232, back down the same road and all the way round Rover Way to Newport Road, back on the A4232 for a short while, through Grangetown to the docs, straight down Penarth Road to Tesco and the pharmacy. Probably 20 odd miles if not 25 rather than the 10 it would have been staying close to home but all done in 90 minutes instead of 2 1/2 hours+ if sat in traffic. If I’m burning fuel I want to move!

Next Thursday I’m at the Heath Hospital, other side of Cardiff to me, to get switched over to injections for my arthritis medication. 9am appointment is great in theory but traffic will be a nightmare so I’ll be there at probably 8am hunting for a disabled spot near the main entrance and then watching Netflix in the car.

[Richard]

Yes rush hour is a killer and I agree that big cities are no fun at all. I had another appointment today, this time for me. It was further away by about 20% but out of London. It took the same amount of time to get there as yesterday’s bun fight. The difference was that I left slightly later for the return journey than we did yesterday but it still took about the same time out bound and inbound and I was home about an hour earlier

Sadiq Khan is welcome to festering London: I do not know about public transport in London these days. I had enough of it when I worked there from 1992 through to 2002, (it was often termed putrid transport). The trains going in were terrible unreliable often attacked by bands of thieves, (they called it steaming) so I often used a coach service, it was more door to door and no changes. However, rail is a totally impractical option for my wife as her health issues mean it would take painful hours due to her very slow walking. I am not sure either of us would cope with standing on a train if there were no seats.

PM, good luck with getting there that early, herself would seriously struggle to make that sort of time to get out of the house.

When I was small and we lived in Bristol it was within walking distance of a station on the now long closed and gone line from Bristol to Bath. Somehow it all felt so much easier back then, perhaps it was because it was without the hordes of passengers – though perhaps that is why the line was closed. I would last have used it in perhaps 1950 ~ 52.

[Bob Williams]

Due to the problems with my Parastomal Hernia, mornings are a pain for me. Whenever I am phoned with an appointment possibility, I have to explain the same message, usually to the same receptionist/secretary/whatever, that I cannot make it before 11am. The disbelief and sheer stupidity this engenders, has to be experienced to be believed. Example, after explaining in detail, what the stoma change entails: “Well can we send transport?” – “That is irrelevant. I would not be ready to board the transport until I am done, including the cleanup. Then I can drive to the hospital myself.” Another – “Can we send someone to help?” – “No I have been doing this since 2009. I am well practiced and another pair of hands would be a useless obstruction.”

Things are mad more complicated by the admin staff not looking at my address and realising I am 22 miles down the road from Grimsby Hospital. If I have to go to Beverley, East Yorks, it’s almost 50 miles. They cannot imagine anywhere outside their own workplace or home, actually exists.

But I am lucky in my rural location: I have sympathy for those of you battling with city traffic, especially Richard. Whilst I may have more miles to travel, my journey has very few traffic lights. Even the journey to Beverley can be done in a little more than 1¼ hours over the spectacular Humber Bridge and is all constant driving, which is one of my few joys in life now. I rarely visit London now, I go either to our friends in High Barnet, or SWMBO’s cousin in Beckenham. The latter is a very salubrious gated enclosure of wealthy homes, the former is a joyful community of Oldpharts in lovely, charity bungalows. I fit right in there! All a long way from my London experiences in the early 60’s: West India Dock, Mile End, Stepney, etc. I really loved the life there in those days, especially returning bronzed from a sea trip and (hopefully) dazzling the local lasses.???

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Richard]

Bob, you put your finger on a major issue, travel in cities with their legions of pollution multipliers, also known as traffic lights helps to make them hell. Friday’s appointment was cross country and almost free of such monstrosities, which allowed something of a driving rhythm to develop. Driving twice as far in distance terms becomes a pleasure compared to transit in an urban jungle area. Thursday in London was one of the few times I made sure to lock the doors while driving. Perhaps the most shocking thing was the renewed realisation that people actually lived there, a fact that I had forgotten since I last ventured through such a place.

[PlaneMan]

Richard, I have no problem getting out of the house at any hour as long as I give myself , and my stomach, enough time to get sorted. Usually 90 minutes or so.

I’m awake for good by about 4 am most mornings so not usually an issue.

[Richard]

For the last few nights I have not been blessed with the vision of such times, usually I first wake at about 00:15 and then at hourly intervals, but, perhaps because I am totally cream cream-crackered I have avoided such games. I was getting the dog walks started by about 06:00, but the very dark not to mention cold mornings have caused a rethink and I try to wait until there are the first signs of grey dawn with which to pick my way. We did make last month’s 07:30 appointment for Michele’s operation, an hour’s drive away, but it was a real challenge – and yes the dogs did get a walk first, all before breakfast. If you can make those sorts of times it can make life easier.

[Bob Williams]

Richard there is no way on this earth that I could make a 7:30 appointment and I inform whoever gives me any such before 11 am, that it is not possible. I am immediately given an alternative: have you tried that? Although, considering travel in the very early morning in London, perhaps traffic is lighter?

I wake now about every 3 to 4 hours as my Prostate appears to have settled down and only forces a visit the loo twice nightly now. A somewhat mixed blessing!

Strangely, if I am forced to use the only pain relief medicine I will take – Paracetamol – it makes me hot and sweaty, but does work. I had that intravenously during my recent hospital stay, if my temps increased and the shaking started. It reduced my overheating and stopped the shakes. Now it works in reverse. Am I a Pavlovian dog?

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Les.]

Richard, I have said it before here, but if you are waking for a pee more than once (twice at a stretch), it may be because you are NOT drinking ENOUGH water.

I take a litre upstairs. I woke at 4:45 this morning, took 20 large mouths full from the tit on top (almost one pint), lumber to my feet, and off for the pee. My eyes are always dry, so I navigate with them closed, my aim is good, and by the time I have finished, the water seems to have reached my eyes, and I can open them without problems.

I think too many men cut down on water thinking it helps, but in my case it causes overheating, crazy dreams, and repeated waking, often returning to the same crazy dream. With plenty of irrigation, I MAY get a mini-dream before the 4:30ish wake up, but rarely any more..

Les.

[Richard]

Les, thank you, but shortage of fluid is not likely to be my issue. Breakfast sees me take on board about > 3 pints or about 1.5 litres. Then I hit the water glasses, though the flow rate has to be managed if I am likely to be out and about on anything approaching half hour to hour trips. Anyway a light day can see me throw in another litre through the mid day period. After the afternoon dog walk I can get into my stride with another two to three litres spread across the afternoon to evening period. Generally my eyes are just a bit sore rather than dry, but after a salivary glad issue a week or two back my mouth can get dry enough to stick my tongue to its roof. After a typical 4.5 plus litres per day, fitting in much more fluid could be a challenge, though I was once measured at over 7 litres throughput. I have to manage diverticulitis via fluid and fruit and combat the side effects of a tablet I take by trying to ensure enough fluid passes my lips.

[Bob Williams]

You advised me about this before Les, long time ago. We have particularly hard water here, so every week I bring home 6x (1.5 Liter) bottles of Highland Spring Still water. And I usually finish them in a week. Still getting up at least twice, down from 4 times. GP says this is natural for an enlarged prostate. This month it is almost exactly 12 months since the bleeding, the scans etc. No more blood, just a bigger prostate, but consultant say it is gradually shrinking. I had to get lucky somewhere!

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

And more about London travel…

If you have the odd appointment in London then calculate your journey time and then add 2 hours, even if it means getting up at a silly hour in the morning. If you happen to get there early there’s plenty to do while you wait and you should not have been stressed out wondering if you would get there on time.

On the other hand if you work in London you have to work out just how much of your own time you are willing to spend on getting to work on time every day. I settled on an hour and a half for what should be an hours journey (9 miles by the way).

Made me sick ?

[Tippon]

PlaneMan wrote:

Next Thursday I’m at the Heath Hospital, other side of Cardiff to me, to get switched over to injections for my arthritis medication. 9am appointment is great in theory but traffic will be a nightmare so I’ll be there at probably 8am hunting for a disabled spot near the main entrance and then watching Netflix in the car.

Don’t forget the new layout. You can’t drive past A&E any more, so you have to go around the hospital. The handful of disabled bays outside the concourse entrance are for specific conditions, like haemophilia, and I don’t know how strict the wardens are since the parking rules changed. The main disabled car park is usually not too bad at that time though.

[PlaneMan]

Thanks Ryan. I’m aware of the new layout but didn’t know about the disabled spaces having changed.

[Bob Williams]

I may have taken a few steps back over the last week. Initially I had 3 days of constipation, which for a Stoma sufferer is no picnic! Severe pain across the whole of the abdomen, followed by a whole day of full pouches: 3 changes in a day is not normal. I have been feeling “bloomin’ crook” as my much-missed Aussie mate Vic would say. By a lucky coincidence, today I have a first appointment with a Stoma Nurse in several years. I will unburden myself upon this lady because it is a quicker way to see a GP at our Surgery. I think they view it as ‘Can’t handle this, I’ll fetch a Doctor.’

Massive wind problems, still have stomach pain, no energy, tired all the time. I could not make my Oncology consultant understand that there is something else happening: “Take some exercise, that will increase your energy levels.” Well Doc, I would love to do that, but every time I set off, I was so exhausted so quickly. I think, outside of their field of expertise, they don’t want to know.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Ed P]

Could be other things, there is a very nasty flu virus floating around that as usual is not part of the flu-jab program as most people with the fever have also had the jab. The virus starts with painful gastric issues, followed by a streaming nose & sneezing for a couple of days – THEN you get ill! (usual fever symptoms followed by gut wrenching cough followed by lung congestion).

All in all a good one to miss, I hope it isn’t that!

[StevieP]

How right you are. 4 weeks ago had an infection which very quickly turned into full blown sepsis. After gathering the family, dnr’s, changing the settings on my ICD and absolutely amazing work from the ICU staff I managed to get through it. Now into my 5th week in the heamatology isolation unit I am well (?) enough to have a 6-10 hour operation to start to repair the damage caused. This involves 3 different surgical teams in order to sort out the various problems. So Xmas gifts include two new buttocks, 3 stone weight loss, new bag, minus contents, and 2 waste collection recepticals. Not all doom and gloom though, still here.
On that note well done Bob, and good luck and best wishes to all those either suffering themselves or have loved ones who are.

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