Thursday 10 April 2008

SAMPLES, SAMPLES EVERYWHERE

ANOTHER HO-HUM DAY IN PARADISE

Addenbrookes, as predicted, has been very conservative in treating OG’s potassium level. They decided to observe and test. The doctor wondered how the GP had managed to obtain a viable sample because it degrades very quickly. The GP himself had said that the first sample could have become compromised during the car journey to the hospital laboratory, which is why he took the second sample. Apparently movement breaks down the blood cells and releases potassium, giving a false reading. It took three attempts to get a viable sample for analysis yesterday and although the level had come down a little they decided to err on the side of caution and ask the “Renal Team” for their opinion.

So……there I sat all afternoon, OG sleeping, me reading. Finally at 1700 we were told that the ”Renal Team”, for whatever reason, would not visit with OG until today. Great, just in time for me to catch the full blast of rush hour and get hung up for 45 minutes in a “traffic incident” on the M11!

I must apologise that I have become a medical bore, but as I have said previously, we have so many kind relatives, old friends and cyber friends asking for news that we decided to hijack this space. Please forgive me. You are probably actually thinking that this is more interesting than my normal drivel, but tough, this is my blog and I can write what I like in it so there!

7 comments:

aims said...

I didn't know all that about the potassium..so I find it very interesting.

You haven't bored me yet - and I'm hanging in here.

Maggie May said...

I'm also hanging in there, wishing you well. Bananas are full of potassium, I believe.

Penny Pincher said...

Nothing boring abut real life and what happens to people and how they all cope with the ups and the downs. also as you have said to soemone on a previous comment it is cathartic.

In fact i have a friend locally who went through this operation in about 2001 - and although there were many ups/downs during the first 6 months - he has felt much better and is so glad he had the operation. So hang in there ....

Anonymous said...

sometimes its good to be able to talk about nothing,when everything is just too much to take
How are you standing up to all of this RC.
have they resolved anything yet

Carolyn said...

Write whatever you want. Like you said, it's your blog.

I will say this: It's actually all very interesting to me and keeps my head in check. It reminds me that I have a lot to be thankful for. What you're going through is undoubtedly very frustrating and stressful. I'm sure blogging it perhaps makes coping a little easier and takes a load off keeping friends and relatives apprised of the situation.

Good luck with everything.

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Thank you all for being so supportive, it means a great deal to us.

I understand that high potassium levels are quite unusual and in fairness to the GP he asked advice from the consultant at our local hospital. He was the one that advised a rectal enima, which, I believe, would have been entirely the wrong thing to do.

OG's cousin and her husband are retired consultants who worked at another major teaching hospital on a par (or better?) than Addenbrookes. She nearly bust a gut when I told her what had been recommended. Thank goodness I stood my ground.

It is also good to hear of other people who have had the operation and recovered well.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely, I am sure your blog is seen as interesting by many, including me. We want to know how things are going.

Take care, Crystal xx