Human and veterinary medical procedures
Barry had his nose medically photographed again. It’s a fine nose, but he’ll be getting above his station if people keep taking photographs of it. It’s for the dermatology department to consider what next to do, if anything.
In the afternoon of that day, a doctor called to say that Barry should present himself at hospital on the following Friday for a colonography – another sort of photograph, really! Thursday was spent ‘preparing’ so he didn’t stray far from the house.
We’re not superstitious, so Friday 13th didn’t bother us and all I had to do was worry, anyway. I’m very good at that – I’ve had lots of practice.
On Monday 16th, Barry intended to go to the walk-in centre at one of the local hospitals for a chest x-ray, but something cropped up to prevent that, so he decided to go in on Tuesday. However, there was a call on Tuesday morning, to tell him that he needed a colonoscopy to remove some polyps. This would be organised very soon.
The colonography had also revealed a potential problem with the prostate and ‘someone from Urology would call.’ In the afternoon, ‘someone from Urology did call’ to tell him to report immediately to the Emergency Surgical Unit. They thought it highly unlikely he would be kept in overnight, but Barry obeyed Flanagan’s Law and prepared as if to stay. It was fortunate he did, as he stayed in for two nights.
Once again, it was not a restful stay, with the man in the bed next to him needing the attention of two nurses all night, to calm him down and make sure he stayed in bed. Barry was pleased to get home on Thursday, and was greeted rapturously by Roxy and Gilbert, and also by Arthur and Lottie, who had spent the day with me.
Jellicoe, our diabetic cat, ate very little on Thursday evening, which is most unusual. On Friday morning, he ate most of his breakfast, but then started behaving quite strangely. He was sniffing his way cautiously round the house and we deduced that he had suddenly gone blind and perhaps had had a stroke. He spent the day with the vets and came home in the afternoon, quite his usual self. There had been a diabetic imbalance in his system. Feline diabetes can be difficult to control, and Jellicoe is particularly challenging.
Roxy also went to the vet, for a pedicure. We have not been able to take the dogs out very much recently and her claws were exceptionally long. Before Barry could prevent her, she ate all her toe clippings!
So, the chest x-ray will now be next week, I suppose, unless something else urgently needs attention. There are two family birthdays next week. My daughter-in-law has her birthday on 25th September, and my great-grandson, Fergus, is ten years old the following day.
I trusted my vet more than I trusted doctors and dentists. But labradors eat too much and too fast, and the vet rightly told me Rudy had to lose 20 kilos as soon as possible. Rudy hated the Starvation Era and I was reluctant to go to that vet again :(
ReplyDeleteIf I were to be cast away on a desert island, I'd choose a vet over any other medical practitioner.
DeleteI have never heard of a colonography, here they just do the colonoscopy and any polyps found are removed right away. I hope everything else is okay once all the "ographies" are done.
ReplyDeletePoor Jellicoe, she must have felt so confused.
So many medical appointments. Wishing all involved a period of better health, free of hospital and vet surgery visits!
ReplyDeleteThank you. The medics are great, the administration dreadful.
DeleteOh dear. Poor Barry has been well and truly poked and prodded. He has all my sympathy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, You're in much the same position, really, so have recent experience. Not a lot of fun, but good to get it done.
DeleteIt was our daughters birthday last Friday 13th, it's a date we love. Hope Barry is OK, hubby is having all sorts of similar tests, it's bloody tiring to visit hospital all the time, ours is just 15 minutes drive away. As for worry, I'm the same hubby's 1 test had him for an hour, I was sat fearing the worst the whole time.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to your daughter.
DeleteWaiting around for results is wearing and then having to prod to get the next stage moving is time-consuming. Barry's damaged kidneys are recovering and then he'll have an operation to reduce the prostate.
I'm wishing the best for all of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephanie.
DeletePoor Barry, that's not exactly a body part you don't like being examined by a doctor ! It seems to me that you are very busy, a diabetic cat, a dog who eats toe clippings, and two birthday celebrations in view !
ReplyDeleteIt feels more as though we are wading through mud!
DeleteI haven't had a medical appointment for two weeks. They do wear you down when you have multiple appointments on the horizon. Good luck to Barry. Modern medicine is simply amazing. My mother used to have a small case packed for an emergency hospital stay, but I don't think it was needed until her last admission. I don't think I'll copy Roxy when I have my next pedicure.
ReplyDeleteI just wonder what goodness there is in toe clippings. Not much, I would have thought.
DeleteHope test are mainly negative. As a veteran of many of these procedures, I can say it does not get any easier or less time consuming. The worst for me was chemotherapy. I would not wish that on anybody.
ReplyDeleteI don't envy anyone having chemotherapy. It's very debilitating.
DeletePoor Barry, and you too in consequence, I suppose. I trust our feline will stay healthy because she does not do well with handling.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Jellicoe is accustomed to going to the vet and is well known there. He yowls a lot but likes the handling. 😺
DeleteBarry is bombarded by procedures all at one time. Bad enough to have just one thing not be right. Take a deep breath and keep on keeping on. Wishing him the best on test results.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynn. We can access our medical records online. Sometimes, his records tell him things he didn't know and that sometimes haven't happened. It's bizarre.
DeleteThat sounds like a very stressful week! Wishing you all only the very best in good health, including your furry family. Happy Birthday to those who are celebrating.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Denise. We've enjoyed good health for most of our lives, so can't really complain.
DeleteHopefully you're all having a restful weekend after all this.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
So far, so good. The merry-go-round starts again on Monday! 😗
DeleteOh dear, the joys (or not) of getting older! Sorry to read about all the medical and veterinary appointments. Thinking of you all at this time and wishing better health for all. It's always a stressful time, but hopefully with the family birthdays you have coming up there will be a chance to enjoy family time together ...
ReplyDeleteSending positive thoughts and good wishes.
All the best Jan
Thank you, Jan. We shan't see Nina and Fergus, but will be with them in spirit. 😁
ReplyDeleteAs my dad was fond of saying, "Getting older isn't for the faint of heart." I hope hoomans and pets are in the pink soon.
ReplyDeleteYour dad was right!
DeleteOur husbands should get together and compare ailments! Glad Jellicoe's hiccup wasn't as serious as it could have been.
ReplyDeleteWell, it keeps us out of mischief . . . 👀
DeleteComment might have disappeared. Wishing you both strength and forbearance- and the sort of rapid balancing out that Jellico was able to achieve.
ReplyDeleteThank you, F. Disappearing comments is something we are all experiencing, I think. Most annoying.
DeleteOh dear, this all sounds very stressful. I'm not surprised you worried. I am very good at worrying too. It's actually my middle name!
ReplyDeleteKeeping my fingers crossed all will be well! xxx
When it reaches the stage of worrying because you're not worrying, that's when you really worry . . . mainly about your mental health! 🤣😂
DeleteOh dear, it seems a lot is going on right now. Hope all is ok with Barry.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sharon. I'm sure he'll come out the other side . . . fingers crossed! 🤞
DeleteSo many tests and procedures at the moment in your family. Sending my very best wishes to Barry. Also glad that Jellicoe is Ok.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bev. 😊
DeleteYour house certainly has a lot to keep track of in the next few weeks.
ReplyDeleteWe really need a spreadsheet . . .
DeleteIt seems Barry has a lot going on medically. I hope after all tests are finished nothing serious will be found. As for vets- ha, tell me about it. To see a vet here now costs $100 for the consultation. But...I pay it...as they are family!
ReplyDeleteOur pets can't speak for themselves, so it's our job to look after them. As you say, they are family and very important.
ReplyDelete