Do please read this. It saved my life – quite literally.

[Neil McCauley]

A few weeks back and for no apparent reason I decided to have a blood-test at my GP. Within 12 hours they had diagnosed a life-threatening illness. The details are irrelevant here.

At that point they didn’t know if it ‘chronic’ i.e. potentially treatable or ‘ acute’ – which means don’t start reading long books.

The NHS are currently giving magnificent service and without being melodramatic (which is not the reason for this post) are saving my life. Simply as that. The reason for this posting is this:


The illness I have has no external symptoms that in isolation give any indication to the patient that there is something potentially lethal going on
Only in combination are these symptoms an early warning sign. Civilians are not, of course, trained for this whereas NHS GPs are!
Had I postponed this random blood-test by around 2 to 3 weeks it is probable I’d have been in the ‘acute’ stage.
So gentlemen. Don’t be shy. Get regular blood tests. They cost nothing. They might just save your life. They certainly have with me. Thank you.

Over and out

Sincerely

Howard

[DSJR]

I didn't discover my high blood pressure until twenty years ago when a friend who'd just had a kidney transplant offered to try his bloood-pressure machine on me a few times. The first couple of goes seemed ok, but a few months later when I asked to check, it had gone sky high. My then GP confirmed it but was totally unwilling to offer me anything to treat it, other than diet and exercise. I was lucky enough to have a friendly GP as a client and on one of his visits, I asked him to check my blood pressure. off to his car we went and he tested it, confirming it was too high. I ended up BUYING the medication from him as a private patient for a year or so until I moved into my own house on his patch and he became my official GP. Blood tests followed and many sessions with the practice nurse/dietician. Things were stable until recently, when my nasty ear infection and spots which wouldn't go alerted my current GP to the Type 2 Diabetes I now have (more bloody tablets every day)..... At the last blood-test analysis, my cholesterol and blood-pressure were lower than in over twenty years or more, my weight is gradually falling and apart from a desperate urge for chocolate every so often (I try to resist), I think I do feel better.


I'd concur with Howard that regular blood-pressure, eyesight and blood-sugar etc. checks are essential if you can get them free, or at least, cheaply. Once one gets over 40 I'd say it should be compulsory..

[The Grand Wazoo]

I hope that the treatment works well for you Howard. A lucky escape. So which books have you selected to read?

[Neil McCauley]

I hope that the treatment works well for you Howard. A lucky escape. So which books have you selected to read?

Ah ha. Well, I've started on this, and it's utterly magnificent IMHO http://amzn.to/fSZfOg

And by way of an excellent contrast, this > http://amzn.to/hiOWUh

[Ali Tait]

Glad they caught things in time Howard, I can sympathise, my partner having been very unwell for some considerable time. There are some glimmers of hope though, for which I am very thankful.

[Spectral Morn]

Can I echo other comments here by saying, the audio world would be the poorer for your absence Howard, so anything which lets you go on living is in my book a real bonus.

I hope you get better soon and make a full recovery.


Regards and best wishes Neil