Medical emergency.

[xelasnave]

Week before last experienced bad stomach pain starting Tuesday night..had to call Ambulance Thursday morning..I thought I just could not go to the toilet so unfortunately hung on to my regret as the pain was terrible and incessant. They operated Thursday afternoon to remove my ruptured football size gall bladder. I find out maybe an hour prior to the op...Who knew ..you would think someone could have noticed a serious problem and avoid worrying my family and me sick.
So you could think its all over and certainly after the op I was better but after a couple of days I kept going down hill..we bought in list of meds, amounts and times...and yet they would not look at the list and reduced my thiroid med from 125 mg to only 50 mg..why? Dont ask why...anyways luckily I discovered their folly and demanded my regular mix ( arrived at by trial and error under my specialist)..
Two days ago got the correct dose and I have come from deaths door I swear and I really want out of here ...but "we need you to go to a rehab at Ballina..." Well no thanks I want to go home..."But you need phisio every day.. really so given there is no phisio here today your argument seems flawed...

But they will not listen which is wrong.

Anyways I know everyone will be envious because I get to have all the fun...and again proves I am the luckiest man on the planet.

The filters have arrived but until I get my hands on them and the filter draw I wont know...we have some of the batteries, two 370 watt panels but the other two batteries are yet to come...we have the regulator and the shed is complete to put the new system in...all good.

And maybe an EQ8R will appear next week...its been a productive two weeks...I am very lucky.

Thanks to all those involved helping and being there particularly my friend and assistence buddy Peter.. anyways I have all under control thanks to many helpers and a great phone.

Thanks for listening.


Alex

[Sunfish]

A ruptured gall bladder is a life threatening event . You are very lucky.

I have had the acute but not ruptured version where I chose to wait to have it out. Extremely painful for a whole day. Nothing like it . Most people say , just take it out NOW.

You must be tough to hang on for two days.

I was told that if I had the same acute attack again while I was away to get straight on a plane back or it could be game over.

[GrahamL]

Hope your on the mend soon Alex.. had my gall bladder out at Lismore base.
Due to overcrowding I was placed in a orthopedic ward rather than a surgical ward all pain relief requests had to be filled out , taken down to the surgical ward approved by the doctor and then returned at some point .. never been in so much pain ever... I figured out to compensate by lying about my pain level so as to start the whole process before i needed it because it took so long .. I hear the new hospital is the bees knees .

[glend]

Alex, I am relieved that you have now shared this recent emergency with the folks here on IIS, who look to support you in your health struggles.
I notice that your abridged details posted here omit a few of the nastier details. It is to be expected that the clinicians will want to run their regular post surgery rehab routine on you, and getting you fit and mobile will be on their agenda. They have a process that they must follow, and milestones to be met before discharge. I realise you are itching to get home, but please be realistic about the recovery path. The night sky will still be there when your ready. All the best.
Glen

[Startrek]

Alex,
Glad your on the road to recovery
I concur with Glen, your health and fitness to be able to safely do the basics and necessities in life are more important than this hobby of ours
You will be imaging before you know it
Best always
Martin

[billdan]

Glad to see you have everything under control now Alex.
Take care mate.
:thumbsup:

[raymo]

They don't make them like you any more Alex; keep soldiering on.
raymo

[xelasnave]

Thanks everyone.
You know the community of this place is so very important to me and, although I have only met four members in person, the folk here are more real to me than most people in my life..and I am so fortunate that one of those members is both my neighbour and assistant with my observatory project and another regularly messages to ask how things are going.

I went to sleep last night making up a mantra to add to " your hair is getting blacker��" which oddly over sometime left me with rather black hair for a chap my age, to add that "my neck is getting better" " I am swallowing better" "I am enjoying excellent strength and attitude" " my stomach is healing a little bit each and every moment" " my body is rejecting the cancer and my body is making itself stronger with every passing moment" " my legs are getting stronger" "my feet are getting stronger" " I am much better than only hours ago".....

This seems to work perhaps because it makes me feel that I am in control and if nothing else refuse to be the victim here....and sitting here having got up unassisted and returned to my bed unassisted that 48 hours ago I needed help so my improvement I can measure in some definable terms.
And I will sit up for a while which is good for me and do my neck exercises and nod off going over my mantra of improvement.
I will shave early this morning, comb my hair back and try and look as flash as I can so my doctor will feel she could be mistaken that I need rehab..plus fit in a long walk...last time I saw her I was only taking short unassisted walls but yesterday I went unassisted from one end of the place to the other...she will say "but you should be assisted" and I can say " well there was no phisio here and you did say it was to be done every day" ...
But I need to give her a win..I am certain she feels she has lost face because I reject her advice, rather requests,...she wanted me to get out of bed at one stage where I know I would have passed out , from recent experience in Harvey Normal..I would have if I could have but she wanted me to fit the text book model of a patient.. well I could not. I can tell her I feel so much better because I followed her advice and that I cant thank her enough..if that does not get me out I will threaten a law suit for negligence and or that I will write to every insurance company involved in providing professional indemnity coverage to ask if they cover her...she could realise just that may see her experience a negative effect from standing in my way.
If I am not fit to go home how could I be so happy to engage in a fight.
Anyways thanks for listening I will cull some of these wilder thoughts which perhaps are due to the opiates going into my brain.
Thanks again.
Alex

[leon]

Alex, hope all goes well for you and you get home as soon as possible, thinking of you often mate.

Leon

[xelasnave]

Thanks Leon..do you need a computer as I may be able to help ..what is the one you have so I can see if the one I have in mind would be better...

My plan worked, well that was a given, but by playing up to her she (doctor) has now said lets get phisios opinion but I guess we can get the district nurse to overview the drip...yes yes doctor they are quiet close and they came to change my neck bandages..that is a great idea..and doctor thanks for motivating me to get outta my rut..I worked so hard yesterday had three sustigens and some apple juice during the night... and it is thanks to you
anyways I have asked Sandy to bring my sketch pad so I can design a few things and do some art stuff ...and if they see I am installing myself for a long stay they will want to get me home..you just have to ask for the opposite to what you want..but with my appetite promising a return I can not help but recall the food here is rather good..the fish was always terrific...mmm
Happy Monday to all.
Alex

[JA]

Hi Alex,
Sorry to hear about your emergency, but happy to hear that you're on the mend.

Get mega well soon

Best
JA

[xelasnave]

Thank you JA.
The physio has just left..took me for walk and was frankly surprised at my progress in only 48 hours. She asked questions about home as to steps..yes there is a 100 mm step from the patio/verandah into the house and inside no steps ...I told her I always have three points of contact and move only one limb so as always to have a tripod connection in effect...and that I am aware that the statistics for a broken hip for whatever reason seems to act as a death sentence...I think I impressed upon her that I am competent and capable...and perhaps a very determined chap.r
It seems her recommendation will be that I can go home...
Alex

[wavelandscott]

Alex,

Your posts are must reads and I find them both informative and inspiring. Think of you often and will continue to send best wishes and healing thoughts.

[muletopia]

Alex,
waveland scott puts it well. I might add not only for this thread but for the many helpful and informative posts on many subjects.


Keep at it
Chris

[xelasnave]

Thank you Scott...

So my strategy has worked....If we get the things tied up with the district nurse to service the hole in my side...however news just reached me... there is now a case of Covid in this very hospital...no way I am staying...end of story.

Alex

[xelasnave]

So I made it out and apparently Casino Lismore goes into lock down at 6 pm ...that may not be true but I suspect it is...so how lucky yet again...now at home but too cloudy to image;):lol:
But what a great day I had to use all my people skills but really nothing was going to stop me.
Thanks listening.:thumbsup:
Alex

[glend]

I half expected to see you waving from the front entrance of Lismore Base Hospital during the ABC news live cross announcing the area lockdown. Glad to hear you have made it home.:thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

My daughter asked why are they sending you home...I said to reduce the body count...a joke of course but homicide was becoming a predominant option... but happily they finally saw reason and realised that I am
right;):lol:;):lol::lol:

Now we are definitely in lock down ..no worries...but why why why :shrug::shrug::shrug: would any one bring a covid case into Lismore???? Why? There is a hospital at Byron leave the guy there for the sake of sensible reason...
And this damn fool has been travelling around ...including Casino..with the stupid belief covid is just a made up nonsense...cant we cull the stupid folk from our midst..it makes me angry to think I in effect have some exposure..maybe the wards man.. he has contact all over....lets put a big hospital like Lismore at risk.

Anyways I was so happy being tucked into bed by my carer last night with my rain sound video running...so I lay there counting my blessings...so lucky.

The cancer specialist saw me yesterday and I asked if my scan shows we are not winning what would come next...she said if the current meds dont work there is nothing else unfortunately...but I got to thinking...the big sell for these meds was that they should stop the cancer spreading...and each time I asked for an operation to cut it out of my lung was told same..so an op went out of my thinking...so ok now at least let us cut it and the same for anything that appears...
My surgeon gave me his personal phone number so I could send him some astro photos..which I did...anyways one night I sent him a photo of my new scope not expecting a reply..but he replied with a flavour of please be my friend ... Maybe he has few friends..but I will send him a message asking his view...and say of course I will come in for a (paying) appointment.

On Thursday, dispite lock down, I go for 'the scan' and later the specialist...I am visualising sitting before her as she says.. great news we have beaten it...what else can I do?

I am very lucky so my expectation is not inconsistent with the way things go...anyways at least if time is short I have kept on track to get the new set up working

...and as much as I am not a car person I have developed this "need" to buy a sports car..not sure why as my little Hyundai scars me when I give a plant...but rear wheel drive I can really push and love going sideways under controlled slides ... And I realised I have perfect roads around here for the ultimate sports car experience...down to the river a beaut spot then come back up a twisting demanding road entering Tabby from the West for a coffee...the girls say it is a waste of money...but is it????..if I had bought a Caterham (lotus super 7 in effect) four years ago @ $22000 it would be $40000 plus today.. prices seem to have gone through the roof.
Who thinks it would be a waste of money:shrug:
Alex

[xelasnave]

OK over the sports cars but just had my big scan to see if meds are working. Results come later today..ready for good or bad.
Alex

[glend]

Wishing you the best scan outcome Alex.

[The_bluester]

Fingers crossed for your results being good Alex.

And if you want the sports car and can afford the sports car, just buy the damn sports car! (Says me who had my mid life crisis sports car at 21 before getting all sensible, mostly)

[JohnF]

Get well soon Alex. Have to go soon, but will talk smoother time. God bless, John

[xelasnave]

Dr Called .good news both cancers are shrinking..lucky man eh.
Got to go I am tired out.
Alex

[The_bluester]

Great news Alex. Celebrate with a Caterham? Or maybe a Lotus Elise if you like not getting wet when it rains!

[xelasnave]

I think I must need to have a drive to the river and slow will do...all my trips for a long time now are must to keep medical appointments ..plus no imaging for 8 mths.. If I can muster the strength will have a drive tomorrow quick but not fast.
But if a Caterham appears near by who knows.
Alex

[wavelandscott]

Good to hear about your medical update…keep on keeping on, your positive contributions to the world are appreciated

[xelasnave]

Thank you Scott... positive is the only way to go ... if nothing else it makes you feel better and maybe as I believe helps generate "betterness":lol::lol::lol:

Alex

[wavelandscott]

My family borrowed the idea from Hank and John Green (google them if you are not familiar) but one of our objectives in life is to “decrease world suck”…being positive certainly helps!

[xelasnave]

I dont like the word but unfortunately there it sits in my rejection of it...gravity does not suck...I have a most strong dislike of the smart a.r.s.e throw away gravity sucks on a couple of levels which to go into would become boring...
When I had my office and specialising in real estate sales being positive was a full time but serious game...one would be pulled up for example if you said "dead end street"..another would say "pardon?" And the utterance would be changed to " Cul de Sac"..or..that house is over priced...well no.."that house is not competively priced for the current market place"...

And one awoke saying...what a great day to sell real estate.:lol::lol::lol:

Instead of saying the "good old days" lets be truthful.."things have never been better".

I could have made medical problem ten times worse by complaining but I can assure everyone looked atthe right way you make it a big advantage ..I really do believe that I am the luckiest man on the planet simply because I can laugh in any crisis and be happy and appreciative all the time.

Alex

[xelasnave]

Another great day...the nurse has just now left and reported my wound from the gall bladder removal has successfully healed and removed the "plumbing" ( had a drain tube ) and now there is just a patch which will be un necessary in a couple of days.:thumbsup:

And last night an email that a package is on its way from Bintel which must be the last of the filters.. will they be right remains open..but at long last who cares:lol::lol::help:

So all is wonderful ..I just hope it is not just another calm between storms .. but have got a lot done and although still stuff to do feel like I have really covered a great deal of ground in spite of adversities...and not waiting for the cancer results has me four months ahead.
Thanks for listening.
Alex

[N1]

Good to see this improvement Alex, keep it up. The filters will work

[Startrek]

Alex
Glad to hear the good news about your results
Let’s hope you keep improving and get stronger day by day , week by week
Stay safe and well
Best
Martin

[xelasnave]

I wanted to have a drive to the river but they took my keys away but the fact I had the desire is a good sign...hope to get down to the observatory if my keys are returned..but they made the correct call I guess..better to ease back and not crash.

AND thanks to everyone for all the support you have no idea how it helps me.

Alex