# Doctors ORDERS



## Blister (15 Jul 2012)

Hi , Those of you that have been around since 2008 will maybe remember my problems with 
Coughing
Chest pains
Throat problems 

And the various varying diagnosis I had 

Recently I have had sinus problems as well as the other above problems continuing 

On numerous occasions it has been suggested to me by the medical profession that I should 
consider giving up woodwork and anything that involves dust  my thoughts on that were " Yer Right " :mrgreen: 

During my last hospital appointment ( last Wednesday ) and the relevant questions and answers re job / etc I had a endoscope pushed up each nostril , that's a strange feeling and I was TOLD :shock: by the doctor to stop woodworking and anything that involves dust #-o 

Not sure what the sinus problems are but I have an appointment for a CT sinus X-Ray examination on 25th 

Recently several people I know have all made the same comment " Why is you nose going black ?"

On closer looking it appears the bone under the skin is going black :? 

Time will tell 

So at the moment my turning and woodworking are on hold until further notice , maybe permanently :?


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## CHJ (15 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear that Allan, here's hoping the diagnostic results are of a minor nature and something that can be sorted to enable you to still keep up the hobby.

Best of luck with all the probing and poking.


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## paulm (15 Jul 2012)

Blimey Allen, hope it's sortable and you can keep going with a decent filter mask.....

Cheers, Paul


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## woodyturner (15 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear that Allan its a bummer when health starts to dictate to you what you can and cant do I truly hope all goes well for you mate and you get some good results regarding your health.
I once lived in Dagenham well for the first 55 years of my life well several parts of it I moved out of Hallbut street just of the heathway up to Lincolnshire that was for my wife's health and have since moved to Nottinghamshire 
Kind regards Woody


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## monkeybiter (15 Jul 2012)

Good luck with the diagnosis; health first, hobby second. Do you transport anything dusty or just 'boxes'?

What sort of mask etc. have you been wearing?


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## Blister (15 Jul 2012)

Thanks all 

I wear a Trend airshield full face mask all the time when turning 

also have a big Jet air cleaner filtering the air in the workshop ( runs all the time I am in the workshop ) 

and the biggest cyclone extractor Axminster sell with the inlet hose as close to the chuck as I can get it 

I was once called " Bonkers " :mrgreen: re the size of the cyclone :lol: :lol:


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## gus3049 (15 Jul 2012)

I can sympathise Allen,

I had a very sore throat a while ago and have had trouble swallowing for ages. I feared the worst. This endoscope thing is no fun at all is it? Mine had to go right down the throat to the vocal chords. The doctor didn't warn me at all, just shoved it up the nose - nice.

I was lucky though and it seems that my tongue is extremely far back and the throat restricted so it was just something that had caused some temporary damage. I was told to take smaller bites and chew thoroughly!!!

Lets hope yours is equally non serious.

I wish you the very best of luck on the 25th.


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## dickm (15 Jul 2012)

Sounds like the sort of worry we could all do without. 
Hope all comes out clear.


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## Paul.J (15 Jul 2012)

Crikey Allen,hope all is well with the tests :shock:
Must admit though i haven't been doing any turning for about the last eighteen months and i haven't had a sore nose in all that time.When i was turning,even wearing the airshield,and more recently the 3m respy,plus the extractor on, my nose would be sore??


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## gregmcateer (15 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear that, Allen.
I hope it comes out all clear and you manage to sort out any problems without having to stop woodworking.
Regards
Greg


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## Dodge (15 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear this Alan and hope that the results are favourable - I can really sympathise having been through the health mill a few years ago and the same as you initially being told to give up duct related work but that all turned out to be a misdiagnosis resulting in the congenital heart disorder being located which I now live with.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you

Rog


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## stevebuk (15 Jul 2012)

wish you a speedy recovery Allen..


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## boysie39 (15 Jul 2012)

Allen ,sorry to hear you are having health problems again . Is this linked to your coughing did they say, it's a worrying time waiting for results
I hope everything turns out all right for you .PG it will be something that can be treated and you will be back to good health soon Take care and God Bless.


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## Jensmith (15 Jul 2012)

Hope all works out ok with the tests Allan and it's nothing serious.


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## Richard S (15 Jul 2012)

Good luck, hope everything "turns" out well in the end!


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## cambournepete (15 Jul 2012)

Bloody hell - hope it's nothing serious Allen.


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## Harlequin (15 Jul 2012)

stop working with spalted woods atleast and get rid of rotting timber if any around.
prolly fungal 
hope all goes well Allen


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## mikec (16 Jul 2012)

Hope all goes well Allen.

mikec


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## Mark Hancock (16 Jul 2012)

Best wishes Allen

Mark


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## Harbo (16 Jul 2012)

Best wishes Allen - hope it's nothing serious and you can soon get back to things?

Rod


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## nev (16 Jul 2012)

hi allen
fingers crossed its fixable and pain free! all the best.
nev


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## steadyeddie (16 Jul 2012)

Wishing you all the best Allen. Hope it goes ok for you on the 25th.

Dave


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## Melinda_dd (16 Jul 2012)

Best wishes blister. sucks to have to give up something you love doing.

Keep us up to date


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## paul-c (16 Jul 2012)

hi blister
hope all goes well
best of luck
regards
paul-c


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## wallace (16 Jul 2012)

Hi I hope things go well and things can be fixed. Them cameras up the nose arent very nice, I've had afew myself. I have quite bad industrial rhinitis and sinusitis caused by my time in a factory. Since I started playing with wood I have always struggled to get enough protection from dust. I had the trend mask but it wasn't good enough. I find the 3M dustmaster is alot better. When I'm doing alot of turning I have a little air pump from a cold war radar machine which pumps air from outside into my mask.
Mark


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## drillbit (18 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear about your health worries Blister. Fingers crossed here too. And even if you have to stop turning, please don't stop sharing all your fantastic advice.


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## Hardwood66 (18 Jul 2012)

Sorry to hear that

Russ


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## Lightweeder (19 Jul 2012)

Fingers crossed!


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## tekno.mage (20 Jul 2012)

So sorry to hear about your health problem, Allen - really hope it all works out ok with you and that you'll be allowed to return to woodworking.


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## devonwoody (20 Jul 2012)

Hope it does not become a permanent problem. 

I have had similar problems this year, coughing sneezing, eyes running, and having to spit.

I am on anti histamine tablets, never suffered from hay fever in the past but it seems to be extremely bad this year.

How about you turners doing what the engineers do with their lathe turning, using a liquid dribble on to the turning, it might work with certain types of wood?


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## CHJ (20 Jul 2012)

Sorry for the hijack Alan:-
John, if you do not have very good fine dust control ALL the while you are in the workshop and take care with dusty clothing when you leave, then it might not be 'Hay Fever' that is hitting you.
You been using iroko or any different woods recently?


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## devonwoody (20 Jul 2012)

Well I retire from the workshop this year in 8 weeks time, I have got a cataract op. coming up so that will finish me til next spring and I shall then know if its allergy or hayfever?

But at my age why worry everything is likely to give me aggro.


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## Jensmith (20 Jul 2012)

That said, Hayfever can just start, having never been a problem before. It happened to both my Dad and my sister a few years ago and they never had any allergies. I've heard about it happening a lot over the last few years.


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## gus3049 (24 Jul 2012)

Good luck tomorrow Allen, I'm sure we all have our fingers crossed for you.


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## Blister (24 Jul 2012)

gus3049":1prrb2ap said:


> Good luck tomorrow Allen, I'm sure we all have our fingers crossed for you.




Thanks Gordon ( and everyone else ) for you messages and support :lol: 

Hopefully all will be OK :wink: 

We will see


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## Dodge (24 Jul 2012)

Yeah good luck Big Man - Let us all know how you get on!


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## sammo (24 Jul 2012)

Let's hope that the Doctors are on their top game - and come up with a quick diagnosis; and even better a cure!


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## Blister (25 Jul 2012)

I arrived at the hospital at 1.10pm for my 1.30 appointment , Keen aint I :mrgreen: 

Pleased to see the CT scan room empty with the door open 
No Queue , I was the only one 

" Mr Wells " ?

Yes said I 

Straight in , lay on the table , fed into the hoop and a bit of lining up with the red lazer beam

In and out of the hoop a couple of times , some strange noises " From the machine not me :mrgreen: "

OK All done 

You can go now 

In and out in 5 mins 

I ask " what happens re the results " and was told " I don't know how they work here :shock: " if you don't hear anything in the next 2 weeks contact us :wink: 

Back home now recovering from my ordeal with a nice bear 

How long do you think I should take over my recovery ( Bear drinking ) period :mrgreen:


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## 12345Peter (25 Jul 2012)

Blister":21qdtf0f said:


> I arrived at the hospital at 1.10pm for my 1.30 appointment , Keen aint I :mrgreen:
> 
> Pleased to see the CT scan room empty with the door open
> No Queue , I was the only one
> ...



Make sure that if you have 3 bears you eat a goldilocks :wink: 

Good luck with the recovery period.

Regards


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## Blister (25 Jul 2012)

:mrgreen: (homer) 
P
Speeling wuz nevr a god fing fro me 

Must ned mur Bears or even Beer's :lol: 

now anyone seen Goldilocks :lol:


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## gus3049 (25 Jul 2012)

Oh good grief,

This sort of stuff makes my blood boil. Every time I hear some twerp say that the UK has the best health system in the world, I curl up.

If you have a scan here, you wait outside for about half and hour and then go in to see the doctor in charge who gives you the results - good bad or indifferent. If necessary you are then referred to the right specialist.

When I had my brain scan, I knew in 30 minutes that I would need a major operation and it was scheduled for the next morning at 8am. No messing about.

Now you have to wait dammit. Enjoy the beer, and the wine and the brandy. Might make the time go a little quicker.

Forgot to mention that we keep all our own medical records here too, so there is no chance of the NHS not being able to find the file. Makes the patient responsible too and means we can see what's going on all the time. We get copies of all correspondence.


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## Richard Findley (26 Jul 2012)

Hi allen

Only just picked up on this thread. Worrying stuff. I hope all works out for the best.

Cheers

Richard


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## Mike.C (26 Jul 2012)

Richard Findley":2d0aayu4 said:


> Hi allen
> 
> Only just picked up on this thread. Worrying stuff. I hope all works out for the best.
> 
> ...



Me too. 

I really do hope you receive good news.

Cheers

Mike


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## jimi43 (8 Aug 2012)

I don't frequent the whirley section much Allen so I missed this until your PM to me.

So sorry to hear the problems that you have...I do hope it's not something serious too.

I have seen your filter/extraction system in the video and with a Trend mask...seems to me you are taking all the precautions you can to prevent inhalation of the dust.

Let's see what they say and go from there....hopefully keeping turning!

Jim


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## Noel (9 Aug 2012)

All the best Allen.


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## Jonzjob (9 Aug 2012)

Good luck from me too Allen!! I hope that your results are good for you mate!

They ain't bullet proof here Gordon. When I went in to Toulouse for my hand op 10 weaks back (no, not a smelling mastike :mrgreen: ) I took my X-rays in and when we got back home we realised that one of them was missing, along with a blood test result. We managed to get the blood test result, but they lost the X-ray!

Apart from that I can't fault them at all.


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## Blister (10 Aug 2012)

So 17 days later I have had no updates from the hospital 

Phoned the unit I was seen at and was told NO you need to ring the CT unit 

Ring the CT unit and was told NO you need to ring your treatment unit 

Ring the treatment unit and was told No you don't ring us as a letter should have been sent to your GP 

I now start getting a bit LOUD on the phone and am put through to a Nurse who says you will get a letter from the hospital consultant and a copy will also be sent to your GP , you should get it soon :roll: 

Time will tell


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## Jonzjob (10 Aug 2012)

Allen, that is a disgraceful attitude and I don't wonder you were starting to get peed off!

Goog luck!


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## Blister (16 Aug 2012)

I now have the letter , and a appointment to see the consultant on 11th September :roll: 

No hurry then :roll:

48 days from the scan to getting my results :? :?


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## gus3049 (16 Aug 2012)

Blister":1ebvy13n said:


> I now have the letter , and a appointment to see the consultant on 11th September :roll:
> 
> No hurry then :roll:
> 
> 48 days from the scan to getting my results :? :?



Hopefully this means they don't see it as urgent. However, when its clearly something that is going to worry you, the patient, one might expect that the odd word or two to put your mind at rest would be in order. 

The famous 'Bedside Manor' is still with us.


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## Jacob (16 Aug 2012)

gus3049":ig7jfc39 said:


> .... Every time I hear some twerp say that the UK has the best health system in the world, I curl up.


I think the UK has the best health system in the world. Start curling!
Blister can console himself that his ailment is being seen as non urgent. The few times we have needed the best treatment immediately we have both received it - twice thanks to NHS and once in France (emergency op for my wife). The french system seems good but I gather it is more expensive than ours.
Interestingly my current condition has a forum
http://www.epicski.com/t/66016/quadrice ... -and-rehab
and it's possible for me to compare my treatment with what the yanks and the canadians get. There are some terrible stories about misdiagnosis and neglect due to insurance problems - delay being really bad for this injury.
Everything done for me so far has been spot on, except the hospital food which was appalling.

Get well soon Blister!


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## CHJ (16 Aug 2012)

Hopefully as has been said Allen the problem whatever it is, is seen as non urgent, your response times although annoying/worrying bode better than the 48 hr and in the operating theatre timescale that one of our friends has just experienced.


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## woodyturner (16 Aug 2012)

I think a lot of it is pot luck or should I say post code luck When I lived in Dagenham NHS ended up almost non existent moved to Lincolnshire just a little better but it took a month to see your GP now I live in Nottinghamshire and the NHS is fantastic GP appointments the next day hospitals appointments the next week so now I cant complain


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## 12345Peter (16 Aug 2012)

woodyturner":99y1rpd3 said:


> I think a lot of it is pot luck or should I say post code luck When I lived in Dagenham NHS ended up almost non existent moved to Lincolnshire just a little better but it took a month to see your GP now I live in Nottinghamshire and the NHS is fantastic GP appointments the next day hospitals appointments the next week so now I cant complain



It's really shameful that there is such a difference around the country. At my surgery, if you phone between 8-10am you are guaranteed an appointment that morning, a friend who lives 3 miles away in a different council controlled area has to wait a week for a doctors appointment.

Regards
Peter


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## Harbo (16 Aug 2012)

Blister get back to your GP and ask him for the results or at least if it is something you should worry about?

Rod


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## Mike.C (17 Aug 2012)

gus3049":2bhpn6ei said:


> Oh good grief,
> This sort of stuff makes my blood boil. Every time I hear some twerp say that the UK has the best health system in the world, I curl up.



With what I have just been pulled through explanation-for-my-absence-t62887.html without the treatment I received from the Nurses and Doctors in the ICU to the aftercare in CCU of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary I would not be here today. I live 45 miles from the hospital and my wife and I had talked on a number of occassions whether an ambulance would get either one or the other of us there in time if we had a heart attack. Well we certainly know the answer to that now. There was a police escort clearing the way and they had to stop twice to zap me back to life, but I arrived alive. In other countries where insurance is an issue I am sure the outcome for some other unfortunate people has/will be death, so in my eyes the NHS is very good. Even the food in ARI is nice, much better then down south. Mind you they have their own kitchen/s 

I know that some hospitals are along way short of par and that as in Blister's case the staff that deal with letters and phone calls can do with a few lessons in how to treat people, but all in all we are pretty lucky to have the NHS and the medical staff that work within it.

Blister good luck on the 11th. I have a few coming up to, one on the 10th

Cheers

Mike


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## gus3049 (17 Aug 2012)

Mike.C":2rn5zhnp said:


> gus3049":2rn5zhnp said:
> 
> 
> > Oh good grief,
> ...



Of course there will be good and bad examples everywhere. 

I'm glad its been had positive outcome for you. I had the reverse experience in the UK, ten years of shilley shallying around the problem, bad advice, having to drag myself to various hospitals in agony because my problem wasn't immediately life threatening etc etc. Here in France they just asked the right questions, and got the problem fixed. Within two days of an MRI scan I was having brain surgery. I also have the right to see the specialist that I choose if I'm not 100% happy with my treatment. My experiences here have made the NHS look shabby. The wards are spotless and the food is great.

The insurance aspect is just a matter of making sure you have the right cover in force. It would be like diving without insurance not to have health cover here. In an emergency though, they fix first and ask about insurance afterwards.


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## dickm (17 Aug 2012)

Mike.C":1r3ihc1h said:


> Aberdeen Royal Infirmary



.... and now it's "by appointment to the Dook of Edinburgh"!

What really worries me is that the current bunch of politicians is clearly determined to follow their admiration of all things 'murrican, and shift us to an insurance only scheme. Which is possibly OK if it keeps standards high, as in France, but in the USA, it means that if you have a chronic condition and lose your occupational insurance, you're on your own. This has happened to several of daughter's colleagues as a result of a shakeout in employment.


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## gus3049 (17 Aug 2012)

dickm":36wdyb9i said:


> Mike.C":36wdyb9i said:
> 
> 
> > Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
> ...



In France, its half and half. The state pays one bit and you get top up insurance for the balance. However, if your income falls below a certain level, the state pays it all. Seems a sensible system and obviously works very well. 

I do feel for Allen, having to wait such a long time to get his results.


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## Lons (17 Aug 2012)

Jacob":3vs5vhn5 said:


> I think the UK has the best health system in the world. Start curling!



No it hasn't!

It did once but it's now still way too top heavy with management rather than front line staff, underfunded, though it wouldn't be if it wasn't such a lumbering mismanaged giant extremely wasteul of both material and personnel resources. Mismanagement which leaves all but the most dedicated professionals somewhat demotivated and undervalued.

There are as in all things, areas of excellence and individual good and bad experiences but it can be pot luck whether your particular ailment fits into that cubbyhole in your part of the country, or if you're lucky enough on the day to see a specialist who is astute enough to pick it up.
your postcode can determine whether you receive life prolonging medication which is more than unfair if you need to move house to an authority who doesn't consider it too expensive.

A number of my close family work for the NHS not only in different disciplines but in several areas in the UK, one worked in New Zealand as a hospital doc and is now a GP in the UK and I have personal experience of the Ozzie system in Sydney. I also have a number of very close friends including several GPs, two consultants and a surgeon along with numerous nursing staff of various grades and both sexes. Conversations at some of our get togethers and even on the bl**dy golf course can be a bit one sided :roll: 

Don't get me wrong - I have great affection for our NHS but we can't afford the waste and however much I wish it wasn't, it is unfortunately now a long way down the road to privatisation or at least in part as full transition is too much of a hot potato for the politicians to handle. I don't know the answer to prevention of its demise but chucking money at it certainly isn't the cure.

I met my wife in a hospital when she was a student nurse (happy days :lol: ) and we have examples of both good and bad. My back probems were misdiagnosed years ago and only picked up and sorted when I went private. My wife could easily have died due to a medical mistake, I was told I had TB in my knee (eh?) - until after loads of tests it was discovered that someone else's results had been acredited to me :roll: (don't know what happened to the other patient - poor bu**er). I have a close friend dying of cancer because tumors on her spine were missed and for 18 months she was treated for a condition she didn't have.
On the other hand, my daughters life was saved after a car accident by very skillfull staff, my son was admitted to hospital very ill but was diagnosed immediately with Chrons because luckily the registrar on duty had the week previously been studying the disease (I know someone else who wasn't diagnosed for 2 years). Both my mother and father were well cared for as was my father in law before they died and I know many others who offer nothing but praise.

Bob


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## Melinda_dd (30 Sep 2012)

Hope you got on ok with your appointment Mr Blister Sir


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## Blister (30 Sep 2012)

Hello Melinda_dd

Thanks for asking , I did post a update on things here post713791.html?hilit=doctors%20orders#p713791

Cheers 

Allen

No photos of your V dub van posted yet ?


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## Melinda_dd (30 Sep 2012)

Glad to hear it's nothing serious! but as you've said doesn't help with what to do!!! makes me a bit more aware of what I should be using :? 

As to my Baby.... i'll have to post some on the off topic section!!! keep a look out..
She's coming along ..... slowly!
I've been spending on the outside so far so nothing inside yet...... it's the electrics ect that scares the bejeebers out of me!!! she'll get there.... eventually


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