The Big Adventure

Goldiegirl

The last two days at work went ok - very busy as we have people sick. But I made sure I stayed as calm as I could. I didn't put pressure on myself by feeling I had to do everything on my desk, as it wasn't possible in the time I had. I had stuff left over, but someone will do it next week. I used to push myself to do everything, but that has stopped now.


I spoke to my friend on the phone last night, she had spoken to the doctor she knows. This doctor said there must have been something in my test results to make him thing a grommet was right for me. When I saw this consultant, I hadn't had any tests at all - he knew nothing about me when I walked in the door, and 15 minutes later he's proposing surgery!


This has really confirmed my feeling that the decision is way too hasty - I'll be trying to stop the process on Monday.


Nothing much on the financial front to report. I did have a free toothpaste delivered as part of a survey I'm doing, so that's a little something.


Going to put my feet up and watch Most Haunted that I recorded last night.


I'll try and catch up on some diaries over the weekend

Watty1

I loved your friends comments. Wise friend. So right, if you go for extreme action now, then no big guns for later and you'll never know what the lifestyle stuff could do. Maybe you could ask your doctor to delay the op so that you can test out the lifestyle ideas. Sort of compromise? You try and if you can't sort it then he can do his wizz surgery heavy stuff? Just a thought.
Having caught up with your diary I am sure you will make the right decision for you.

Goldiegirl

Watty1 wrote: »

So right, if you go for extreme action now, then no big guns for later and you'll never know what the lifestyle stuff could do .

Totally agree, I need to be given the chance to work through everything that is possible for me to do, as I need to feel in control of the situation.


There is also medication I can take, which is relatively free from side effects, so I'm willing to do this in conjunction with the lifestyle changes.


All the treatments are to reduce the frequency of vertigo attacks, as each attack has the potential to further damage the hearing.


So it is important to do something, but I need to do it on my terms.


About 80% of people alleviate their vertigo which a combination of lifestyle and meds, so there's good reason to think I can be successful.


If it didn't work, I'd think again, but I need to try the less extreme things first.


Days seem to be going fast at the moment.


I did some ironing, had lunch (chips, tomato( from the garden) peppers and a M&S fishcake which is low enough in salt, hoorah) did a survey, listed two items on eBay and went for a walk, now it's nearly tea time!


I've been making bread with lo-salt, and I'm pleased to report it tastes fine, barely different from normal salt. So this means I can have bread as part of my diet, which is pleasing, as I love bread

shala_moo

About 80% of people alleviate their vertigo which a combination of lifestyle and meds, so there's good reason to think I can be successful.


I think this is a good reason that you shouldn't go for the surgery right away - 80% is a good percentage for success!

I can't believe they've gone for the most expensive option first.. I've never known the NHS to do that!

You've inspired me to get a bit lower on the salt intake in our household.. i'll be getting some lo-salt (stores own, thank you Karmacat ) and using the salt I've already got to kill some weeds I think

We don't use a lot of salt to be honest, but when we have chips I notice OH lashing it on.. if I don't tell him it's not normal salt he'll never know the difference :rotfl:

x

Goldiegirl

The good side of all this is that I'm now much more aware of what I'm eating, so I think our general health will improve.

We had chicken again today, on the keep it simple approach.

I was hoping to have a different type of meat, maybe beef or lamb, but I couldn't believe the prices! I feel YS shopping coming on for joints of meat.

Over the next few weeks we'll be clearing the freezer. Some things in there will be ok for me to eat, but other things, like sausage casserole are no longer suitable. So Mr Goldie will have that, and I'll buy some tuna to eat instead, which he dislikes.

While this is going on, I'll be harvesting suitable recipes from the Internet, so we can do new meals in due course.

Like most changes it doesn't happen completely overnight, but each day more progress is made.

PS. Good idea Shala for a use for unwanted salt, I was wondering what to do with mine

Goldiegirl

I've walked down to the Post Office to post this weeks eBay parcels, 4 jigsaws sold. The auctions finished yesterday afternoon, right in the middle of eBay being down, so the prices were rather flat, which was annoying.

I intend to do general housework this morning, then my focus is to 'stop the OP'

I'm reluctant to cancel the surgery appointments that have been made without speaking to the doctor first, but I'm even more reluctant to go ahead with the pre-OP checks next Monday. Firstly, I don't want to spend even more time at the hospital, and most importantly, I don't want to use an appointment which should go to someone who is desperate for their operation.

So I intend to phone the consultants secretary ( it'll be an answerphone, so I'll have to wait for a callback) and explain the situation. I'm still keen to see the doctor as I want to know the results of the tests I had last week and to discuss my planned way ahead but I have no appointment date for that yet.

It's all a bit of a mess, but I still feel I was pushed into this, and now I need to stop it!

giblet1979

Hi Goldie,
Sorry to hear about all the difficulties, but really pleased to see you so focused and dealing with it in such a positive way. I'm sure you know best when it comes to your own health - it's not like you're making a rash decision, or dismissing the treatment out of hand; when there are less invasive options available, and you're willing to stick to the lifestyle changes (which I'm sure a lot of people intend to, but don't really manage it) there should at least be the option to try!

Wishing you lots of luck and stress free days x

Habibiboo

:wave:

Hi Goldie

Hope you manage to get through to speak to someone in a timely fashion ... waiting for call backs from the medical world can take a long time! Your plan to moderate the condition through diet and lifestyle sounds entirely sensible (and hopefully the lifestyle end of it will be so much easier to implement in a stress-free way after December)!

I used to be on long term meds for blood pressure but took my diet etc in hand and now don't need to be on the meds for that any more, so it's surprising what can be achieved. I think you're right to focus on that 80% statistic rather than an operation as being the way forwards.

Hope you have some sunshine for your days off! x

Goldiegirl

Well the OP is still not stopped!

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait for phone calls, it was all dealt with by email.

Apparently I see the consultant as part of the pre-OP assessment. So I've got to go through an assessment for an operation I'm not going to have, before I can speak to him.

I feel bad that I will waste time, but it seems there's no other way. It's like they don't believe that I won't be proceeding.

It's like being on a speeding train that I can't stop and it's all getting rather surreal.

I'm going to type up all the questions that I have, and my rationale for not wanting an OP, and them forget about it until Monday.

Previously, I'd be stressed out by all this, but I'm keeping cool and calm. It's not worth getting stressed over.

Goldiegirl

Just been out for a nice walk.

I love this late summer/early autumn period. It's a lovely sunny day and the light has a beautiful quality at this time of year.

I'm now having a cup of coffee (de-CAF as caffeine is another on my banned substances list:rotfl:) before a little housework, and then I'm off to the hairdressers. My hairdressers dad had Meniere's so I'll be asking her for her thoughts. She's also a good person to talk to anyway.

I'm really lucky, in RL I have Mr Goldie, my best friend and my hairdresser, all people who've known me for more than 30 years who always listen and give good advice, and all my Internet chums who are an invaluable sounding board and give fantastic support.

When you think about it, I'm a very lucky person.

I'll now stop reflecting on the meaning of life and get on with my dusting:rotfl: