Victory 2

  

Victory in sepia

  

Ice baby

  

It's Shakespeare in sepia

  

looking back at the weekend.

Like any good health professional I have been in deep denial about my own health status. Week off should see me sorted. Do some online digging and feel perturbed, do some talking and thinking and feel odd. Lucky to survive, even luckier to be so little obvious ill effects I count my blessings.
The links below offer good explanations of whats gone on. I begin to get my head round it. Tis a biggie though and it takes time. As a result I find myself resting more than ever on Sunday. I do the am in bed with a small break up for brekkie. Read the Observer and try to chill.
Unable to make Phil Brownes 18th family doo. Part of me is trying to avoid all the explaining. People who last saw me at 30st you look great lost so much weight, why you using the stick etc etc.
I go to Manchester with JK we are taking the display stuff for the WLSinfo stand at the Obesity and Health gig in UMIST. Bianca and Rachel bravely manning the stand. JK as ever is a tonic to my health.

Brain & Spine Foundation - Coiling of brain aneurysms

Brain & Spine Foundation - Coiling of brain aneurysms Another good read

Brain & Spine Foundation - Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage

Brain & Spine Foundation - Sub-arachnoid haemorrhage A useful informative read. Will send em some pennies in the am I think.

Same flower diff crop

  

A flower by the path

  

Think they are getting ready - bout 3 weeks to go

  

Went for Lunch came out and this is what we saw.

  

MY VIEW OF THE WORLD -from the passenger seat

  

Avvenu - Access Files and Share Photos from Anywhere

Avvenu - Access Files and Share Photos from AnywhereSeems too good to be true so probably is.

Thursday

Was meant to be meeting kim for lunch at 12.15 she postponed at 9.30 I sonsulted fone at 12.30 and saw text. Jean took me to allerton road and we ended up in the other place. Jean had a dfulsome chicken bacon and caesar salad I had a most interesting piece of cod. It was coiled into a katherine wheel and tempura battered. After lunch jean popped to work and mum and mary visited. I had to recount whole tale of hospitalisation which was both traumatising and releasing in a cathartic way. District nurse debbie visited to give a B12 shot. Once again mather avenue surgery top whack.
Moods up and down with pain. Email from caroline rand and I am pleased to here of her rehab and recovery. Rest rest is the order of the day forme

Wednesday quiet day

Woke to posrtthree books from amazon, thanks to a gift voucher from Susannah, 2 on photoshop and one on the canon 350, impressed and thanks zana. had a kip late morning, took lunch at home. Jeans car picked by bodyshop then out for a walk to Allerton Road. Bought big issue then went to opticians and to greengrocers for fresh for shakespeare. Should explain badly scratched glasses when had fit.
Jean pointed out my private topiary which is starting to itch. Some circles maycall it a brazilian or a landing strip to me I am more worried about the heavy bruising in my groins.
Kieran rang and quite a few orther catchups today too. Concious that as well as in Boston I copuld have ben at the TOAST gig in the houses of commons today. Fed up at missing out.

Tuesday R&R

Jean and Ally off to schooletc I rise early. Chill out mess on PC. Get lens cses delivered from camera king. They attach to me to my samsonite trekking camera bag. Jean comes back and were off to copperas hill to pick up the charity email. The we lunch at the The catholic cathedral. To be honest I would have preferred the Second Lutyens cathedral design some of which remains intact in the crypt. The off to Gateacre garden centre for bird feeding supplies. I have whipped a big bit of tree from outside me mums. Already sighted a couple of tits on the new twig.
Phone calls and emails pour in, inbox getting down to a manageable level. Keep thinking of people I have to notify or inform about my illness. Travel insurance looks dodgy, still look at it tomorrow. Bad news civ 4 seems to be wrecking every pc in the house.Not good.

Tuesday R&R

Jean and Ally off to schooletc I rise early. Chill out mess on PC. Get lens cses delivered from camera king. They attach to me to my samsonite trekking camera bag. Jean comes back and were off to copperas hill to pick up the charity email. The we lunch at the The catholic cathedral. To be honest I would have preferred the Second Lutyens cathedral design some of which remains intact in the crypt. The off to Gateacre garden centre for bird feeding supplies. I have whipped a big bit of tree from outside me mums. Already sighted a couple of tits on the new twig.
Phone calls and emails pour in, inbox getting down to a manageable level. Keep thinking of people I have to notify or inform about my illness. Travel insurance looks dodgy, still look at it tomorrow. Bad news civ 4 seems to be wrecking every pc in the house.Not good.

Shakespeare in the Snow

  

T-Mobile BlackBerry 8700g: now even juicier - Crave at CNET.co.uk

T-Mobile BlackBerry 8700g: now even juicier - Crave at CNET.co.ukBye Bye 7290 ello 8700g all together a sexier beast.Cant wait - ordered yesterday.

Visiting time

Calls emails and visitors flood in. Julia Cartwright nice lady we met at the Mancheste pif gig rang. She was worried I was avoiding her. Mac from Belfast. Kim. Lots of other folk. Frank (GP) called out Ida was a great help at the pratice. Realistic talk with frank about risks and outcomes. Jk arrived in the middle provided his usual light relief take. Mum mary Vineeta and other callers. Went for kip in afternoon. On waking we went to speke retail and ally and I went Borders Jean to M&S.
Forgot to mention Nationwide Bank fraud unit rung to say some scrote had whipped 550 notes on my card. Not impressed.
Bouth sid meirs Civ 4 Blackhawk down from HMV and a photoshop mag from Smiths. Home duck for tea and headache later.

whole lotta snowing.......

Heavy fall overnight, lunch at Ruth and Pauls changed to evening meal. We do rabbit and take pics. Lazy day. Saturday night we Watched an episode of ultimate farce ( TV series about the SAS) then after the ep came segals epic under siege. Trash combat movies and tv at their best.
Jean and I amble slowly to Tescos.
Ruth and Pauls beef is good nd a precarious drive home.

Home Again

As shocked as I was to be admitted I now find myself to my equally shocked following neurosurgery so soon.Came home Friday shed full of TTO meds and instructions to sit still. Sense of beingf blessed again pervades the air. Walk up to shops sat amand Nell visits in the PM from darkest midwales.Well appreciated. Sleeping better and bowels (a major factor) working much better.

Patient Opinion - What happens to my story?

Patient Opinion - What happens to my story? Blogged for further assessment

Thursday

A stream of pills professionals visitors and poor hospital food. Urinary systEm working but slow to click in. Can't think there is a lot to note thanks to the sedfton suite gang for mand s food. Couple of jabs. Feel ok for a bit then headache creeps in.
I have a confession to make. At 11pm I eat a cadburys double decker I can't remember the last time I enjoyed something so much. Real take ypou back in time to selection box days. I was meant to be gpoing to boston with my permitted work at the abbey sefton seems right I left it off here as its not happening. Should have been leavin liverpool saturday pm.

Recap

Wake. quite early its thursday I have to try sort my head abd get things staight
So a timeline machester tuesday
Headaches wednesday
Fits and admiision to AMU!/3A thursday
Ct scan friday
Pain got reallty bad in satueday junior eventully looks at ne and my ct scan sunday. He is scared and need to spea tod boss. Together they tell me I have an aneurysm an a bleed. I ned to go walton neuro the nurse prefer their diagnosis of withdrawiin. Alky. They say it will be days afore I go to walton centre surpried when I lam moved at 3amm clarrked in by a great doc. Go for a ct and Angio at 11am. Decide that I need coils putting in my aneurysm. Dead cool stuff but still shits me up An american view and The Nice view
i dont like this bit

Intracranial aneurysms are dilated blood vessels within the skull. Usually, the cause is unknown but people with genetic causes of weak blood vessels are more likely to develop aneurysms.

Rupture of intracranial aneurysms causes subarachnoid haemorrhage and has a poor prognosis. About 30% of people die within 24 hours and a further 25-30% die within 4 weeks.bit of a diagram nice

The traditional treatment for ruptured or unruptured aneurysms involves open surgery to clip the abnormal blood vessels inside the skull.

Apols if I don't make sense in parts (its how I feel)
After theatre where the team are excellent I am recvered in HDU where the professional impresses. Only a four bedded gaff but I felt safe and attended to. Next morning a seam less shift change a youngster from ITU helps me get washed etc and I feel slightly alive. Pain relief good paracetamol and codeine and tramodol for breakthrough pain. I am some cerebral antispasmodics. After discussion in there I am transferred back to cairns ward.Which looking back must have been tuesday pm

Bariatric Surgery ?? Bi-polar disorder?? what are they all about?

Bariatric Surgery ?? Bi-polar disorder?? what are they all about?

Sunday

I continue to ask crave and beg release from the pain, all to no avail. I ask about the results of my ct - not available. I continue to whinge and at 7pm they relent and call the junior doc. Oliver arrives - nice guy thorough neuro exam nowt obvious to me. He says he test my cranial nerves. I try to stop myself going gaga by remembering them.
Optic
Olfactory
Oculomotor
Trigeminal
Trochlear
Abducens
Facial
Auditory
Glosso-phayrngeal
Vagus
Accesory
Hypo-Glosseal
Remembered by the nemonic O O O to touch and feel a girls vagina and hymen
or summat about on old olympus towering tufts

Anyway he goes off to see if he can find my CT results - he doesnt come back but his senior does. He does more of the same neuro tests.
He asks me what I think is wrong with me - I said I am a pessimistic hypochondriac and I think I have had a bleed. You have he says with a stern face.
You could have knocked me down with a feather. You need to go to Walton. Nurse not happy he tries to establish venous access unsuccessfully. Gets a phlebotomy boy - nurse has row with boy over whethyer I need one. I am a tad cross but Peter in next bed ready to start Gulf war 3 on my behalf.
He says he will get a bed soon as he can - Nurse 1 says it will be days, Nurse 2 packs my kit, doctor tells me next bed is mine
Nurse 2 tells me I can go when theres an ambo. Its 11pm - I try to kip 3am they wake me - I am off to the Neuro centre Cairns ward. Booked for ct angio in the am then listed for theatre. Neurosurgeon/radioligist explain the risks and choices. Yipee I am in a cut the top of me head off if the aching goes. Good news I think approaching my brainbox through m femoral arteries. deep joy.

Saturday

Place holder - I put this in because I was too cream crackered to post. The nurses seem to have made their minds up I have a alcohol withdrawal related seizure. Getting sme negative vibes off a few of them. Time is made passable by Peter geezer in the next bed with malignant hypertension. A veteran of Gulf War I he is convinced summat out there did for him. Nice bloke and has a laddish outlook on life. Next to me is Arnold who everyone calls by his given name a very old guy he is interesting. Opposite a very deaf man who lives alone and is on fluid restriction, next to him a young boy who seems unable to eat but smokes in spades. A good crew. At 7pm after trundling round the hospital all day I think this aint right I have a headache that paracetamol aint touching. I ask for summat stronger they agree to contact the duty doctor.
Head gets worse no one seems bothered.

Friday what a shock

So ten fellas fom memory.
Bed 1 len eighty odd poor memory and confused.
2 me - seizures ? Space occupying lesion ? CVA ? Alcohol withdrawal.
3 several blokes who change during day.
R

Thursday the best laid plans...............

1 minute I am sat at the pc multitaskng sorting out emails, helpline blog and website business.
Next I am smelling incense watching a fireball take shape outside the window before it turns into a space shuttle launch pad.
I hear the words "We have a situation here. "As I spin and fall. To the ground. My headaches and my eyes feel like they are bleeding. My mouth leaks blood and saliva. Sirens phones ringing and voices in the distance. Allys distresswed voice trying to rouse me. I am in some other world one step beyond reality.
Paramedics arrive and I hear voices in the room and I am aware of voice and phone traffic. I hear them talking about a heavy man who has had a seizure in an awkward location. They need some help and another van with a taillift.
Next thing I know me and 3 paramedics headed to Royal. I had anotherfit and hear them giving someone (me IV Diazemuls ). We arrive at the royal amd I am triaged to resus. One scary place for sure. After an exam I am transferred to the CDU(clinical decision making unit). A kind nurse gives me cornflakes, they are divine. Then I get transferred to the room next door. There 10 of us a right mixed bunch.

Mike and Sandras Baby Orlaith - making me smile

  

Out and about in Manchester

I met the fella who designed this http://www.prostate-link.org.uk/ a seful portal style gateway to all matter s of the prozzie. Of special interest as a mate of mine has recently been diagnosed and successfully treated, ad one of my uncles as well.

He is also involved in this site http://www.prime-cfs.org/ about chronic fatigue syndrome and ME. So a useful gig for me and a blog post for the menshealth blog in to the bargain.

 

 

 

Its Tuesday so it must be Manchester

Up at some ungodly hour and its off in a delta cab driven by the lone ranger to lime street. We manage to miss the train and just get the stopper two minutes after. Then its a long slow stopper to oxford road then a brisk walk to weston buildings. Into the PIF annual conference. Feel a bit two headed as I am here for the charity but accompanied by Louise and Davinia from the Sefton Suite. Mark Duman chair seems a decent guy. Pharmacist by trade, consultant. Muir grey starts the day by chucking a bottle of water across the stage. Followed by a guy from pfizer who overwhelms with stats. Then a bit of a mixed bag. Curates egg. Meet david Stewart and Jim Hughes at lunch. I big up Kieran but he doesn't seem to need it. I struggle with a standing turkey and blackbean meal. Bit gets stuck and I need to chuck.

Nigel Slater

He's a pretentiontious plonker but this looked good in the OFM.

Crushed potatoes with cream and garlic

I keep finding rather less-than-exciting 'new' potatoes in my shopping bag. This is a way to perk them up. For meat eaters this makes a rather sumptuous accompaniment for either slices of cold roast meat or maybe something from the grill - a pair of sweet little chops perhaps.

Serves 4 as a side dish

new potatoes - 500g
garlic - 3 juicy cloves
double cream - 250ml
thyme - about 8 sprigs

Scrub the new potatoes but do not peel them. Boil them in a pan of deep, lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes or so till tender. While the 'I keep finding rather less-than-exciting "new" potatoes in my shopping bag' potatoes are boiling, peel and lightly crush the garlic cloves. Pour the cream into a small saucepan, add the leaves from the sprigs of thyme, the garlic, a little salt and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer over a moderate heat until it has reduced by about a third.

Once the potatoes are drained, put them in a shallow dish and crush each one lightly with a fork - you want to break the skin and flatten the potato just enough that its flesh will soak up some of the hot cream. Pour the cream and thyme over the crushed potatoes and eat hot.

The Hungry Monk Gartocharn Loch Lomond Hotels and Restaurants

The Hungry Monk Gartocharn Loch Lomond Hotels and RestaurantsThe monk dont leave hungry.

Hungry Monk

  

fitness to practice - home of the 'London Underground' song

fitness to practice - home of the 'London Underground' songWatch the video - very offensive but amusing.

Loch Fyne - Cairndow Oyster Bar

Loch Fyne - Cairndow Oyster BarBeen there food was top. Had a pint of pipers gold

The Loch Fyne Philosophy

  

Loch Fyne

 
 

Ride a white swan

  

Ben Lomond and The Maid of the Loch

  

Rowardden

  

Loch Lomond

  

Nice Cake Here

  

A rose on the bonnie banks

  

Closed fun fair at Balloch

  

Hills

  

Halfway up Conic Hill

  

Swan neck

  

View South from Craigie fort