Nil walking - De Havilland Beaver model final

 Friday 27th January 2023

Breathlessness continues with some slight improvement but not enough to allow extended walking outside.  I had a follow up visit to the hospital since my sojourn there with three monthly follow ups scheduled along with a heart scan in a few days time. That means I am now under the controlled discipline of ongoing hospital treatment rather than the more haphazard business of obtaining appointments and consulting with GPs who from this experience have been out of their depth.

My visit before Christmas was left with a promise from my GP to devise a plan dependant on the results of an X-ray she would receive after Christmas. She didn't get back to me and when I phoned I was told the X-ray was "clear" and my GP was on holiday and the next best appointment would be 25th January (this Wednesday gone). In the meantime the situation escalated and I ended up in hospital as documented in my last post.

I kept the appointment on Wednesday with my GP and expressed my feelings in no uncertain terms. She apologised for not getting back to me. She then explained that when the X-ray had come back "clear" in her absence it had been filed away for no action needed.

The point was that whatever that Xray showed was the key or signal for planning the next step. 

I was told that the business of filing "clear" X-rays for no further action needed would be brought up at their next periodic meeting to discuss such issues and that she would send me a copy of the relevant minutes as and when. I hope others don't suffer from that flawed practice in the meantime.

I'm assured that the anti-coagulant tablets I am taking should clear blood clots over a period of weeks and I now feel happier knowing that at least I am on a proper programme of treatment and monitoring with the hospital and I hope that I will see improvement over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile modelling continues. the De Havilland Beaver is finished, photos below.  I have created my own diorama (not included in the kit) with the plane moored up on a landing stage This aircraft was used extensively in Canada because of its its short take off and landing capability and versatility with options for normal undercarriage, floats or skis. It has been described as "The safest aircraft ever built."

I am now well on with the Westland Sea King helicopter in its yellow air-sea-rescue guise.

LOOKS BETTER IF YOU CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

When you need it...

Sunday 15th January 2023 

My breathlessness problem has progressed over a long period, not too debilitating and just self diagnosed as lack of fitness. Until 29th September 2022 I was doing regular walks over hilly terrain of 6/8miles with almost no problem but from then on combined with severe back pain breathlessness  seemed to accelerate to the point where I was out of breath just going out to my garage. 

Various appointments and comings and goings ensued (during which the back pain vanished) until last Wednesday morning , 11th January. My son William was concerned about my breathlessness and my ill looking appearance and insisted on phoning my GP's surgery despite the fact that I had an appointment with my dedicated GP for 25th January owing to her being on holiday. My son got an immediate appointment with another GP in the practice at 11:00 am. He seemed to understand my problem more than others have done and suspected the possibility of a blood clot. He pushed the surgery to get me a blood appointment at 3:00 pm on the Friday. I understood that one of the samples would test for an indication of a blood clot.

At 8:00pm that same Friday evening I had a telephone call from the blood analysing place in Cumbria, bearing in mind the sample had only been taken at 3:00pm that afternoon at my surgery. I was told that a positive indication of possible clot was showing, and could I go immediately to Kendal Hospital. My son W and daughter J drove me there and I saw another GP who also agreed about the possibility of a clot. He phoned Lancaster hospital and made arrangements for an urgent admission. We drove to Lancaster and walked straight  into A and E without being involved with any queues and I was seen and eventually allocated  a bed on the Acute Surgical Ward at bout 11:00 pm. The next morning I had a CT scan and had to wait overnight until this morning (Sunday) for the results. I saw the registrar with a full explanation and medication which I am assured will gradually clear the clot over a period of weeks and that I must continue to take the Apixaban daily, and ad infinitum.

I don't really want to instigate a debate on the details of cardiac/pulmonary illness. I just wanted to document the rapid service I eventually received and also wondered why, if there is a blood test that indicates the possibility of blood clot that was not applied for during that period from 29th September last year during which two other blood samples were taken and analysed?

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Just watched the Masters snooker final. Trump made a sudden unexpected bodily movement to take his next shot - the commentator, "that nearly gave the cameraman whiplash..."

From hospital

 Sunday 15th January 2023

I have referred to my concern about breathlessness. To cut a long story short I am now in hospital where they have discovered a blood clot on my lung  I am awaiting a programme of treatment and am not sure how long I will be in here.

2:00 pm up date.

I am now back home, discharged. Anticoagulant pills to take for rest of life from now on. Prognosis says they should clear the problem over six weeks or so, We will see.