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Friday 28th October
- Freeman Hospital - 'Bloods'.
There were only four of us in clinic this morning so I was in and out
within half an hour and back home by 8.20am. How good is
that?
My weight was 71KG and blood pressure 128 /88 which is perfectly
respectable and temperature 35.9°C. All
in all - not bad.
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Monday 10th October
- GP Surgery - Flu jab
In and out within 5 minutes, no problem at all.
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Thursday 29th September - Dental hospital.
Surgery to my gums - ouch, ouch!!
My blood pressure was a whopping 143 /101 which, to say the
least is canny high. It also proves that despite the calm
exterior I must have been petrified about what was to come.
I need not have worried because Prof Seymour performed the
surgery for the benefit of the young 'students', who watched in awe, as
he performed his wizardry with the scalpel.
After sitting in the rest room for half an hour my BP had settled to a
more 'normal 140 / 86 and I was allowed home.
My next visit will be in about 6 months.
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Tuesday 13th September
- 'Review' - Freeman hospital
My weight was 70Kg and back to normal. Temperature was 35.9°C
and most remarkable of all was my blood pressure; 115 / 87.
This is just about as normal as it gets and as a result my cardiologist,
Dr Gareth Parry, reduced my lisinopril from 10mg to 5mg.
I still need to ring tomorrow after my bloods are analysed to see if
anything else can be tweaked. Possibly my backswing?
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Tuesday 9th August
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) - surgery to scalp.
The procedure to remove a wart from the top of my scalp was less painful
than a routine trip to the dentist. It was all over in
twenty minutes and but for a load of vaseline type stuff to protect the
wound, no-one would notice anything.
If, after conducting a biopsy on the removed tissue, there is anything
to worry about the hospital will contact me in about 6 weeks.
Let's hope I never hear from them again!
Update: I received a letter with the biopsy result
and it was a wart that was removed from my scalp. Nothing to
worry about.
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Monday 8th August 2005
- Bloods - Freeman hospital.
My weight was 71Kg, slightly up as a result of 3 weeks in Canada.
My blood pressure was 128 / 96 and temperature 36°C.
BP slightly high but otherwise a fairly normal set of results.
No changes to my medication.
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Sunday 23rd July 2005
- 6 years post transplant.
If someone had told me 6 years ago that I would be in Canada taking part
in the golf and 100m at the World Transplant Games I would have been in
stitches. Come to think of it I was!
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Monday 11th July
- 'Bloods' - Freeman hospital.
My final visit, before the World Transplant Games, to the transplant
clinic this morning was completed at 8.15am. My blood
pressure was remarkably normal at 117 / 78 which for me is great news.
Temperature was 35.9°C and my weight 69Kg.
A phone call to clinic tomorrow will reveal any
changes in my medication.
Update: My warfarin has been changed to 8mg on
weekdays and 9mg at the weekend. Same as the Daily Mail
really; we get the Times every day (inc Saturday and
Sunday) but only receive The Mail on weekdays.
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Thursday 7th July
- Dental hospital
As a result of today's visit I have to return on Thursday 29th September
for more surgery on my overgrown gums. Baah baaah.
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With amazing agility I left the dental hospital and
legged it down to the RVI for a consultation with a dermatologist about
the bump on my bonce.
I have to return on Tuesday 9th September for surgery and have it
removed. I feel a bit like a boiled egg really.
Simply, crack with a spoon and whip the top off.
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Thursday 16th June -
'MOT' - Freeman Hospital
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Weight = 70 Kg. Temperature = 35.9.
My Blood pressure immediately before my biopsy was 147 / 104, which is a
perfect demonstration of my cowardice. I need not have
worried because the 'op' went very smoothly and but for the initial
'scratch' was completely pain and worry free.
In the recovery room my BP was recorded at a whopping 154 / 99 but some
twenty minutes, later once I had settled down, it was recorded at 131 /
87. All this demonstrates how mind and body defend against
oncoming crises! Or to put it another way - I am just a big
coward!
The angiogram, to me, is completely worry free and much more comfortable
to bear. The young Irish registrar who worked with the
consultant was very good and I even managed to watch the procedure on
the bank of TV screens next to the operating table. I was
hoping to see some golf from the US Open, but had to settle for a probe
in my beating heart.
The rest of the day was spent in bed for about three hours.
I think it should be four, but as no nurse came to check my groin or do
my 'obs' after the initial occupation of my bed in Ward 30, I decided to
get up and go for my ECG and X Rays before they closed for the day.
The next time I saw a nurse was at 10 pm before lights out and then
again in the morning at 6.45am. I left the ward at 7.45am,
went to the hospital restaurant and paid for my breakfast.
Having been told we had to leave the ward by 7.30am and report to clinic
I half expected not to be allocated a breakfast, so I quit whilst ahead.
I simply said cheerio to my bedfellows and left for breakfast.
No doubt someone is looking for me at this moment. I popped
back to Ward 30 to collect my notes after breakfast, so at least they
know I was on my way to clinic.
I have never criticised the Freeman hospital since my heart transplant,
because everyone in the transplant clinic, ward 27 and 27A is fantastic
and we are always treated like royalty. I could not
pay for better care or treatment and am proud of this wonderful hospital
in Newcastle.
This time it was different! I feel the service and attention
I received on Ward 30 was very poor. Only once did a
nurse check my wound. I had to clean the area around my
groin with a paper towel and hot water in the ward toilet. I
was probably on my feet earlier than I should have been, but as no one
was coming to see me I decided for myself when it was time to get up.
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Finally my consultation with Gareth Parry, my
cardiologist. He showed me a recording of the images taken
during my angiogram and as ever was very thorough and reassuring.
The images of my beating heart were (to me) identical to those taken in
2003 at my last angiogram. He gave me the all clear to take
my place in the GB team for the forthcoming XVth World Transplant
Games in Canada.
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Wednesday 25th May -
'Review' - Freeman Hospital
My weight was 70kg (no change) and temperature 36°C
which is good. My first blood pressure reading was 137 / 99
which even I know is a shade too and high had to be retaken. The
second attempt was 143 / 97 which is a little better, just
After my ECG and X Ray I waited patiently to see my cardiologist, Gareth
Parry for a once over. I told him about not feeling so good
for a twenty minute spell whilst playing golf on Monday. He
suggested, correction, he told me that I must have my MOT which includes
an angiogram and an overnight stay in hospital before I depart for the
World Transplant Games in July.
So I am booked in for Thursday 16th June, which is 3 weeks today.
He is also making an appointment for me to see a dermatologist about the
thing on my head, which is definitely not a pom pom hat.
Before leaving clinic I had to have my blood pressure checked again.
It was 139 / 96 - so they let me go!
I will ring clinic tomorrow to find out if I am fit to walk the streets
until my MOT. Apart from all of the above, I feel fine.
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Monday 18th April
- Freeman hospital - 'Bloods'
Despite the fact I had slept in, my blood pressure was
remarkable for it's normality at 130 / 84 after rushing to get to the
clinic. My weight was steady at 70kg and temperature was
36.0°C.
Approaching nearly 6 years post transplant I still jump when about to
give blood but sister Mary is an expert in these matters and can hit a
moving target at close range nearly every time, thank goodness.
I was back home at 9am and a bacon sandwich was on a plate for me.
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| Thursday 17th March -
The Dental Hospital.
It was the luck of the Irish with me on this St Patrick's Day as I was
reprieved surgery for 3 months. Whoopee!
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| Friday 4th March - Freeman hospital - 'Review'
When I arrived at the transplant clinic at 7.30am there was only an
Irishman sat in the waiting room, which is very unusual.
Not that he was Irish, but that there were only the two of us.
Normally there are at least half a dozen patients ahead of me.
My temperature was 35.9°C and weighed in at 70 Kg.
which is all very normal. My blood pressure which was very
high when I visited my GP's three weeks ago (145/93) was 132/96.
Hmmm, I'm not too sure about that, however they passed no comment so I
assume everything is tickety boo.
Over to the ECG department, I was the first one there and was in and
out in less than 5 minutes. The X-ray dept does not open
till 8.30am so I took myself down to the excellent cafe and had some
breakfast. A snip at £1.90. Called in for my
X-rays on the way back to clinic and sat reading the paper until my
consultation with the cardiologist.
I was back home at 11.15am and have to ring on Monday to find out if I
am fit to walk the streets.
Update - No change |
