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6 December 2011

Posted by DMC on 7 December 2011 in Diary |

So, yesterday was my quarterly visit to Papworth Hospital, where they conducted the usual extensive blow and sniff tests basically, checking the volume of air and strength of your lungs. Last night I slept with my finger attached an oximeter ,always provided by Papworh prior to my quarterly checkups. This is one of the most important tests as the oximeter measures the amount of oxygen in your blood in your lungs.

After all of the tests had been carried and results were available, I saw the the doctor to discuss the tests, this time was Dr Ian Smith, he seems to box and cox with Dr Michael Davies. Basically he was quite pleased with the results.

Bearing in mind that the combination of the tests will give you a good idea of your Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) which I gather is the most important overall test .My on my first visit on !0 September 2009 was 83.7%. 9 months ago it had dropped to ago, averaging this out that means a drop of every three months or so. 9 months Six months ago it was 46%; 3 months ago.

The results over the years, for supine (seated) are as follows;

Jan.2008 4.36 litres predicted 107%

26th.Mar. 2008 3.82 litres predicted

Apr. 10th. 2008 4.3 litres predicted 96.7%? 22.488

Sept 25th. 2008 4.32 litres predicted 83.7 % ? 19.375

Dec 18th. 2008 3.94 litres predicted

Mar 26tth. 2009 3.82 litres predicted

July 2nd. 2009     4.02 litres predicted

Sept 10th.2009 3.5 litres predicted 87%. First visit to Papworth Hospital.

Jan 14th 2010 3.55 litres predicted

April 8th 2010 3.3 litres predicted

June 28th.2010 2.5 litres predicted 74%

July 22nd.2010 2.5 litres predicted 74%

Aug 23rd.2010 2.15 litres predicted 64%? 10% less than last equates 2.4 litres predicted, not 2.5

Nov1st.. 2010 1.5 litres predicted 59% see Sept 2011 1.55% litres predicted 48%

Dec 13th. 2010 1.8 litres predicted

Jan. 2011 litres predicted 58% ?

Mar 2011 1.65 litres predicted 49%

Apr 2011 litres predicted 52%?

July 2011 1.55* litres predicted 46%

Sept 5th..2011 1.55 litres predicted 46% 27.74

Dec 5th . 2011 litres predicted 48%

NB.Figures marked with an asterisk are extrapolated by me.

These are the best figures I can produce from the various reports I have had. Some of the predicted percentages may be a little suspect that I can check on these in a day or two and if necessary change them.

The main thing is they show a downward trend which is what one would expect and it is the most recent is nine months or so which is of most interest.

From this we can assume that they FVC may well have plateaued although the next visit will give us a better idea ,if it still is around the middle 40’s that will be very encouraging.

How long that plateau will last nobody knows the least the time being the lungs are not deteriorating. It will also be interesting to find out what Dr Chris Allen has to say about this when I go for my quarterly MND assessment this Thursday

Incidentally, Dr Ian Thomas, knew nothing about Multi-vocal Motor Neuropathy As She Pointed out he is not an urologist). So I will take it up with Dr Chris Allen.

On the international front the world seems to be on tender hooks about a possible collapse of the euro, in the event that one of its member’s defaults (possibly Italy). In the meantime Pres Sarkozy and his female German equivalent President Merkell are hatching up a plot for a new EU constitution which they plan to publish in my March. The main purpose of which it seems is to create a group of 17 stronger members to underwrite your area and to impose tighter restrictions on all of its members to avoid this possibility of collapse occurring in the future.

Today, Jane ‘the sheep’ moved her sheep, for the winter, from our field. She and her doctor friend John, assisted by Alice had a great deal of trouble catching them but then eventually managed to get them into a pen. I don’t think they would have done too at one of our sheep trials! I was quite pleased to see them go-no doubt they’ll be back in this spring-as ‘my lovely’ has more than enough to do looking after me and the thought of her having to venture out, in all weathers ,to give the sheep, fresh water and hay, every early morning ,is quite unacceptable. This is the first time in almost 50 years that we have been without an animal . At peak we had three sheep, two donkeys, two cats and a dog – always a dog. We are both very fond of animals but Alice, in particular, sends modest contributions to a number of animal charities. I rather stuffy tend to stick to my favourite charity, the Salvation Army. A body of people who I admire enormously, who work quietly and tirelessly in the background doing tremendously good work, especially at Christmas for the poor and needy. A time when they know that these poor souls feel at their loneliest For two or three days, they are taken into the warmth, are treated to some Christmas fare and made to feel that somebody cares. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing, if like good King Wenceslas, each happy family sought out a lonely person to share their Christmas dinner.

As we are now touching on approaching Christmas this is the first of my Christmas contributions of jokes and pictures. A poor start but nevertheless. Click here

Our almost new lady vicar decided to drop in unannounced and, as I was struggling with Dragon to send a rather different e-mail, although I stopped to speak to her, you I suspect she was not too impressed with me. In any event, being a godless creature, she probably worked out that that she would not get much support from me – although to be fair we do make a modest annual contribution to the church roof fund The last time the vicar turned up unannounced call me, was when I was in Addenbrookes having my prostate operation. The first person I saw when I came round from the anaesthetic was a vicar. – not this one but one of the earlier ones .I didn’t exactly think I gone to heaven when I did quickly wonder whether I might have been on my way -last rites and all that!

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