Hmmm, Just As Well That I Have A Good Relationship...

with my Consultant(after 10 years)I suppose it's not so unlikely.

I saw him today and he asked after Mum which is a nice gesture and my treatment has not been reduced but no shocks.

Its nothing to do with him but I told him of my other medical problem. He guessed where it was and when I suggested that water retention when I took ill could be the reason why it happened, he agreed that was a possibility.

So that suggests to me that it is quite a common problem that he comes across.

Naturally, if/when I decide or am forced to be fixed that will be arranged by my Dr and it will mean seeing another consultant who has that as his speciality. My Consultant said it would depend if the Consultant would say yes to the operation but I think that I have no choice.

One reason for delaying this surgery is the original condition.

I cannot say that I will manage to but I am going to try to last until next year before I get fixed. So I won't be straying very far from home or standing/walking much. So there will be lots of laying around and doing as little as possible.

It could all be taken out of my hands suddenly...and of course I am keeping a watch on Mum.

Good And Bad...

Mum in general is remarkable...

She is doing all her exercises, walking about the house and will often get up and just do it!

She also has come to terms with many things and seems to be in a comfortable place. Rightly or wrongly she has also in many cases started to walk without walking sticks or using only one.

Mum does not like or find it easy using two.

I try to insist that she uses them just a while longer until her Consultant says it is ok as I think there may be a reason for using sticks, to take some of the weight off the hip and legs.

I have read that further advancements have been made in hip replacement surgery and that operations that perhaps once only lasted 10-15 years before another operation is often required and adjustments made to the original work...now in many cases a hip operation can be extended to 25 years. It is something to do with adding vitamin E to stop oxygen reacting with free radical in the body which can break down the plastic lining that is placed in the socket area.

It is only carried out in twenty centres in the UK and I cannot find out if where Mum had her operation is one of them. As Mum was operated on via the National Health Service perhaps this new procedure is only carried out at private medicine centres.

At present if we have any concerns or worries it is still mainly during the early hours when you are supposed to sleep. And I do need to keep an eye on Mum and be ready to help her if I hear her moving around her bedroom or walking to the toilet.

I leave the landing light on all night so if she comes out of her room she has everything well lit. I would not want on these dark nights or mornings her falling downstairs again as she did at the end of last year.

The person who is having a difficult time at present is me. I suspect unless things settle down, I shall be having to think about admitting I need to go into hospital and have my hernia fixed. I have been having occasions where it is so large and painful and panic has set in where I think I can not get it back into place but where to put Mum whilst I am being fixed?

Also, I keep hoping as the hernia is now in a different area to where it used to be I keep hoping if I leave it, it may settle down and I can avoid surgery. The disadvantage having kidney problems is if they do not anaesthetise you correctly they can damage your kidneys so it is understandable me trying to avoid having an operation. But it causes so many problems very quickly, I can do very little. So I will just have to see how things go. I know it restricts what I can do and I cannot go far away for long but I am fortunate that I can stay very close to home.

Not connected to anything but I have been having a reoccurring dream...Cannot remember if I have mentioned this before...

Two elements to it...one revolves around my pet rabbit...I suddenly realise that I have not fed her for ages and get a panic on and rush to save her. Usually, she's ok but other times she is distressed or not in a very good state.

The other element involves a place where I always enjoyed lots of lovely holidays especially during my childhood, Bournemouth. It always involves not wanting to come home and stay there or knowing I am coming home and I have not managed to see the beach and sea or go shopping for some gift to bring home from my holiday.

I'm not sure why I have started to have these dreams, I don't remember many if any of the dreams I have and I certainly did not dream either of these until recent times.