DTD: 347 – Bloody Nora, the Archers is back!

This week The Archers reported that Alice is a drunk and pregnant, that Gavin likes horse racing per Radio Susan and no doubt our hosts will examine the fine detail of events with their usual forensic attention.

 

Roifield reports that I sometimes ignore the podcast and this is one of those weeks.  I have encountered some medical problems over recent months and no diagnoses had been made.  I have been overdue an operation – I had the first one 21 months ago and in January this year I was put back on the waiting list for the other half of the pair.  In August I had the necessary pre-op and Sister Katy at Royal Surrey Hospital went through the process as she had the first time including an ECG.  She told me the next day that in itself the ECG was fine but that she had compared it with the one she did about 2 years ago and it was not the same.  So having consulted a cardiologist there was some concern about my heart and I would have to undergo further tests.

 

Meanwhile other medical tests were getting no closer to solving my new medical problems.

 

On Monday I had a CT scan of my heart and went home.  On Tuesday lunchtime Mr Leatham, cardiologist at Royal Surrey Hospital, phoned and said he had some news.  There were no problems with my heart (good) BUT could I possibly drop what I was doing and pop along NOW to Frimley Park (my local A&E) as there might be a problem with my lungs which the CT scan had shown up almost by accident as they were not scanned.

 

So off to A&E where I was whisked through to the Medical Assessment Unit as I was “expected” – Mr Leatham had spoken to contacts to get me straight through the system and whilst there was some sitting around (inevitable) and another CT scan (this time of the lungs) it would appear that I have a pulmonary embolism (blood clots) which could be quite dangerous to my health if not addressed.  I was given an immediate treatment, tablets issued and then discharged.

 

So as a result of a series of fortunate events I want to give my personal thanks to Sister Katy, OPD16, Royal Surrey Hospital Guildford for spotting the discrepancy, being concerned and passing it onto the right people.  (I have spoken to her and thanked her – she however had to admit that the operation will be deferred for another 6 months).  Mr Leathem, cardiologist, for breaking the bad news and ensuring that Frimley Park knew I was coming and finally to the MAU team at Frimley Park (not Royal despite looking after Sophie Wessex and her babies) for dealing with an old accountant who does not take at all kindly to having 6 or 7 needles stuck in him.  They will never know that this has been posted publicly – but I am keen to applaud their efforts which may well have been instrumental in keeping me alive and writing these summaries.

 

Kosmo