The chit chat thread

Oh dear chantel! That sounds like a nightmare. Hopefully you've had the prescription filled now?

What a nightmare chantel, sorry to hear you're not well & can't get the medicines promptly.

My new year hasn't been so good either. I had an appointment with my GP yesterday a follow up from a previous appointment last year that identified that my BP was on the high side so had another reading taken by the nurse towards the end of the year. Well my BP still wasn't good but was a little better. I mentioned that I seemed to be a bit short of breath for the last couple of weeks with movement. The GP checked my chest etc & said she thought she had identified the cause, an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) which isn't a big problem if the heartbeat is normal to slow but not good if fast - you can guess which mine was. I was told she'd refer me to A&E immediately (choice of 2 hospitals, when I mentioned which was was nearer, her face made me chose the other one!) I could drive home but not the the A&E!

A neighbour took me & as I'd been told that it was 50/50 whether they would keep me in he would also feed the cats if necessary. I kept them in so thee were no issues for him. Anyway got to A&E around midday was triaged within a hour. As I was referred by the GP I wouldn't be seeing the A&E doctors but the medical team would be dealing with me in A&E. The triage had taken my BP (still high) & oxygen stats (normal) so when I saw the doctor (very nice), she took bloods with difficulty from the side of my elbow. I queried why not in the back of the hand on in the main arm & its apparently less painful there. however it wasn't working so I said take it from the back of the hand which although slightly more painful on inserting the needle worked easily. I now had a couple of nice purple/yellow bruises on my elbow & a paler grey on on my hand - much less noticeable!!! Back to the waiting area, then off for a chest x-ray, back to waiting room then an electrocardiograph, the technician turned out to own a Maine Coon cross so we had a chat about cat breeds while it was going on. Back to the waiting area while they inspected all the test results. People in the waiting area were really good offering seats if they were able to, even though it was busy. I'd taken along my Kindle & read one book that made me really laugh (silently but visibly) which made a number of them grin/smile I can really recommend it www.amazon.co.uk/Reservoir-Cats-Stories-Views-Squirt-ebook/dp/B00FPLEMTO

Good news my blood test results were fine, the chest x-ray didn't show anything untoward but I've definitely got an irregular heartbeat & high pulse rate. So I was then given a tablet to reduce it & to wait 1/2 hour to see if it worked which changed to add anther hour before checking, if it didn't work then I'd be given more & wait again. Plus delays it was roundabout 2 hours before it was checked but the good news was it was down at acceptable levels so I didn't need to hang around much more. Just the paperwork etc. So I 'm on a daily ACE inhibitor tablet once a day but also an anti-coagulant (not Warfarin) as this could lead to clots & with a family history of strokes it was a deemed a good idea. so one tablet of that twice a day. By now it was nearly 7pm & the pharmacy was closed, so I was given a prescription to bring back to the hospital in the morning, I was now allowed to drive. Also the doc was arranging an outpatients appointment in their ACU where I'd have more tests including some repeats, plus probably a 24hr heart recorder, echocardiogram (i had one in 2019 which showed a slight narrowing of one of the blood vessels but nothing to worry about & the results of these would then be reviewed by the consultant. My neighbour picked me up & I was home around 8pm. Fed cats & me!
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This morning I awoke to snow wasn't too happy about going to the hospital in it (especially as I'm only in the courtesy Fiat 500) so waited till midday when it was clearing. Bar backing out my drive which was covered in snow as was the road & being careful about the parked cars whilst doing it, I had an uneventful trip to the hospital. I'd already checked I had to get the prescription fulfilled there & not a normal pharmacy, although I could have taken it to a nearer hospital of the the trust which I could have used the day before as it only has the children's A&E not Adult but they only have a drop-off for prescriptions which they fax over to the other one who then send the drugs back which would have been tomorrow. Whilst waiting for the snow to clear this morning I checked online about the drugs & found I couldn't take Ibuprofen or NSAIDs with them,so I also checked with the pharmacy about the Voltorol gel I use for my arthritis on occasion. Not recommended.

So from now on I've got to be careful about cuts etc not stopping bleeding due to the anticoagulant, could be interesting with cats claws!!! could well be for life but will know more when I get the outpatients appointment etc. Don't know how long that will take.

Goodness me, it's all happening with you chantel and tonib. I hope your medication gets all sorted out today chantel and you start to feel better soon.

tonib, I hope that the new medication helps. I use Voltorol gel for my arthritis and shouldn't really as I can't take Ibuprofen or NSAIDs. I'm asthmatic but still use the gel and it's fine. I hope they finally get the car taken to the garage and finally get it fixed for you. As scallywag says, you can keep the snow!

I had a problem yesterday evening. I gave a boy from work a lift home, dropped him off and then parked a bit further down the road to ring my daughter to tell her I was a bit early picking her up from work (can't stop for long outside where she works). Then my car wouldn't start! Had to phone hubby to pick up my daughter and then come to me. He couldn't get the car started so we had to leave it where it was. This morning he managed to bump start it and it sounded a bit strange so we drove to the repair centre. When I said it had been ok on the way there, hubby told me to drive to work and leave it running for half and hour. I did this and no problems. Perhaps I need a new battery.

Let me say first of all I have no issue with the treatment I got from the NHS, the only problem was the prescription & I believe that had it not been so late when I finished in A&E I would have had my meds then & there. It was only the snow that caused an issue the next day but I was able to get the meds very promptly when I got to the pharmacy, in fact I didn't even have to pay car parking fees, for some reason it came up as having been paid on the machine even though I'd been over the free 20 minutes. I'd have been quicker but I couldn't find a space in the 2st car park I went to, maybe it was leaving that within a few minutes (so free) counted for all the others I tried! The volunteer staff were good, as I walked from my car into the entrance I'd seen when driving round & found the pharmacy was at the other end of the long corridor, so when I eft I asked the volunteer at that entrance if there was a better way out for where I'd parked & she showed me the way out (not just directed me) to closer to where I'd parked

Medics have often had problems with taking blood my blood vessels seem to like to hang on to it so I can't fault the doctor for that as she was trying to save me pain. I must remember in the future to mention that issue & that I have no problem with it being taken from my hand I was there for about 6-7 hours in all & had plenty of tests which were good news as well as bad. It was a case of finding out the problem.

Sorry to hear your OH scallywag had to stay on a bed in the corridor in A&E, there were a few on Monday but they did seem to move on, its possible that they were waiting for the various testing areas, just as I had. I must admit when I left I spoke to reception to find out how to pass my compliments on & while I waited for someone to be entered in the system I couldn't help but overhear the mother & late teenage/adult son saying what the issue was - an abscess in his mouth. The receptionist did ask whether they had contacted the emergency dentist but mother said he's going away tomorrow. but surely they should have tried to get help earlier in the day (this was 7pm+) rather than go to A&E!! But I shouldn't judge especially as I didn't know the full facts!

Oh & you're right about the Apixiban, although I haven't started that yet. but I'm continuing the beta blocker which I was given at the hospital. I was going to this morning but what with a bit of lay in plus the recovery driver & insurers (see next post) I had a very late start to the day so I decided to start tomorrow. I see if I can clip Lexie's claws later as she can catch me with them. Stevie can but He's not going to let me do them. But the 2 boys are due at the vets for their annual vaccinations in February so I'll get them done then. I must admit the issue of having to be cautious about getting cuts/bruises etc does slightly scare me, especially as I'm good at bumping into things, like the corner of the very solid coffee table or the sharp corner of the rectangular metal plant pot I've got outside by the garage (between it & the front door). Mind you I've been planning to get rid of it anyway so maybe now's the time!

lotsofcats I asked the pharmacy if the Pernaton gel I get from Holland & Barrett would help, I think I mentioned it to you & he said that would be OK. I did say that one medics a while back said that it wouldn't do any good but as I said to the pharmacist even if it isn't really relieving the pain I seem to think it is so..... & he agreed!

It does sound like a battery problem lotsofcats probably due to the very cold weather.

Lets hope that they forgot to replace the bottle (although that shouldn't have happened) & not another has cracked lotsofcats.

Good news this morning I got a phone call from the Hospital they have had a cancellation & could I go this afternoon for a echocardiogram. Also its at the the nearer of the 2 hospitals of the Trust!