DONT go to the doctor!
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@solo said:
Here in the states we have that covered, we made it too expensive to see a doctor.
LOL, that's the truth.
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Well, I try to avoid going to the doctors, on the principle that most aches and pains are just that and not worth wasting the doctor's time with.
Last January I finally gave in and went with a small catalogue of what I thought were minor aches and ailments.
I came away from that appointment with two major surgeries to schedule, after not needing major surgery since I had my tonsils removed about 45 years ago.
First surgery went ahead in early April, to fix a ventral hernia. No trouble with the anasthetic, but astonishing just how much pain an operation on your abdomen can cause when you try to move at all.
The second, more serious, surgery was finally done this weekend. Delayed after the first operation wound became infected. An anterior cervical discectomy with fusion and treatment for spinal stenosis. Supposedly a 1.5 to 2 hour operation that I went into theatre for at 14.30 and came round from at 18.30. Some complication with "unexpected seepage" whatever that means. A complicated name for an operation that simply means they cut through the front of your throat to get to your spine, remove a disc, grind off some boney growth, and insert a tungston cage as a frame for two pieces of your spine to fuse together. That takes 2 months. A last minute change meant that only one disc was removed, even though the plan was to remove two (out of 3 that are damaged.) I could be back for the second doing in another few years.
Theoretically off work for up to 6 weeks.
Starting to feel a bit like Frankenstein's monster now with all the scars, stitches and bandages. Even got the stiff movements 'cos I have to avoid excessive neck movements for a while.
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My God John - I think I'd be waiting that one out till death! ewww! Hope you get back to health soon!
I know how painful abdomen ops can be I once had to have emergency surgery for an incaserated hernia, rushed in and woke up in recovery. Next morning a gorgeous nurse came in and asked if I'd like a sponge bath, as much as I did, I knew I'd get aroused without doubt (she was way hot) and I could stomach the thought of the pain with the old boy surrounded by stitches. Tried instead to drag myself out of bed and into the shower - bad mistake!
Get well mate!
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Waiting it out was not an option...
...it was made very clear that I was on course to lose the use of my arms, my legs, and to lose control of my bladder if I chose to allow the problems to take their natural course.
I was offered a sponge bath too - but by a male nurse.
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Hope you come around okay John. That ordeal sounds really bad. If only the nurse was more to your taste, that sponge bath might have been quite enjoyable
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@john.warburton said:
I was offered a sponge bath too - but by a male nurse.
EW! Yeah I had to get my nuts shaved by a male nurse, not the most fun thing I've ever had done! Now I do it myself every couple of days just in case, so I never have to experience that again!
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@richard said:
@john.warburton said:
I was offered a sponge bath too - but by a male nurse.
EW! Yeah I had to get my nuts shaved by a male nurse, not the most fun thing I've ever had done! Now I do it myself every couple of days just in case, so I never have to experience that again!
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@box said:
The trick is to see the right doctor.
For years I've been going to one who kept giving me more and more medication without showing any evidence of any improvement.
When he prescribed anti depressants on top of all the BP Meds, Beta blockers, Diuretics, cholesterol meds etc... I decided it was time for a change.So 8 months ago I got a new doctor, he suggested a few small changes to my diet, and a few other odds and ends. He never told me to stop doing anything, in fact he said I should continue to have a drink and smoke, but to enjoy each and every one rather than just do it out of habit.
To cut a long story short, 8 months later I'm 40 kilos lighter, don't smoke, drink what I like, eat extremely well and take no medication at all.
Seeing the right Doctor gave me my life back.
Thanks for this info / advise Ben.
From reading your post it looks like we could have similar medical problems. Mine, as far as I know, is heart related. I suffered an attack some years ago and had a couple of stents inserted. Quite an interesting experience, if a little frightening at the time.
Since then I am on 5 tablets a day and while they may be doing what they are supposed to do, I also feel they are effecting me in others ways that are not good. I know I should be getting more exercise and should not be smoking. I do walk more (with Jock, my Westie) also now smoke rollies and watch my diet but I think I must now look into ways of cutting back on these tablets.
Like many here in Ireland that are connected with the building trade, depression is also a factor that sometimes gets to me. Not that I get depressed per say, its more a case of feeling down in sympathy with others that are having difficult times.
I learned how to handle worry many years ago when a good friend told me his secret. It was simple!, 'Think hard about the worst case scenario and things will come into focus for you!'. Once people know what the possible worse case scenario could be, they are then able to get on with things and enjoy life or the battle etc!. Its the worry of having no clue that drives people to despair.
Something that I have been doing of late that shocks people, mostly men that are moaning about this or that, is to take out my iPhone, ask them their age, subtract it from the average 'clog popping age', 78 (for men) then multiply it by 365. Then show them how many more days they can expect to have on average above ground!
Many are initially shocked but it often brings a smile! The end result is that it focuses them to 'get on with it!' and enjoy life be it good or bad. My personal expectations are approx. 6,000 and intend to enjoy them as stress free as I can. It's 'stress' I believe causes much of our medical problems. Keeping stress under control is very important and one way to do that, for men most definitely, it to TALK about it! Talking about things can immediately open the pressure value and make for a more pleasant existence.
This is something men can learn from women. They are excellent at relieving stress by having a good old natter or cry with their friends. Men on the other hand often feel they have to be macho and bottle it all up, I say bollock to that!
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visit my doctor... his favorite quote "you can eat anything, there are lots of available medicine.."
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@richard said:
@john.warburton said:
I was offered a sponge bath too - but by a male nurse.
EW! Yeah I had to get my nuts shaved by a male nurse, not the most fun thing I've ever had done! Now I do it myself every couple of days just in case, so I never have to experience that again!
I did it myself before my hernia operation. They gave the option in advance and while I was about to go under the knife, I felt more at ease shaving myself in that area. Operation went well, went home the same day, the main discomfort was that during the trip back I started feeling sick - which I was the instant I opened the car dock. Think it was the drugs I reacted to - never could take too much liquor either without the same effect. I was told to stay in bed for a couple of days, with option in morphine, ibuprofen and paracetamol. Never used the morphine in fear of going sick again - didn't really need it. My fellow students was eye-balling it though - had to keep it safe. Quit the ibuprofen very quickly as well, don't really want to take pills - I'd rather have some slight discomfort than whatever side-effect the pills might bring. Nurse came around after a couple of days - then I was on my own and I opened the door to her surprise.
When I was at the hospital there was a guy who went into surgery before me - I was in a room with other hernia patents - and he was crawling in pain. I looked over at the guy in the bed next to me, and he had the same puzzled look as I had - "did it hurt so much for you?". Guess it depends on how quickly it's taken. But I'm glad the lump was just a hernia and not something else. My doctor said to not worry - but to me a hernia was good news compared to what I'd started to worry about.
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