12 November 2011

the royal orthopedic hospital

how did it go? 


as always i wake up a couple of hours before hand due to the postural changes of slowly rising.  had a headache which isnt pleasant on the day of an appointment.  i expect a little due to expectation.

     rosy was dropped off a doggie day care - my sisters for the day.

i know i have complained before about traffic, friday was no exception.  as we passed park lane, opposite hyde park, there is a memorial dedicated to the animals of the first world war.  due to the day 11 november, people were gathered around, plus three horses.  just behind the concrete sculpture was a sweet little donkey with panniers on, made me smile.

from marble arch, its one straight road, 10 miles.  we pass the men smoking from (i cant think of the names so will write a description) long silver pipes that are attached to some ornate piece of metal, plumes of smoke escape from their mouths.   pass st johns wood, huge houses.  out the other side to slightly less salubrious parts of london.  burnt oak, lovely name. 

onto the royal orthopedic hospital stanmore.  a relic from the 1940s.  only just being updated. 

not many nervys followed me, my headache eased after i had a cup of tea.  i found the rehab section, met another lady, a nurse came out and we made our way to the conservatory. 

i began to feel tired, i thought perhaps i was nervous, i convinced myself that i was because i wanted to go home and curl up in bed with a hot water bottle.  my eyes were closing.

when the four course leaders came in i listened to what they had to say, wasnt keen on the thought of mixed wards,  would i realistically be able to cope?  right then and there i thought not.

there was around eight others with partners/carers in the room.  they asked questions.  then individually we were called out to be assessed.  nearly an hour later, a little saddened by what i had to recall healthwise i emerged to come home.

stopped on the way back for a cuppa, was getting dark, yet i was on alert.   people will run out in central london, i was on edge incase they run infront of the car.  im a terrible passenger!!!


when i got home, knackered, exhausted. 

it will be a week before i find out whether or not im fit enough to attend.  this will be a huge step for me.  a challenge.   i will really push myself to the limit of comfort.  will i be able to do it?  i dont know.


i have also set myself another challenge -  yep up for a challenge me,  before the end of year, im kind of determined to go to france for the day.   the euros are going to be purchased this week, then on a spontaneous (planned ) kind of whim, were going to take off for the day. 

will i be able to do it, i hope so.  pictures will follow if task is accomplished.

4 comments:

Achelois said...

wrote a comment lost it fed up!

In short, hope you are fit enough to go em. fingers crossed despite totally understanding the trepidation. It seems France sounds the better option to be honest! Although I am sure Stanmore is better for rehab purposes....

Daughter has been recommeneded to go by Prof G, but our PCT has no money and does not understand EDS! Hence Bath pain management being turned down twice in adolescence for her. Someone with EDS her age has just been accepted to go but her PCT although only twenty miles down the road is in a different county (postcode lottery).

Once my daughter learned that it was mixed wards? shared wards? she is very unhappy even at the thought of it as she has a phobia about sharing sleeping space on that level. Along with the fact it is so far from home I wonder realistically even if she got the funding whether she would make it there for the rehab if the assessment deemed her fit enough to go. Due to the issues described....

Good luck with both em. Take care xoxoxox
ps I have thought about possibly going but want daughter helped first as am sure PCT would just give up on both if we both asked at hte same time and I really do have issues leaving home alone!

Anonymous said...

Hi Em,

It amazes me how you keep pushing yourself. I imagine you probably play a lot down when you blog and that it is immensely difficult to go through. But you don't stop trying to get better and that is something I hope will help you get better. I do hope all goes well with this and also that you manage that day trip to France.

All the best

Nechtan

em said...

hey achelois

aw dont you just hate it when you lose a comment.

i was lucky i was referred by the prof g himself at uch, so quibbles. i think if it was down to my g.p that would of been a different story.

so sorry you daughter was turned down, i think because this is a rare illness, the drs dont understand other than the few top drs that do.

the mixed wards i have an issue with, you would think in this day and age they wouldnt be so far behind. never mind.

hope you are both doing ok. x

em said...

hey nechtan

i think finding out i have a degenerative condition, kind of makes you think what the heck. of course i still have issues surrounding certain areas, im still affected.

eds/pots affects me everyday now. no doubting that, and its a pain, to lug it around with me everyday. yet i need to do things, look forward to things, otherwise..... i dont know. these past few years have been taken over with my illness. my anxiety issues have been put on the back burner, i think now though is the time to pull them apart and start to address them. take care. x