Wol2's "Things can only get better" thread:)

Herewegoagain

Hiya wol

Well, got through that great big post of yours after going over bits several times, it's a pain, (opps no pun intended)
They never want to tell you the possible outcome cos they don't want to be proved wrong eh.
As you know my OH had all sorts of probs, and if you can get a second opinion go for it hon, save as much time as you can and work at it, I know you will and I wish you all the luck in the world
HWGA xx

Bunnyinthelights

Hey Wol,
Congrats on being able to drive (but please, not after 3 glasses of wine! lol)

Sorry about the arm-I may be very unrelated but when I was 8 I have a nasty horse riding accident and did my elbow in-after operations, pins etc etc I went back to being a 'normal' 8 year old again-but the story doesn't end there because not until I was an adult did my Mom tell me that when we were in the hospital, the Dr told her I may never use my arm again. My mom decided not to tell me, and I did the excersises etc and of course have a perfectly operating arm now...

(ok, I was young) but my point is, don't give up.

beanielou

Sorry to hear your news.
Bleeping doctors, we've had a few..........
Seriously, dont leave it, go private.
It makes me sad but thats the way it is now.in a lot of fields.
Take care
Huggles.

ZTD

Wol2 wrote: »

"You have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy..the occurrence of this is unpredictable. It can occur after any type or severity of injury even after relatively trivial ones. RSD is a poorly understood condition, which is thought to be a local disturbance of sympathetic nerve activity. The acute stage of this condition lasts about 3 months and is characterised by:
Pain...burning in nature; Hypersensitivity to touch; Stiffness, swelling, temperature change in the hand and sensitivity to the cold, colour change, altered sweating, other changes including increased hair growth :eek: (my edit) and finger nail ridging.

The condition can persist and become chronic. The skin becomes thin, pale and dry.Although the pain diminishes, the cold intolerance can persist and the hand tires easily. The joint remains stiff and this is now permanent. "

(is it just me or does this mean there could be big implications for piano playing in future?)


And breathe..........and pour glass of wine

I notice all the "can"'s in there. Not committing themselves.

Wol2 wrote: »

Wont give you verbatim on the treatment but suffice to say they recommend guanethidine block.....6 given over 5 week period each involving overnight hospital stay followed by intensive hand therapy the following day. Plus extensive programme to work on at home.

Nowhere in the leaflet does it say this condition is curable or resolves itself...possibly explains why I couldn't tie them down to any meaningful answers ....

Well, from what I can determine from t'interweb.

1. It can resolve itself at any stage - i.e. just go away.
2. It doesn't have to go bad even if it doesn't resolve itself.
3. It can be cured or greatly diminished at a number of stages.
4. The earlier you start hitting it, the better things are.

Not to scare you or anything, but here is a blog of someone with it.

Wol2 wrote: »

BTW I have all the above symptoms apart from the excess hair....(oh hang on....need to check my armpit I suppose..:cool: ..thought I was having to shave more often ......plus the skin is already going all papery and shiny across the back of my hand and fingers as the Occupational Therapist pointed out today..but didn't at the time tell me the significance or implications.)

That's normally due to swelling. Swelling is a symptom of RSD, but not only of it. The thinning skin is allegedly only supposed to arrive after a year. Again according to t'interweb.

I'm surprised they've come to a conclusion this early. Seems to be another one of these "diagnoses by exclusion" diseases.

Wol2 wrote: »

Ooh......just noticed that this sheet of paper must have originally come from my local hospital back in Sussex (telepone contact number scribbled out) where they have a "best in the country" specialist unit...

I am going to think very hard over the next few days about whether to seek another opinion, bite the bullet and go private to get the blocks done now before the situation degenerates further....

Obviously I am mindful of the fact you don;t put someone forward for more invasive treatment unless it is absolutely necessary
(and also the cost-restricted NHS wouldn't in any case be able to justify/intervene with further treatment until the last possible moment)...
but as my next appointment isn't until 3 months post op.....and that is when it starts to turn from acute to chronic......seems to my mind like that it is a bit too late to try and retrieve the situation if it hasn't got any better.

Luckily I have private health cover (thank goodness I made the decision to convert the company one into a private one when I left work....) and I talked to them a couple of weeks ago and they have set up a claim just in case ....although that was when I thought I might need another operation.

Talk to them again. The earlier you hit it, the better the prognosis.

Wol2 wrote: »

Right chaps and chappesses..the good news is :

I CAN DRIVE THE CAR :j :j :j :j :j :j :j :j and...

Everybody run!

Good luck in getting this sorted. :kisses3:

Wol2

Hi All

Thanks for all the good wishes and info.

Well I'm over the shock, have pulled myself together and launched into Day 1 of the new routine....Have spent a lot of time this morning researching this thing on the web..

BOB my love...thanks so much for sharing that info.....poor DD...she must have been through the mill. So pleased to hear that she is making improvement and got better meds. Luckily my pain is bearable and sporadic...but then mine is early days and will hopefully just resolve itself over the next 6 weeks as apparently this can happen in the acute stage..so now I've decided that I'm going to pretend it isn't there for a couple of weeks, ignore the pain, and then reassess about next actions after some ultrasound treatment. (After all I have packing to do, work contracts to deliver and a house to move back into....as well as the Leeds DFW meet coming up.....with, I hope, turnip lobbing contest.......:D ) Oh and varoom varoom....beeeep beeep BOB.........watch out for my wacky driving. :rotfl: .(no peeps I never drive under the influence......it's always like that) :rotfl:

BoS and Gemmzie...thanks for sharing your own experiences.....and Beanie...not sure if going private would change the treatment at all.(especially in view of the irate lecture given to me by my SIL last night .. I love my family sometimes... ).....but probably would mean I woudn't have to wait so long maybe....but then again this appears to be a time-critical condition and I think I will have to make some decisions before the 6 weeks is up.

Chev..sorry to hear about the frustrations of finding a suitable new home.....but hopefully OH will be successful in his job applications and then suddenly your dream home will pop up ready and waiting.

Hi Herewego...thanks for PM last night....hope you're OK today.

Piglet and Numpty both..what can I say..thanks for all the posts and piccies :A :A ...and I'm not going to let this spoil my New Year!

Bunny sweetheart..nice to see you..are you OK Hun?.......and no I wont give up. Are you and bunnykins coming to Leeds meet? Do hope so........

Meyore...so glad you've been busy..;) ......how is OH getting on?

Ikkle sweetheart, hope your hand is getting better and the swelling going down...I'll race you to see who gets rid of the swelling first .



Right all, not going to post anything gloomy on here again...from now on this will be a thread of light and laughter..and maybe a bit of smut as we haven't had much for a while now ...

Right.....must get some work done now and earn some dosh...deadline is tomorrow morning:eek:

Back later
Hugs to all
Wol2
xxx

Wol2

Numpty_Monkey wrote: »

Can we have them in chapters
i don't think i have typed that much in a year:p
A quick summery
Act 1 bummer
Act 2 bigger bummer
Act 3 get a razor, but there is hope:D
Intermission, drunkard:p
Act 4:o go for the second opinion you payed for it:rolleyes:
Act 5 you can't drive because you've been drinking:T :T :T :T
Act 6 censored:eek: :eek: lucky sod if you are:mad:

The encore:T :T :T :T :T :T :T :T

onwards hun

hope this dosen't come across as flippant (or any big nasty words):o

The bad year has gone, hun

hugs
Andy xx

PMSL :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :kisses3:

bank_of_slate

Have you read IA's post?
She's leaving!
...Linda xx

Wol2

Hi Z

Thanks for doing all that research

:kisses3:

will Pm you later tonight

Varoom varooom.......
Wol2
xx

boredofbeingathome

I can't remember the name of the drug she is on at the moment..palenoquin or something like that..vv effective and has made it so much better for her. I have to add she has never stopped from doing stuff either, married, uni course, driving and holds down a job at a nursing home..all have been great with her when she has been bad..that's my girl..(proud mum here!)

Would love to come to leeds meet to lob a turnip or two with you..am trying to adjust stuff to see if i can make it..as v busy with family stuff around then(three birthdays) so hopefully will be beep beeping behind you...vrrroooommm..honk honk!

BOB X

Wol2

Thee and me BOB on the motorway..who said road rage was dead :rotfl:




xxx

Oh b***gger it didn;t come out (no I won;t stoop to Snags tactics just to get the whole word in print)