I am typing this one handed today, yesterday I finally had the cyst (ganglion) removed from my wrist. This was causing me pain down my arm and numbness in my hand. Tests have shown early stages of arthritis so I have started to take Glucosamine. If you have read my post White Coat Syndrome you will know that I have been really looking forward to getting rid of that bloody alien.
I had a general anaesthetic so was unable to see the cyst being removed the op was successful the lump is now gone. I am resting up & it should take a couple of weeks for me to be fighting fit. Today I can now feel and move my fingers which is really good as emptying my bag yesterday was really hard to do. I think breaking my arm and some other bones a few years back definitely gave me a heads up on how to get that mission accomplished. As Ostomates we always find a way to get over these little hurdles 🙂
I would like to say how amazing the Care UK Plymouth Peninsula NHS Treatment Centre is. The staff and consultants are lovely, the environment is perfect and relaxing and you don’t feel like you are in a hospital. We are so lucky in the UK to have the NHS they help treat millions of people throughout the UK everyday. Over the years they have really looked after me and I will always be grateful for the support that the NHS has given me.
I don’t know if your like me but after the many hospital visits and surgery’s I have had throughout my life, I have developed White Coat Syndrome even though I don’t show it on the outside. What’s that I hear you say, well it’s not an actual illness just a state of mind. It’s when a person visits a doctor or hospital and they develop hypertension and their blood pressure goes through the roof.
When I am nervous Billy blows like mad which just makes me embarrassed I know I have a Stoma and I live life to the full, but that still doesn’t stop me from feeling self conscious in a quiet room. I worked in a library once I love books and am an avid reader. Libraries are quiet I don’t really need to say much more than that us Ostomates know that as soon as your Stoma blows there is no stopping it.
I really don’t like to visit the doctor sitting in a waiting room that’s got the heating on and people coughing, sniffing and there is always that weird smell in surgeries that puts me off big time. However I did have to visit the GP at the beginning of the year as I had a cough that had given me chest pains. I was fine it was just Costochondritis inflammation of the cartilage around the sternum, I had an X-ray as a precaution due to me fracturing my sternum a few years ago.The GP took my blood pressure it was sky high I came home with a blood pressure monitor what the feck! During that visit the doctor checked my wrist and referred me to a specialist as I have a cyst on my wrist (A ganglion) Not a major health issue just a little pain in my hand and a small Alien growing under the skin.
I finally had an appointment with the consultant to look at the Alien growing in my wrist. As I sat on the bus which didn’t stink of wee for a change I thought of all the times I had been to the hospital and how nervous I always get. If I had a butt hole it would be twitching! Medical professionals have helped me so much throughout my life but that still doesn’t stop me being nervy. Are you like me do you get White Coat Syndrome? It’s a strange state of mind once I am at the hospital I am fine. I generally have a word with myself use my “suck it up soldier” Motto and crack on.
On that day I did go to the wrong hospital so had to walk to the correct hospital. The woman at the wrong hospital asked me if I was fit as it was quite a walk. I replied “Yes I am fit” I thought about all the changes I have made in my life in the last few years I really am the healthiest and fittest I have ever been in my life. I speed walked to the correct hospital it is amazing how being late and walking fast gets rid of nervousness. I walked in to that hospital with a smile on my face.
All X-rays and the MRI are all satisfactory had my pre-op I am just waiting for a surgery date. I will be under general so I won’t be able to see the Alien being removed I was hoping for a local so I could see The Alien Extraction (that’s a good name for another Alien movie) I would be interested to know if any of you have felt this way. Because I think that I have found my cure for White Coat Syndrome.
It was changing my lifestyle, my diet, exercising, living almost offgrid, running a business with my husband, removing any stress and telling myself to not sweat the small shit and changing my mind set. All these changes have made me fit and healthy just making even one of these changes to your life can help your health 🙂
Billy The Illy 