It has been months now since my operations and when I last saw you, so I thought you may like a little update.
Just a Reminder – This time last year what I was like.
I came back from Spain in May 16 quite ill and it was the beginning of 8 terrible months for me (the rest of Yr2016). By 4th August I couldn’t go out at all due to the pain and never went again to my caravan neither. I suffered ALL the problems listed on the website as complications of varicose veins (pain, ulcers, cellulitis etc.) and numerous bleeds/spurts ending up once in A&E with excessive blood loss. My GP even told me I couldn’t go on holiday to Spain as I wouldn’t survive the flight. In retrospect it was good advice as I ended up with (bad) cellulitis 3 days into the holiday date had I chanced it.
By September I had to have (which I brought myself and still have) a chair lift fitted and spent 24 hrs a day in a chair drinking morphine and taking various other pain killers as well every 4 hrs – The only good news was I lost 3 stone in weight by Christmas being so ill even though I was doing exactly nothing. The pain was horrible when I had to walk a few yards to the stair lift to go to the toilet and back to the chair.
My lung disease also suffered and just generally I was ill and being attacked on all sides.
I was also waiting a Doppler test with NHS and when they did eventually come out to me with a small hand held device they couldn’t get a reading on my bad right leg but said the left was fine (but you know it wasn’t really) so i was still not in compression bandaging etc. that’s when i decided to seek your help and go private.
Just to add to the misery when I had a fasting blood test my blood sugar level I was classed as Pre Diabetic (HB1ac 45) (all other blood tests ok including normal BP 120/80 & cholesterol 3.6) and just to top it all my oxygen level was as low at 88/100 at times.
The biggest mistake I made was not to get in touch with you earlier but even when I did contact your team, if you remember, it was just my luck that Mr Braithwaite was about to go on holiday and then had a busier than usual schedule thereafter. You managed to get me in as soon as possible thereafter so I only lost another 2-4 weeks and you both know the rest – treatment of the varicose veins and ulcers with foam sclerotherapy.
Me Now (July 2017)
Everything is great, my Quality of Life is also great, in fact better than it has been for years. My legs are fine which in turn means I can and am exercising them a lot, I’m walking a lot more and gardening a lot. Plus of course going to my caravan regularly again and walking miles there with my wife. The weather has also been kind up to and including today.
I’m looking forward to a holiday in Spain in September.
I had a follow up blood test about 3 weeks ago and my blood sugar has had dropped to 40 (meaning they say not even at a Pre Diabetic stage anymore and off the radar) my normal BP was 116/76 and cholesterol 3.2 and all the other tests fine / good. My oxygen level now ranges between 96 and 98.
I’ve now lost over 4 stone in weight and keeping it off but finding it hard now to loss any more without going up a gear again. I have given up drinking completely (I did drink 7 days a week) and that’s why (I think) I’ve kept the 4 &1/2 stone off but I’ll have to stop the sausage rolls, Cornish pasties, chips and loads of bread & butter to conquer more I know.
My lungs are fine and I’m not hampered by it at all nowadays, I walk up stairs and am fine, I can walk up hills and when at the caravan I always at least once but normally twice whilst there walk over 5 miles with My wife along the sea front and back. I never use the stair lift I have at home but its still there just in case.
I can’t help thinking that virtually all illnesses are intertwined and once you are down the others lock onto you also, but I guess, especially in my case, the opposite also applies.
Apart from the Blood Test that I had 3 weeks ago I haven’t been to the GP since I last saw you. Before that, I had my bandages changed 3 times a week at the surgery or at the Ulcer Clinic.
I hope you enjoy reading this note and it just leaves me to say thank you once again for your professional support and kindness and rest assured should I even think one of my legs isn’t right I will be quickly in touch this time.
Best Wishes to you
PS who had very severe venous disease