Amazing Consultant

Over the years I have struggled with chest, memory and back problems.

However through my Lewy Body Dementia, I struggle to cope with some medicines, because they can have the wrong effect on my health. Along with that I understand that there are restrictions on operations, because the "anaesthetic", if that's how it is spelt, can have an effect on our brains.

However due to back and hip problems, the Orthopaedic consultant decided to try and injection in my hip, in the hope of isolating the constant pain I struggle with. However he also did this in the hope of stopping the need for operations in the future.

I am restricted on how far I can walk without stopping due to balance, and pain problems, but I try to force myself to walk around 3 miles a day, if not more, depending on how I feel on the day.

Sometimes this includes many stops to relieve the pressure on my back, but I feel that it has to be done. Even if it takes me all day to cover that distance I am proud that I can do it

However as this injection has failed I am being sent for an MRI scan on my spine, along with an appointment to see the pain management team. He was also disappointed that the physiotherapy department did not give me much support

I believe that this is the first hospital consultant outside the memory clinic, where they asked my wife for her views as well as my own, so he must have read his notes properly and understood that she was my carer, and knows more about my problems, than I am able to remember.

He also took his time going over his plans to find out what the problem is, and this was done in easy to understand terms.

I always joke about the fact that my brain and memory, are as much good as a Chocolate Tea Pot, simply because I simply don't remember how I felt on any day, so it's good having someone with me who can remember everything

However when we got home my wife went over what had been said, and reminded me of future appointments.

While it's very important to keep fit, it's not always as easy as it looks when you are living with multiple medical problems, but I am determined to keep going as long as I can.

While I understand that I have had back and neck problems for over 40 years, I have to accept that this may well end up as osteoarthritis of the spine, due to all of the damage from working in industry all of my life, and I may well be stuck with it for the rest of my life.