At last I’ve
got a diagnosis, or at least a partial one. I’ve definitely got pancreatitis.
My pancreas is considerably enlarged & shows signs of considerable inflammation.
Now we just have to sort out how severe it is, whether it is chronic or not,
& whether any long term damage has been done. I am to be monitored &
return to the hospital in the New Year. I also need some further blood tests
& a MRI scan. Meanwhile I have to avoid all alcohol as this will only
aggravate the situation.
The
specialist reckoned it is probably due to the number of anti-inflammatories
(NSAIDs) I have been taking. I’ve been on one sort or another for over twenty
years now. After about 10 years on the first type I ended up as severely
anaemic, so severely my doctor was most reluctant to let me out of the village
we then lived in. The next day we were going to a wedding, the Fox being best
man. It was only agreed I could go provided I promised to eat as iron-rich food
as I could while we were there & to head straight for the nearest hospital
if I felt at all worse. I had to report back to my own surgery as soon as we
were back.
Since then I
have tried other NSAIDs, finally settling on one which I’ve been on for just
over another ten years. This time, instead of internal bleeding, which caused
the anaemia, I’ve got pancreatitis. Needless to say I’m also off the NSAIDs
too, having to depend purely on pain-killers to manage the pain in my knees. I’ve
already been to get some stronger ones from my GP for the duration.
By Sunday,
after getting over the shock of the diagnosis & its implications, we began
to think life was settling down. We could maybe think of those few days break
away. Then I rang the surgery about the blood test. That appointment is today.
I rang the hospital about some new knee braces. That’s the hospital on
Thursday. The post brought another letter from the hospital – an appointment
with the Breast Clinic next week. (As I’ve had no further bleeding I’m not
particularly worried about this one, thank goodness.)
So much for the quiet
life & getting away from it all for a few days!
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