Medical update
Ok, I still have to see a specialist next Wednesday, but Dr Ceber told me what the problems were that postponed the surgery, after I explained that I was going to stay a lot saner if I could research than if I had to wait a week to find out anything. So now I know what is wrong.
1. Polycythemia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycythemia
2. Chronic Renal Disease
Neither are life threatening in the short term at least, but the Polycythemia has to get stabilised before they can operate (the fatality rate for surgery on someone with untreated Polycythemia is around 30%, which explains the postponement of surgery!!). Fortunately as an ex blood donor who has no problems with needles, the primary (and probably only) treatment isn't really going to worry me- having approximately 500ml (about a pint for my US based friends) of blood drawn 2 to 3 times a week, to lower the excess red cells. Once it is at a normal level they can operate, but from what I've read, the treatment (Blood letting or phlebotomy)is likely to be less frequent, but ongoing on a fairly permanent basis.
Don't think there is much they can do about the Chronic Renal Disease, as we suspect it is primarly Analgesic induced from over 20 years of heavy analgesic use while I had the fibromyalgia, but it seems to be in the fairly early stages (no physical symptoms) so hopefully that will be able to be kept to a minimum in the way of deterioration.
I haven't really been online much since I spoke to the Dr, other than to do research, which is why it's taken me so long to post an update. I will try to do better from here on, it just takes a bit of withdraw and think about it when you realise you're probably facing 2 permanent chronic illnesses you had no idea about (in addition to what I already deal with).
Will update more later, I'm going to bed, as it's 2.36am, and lavanderbozz and I are hoping to get the old bed base out of my bedroom and put my new one in tomorrow, as the rest of the time she is down here either one or both of us have plans most days.
More later.
Simon
1. Polycythemia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycythemia
2. Chronic Renal Disease
Neither are life threatening in the short term at least, but the Polycythemia has to get stabilised before they can operate (the fatality rate for surgery on someone with untreated Polycythemia is around 30%, which explains the postponement of surgery!!). Fortunately as an ex blood donor who has no problems with needles, the primary (and probably only) treatment isn't really going to worry me- having approximately 500ml (about a pint for my US based friends) of blood drawn 2 to 3 times a week, to lower the excess red cells. Once it is at a normal level they can operate, but from what I've read, the treatment (Blood letting or phlebotomy)is likely to be less frequent, but ongoing on a fairly permanent basis.
Don't think there is much they can do about the Chronic Renal Disease, as we suspect it is primarly Analgesic induced from over 20 years of heavy analgesic use while I had the fibromyalgia, but it seems to be in the fairly early stages (no physical symptoms) so hopefully that will be able to be kept to a minimum in the way of deterioration.
I haven't really been online much since I spoke to the Dr, other than to do research, which is why it's taken me so long to post an update. I will try to do better from here on, it just takes a bit of withdraw and think about it when you realise you're probably facing 2 permanent chronic illnesses you had no idea about (in addition to what I already deal with).
Will update more later, I'm going to bed, as it's 2.36am, and lavanderbozz and I are hoping to get the old bed base out of my bedroom and put my new one in tomorrow, as the rest of the time she is down here either one or both of us have plans most days.
More later.
Simon