The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

[CremeEgg]

Angels - can't recommend gallstones, enjoyed the morphine drip though - nearest I've been to flying since my gliding Silver C. Even the nurses said the pain was worse than childbirth. Gall bladder out a few months later - keyhole day surgery job. Then the fun begins - ones ability to down a full English is rather limited as you no longer have a reservoir full of bile to release onto the slightly greasy fatty meal. You'll just have to have half the troubles portion! Generally I have lost weight as I can no longer eat as much volume as without so much bile swilling around my stomach I just feel uncomfortably stuffed a lot quicker.

[Karearea]

handsfree - that nosebleed must have been unnerving, hope no recurrence of same or similar.

Best wishes to Mrs Angels.

I have a thirty year old tube of savlon which does help a bit.

I used to rely on Brulidine which I haven't seen in the shops here for years, it used to fix just about anything.

Another thing that's gorn is TCP, was Good Stuff.

[Capetonian]

You can still get TCP in UK but not sure about the colonies. Not in ZA anyway.

[zarniwoop]

Last of all, saw benches at the South Cerney steam rally

[jimtherev]

Forgot to offer commiserations to mrs Angels last night. Mrs Jim confirmed that 'worse than childbirth' is not - she avers - an old wives' tale. Exactly the same as Ms A: sent home with analgesics, then keyhole surgery 8 weeks later. Inbetween a diet of steamed fish and thinly buttered bread - in fact I think it was some sort of margarine. Lovely!

[handsfree]

Thanks for the sentiments Karearea. I'm glad to note that the nose behaved itself afterwards.
However, the Renal people got to know and along with my blood results which showed a
haemoglobin level of 6.5 (should be 11 to 12 in my case) prompted a series of phone calls from
the hospital and I'm cordially invited to the Renal Ward tomorrow for a couple of top-up units.
From what I remember each unit takes about 3 hours to drip in so it could be a very boring day.

Fingers crossed that Mrs angels gall bladder doesn't flare up while she awaits it's removal.
I've been told by a couple of folk who have gone through it all that the pain can be quite
exquisite.

Good night from a warm old East Midlands, 20C.

[flynverted]

Off to see the heart settler on Wednesday...
Was in A-Fib for a year... In early May he cardioverted me back into normal sinus rythym.. Stopped by the hospital today to get blood drawn before the heart fettler appointment..
Apparently he's checking for new blood clots in my lung ( that's wot he found in May when I went into A-Fib)
How the **** can they find that with a blood test???
And he checks my kidney function as well via a blood test. How the **** can they check that shi t with a simple blood test???

[Slasher]

He's doing all that to keep you off Shipwreck status mate!

[handsfree]

And he checks my kidney function as well via a blood test. How the *f*ck* can they check that shi t with a simple blood test???

It's amazing what they can tell about your kidneys from blood tests fly. All my kidney function monitoring is done via blood tests apart from the odd urine
sample to complete the picture. Blood tests open a huge window into exactly how your kidneys are functioning.
What they can't tell from blood tests they determine from a kidney biopsy. Stick to the blood tests.
Good luck.

[angels]

Morning all. Lovely here. Very tired, not too much sleep.

They tried to change Mrs Angels cannula at about 2200 last night. At about 0230 they gave up and now she has a swollen right hand where the old cannula was and a left hand/arm full of holes -- but no cannula. They couldn't find a vein. I'm sure Mrs ex-A would have done it no problem. Renewed attempts to be made today so I guess it means she stays in for a bit. Sigh.

enjoyed the morphine drip though

Ah yes, the old morphine drip. Lovely! That said, I have had my gall bladder out despite the fact it had given no problems whatsoever. I was being given an ultrasound for something else and the bloke noticed a lot of mini gallstones. That was that. It was out a few weeks later and I've not suffered any after-effects. I can still destroy an English brekker no problem.

My main problem was one of the incisions got infected and a ruddy great black hole appeared (the black being necratis, decayed flesh). I sent a pic to the folks at work to show I wasn't gilding the lily when it came to sick leave and apparently one of the blokes nearly keeled over at the sight. I had no whinges from them about time spent off (although truth be told, I felt fine, it just looked gruesome)!

Off for coffee and then to hospital. I am getting on first name terms with the folk there again.

[4mastacker]

Morning folks.

One has had a leisurely start to the day and I intend to continue in that mode for the rest of it.

Best wishes to Mrs Angels.

[ian16th]

You can still get TCP in UK but not sure about the colonies. Not in ZA anyway.

Never been able to buy Optrex in ZA!

Did get a bottle in Mauritius though

[Ibbie]

Give Mrs A my best wishes angels.

Its very warm here again. Just nipped out with supplies gathered this morning for garden bar fridges and noticed it was 33 out there already.

[1DC]

Next doors Mutt is here for a few days, good for my exercise. He likes it cos he gets to sit on the settee with Mrs 1DC,not allowed when he is at home.
Good Luck to Mrs Angels, gall stones sound very nasty.
Considering driving from Perth to Broome and then taking a tour on to Darwin,probably a year in September. Was going to drive all the way to Darwin but Oz daughter has said i am too old (79) to be doing that. I think she may join us for the most of it, if she can./..I'm sure kids think that their parents are more infirm than they really are, but she may be right.. Do our Oz friends think September is a good time to do it,I would take at least a month to do it..

[Alisoncc]

1DC, might have problems hiring a vehicle. Australia is the nanny state, with many states requiring annual medicals for over 75's to renew driving licences. Insurance costs would be exorbitant. Might be better off buying a 2nd hand vehicle and selling it before leaving.

Via the coast Perth to Broome is 2,400 km. 4WD essential, with bull bars, as roos sleep on the black top at night. Roads are sealed, and pit stops are good. I've driven from Cairns to Melbourne, that's nearly 4,000 km, three times. The last time in my late sixties. It takes it out of you.

Grey nomads are retired oldies with caravans who emigrate north before Winter, returning after. Dependant upon your timing you could have lots of company heading up. Known a few who've done the West Coast trip. Starting off with a drive across the Nullarbor to Perth.

Alison

[Cacophonix]

You can still get TCP in UK but not sure about the colonies. Not in ZA anyway.

Trichlorophenylmethyliodosalicyl!

There is a bottle of TCP sitting in the medicine cabinet here. TCP has such an awful smell. My mother used to claim that anything that bad smelling must be good for you.

I just noticed that it was purchased in South Africa. I was wondering how old it is! Also found some anithistimine that dates back to a purchase in SA in 2013.

Just checked and it seems that they have started selling TCP in SA again.

The real TCP is back!
Heritage of a defender

OMEGALabs, the local collective of leading health, beauty and wellness brands is proud to announce the re-launch of the iconic family defender – TCP. The TCP brand has a history that dates back to the early 1900’s and in fact was first introduced to the market in 1918, the birth year of former South African president, legend and global hero, Nelson Mandela.

Like Nelson Mandela who defended and protected our country, so too are these core values applicable to the TCP brand.

November will once again see the shelves of local supermarkets and pharmacies stocked with the original disinfectant leader, TCP. TCP, the original 1918 household and personal germ killer, is clinically tested to eliminate up to 99% of germs.
Making its comeback after generations of care, TCP has had a makeover! TCP is now sold in a glass amber bottle which is clinically proven to maintain the active ingredients’ integrity within for longer.

The TCP amber bottles are available in three sizes. The recommended selling price begins at R21.95 for the 50ml, R32.95 for the 100ml and R49.95 for the 200ml.

http://tcpdisinfectant.co.za/

Capetonian do you remember those megadose vitamin B tablets you could buy in South Africa that were great for hangovers? For the life of me I cannot remember the name (a sure sign that I probably had too many hangovers).

Caco

[CremeEgg]

Alison - one hates to disagree with someone who provides such a terrific forum. Perth to Broome is a piece of cake - all sealed tarmac - since 1987 I think - light traffic and plenty of places to stop. 4WD is total overkill; 2WD is more than adequate for the blacktop and the majority of the dirt as Aussies know how to maintain their dirt often to provide a better surface than the blacktop. Best advice I was ever given - don't drive at night - the local NR's, cattle and roo's have no logic anywhere near a road; they can be running alongside you then suddenly turn a right angle straight into your vehicle.

Agree that insurance may be an issue but it's always available as long as enough money changes hands. Hire companies may insist you have a "big" car like a Commodore to travel distances. I was forced into a Falcon that drank petrol when I wanted to hire from Darwin to Alice. I'd have been quite happy in a Barina or similar that sipped petrol. Buying and selling within WA shouldn't be a problem. Try selling a car on NSW plates in WA and people get a little excited.

Locals are all very friendly and will look out for you. Changing a punctured tyre in the middle of the Kimberleys I had half a dozen vehicles stop. The wardens on campsites always happy to take the piss. National Parks rangers were obviously in contact with each other as they all knew of my movements from campsite to campsite. A lone travelling Pom sleeping in a car on out of state plates attracted their attention. Talking to them they said they get alot of blokes escaping from the cities and going troppo causing trouble.

Best wishes to Mrs Angels - why is it hospitals always seemed to need a Doctor to do a cannula when the nurses were always much better?

[Yamagata ken]

Agree with CremeEgg. Perth to Broome is a doddle. Just leave plenty of time and pull over for a kip when needed. To Darwin is a lot further, but the same applies. The road is sealed all the way. Don't forget to fill up at Capricorn Roadhouse or Sandfire Flats. Oh, and the Crone at Turkey Creek won't take a purchase order for fuel. Cash only.

[ricardian]

You can still get TCP in UK but not sure about the colonies. Not in ZA anyway.

Never been able to buy Optrex in ZA!
Did get a bottle in Mauritius though

My gran always used Germolene - just the name brings back the smell of the stuff. Mind you, it did cure almost everything back in the 1950s

[om15]

I've got some Germolene, brilliant for cuts, scrapes, impact damage, grazes, burns, holes if you accidently drill yourself, scotching from wielding,
Active Ingredients are -
Phenol 1.2% and Chlorhexidine Digluconate 0.25%, Also contains: Cetostearyl Alcohol, Light Liquid Paraffin, Polyoxyethylene Stearyl Ethers, Colours (E124 and E110), Dimeticone, Methyl Salicylate, white soft paraffin, yellow soft paraffin, wool fat and Water.
If that doesn't fix it nothing will.