Angiogram
I agree with everything in the hyperlink "Official" version, except for
the bit about after the angiogram. At the Freeman
Hospital it is now the procedure to lie flat in bed for 1 hour only
followed by 1hour sitting up. If everything is OK
you can get dressed and relax and enjoy your overnight stay in the
hospital.
Footnote - I would not recommend that you play on your pogo stick for a
couple of days as the groin area will feel a little tender.
ECG
= Electrocardiogram
Description courtesy of
British Heart Foundation:-
"A test to record the
rhythm and activity of the heart. Small metal patches, set
in sticky plaster are put on the arms, legs and chest and are connected
to a recording machine. This recorder picks up and amplifies
the electrical signals produced by each heartbeat. A few
beats are recorded from each set of electrodes and recorded on graph
paper.
An 'ECG' can detect abnormalities of heart
rhythm. It can tell if a person has had a heart attack,
either recently or some time ago. It can also give
information on whether the heart has become enlarged or is working under
strain.
The ECG is very straight forward and only
involves the removal of your shirt and the rolling up of the trouser
leg. Once the procedure has been completed you become
a 'Freemason'.
After a very pleasant
night's stay in the Freeman Hospital, immediately after breakfast it is
down to the clinic and the results are given by Gareth (Cardiologist).
I am happy to report that everything showed up in apple pie order and my
medication remained the same. Gareth attempted to show me
the pictures of my heart on his lap top but they had not been downloaded
into the system at the time of my results.
The only
signs of my MOT were bruising at the top of my leg where they entered
the dye and the 'nick' on my neck from the biopsy. If you
really wanted to know how many biopsies I have had it is possible to
count the tiny scars of my 14 so far.
Next visit(s) =
29th September - 'bloods'/11th November - 'Review'.
One of the side effects of taking cyclosporin (neoral), at least it is
in my case, is that my gums grow excessively and I am having on-going
treatment at the dental hospital in Newcastle. I am a guinea
pig for removal by laser surgery as opposed to removal by scalpel and my
next visit is 11th September 2003.
I will keep you posted.
Newcastle Dental Hospital - 11th September 2003
As a result of my medication, especially cyclosporin (neoral) I suffer
from excessive gum growth. So I am part of a study which
compares the effect of two different types of removal.
I shall quote directly from the information sheet that was given to me,
skip this bit if you wish:-
"Clinical Evaluation of the effect of two types of surgical
intervention in the management of drug induced Gingival Overgrowth"
"After organ transplantation, many patients experience changes in the
soft tissues of their mouth (especially overgrowth in the gums around
the teeth) that results from medication. As the overgrowth
becomes more severe the extra tissue needs to be surgically removed.
Unfortunately this tissue often regrows some time after surgery and the
procedure needs to be repeated.
We would like to invite you to take part in a study comparing two types
of gum surgery in terms of less postoperative discomfort, better healing
and prevention of recurrence of regrowth of extra tissue".
____________
OK you can open your eyes now, what all of the above means is that one
side of my mouth is treated in a conventional manner using a scalpel -
OUCH, and that the other side of my mouth is treated by use of a laser
(remember Goldfinger?). To be honest I don't mind either
procedure as my gums are numbed and I switch off mentally (not hard for
me to do) when they are doing their thing.
I have my gums and teeth photographed and I do believe I was the star
turn at the Cannes Film Festival for dentists earlier in the year, I am
still waiting for the cheque.
My next visit is 11th December and I just can't wait!
_______________________________________
Monday 29th September - "Bloods" @ The Freeman
Hospital
Every 6 weeks I have to go to the Freeman and today's visit was what we
call "bloods". This simply means that on this occasion they
take a blood sample (very nearly an armful I can tell you) record my
weight and take my blood pressure.
As it happens my BP was very high today - 143/94 - but as ever the staff
at the clinic never bat an eyelid. The normal procedure is
that I have to ring back the following day and they give me my results,
I would not be surprised if they tweak my medication.
I played golf at 11am after my visit and have to admit that I suffered a
couple of dizzy spells which were more severe than normal.
It can be very disconcerting but as long as I settle down and take my
time it generally passes within a minute or so.
My next appointment is scheduled for November 11th and is for a
"review". This is a bit more of a thorough going over and I
will give you the details following my visit.
Tuesday 30th September
I had to ring the transplant clinic today to get my results of the blood
tests. They have lowered my level of cyclosporin (neoral) to
100mg / 75mg. This is the lowest it has been since my
transplant. I assume it is good news. On my next
visit I shall make a point of asking.
I had another day of dizzy spells today - in fact I was up at 4am as I
could not sleep. I watched Tony Blair make his speech to the
Labour Party Conference in the afternoon and that did the trick - I was
'out like a light'.
___________________________
Tuesday 11th November - 'Review' @ the Freeman
Hospital
I have to arrive at the transplant clinic for 7.30am at the Freeman
hospital. At this time in the morning the 7 mile trip only
takes 15 minutes, which is good.
 |
The first job is to be 'clerked in'.
This involves being weighed - 70 Kg
Blood Pressure being checked - mine was 143/96 which again is
too high, I think.
Temperature - 35.9c
Check current medication details with nurse.
|
|
'Bloods'
I have my blood taken - ouch! Right arm did not work so
I had to use left arm - ouch! ouch! Worked OK at third time
of asking.
|
|
X-Ray
Wander over to X-Ray department to have my picture taken.
No problem.
|
|
ECG
Next stop is a visit to the ECG unit. A ten minute wait and
then procedure takes another 5 minutes.
I always have a little laugh to myself as I am leaving the unit
because I cast my expert eye over the print out (everyone does) of the
ECG and for all the world look as if I know what I am looking at.
In fact it is a series of graph lines which represent the beats of the
heart. They could just as easily represent the voting
intentions of 16 foot tall giraffes at the next jungle election.
The lion always wins anyway.
|
|
Clinic
I have to take my ECG reading and X-Ray pictures back to the clinic
and put them into the cardiologists 'in tray'.
|
|
Tea Break
It is now about 9am and after having checked with Jen, the wonderful
sister in the clinic, I probably have at least half an hour to wait.
Only one thing to do and that is to mosey on over to the
excellent cafe/restaurant at the Freeman.
A cup of tea and two slices of toast with margarine and jam costs £1.01.
Pick up a discarded copy of the Sun newspaper and give it the once over as I break
my fast. Enjoyed my cuppa and decide the Sun is a joke.
|
|
Back to Clinic
This is the boring bit when I have to wait my turn for my
consultation with Gareth, Mr Parry, our fantastic cardiologist.
10.15am and it's my turn.
Gareth (everyone calls him by his first name) gives me the once over
with his stethoscope. Checks my X-rays, ECG print out, discusses any problems I may be experiencing
and writes copious notes.
The main concern is my continuing dizzy spells, but it does not seem to
bother Gareth, therefore I am not going to worry.
He tells me to stop taking one of my tablets (ranitidine) which is for
indigestion problems I think.
|
|
Finished
All done and I head for home and arrive back at 11am.
The whole process has taken 4 hours including my travel, which I think
is marvellous. Once in the system, which obviously I am, the
treatment and care I receive cannot be faulted.
|
|
Extra Info.
Gareth is doing an interview with Annabel Jefferson on Thursday.
She is the
student who came to see me last week and interviewed me for about 1
hour. Annabel signed my guest book on 7th November,
have a look I won't be too embarrassed. She is
doing a degree course in Radio/TV/Media and one of her projects is
transplant recipients involved in sport.
When it is completed her radio programme will involve three transplant
sportsmen/women and Gareth discussing the whole process of competing and
taking part in transplant games. Should be good.
|
|
Finally
I have to ring the clinic for my results tomorrow afternoon.
I will be informed of any changes to my medication and given my next set
of appointments. Which will probably involve a biopsy.
|
Wednesday 10th December 2003 - 'Bloods' @ the
Freeman Hospital
I arrived at 7.30am and had my bloods taken.
Saw the nurse who checked my temperature, weight and blood pressure
and double checked my medication.
I was back home for 8.30am.
Isn't the NHS wonderful? Especially the Freeman Hospital.
I have to ring tomorrow for my results. I am also due at the
dental hospital to take part in my trial. will give you all the gen
tomorrow.
Thursday 11th December 2003
AM
I attended Newcastle dental Hospital today for my final 6 month check up
in the 'experiment' I have been part of. It turns out that
the treatment that suits me best with regard to keeping the gum growth
to a minimum is the good old fashioned scalpel as opposed to laser
treatment.
So it will all start again come the new year when my ongoing treatment
resumes. I can't wait!
PM
I had to ring the transplant clinic for the results of my blood tests
yesterday. It seems that everything is OK and there are no
additions or changes to my daily fix of 20 or so tablets.
Yummy yummy I just love popping all of those pills.
My next visit is scheduled for January 14th 2004, which just happens to
be my birthday.
