Tuesday 15 January 2013

Medical meddling.......

Are you old enough to remember this......?



This programme was a favourite of my mum's in the 60s, though I don't ever remember seeing it in colour.  Dr Kildare was one of her heart throbs (if you're old enough to remember him then you'll also know what a heart throb is) and we never missed an episode.  As a result I did briefly dally with the idea of being a nurse, which thankfully didn't last long.  I certainly don't remember any female doctors being featured or I might have set my sights a bit higher, although the nurses were always impossibly pretty and I was resolutely plain so it was always going to be an uphill struggle.

But I digress.

It would appear that medical drama is going set to be a continuing theme in 2013.  After my Christmas lurgy, then my daughter's sudden illness, I was hoping that things might quieten down for a while.

I don't know what I was thinking.

You might remember a while back I posted about a lump on my face.  Well 3 months have passed and I finally had an appointment at the hospital this morning to have it looked at.

Apparently it's not a sebaceous cyst after all.  It's an Eccrine Hidrocystoma which sounds infinitely more interesting but I have to have it off.  I had naively expected that the procedure would entail aspirating the contents with a needle.

But no.

No by no nonny no.

The surgeon 'helpfully' drew several diagrams to illustrate the procedure, which involves making an elliptical incision around the lump then cutting out all the tissue inside and finally stitching the incision closed.  

I'm not terribly good with needles, scalpels, forceps, stitches et al so by the time he'd finished his artwork I was feeling decidedly woozy.  However, I perked up considerably when he said it would leave a scar, around an inch long.

A scar.  That's more like it.  I'm inclined to suggest something decorative.  

A fascinating facial feature.

Perhaps something along the lines of the Mark of Zorro, or a Harry Potter.  Or maybe he could fashion a 'smiley' scar.  There's certainly scope there for some creative expression if I'm going to be permanently stuck with it.

However, today's medical theme didn't end there.  We then had to go from the hospital  straight to the vet with Small Dog who is under the weather with a urinary tract infection, like a doggy version of cystitis.   As usual she had to be dragged through the door and across the floor to the waiting area where she sat shaking and trembling as if she was having a fit.

Our vet requested that we get a urine sample from her which prompted some joint scratching of heads as to how we should achieve that, and in the meantime gave her an injection and prescribed antibiotics.  However while we were waiting to pay, Small Dog obligingly wee'd on the floor so the vet was able to use a pipette to draw up a sample, which was disconcertingly bright red with blood.  

We've already had the results by phone and predictably her wee was full of red and white blood cells, plus some other stuff, so she's being treated for an infection.

Poor wee mite.

She's definitely not herself.

We're to report on her progress on Friday and if she's no better she'll have to have a bladder ultrasound and blood tests, which will probably necessitate sedation.

Never a dull moment here.......

8 comments:

Robin said...

Dr. Kildare - yes I'm old enough - and I loved him SO much! (OMG am I that old?)
Given the way this year is starting - medical-wise - I suggest you put you fluffy bedsocks on and sleep away till it all gets better matie!!
Rx

Sandra Morris said...

Robin....

I'm a great exponent of hibernation and would happily sleep from November to March, waking at the first signs of spring.

The way this year is shaping up already it'll take more than bed socks to to sort it though :(

Sx

Neen said...

Oh! Poor Small Dog, feel better soon!

Unknown said...

Oh yes I do remember Dr Kildare, I went on to be a nurse, don't think it was because of the programme.
very funny about the scar you will have, good suggestions wonder if it will take off, the mind boggles at the type of scars people could be given, poor small dog hope she feels better soon. I have ended up adopting another dog, could not resist when told she was not wanted, now that makes 3, my kids have banned me from any more.

PastMastery said...

Oh dear..don't worry I had one of those years ago and it was a relatively easy procedure..nice scar? No sadly... it's all but faded...you can just see it if you peer through a lense!
My surgeon was brilliant and got it to sit in my laughter lines - no don't comment please....
As to poor wee Small Dog... DD is also under the weather. A sickness bug first then a strange behaviour with one of her Xmas presents. She wanders around with it in her mouth, moaning an' groaning. She is SO clingy and cuddly. Very odd. So it's back to the vet tomorrow.

Never a dull moment here either! Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Neen..... She's lapping up the attention! Hopefully she'll be back to her normal self very soon....

Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Debbie....

3 dogs!!! We have our hands full with just one small one! ;)

Sx

Sandra Morris said...

Sue....

Thanks for the reassurance... I have plenty of wrinkles so he'll be spoilt for choice!

Hope DD gets over what ails her. Could the odd behaviour be a phantom pregnancy? Sometimes dogs can behave like this treating a toy like their pup and worrying about it.

Poor thing....what are we like with our dogs....?

Sx