Blood pressure update.

[mramos1]

No, only side effect was a dry mouth initially, but that seems to have worn off now.

That's why you only cut back on the alcohol.

 

[Reloadron]

Nigel, indeed nice to see you on the mend. Now in addition to the meds and such if I may make a suggestion. When taking your picture taking walks enjoy and take in more of that beautiful countryside you have been kind enough to post pictures of. The tranquility of those rolling green hills has to have a therapeutic effect and a fine glass of wine following (or before) a stroll can't hurt either.

Ron

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Had a walk to the other side of Tibshelf on Sunday, along the Five Pits Trail again - here are a few more pictures.

A view of part of the trail, this was an old railway connecting five different pits and to the main lines.

The fishing pond is one of two, close to each other, as far as I know it's around where the pit actually used to be.

The horses were in a field next to the trail, and you can see the houses below, in one of the newer estates in Tibby.

It's hard to remember this was an industrial landscape just a few decades ago.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I forgot I promised I'd post some pictures from home - these next two are looking over the fence at the bottom of my garden!

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Just over six miles this evening, and a couple of 'less countryside looking' pictures

A little history of this site.

It was founded in 1837 by George Stephenson (of 'The Rocket' fame), he was driving the Clay Cross Tunnel and discovered coal and ironstone, so he set up the Clay Cross Company to mine the coal and produce iron etc. The pictures only show a part of the site, it's quite large.

In more recent years it was the site of Biwaters Pipes, who made big steel pipes for various industries. It was sold a number of years back to a French Company, giving them 100% of pipe manufacturing in the UK, but the monopolies commission decide that this wasn't a monopoly at all?. They immediately closed the plant, laid of all the workers, and sold the plant machinary to India.

It's currently supposedly being 'cleaned up' to remove supposed contamination, before being used to build housing or whatever on - but it looks like they are open-casting the site to remove the coal underneath, under the pretence of 'cleaning the site'. Can't leave that nasty dirty coal deep under the ground can you?

So an incredibly historical site, completely destroyed - with the exception of the managers house, which is a listed building in the middle of all the devastation. We're all wondering when it's going to 'accidentaly' burn to the ground

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

More updates - been a busy day today.

Went to the Eye Clinic at the Hospital this morning, I'm booked in now for a cataract operation on 1st September (for the first eye - the right). I was offered the choice of long distance vision and glasses for close up, or close up vision and glasses for distance - I've gone for long distance vision, and glasses for close up (I've NEVER had decent long distance vision - as far as I know?).

If I disappear for a bit, it's probably because I can't see the monitor!

This afternoon, went to see the Nurse at the Doctors, I'm now (as expected) moved up to 10mg (from 7.5mg) of Felodipine as well as 10mg of Ramipril.

I'm off for a walk now, 6 or 7 miles, still trying to get fitter and lighter.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

A quick picture from yesterdays walk, it's not some ancient momument or anthing like that, it's the remains of the slag heap from Morton Pit.

It certainly seems to be the poorest landscaping job, the other local pits are completely obliterated, you can't tell where they were.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Latest update!

Turned up for my OP in good time, to be told they had no trace of me

Further investigation found that I was supposed to be there yesterday, 31st August, as the date had been changed. The nurse also said that 5 or 6 people missed there OP's yesterday, presumably they were all the ones moved from Wednesday and not informed of the change (as I wasn't).

I went to admissions to ask about it, and while they 'claimed' letters had been sent out, there was no ones name on the file, which leads me to suspect no one ever did it!.

Waiting to hear again now, for (hopefully) a fairly fast appointment.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Got a date now, September 13th at 7:45AM - I suspect it's rushed through at a time they don't normally do the OP's?.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

OK, just got back - struggling typing a bit, as the operated eye has a transparent(ish) cover over it, and it's still a bit 'vague' from the local anaesthetic used.

Biggest problem though might be the unbalance between the eyes, through my right eye (from what I can see so far) oolours are far more white, and about 20% larger than through the left eye - I've been using the same two Pyrex mugs every day since I was married (29 years), and I presumed the colour had faded with age (to a brownish/yellowish shade of white), but through my right eye they now look a bright white

The op was prety painless, a bit unpleasent having the drops in, and a stinging sensation from the local anaesthetic, but apart from that no bother at all.

At the mioment it feels a little like there's something in my eye (which I suppose there is ) and I've got to leave the cover on for 24 hours, then wear it in bed for a week. I have to apply anti-biotic eyedrops starting tomorrow.

Anyway, so far it's looking promising.

 

[picbits]

Good news

Reminds me of a little incident I had last week. I was in a fairly dark kitchen sorting out some drinks for visitors when I felt a strange vibration around my head area - it was only just noticible. Then I heard a clunk ...........

I looked back round at the cups I was pouring the drink into and they looked strange. I started seeing double and everything was kind of out of focus but in focus in a strange kind of way.

Then it dawned on me, one of the lenses in my glasses had fallen out lmao. Just to double check I put my finger up to my left eye/glasses and promptly poked myself in the eye.

Needless to say the guest had a good laugh at that.

 

[audioguru]

Hi Nigel,
I am glad to hear that your cataracts surgery went well for the first eye.
Yes, colours for the fixed eye are very vivid.

I wonder if you can buy a pair of very cheap glasses to temporarily add one lens to your glasses to balance the eyes until the second eye is fixed?
My tri-focal glasses are now used only for close-up since my distant vision needed only mild correction before and now the glasses work OK but my distant vision now without the glasses is perfect in both eyes. I can see pretty well now to a closeup distance of about 2m to 3m without glasses. I can see my car's guages fine now without glasses. If I squint I can see pretty well to about 30cm and even closer in bright light.

 

[Reloadron]

Hi Nigel and certainly nice to hear as it sounds like things went very well. Yes, funny how colours take on a whole new look. Just give it rest and it should heal fine. Really nice news!

Ron

 

[Mikebits]

So what is your BP these days Nigel?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

So what is your BP these days Nigel?

It was running around 142/80 ish - yesterday when I checked it was 168 - bit of a stressful day though


I went back to the doctor last week, and see said to go back after the eye has settled down, and she'll look in to other (or more) tablets.

I took a printout of my last two weeks readings to Hospital yesterday, and when they were taking my BP I showed it them - she took one look, and stuck it straight in my file

EDIT:

Just been and done todays reading - 134/73

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hi Nigel,
I am glad to hear that your cataracts surgery went well for the first eye.
Yes, colours for the fixed eye are very vivid.

I wonder if you can buy a pair of very cheap glasses to temporarily add one lens to your glasses to balance the eyes until the second eye is fixed?
My tri-focal glasses are now used only for close-up since my distant vision needed only mild correction before and now the glasses work OK but my distant vision now without the glasses is perfect in both eyes. I can see pretty well now to a closeup distance of about 2m to 3m without glasses. I can see my car's guages fine now without glasses. If I squint I can see pretty well to about 30cm and even closer in bright light.

I don't really see how they can be balanced before the next op, they are so completely different.

I've got my eye shield off this morning and vison from that eye is pretty good, I've also had the first eyedrops in, stung a bit, but OK after a few minutes.

Apart from everything been very yellow/brown and blurred from my left eye, objects are also only about 80% of the size of the right eye - so it makes for very confusing vision

Still, I'm pretty happy with the results so far.

 

[audioguru]

Maybe you should cover the unfixed eye so its odd vision doesn't confuse the improved vision from the fixed eye.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Maybe you should cover the unfixed eye so its odd vision doesn't confuse the improved vision from the fixed eye.

I've just been watching some TV - the fixed eye seems to swamp the poor eye anyway, it was quite acceptable. But covering it is certainly an option that I might consider - I don't go back for two weeks, and that's to have the fixed eye evaluated, and if it's OK they will book a date for the second op.

Makes you wonder if they do something to make the unfixed eye worse - I can't believe how bad it is, and that was the better of the two eyes!

The fixed eye still seems to be more dilated than the poor eye, presumably it's still affected by the four lot's of dilation drops applied on Monday? - they did say it takes 2-3 days to settle down.

 

[mramos1]

Nigel,

Glad to hear you are still doing well and in pretty quick time too.

The color change is a bit weird, maybe it's a healing issue and will clear up over time.

I'd do as audioguru said and drop a patch over the bad eye if the next operation is some time away. If it's soon, just do as you are doing. I'm sure they will get them matched up for you.

Will you have 20/20 when they are done or need glasses for reading?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Nigel,

Glad to hear you are still doing well and in pretty quick time too.

The color change is a bit weird, maybe it's a healing issue and will clear up over time.

I don't think there's actually any colour change 'issue', just that the eye with the new lens fitted is now producing the correct colours

For those TV engineers amongst us, it's like a TV from a pub (back before the smoking ban), and cleaning half the screen - one side is bright, clear and has the correct colours, the other side is dull, blurred, and everything looks yellow/brown.

But with both eyes the same, and the effect occuring gradually, you don't notice. The sudden change, literally 'over night' really makes it stand out.

I'd do as audioguru said and drop a patch over the bad eye if the next operation is some time away. If it's soon, just do as you are doing. I'm sure they will get them matched up for you.

I always wanted to be a pirate!

Like I said, two weeks until evaluation, then it's a question of when a slot is available.

Will you have 20/20 when they are done or need glasses for reading?

I'll certainly need them for reading, and 'may' need them for ultimate distance - I was EXTREMELY short sighted, which apparently makes it unlikely that they can get the replacement lens 'spot on'. What they do is measure the curvature of the eyeball, and the depth of the eye, and calculate from that - I've even got a card with the spec of the lens on it, which I need to pass to my optician. The card is downstairs, but I think it said something like 6.5+ 12.5mm.

Fitting a replacement lens like this means you have no focus control to you eye at all, although lens which can be focused (like the original) are available privately, but not free from the NHS. But my knackered lens didn't focus anyway they go hard and crystalline, which means the muscles can't alter their shape any more.

EDIT:

OK, got the lens details wrong, I've been and read the card now

It's a Raynor 920H Aspheric lens
Power +16.5D



Scary looking thing!.