lnr | Hospitals again (Reply)

Consultant appointment today. They took my height, weight and blood pressure first - where I proved you get weird results from the automatic machine if the cuff is too small - 160/94 became 100/70 when done again manually with a bigger cuff, and she checked it 3 times, once standing up, just to make sure. Consultant took lots of medical history information and didn't say much that I didn't already know, other than to mention that actually my calcium levels are only *just* above normal, and if I were older they wouldn't bother operating, and that after surgery my bone density should go back to normal. They do want to do a DEXA scan to check bone density at three specific points (spine, hip, forearm) and I've got to collect some urine samples and have another blood test done, but if the results of those all confirm the diagnosis so far then I'll be referred to the surgeon. Should take 6-8 weeks to get an appointment to see him and then another 6-8 weeks before the operation, so I guess I'm looking at October. Oh and if the tests *don't* confirm the diagnosis I'll be back to see the consultant in 3 months time, because they only run the clinic once a month and she's not available in 2 months time. I really do hope they say the right thing, I just want to get this *over*. Still, at least I can probably now thing about booking a holiday in late August.

I also got an appointment for a CT scan for the kidney stone through this morning, and that's in a fortnight's time, and will also be relevant. I'm a little unimpressed that wasn't sooner, given that if I were still in pain I'd have to go back to the GPs for a bigger supply of painkillers. Just in case I'm getting hospital withdrawal symptoms in the meantime though I've got an appointment to give blood at the hospital's blood donation centre next week.

In other news this morning I managed to make a boiled egg explode, and cover both myself and the kitchen in egg, including the clean clothes and the clean washing up. It was *not* what I'd call a good start to the day. Don't believe Delia when she says 7 minutes is long enough for a hard-boiled egg, especially not in shallow water. And do prick the yolks *before* microwaving the resulting shelled lumps of half-cooked egg-like mess, if you're attempting to finish the cooking process off. They were fine in the microwave itself, but the one which was most whole did not react well to me cutting into it to see if it was done. Thank goodness I was wearing my glasses!