Second opinion

I almost forgot about this with all that is happening this week but on top of everything else, I asked my GP for a second opinion on my troubles.

I have lost faith in the consultant dealing with me, Dr Nicholson, he does not seem to offer support, more so he listens and does very little.

Recently, I have been chasing up the results of the tests I have had in April with no success, I have tried to speak with his secretary with no success and I feel a little lost and without hope on him.

So, I took matters into my own hands and asked for the second opinion.

Doctor Naidoo (our GP) is referring me to a Dr Young at the Walton Centre so hopefully in the next few weeks I will get an appointment date.

Also, I have kicked BUPA into touch as its a lot of money which has not turned anything up. Also, if I did ever get an MS diagnosis, BUPA does not cover the treatment of MS.

So I am getting back to the NHS, bring it on!!! Hopefully, there will be more success this way.

Slightly insulted.....

Click this link and see if you can figure out exactly why I might be slightly insulted by it.

http://www.info4security.com/story.asp?storycode=4120335

Look to the right below the naff pic that was taken on Salto's Marketing Managers phone and see the caption below.

Does it need to be advertised in this day and age? Its the kind of comment I expect from lesser people.....perhaps they are.

Anyway, I am leaving Salto, not because of this, but I am moving on and so a small part of me takes pleasure in small minded comments wasting someone else's web space.

Incidental Music

This is something that annoys me greatly and to understand me you must understand me in a very deep way!!! Sometimes its useful, sometimes insightful but mostly pointless and this is one of the pointless matters that will immediately decide whether I will enjoy a program or not....

Ok, first watch this clip of Blackadder II, possibly the greatest comedic series ever. Its always good fun to watch but to understand my point, fast forward to 3.59 secs when Percy leaves the room.

Next, watch this clip of Friends, there is nothing special about this particular episode but it illustrates my point beautifully. Again, to understand, forward to 4.45 secs.

Now I have absolutely no beef with Friends, so many people love it and I am sure that its a very funny show with lots of funny moments but my point is though, I cannot stand any program that uses pointless incidental music and I immediately switch off when I hear it.

Is it just me? I don't know. However, when you hear the Blackadder incidental music, it is in keeping with the theme of the show, its part of the comedy for me whereas in shows like Friends, the music is just a soundbite that fits the slot. I hope you understand.

Now our boy Luca watches a lot of kids TV and there are a lot of shows that insist on having pointless incidental music breaks between each scene....I cant abide it!!! Tune into Nickelodeon right now and test the theory.

And don't even start me in canned laughter.

So there you go, as always in these matters, you have a choice. Just because this is my opinion it does not mean its right.

Adios Salto

Today, I informed Salto that I will be leaving them in a week.

I have spent a happy few months working for Salto but a job has come along that I just cannot let pass by and so its time to take a deep breath and break the bad news.

They took it well, no harsh words, no bitterness and it seems that I will just go about my business for the final week and then move onto my next venture.

And my next venture is? Well, lets just wait a while for that eh!!!!

Happy Holidays......

I promised Kerris that I would not let anyone know via the blog whether I enjoyed the holiday or not so instead, I will paint a picture and let you decide!!!

Well we have spent 2 weeks out in Cabopino with the in-laws and also Kerris's sister Janine and her 2 kids, the weather was fantastic for the whole time and the heat was great for people who love sun and heat but a little too much for "pale and proud" me.

The problem with the holiday for me was the Lemony Snickett style series of unfortunate events that kicked in at the end of the first week, from that point on, I would have been better off in a hospital!!!

So here they are -

1 - I smashed my head at the bottom of the swimming pool. I was actually teaching my niece Annabel how to dive..........incorrectly!!! There was nothing wrong with my dive, its just the pool was too shallow. I immediately had the imprint of the pool floor on my forehead and got an ice pack onto it. I then sat miserably while the ice did its thing and lay down in bed and woke 2 hours later...I am sure it was concussion!!!

2 - I slipped into the bath!!! Yes most people slip "in" the batch but I slipped "into" the bath!!! I was drying jay after a shower and sat on the edge of the bath, low and behold, the soap left on the bath guided me quite nicely into it and I bumped the back of my head on the wall and looked really stupid!!!!

3 - Alcohol. I did not drink a lot on hols, in fact I had around 3 pints a day. The cumulative effect of this kicked in some pretty nasty hand numbness and coldness symptoms and that managed to give me a very restless night and for the last 6 days, I gave up alcohol!!!

4 - Ear Infection. Oowww!!! I have never been in so much pain in my entire life as this. On the Thursday before we flew home, it started, it just felt like water blocking my ears but by Friday and a visit to the medical centre later, I had anti inflammatory tablets, anti biotics and gauze in my ears with cortisone cream on it. For the last 3 days, I was deaf and in a lot of pain!!! Initially the doctor told me not to expect to fly but god bless them, they opened the medical centre on Saturday and Sunday to change my gauze and I was given the all clear to fly. It did hurt a bit on take off and landing though!!!

So there we are, we arrived back in windy, cold, rainy, grey Blackpool on Monday and I nearly kissed the tarmac!!!!

On the plus side, the kids all loved it, Kerris got a great tan and we spent the gross GDP of a small country!!!

Here are the highlights though, Karaoke live from The Sportsmans pub!!! Enjoy Jay doing Def Leppard!!!

Even a blog needs a holiday y'know!!!

Yes I am off on my jollies for a fortnight.

Just for a change, you will find Kerris, Luca, Jay, Nanny Ba ba, Grandad, Janine, Rosanna, Annabel and me in Cabopino, Spain.

What can I say, we love the place and the in laws have managed to book the apartment next door!!!

The kids will love it, they will get lots of sun and lollies and my job is to basically walk round looking concerned for no real reason about Jay and generally watch the kids like a hawk!!!

It should be fun, I am looking forward to it....honest!!!!

See you on the 25th August then!!!

Amitrypteline....there is no escape!

I have had enough of my sinus pain! So being a good boy and using Bupa to its maximum, I arranged to see a consultant who shoved a camera up my nose!

The upshot is that my right sinus thingy is a lot smaller than the left. This needs further investigation and an MRI of my nose has been promptly arranged.

While reading my notes, the consultant asked why I was taking Amitrypteline. A short explanation later and he informed me that amitrypteline is used to numb the nerves in sinus pain. I then explained that since I have started on amitrypteline, I haven't had any sinus pain.

There you go then!

So, amitrypteline continues! However, I am only taking 1 x 25mg tablet every 2 days so the effect is barely noticeable.

Bloody Amitrypteline!

Amitrypteline sent me insane!!!

Just an update on how Amitrypteline has affected me and whether it has been of any use in my fight against pins and needles and numbness.

The short answer is no!!!

Slightly more detail is no it hasn't and I am also stopping taking them to save my sanity!!!!

Amitrypteline is actually an anti-depressant and as such is used on depressed people to help them cope. I wonder if you get a different outcome when you take Amitrypteline in depression but seen as though I am in no way depressed, it actually had the reverse effect on me. It got me into a right state.

If treatment for depression is basically to take away the will to do anything and leave you in a constant tired state then I am so glad I am not a person suffering from depression.

The effect on me was astounding. Firstly it was the sheer lethargy that it created, I was constantly tired, it then took away my will to find anything good about life and finally it had a certain emotional effect on me, without going into detail, that people usually end up being given a small blue pill to take to solve, as well as no desire to even contemplate the act!!!!

So I hope you understand when I tell you that I have had enough of feeling that way and I will no longer be taking Amitrypteline.

Almost instantly, energy and lust for life returned and hopefully over the next few days as this poison sifts its way out of me then I will return to my pre-Amitrypteline generally happy self.

I genuinely think that pins and needles and numbness are tolerable compared to the side affects of the possible cure. I welcome back the lesser of the 2 evils openly.