I'm still in a quandry - do I really have anything useful to say? I know at least one person will read this [ta, Pete] but I cannot believe that anything I write can be that interesting.
Having written that, off we go..
My latest CT scan was clear again for which I'm relieved. The trouble is now that I'm getting too blasé about these imposts on my bank account and time. However I know that David Morris [The Prof] will keep the same regimen for at least five years after the surgery. If I'm still here in October 2010 then I will be able to celebrate.
This last scan was late due to a three week holiday in New Zealand. It has thrown the schedule in a bit of a mess. My local oncologist doesn't want me to have another scan specifically for the next visit to see The Prof in mid May so I've emailed to ask for dispensation. I'll be surprised if he says 'Yes'.
While the cancer is in abeyance the urethral stricture continues to cause mainly logistical and temporal problems - I'd rather be somewhere other than a urologist's couch or a hospital theatre with the associated genital manipulations.
Add to this a tendency to develop malignant hyperthermia post each procedure. For me, this is not as serious as the Medline link may suggest. Its effect on me give the impression of me having the 'flu': I have an elevated temperature and shivers. Sometimes I have aching muscles - making it feel more 'flu'-like. I usually like to get out of hospital before it strikes and I have some well developed camouflaging techniques to hide its effects from The Little Worker who prefers me in hospital for as long as possible... ;-)
In fact the urethral stricture is becoming more of a problem due to its frequency. I'm lucky to go for six weeks before requiring dilatation. My local urologist is referring me on to a doctor in Sydney who may consider urethroplasty. I don't particularly want to spend any time in hospital away from my home but if it fixes the current problems then I'll be the good patient and do as I'm told. Fixing the stricture may also go a long way to preventing the increasingly frequent urinary tract infections.
Additionally my local urologist is due to retire in a couple of week's time. I'm sure he deserves a break from looking at genitalia each and every working day but I feel somewhat abandoned :-( by this turn of events. I'll need to find another local urologist - this means another GP visit and another bit of paper - the referral - so I can see someone else.
What really bugs me is that having been referred to a specialist by the GP for a genuine problem, the referral has a life of only 12 months. This smacks of mad bureaucracy - the specialist can refuse to continue treatment if you don't get a renewed referral after 12 months - unless you have a continual referral. All Medicare rules and regs apparently according to my GP. He'd prefer not to have to issue bits of paper so a patient can obtain medical treatment as it would make his job not only easier but more concerned with the scientific and social side of general practice...
Having written that, off we go..
My latest CT scan was clear again for which I'm relieved. The trouble is now that I'm getting too blasé about these imposts on my bank account and time. However I know that David Morris [The Prof] will keep the same regimen for at least five years after the surgery. If I'm still here in October 2010 then I will be able to celebrate.
This last scan was late due to a three week holiday in New Zealand. It has thrown the schedule in a bit of a mess. My local oncologist doesn't want me to have another scan specifically for the next visit to see The Prof in mid May so I've emailed to ask for dispensation. I'll be surprised if he says 'Yes'.
While the cancer is in abeyance the urethral stricture continues to cause mainly logistical and temporal problems - I'd rather be somewhere other than a urologist's couch or a hospital theatre with the associated genital manipulations.
Add to this a tendency to develop malignant hyperthermia post each procedure. For me, this is not as serious as the Medline link may suggest. Its effect on me give the impression of me having the 'flu': I have an elevated temperature and shivers. Sometimes I have aching muscles - making it feel more 'flu'-like. I usually like to get out of hospital before it strikes and I have some well developed camouflaging techniques to hide its effects from The Little Worker who prefers me in hospital for as long as possible... ;-)
In fact the urethral stricture is becoming more of a problem due to its frequency. I'm lucky to go for six weeks before requiring dilatation. My local urologist is referring me on to a doctor in Sydney who may consider urethroplasty. I don't particularly want to spend any time in hospital away from my home but if it fixes the current problems then I'll be the good patient and do as I'm told. Fixing the stricture may also go a long way to preventing the increasingly frequent urinary tract infections.
Additionally my local urologist is due to retire in a couple of week's time. I'm sure he deserves a break from looking at genitalia each and every working day but I feel somewhat abandoned :-( by this turn of events. I'll need to find another local urologist - this means another GP visit and another bit of paper - the referral - so I can see someone else.
What really bugs me is that having been referred to a specialist by the GP for a genuine problem, the referral has a life of only 12 months. This smacks of mad bureaucracy - the specialist can refuse to continue treatment if you don't get a renewed referral after 12 months - unless you have a continual referral. All Medicare rules and regs apparently according to my GP. He'd prefer not to have to issue bits of paper so a patient can obtain medical treatment as it would make his job not only easier but more concerned with the scientific and social side of general practice...
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