"brass monkey" wrote in message
...

"Steve Walker" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:28:44 +0100, Dave wrote:

Steve Walker wrote:
On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:12:17 +0100, Dave wrote:

nightjar cpb@ wrote:

Thank you all. Having spoken to a couple of people who have had the
same
operation, I'm fairly relaxed about the whole thing. In any case, my
partner
is doing enough worrying for both of us. She keeps giving me regular
reports
on how Betty Boothroyd is doing, which seems to be encouraging her.
I know my problem is dwarfed by yours, but parts of what I have gone
through might ring a bell with you.

Until recently, the only opperation I have had where I have had a
full,
was when I was seven years old. I can't remember it.

All subsequent ones have been done under a local. However, last
October
I was wheeled down for an op under a local to have a detached retina
sorted. They hooked me up to monitoring devices and ten minutes later
I
was wheeled back up to the ward after being told I would have to have
a
full before they could opperate. By this time, my blood pressure had
leaped from very high to above cloud level with worry about losing the
sight in my left eye and undergoing a full. On top of this was my
worry
about not coming round from going under. I even threatened the
anethasist that I would come back and haunt him if I died.

In the end, I wondered what I had worried about. Modern medicine has
moved on so much, it is nothing like it was 10 years ago.

Manchester's Royal eye hospital retinal unit is a centre of absolute
excelence in my mind, after spending Fri. Sat. Sunday there.

I won't wish you good luck, but I will say that I am looking forward
to
new posts from you. I am that confident you will be back amongst us
soon.

Dave

Hmmm, our experience of MREH is not quite so good.

My wife has had a peripheral vision problem since March of last year
and
was referred to MREH. This problem is stopping her driving (she
misinterprets speed and distance of objects approaching from the left)
and
as she is a Community Psychiatric Nurse, not being able to drive means
she
cannot work.

After being bounced from one department to another (five conmsultants
so
far), with a six week wait for each, then six weeks to have tests
(frequently repeats of tets that the other consultants have already had
done), then another four weeks before she can see someone to get the
results, she is getting nowhere.

She recently saw a consultant who told her that "we need to get to the
bottom of this" and made an appointment to see her again three weeks
later
- when she went in, he was not available and she saw a different
consultant, who said that he didn't know what the problem was, but
could
cure her problems surgically, by permanently blinding her in the left
eye!
He then wrote a letter to her GP saying that this was the solution he
was
offering and other than that he was taking no further action!

So here we are 15 months down the line, with no idea what the problem
is
and only an offer of permanently blinding her in one eye. We politely
informed him that this course of action was too drastic for an
undiagnosed
condition, but he has since sent a letter pushing her to go for this
option.

That is not the sort of treatment I got from the retinal unit. From
start to discharge, they were superb. What department was your wife
visiting?

The main ones were Opthalmology, Neuro-opthalmolgy and ENT.

Your wife has my sympathy, as a visit to both of our children requires
us to drive 35, or 266 miles to see them and I very much doubt that my
wife would drive the 266 miles for a second time.

Sometimes I think I need some of the sympathy - it's not easy driving her
anywhere as she's prone to screaming out whenever she perceives that
something is coming towards her! I'm dreading our next drive to France,
having recently done Manchester, Stranraer, Belfast, Belleek and back in
just over 30 hours for a funeral (Irish funerals are generally held
within
48 hours of death, with the first service held within 24 hours and with
short notice and awkward plane times, it's sometimes just not possible to
get a suitable flight). Just to add to the fun we had our 5, 3 and 1 year
old kids with us - sheer masochism!

Steve, have you paid any shekels to see someone privately? If not, give it
a try. It might well be worth the 100, 150, 200 squids. The trick is to
find someone who actually has a clue, ask around at the hospital, the
staff usually know whom to steer clear of. I'm afraid you have to put your
foot down with a firm hand with these 'specialists'. When you get to see
one have your bull**** filter switched on. If you're lucky you'll find one
who actually knows what he's talking about. If not, try again. Sight is
far too precious to screw around with.
The main thing is, if you find a good bloke and accept his suggestions,
you'll get a fair way towards the top of the list.

I should add that although the system is corrupt (IMHO), money talks in this
situation, spend some.