OUT OF THE STORM

We have been a bit absent in our blog entries for the past few months as we have been fighting off some health issues that have seemed to consume us.    This poster was on the outside of my room during my recent hospital visit and found it a bit fitting for our experience....The Way I See It - If U Want The Rainbow - U Gotta Put Up With The Rain...it read.

You see - when we were in KC for a visit in August, Kel had a pacemaker installed to help with some issues she has been dealing with for the past 20 years and we were always told they were neurological in nature.  The issues became more frequent since we have been in England so we decided to get a new round of tests done while we were in KC and they determined it was cardiac related and was told to not fly home until she had a pacemaker installed - during one test they were conducting her heart stopped for 16 seconds....then back...then out for 4 more seconds.  We are hopeful we have an answer now that will help her in the long term.

We returned from Kansas City on a Thursday and the very next day I woke up with terrible abdominal pain.  I toughed it out for a long 24 hour day and it subsided...then came back two days later and lasted for 36 hours...this brought me to the hospital and I was eventually diagnosed with gallstones and I would need my gallbladder removed.  Unfortunately things don't move as fast with National Health Care as it does in the US and was initially told I would have to get in line and wait a few months.  I was in the hospital 2 days while this was being diagnosed.   I was lucky to use our private insurance and get a Dr. who could do it sooner - I continued to have a lot of pain and attacks leading up to the surgery on the 18th of September.  Had the surgery and started to recover - tough slow recovery...but I made it back to work after 2 weeks.  After a week back at work, I had some intense pain where the gallbladder was and this had me back in the hospital for 3 days last week treating a couple of different infections and a blood clot/infection where the gallbladder was.  I see signs of progress but I'm not 100% yet, but we are making the mental choice to turn the corner and start living again...the best we can.

The entire ordeal made us appreciate the National Health Care option in England as it does provide care for all - but also made us appreciate the level of care/comfort the US system provides where things are taken care of more quickly and the focus seems to be on total care/pain relief vs. just keeping one alive. 

The upside/downside is the ordeal has led to 30 lbs of weight loss rather quickly as I still don't have a strong appetite, but a little weight loss is good.  Enjoy some pictures of what health care in the UK provides you.

Some pics of the health system

You get to share a room with 6 of your closest friends

 

 You have a TV by your bed, but you pay $17 per day with your credit card to watch it.