FreddysHouse - Blogs

The First Crohn's Attack. Ouch.

Overdriven — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:16:16 GMT

Had my first real "attack" today, is currently calming down as I type. The doctors said anything can kick off pain.. Something did. NO idea what... I should stop underestimating how silly the human body is.

I happened to be napping and woke up rather quickly having stupidly sharp pains in my chest (central, near lungs), I think the cause of the 'attack' were some of the iron tablets I took maybe an hour before doing so.. Which, if they are they cause, is rather odd.. Since I took one this morning and was fine (Granted. It did take about 1-2h after taking them for my chest to start hurting.. Hmm) I need to look into this, maybe reacting badly to the iron tablets.

Pain was horrible. So much so, I took painkillers. Now, the ONLY time I take painkillers is 30-40 minutes before I go to sleep each night (backpain is lovely.. nice effect of one of the steroids) never usually take them before. Urgh, I hate the semi-stoned feeling (more lightheadedness) while I actually have things to do.

So yeah, chest pain has pretty much gone, the actual fact I can move my arms and inhale means either the PKs have worked, or jam and bread is a great cure for it. Rather weird..

Self Re-Note: Keep track of time I take the iron tablets and see if any reactions happen within 2-3 hours of taking them.

Anyway, more of an update...

Today was my first checkup aswell, so from 8pm yesterday I had to stop eating/drinking (I was allowed water with the pills I took in the morning, that was it.) and I had to go to the Stafford General Clinical Investigatory(?) Unit in the Gastro/Endoscopy part of the building... Got in, all the nurses seemed to remember me.. Quite scary, they all kept asking how I was/how I was recovering (Nice of them!) and I generally filled out all my concent forms/necessary forms..

Got taken into the Endo room and stuck in a bed (ended up falling asleep for like 45m, hah) then had to speak to my consultant.. This is where the FUN begins..

He was looking over what I had been perscribed and then swore. I've been taking (due to administration and the pharmacy fucking up) the WRONG amount of pills.. I've been taking LESS than I was meant to. By a large amount. So he cancelled the throat scan I was meant to have... Then I explained my schedule till 09 and he swore again, then decided to go through with the check. (I'm only in staffs for another week, then going home and to Switzerland over xmas)

Ended up having the tube down my throat, with no sedation.. Deep-Throating a tube, lovely experience. I gagged, cried and allmost threw up due to my gag-reflexes. (Note: Homosexuality is not the way forward) and was told that; even with the wrong pills "my body was healing", which is a nice thing to hear.

Was taken out of the theatre and left in bed for 10m to recover (lots of spitting, throat/mouth numbing agents == lots of drool) then was sent to get a blood test done (the nurse there remembered me too!) and was sent to the pharmacy to pick up new pill amounts. (Note: Buy a pre-payment slip after xmas.. pills cost alot)

Ended up back here about 3pm.. Was nice to eat...

LAST bit! Okay.. The pills I was on before today: (Guessing names from memory, not perfectly written/correct.)

Prendisolone: 2x every morning (10mg total)
Mezavalant: 4x every morning (4,800mg)
Calcium D3: 2x every morning (2,500mg)
Azasteroidthingy: 1 every night (5mg)
Omeperazole: 1 every morning (20mg)
Iron Tablets (*cough*): 3x day, 200mg.

That's what I was on.. Has changed a bit..

Prend: Moved from 2 every morning, to 8 every morning. (40mg)
Meza: Stays the same, which is good.
Calcium: 1 in morning, 1 in evening.
Azasteroidthingy: 2x in the evening (higher dose too)
Iron tablets: 3x a day still
Omeperazole: They never told me.. So I assume 1 a day.

Doesn't sound like much, but the increase in pills and general dosages (I've got like 30 packs of prend laying next to me) and huge packs of pills (the Meza are huge red things and the steriods are small yellow things) fun.. I'd post the exact changes/amounts, but I can't be bothered to move.. =< They pills are making me better.. Though I did read that I'll be eventually moved to a single pill when my body is used to the narco-mix, which is quite nice.

Kinda ended up rambling.. but, thought you guys should know..

Over and Out.

O.D.

Android G1

Milkshake — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:16:52 GMT

So, I decided that I needed a BIG upgrade from my Razr. I needed something that would allow me to keep a diary/calendar...and to be fair, that was all - but I'd got so pissed with the Motorola's text prediction that I never, ever wanted to rely on it again.

Thus, I needed a mobile with a qwerty keyboard - and this mobile has an AWESOME keyboard. Like, I feel seriously comfortable with it. I can thumbtype nice and fast, way quicker than the numberpad-texting.

So the two things I wanted from the phone, it does really well. Then it makes me go "WOW" with all the funky features like Google Maps - something so, so, so, so useful to have anywhere. I can read and write e-mail on the move.

And then that's not even on top of all the android apps I can download - I've not had time to try them.

Honest to god, I've had it about an hour now, and I can't understand why I never had a phone like this before.

Oh, and PS? I wrote all this on my mobile in the pub between rounds :P

I am patient number 01092383

Overdriven — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:59:58 GMT

Posting what I posted last week when I got back from A&E, is a insight to what I was thinkign when my mood was pretty down.. Just about how the week went etc.. People keep asking, so here it is...

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Hear my plea.

Those who know me know that I'm a pretty cruel person, know that I don't mind being ripped to shreads and then doing the same back at pretty bizarre times for the perfect or even inperfect reaction. People know I'm not a huge fan of other people, but I can tolerate them. People understand that my view on things in general has never been perfect and that I do say some pretty mean things when I want to.

People who know me will find this odd, and maybe will see a human side of me and personally, I see this as being one of the most hard-written blogs I've done, I'm already on the verge of tears and I'm not even two paragraphs in yet. Please don't expect perfect writing, perfect spelling or anything like that. I'm going to write some stuff which will probably kick off me crying and well, show I do have a human side in me somewhere.. Who knows, let us find out..

Seven Days Later...

Not many people I know have tried contacting me over the last week, since wednesday the 19th actually. Not many people know that on tuesday the 18th I was diagnosed with Anemia. Not many people I know know that for the weeks/months leading up to the diagnosis my energy levels were draining, I was becoming sadder and sadder and then I broke down.

On wednesday the 19th I threw up blood, twice. I collapsed mentally and physically, twice and I ended up in Staffordshire General Hospital... Once. Since Wednesday the 19th, I've had several pints of blood given to me, I've had countless amounts of blood tests, I've had several I.V. drips put in me and I've been taking approximately 20 pills a day (ranging from 60mg of steroids, to 1200mg doses of painkillers and anti-inflammitary drugs) On the 20th (the thursday) all I did was sleep and get tested on, having a tube put down my throat. Friday, I had the same issue, but I had a tube put up me, yes, in that place. I was sedated and don't remember a thing. On the weekend I slept and my appetite came back, so I ate. Alot, I liked it. I love toast again, weetabix too.

The Monday... I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, which was a nice blow to my attitude and general idea of life. I cried, I mean, I cried to my mother over the phone. Fuck, I still feel like crying now, something which is so managable making me feel like I do. So within 5 days, 5 days of watching cheap television, having near-no conversation apart from the 4 visitors and nurses I realised my luck had been pushed and I was really playing with my humanity (at least, what I though was) within half a week, I had been diagnosed with and told that I had two diseases, both of which are life lasting and will have an effect on everything, ranging from my moods to if I feel like eating tic-tacs on the day and, I've got to re-learn what I can and can not eat.

(Goodbye apples and smoking.. Neither my system like)

So, what so far? A small summarty for those who have no memory (like me so far)

- I'm Anemic.
- I have Crohn's Disease.
- I can no longer eat apples.
- I can no longer smoke.
- I have to re-train my body into eating and adapting to food.
- I'm now on a life time supply of pills (probably not, I'll find a way to get around them)
- I'm sad. I feel sad and I want to hug somebody and let me have a pathetic reason to cry. People cry when they break their toe, mine lasts longer and I'm expected to deal with it. I'd like something to kick me off.. Just somebody I know who won't judge, who'll let me do it, then kick me and rip me to shit afterwards... You know, because one life long issue isn't just enough, let us give Jason 2..

There are some things over the last week I've realised, which have kinda made me respect people I wouldn't of deemed respectable in some points, these people being the elderly, the sickly and NHS nurses and lower-level staff.

For the last week I've had countless nurses talking to me, telling me things will be okay, feeding me, taking me to the shower (no, not showering me. I can still clean body parts on my own) cleaning my bed and generally making sure I'm okay. I've had several elderly people offer to buy me things for no reason while sitting in bed when the cake women came around, and I've seen people so old (oldest I saw was born in 1926, didn't speak to them. They couldn't move or speak) that it made me feel pathetic and small. I've also been around people with health issues so bad that I've sat there curled up in a ball wishing they'd get better and that their pain would stop. (I also sat in a ball when I quite clearly heard a sentence, so cold, so dark and so scary it made me cringe... Said sentence was "Hi, I'm about to stick this tube into your bladder so you can pee", now, to people who don't know.. this bascially means as a bloke: "Hi, I'm going to stick this 15 inch tube in your penis so you can pee", sounds worse.. but the reaction of the person on my left made me curl into a ball and dribble. Ouch.)

Anyway, people who are older than me, iller than me and generally worse off than me, who are so kind and expect nothing in return really did hit me, it showed me that there ARE people out there who care and don't expect a "I give, you give" sort of thing. It's scary, damn.. These people really are real? I honestly hope every person like that gets better and they live (and love) the rest of their lives. I honestly do hope so... But I do hope the fucktarded wankers who don't care die, treating others like shite. (I spent the week being pretty quiet and to myself, watching and listening.. Just to get an idea of how hospitals and people were)

Back to the NHS staff..

Nurses aren't loved but they do their damn job. They're underpaid, yet they still seem to make it like you're the only person around. They have to deal with thousands of people every day, cleaning and feeding and giving pills. God bless them, really do. They deserve so much more than they're given.

All I can physically type.. Mood is too low and I'm too sad to carry on. I'm here, I'm alive and I've got countless pills to take.

Over and Out (Not for the last time ;))

O.D..

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Since then.. I've realised I can smoke and eatign certain foods is getting easier. Am coping with no major issues (Apart from the pill effects on my bones..) due to the amount of caffeine I've been taking. When I crash, black coffee.. It works.. Will keep updated.

Bones: Jonathan Kellerman

Ezteq — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:05:16 GMT

God knows hw many books there are in this series now but i have to say they are still going strong, all the old faces are there and the delightful doggy Blanch makes a welcome appearance too. This mysery is about the discovery of bodies in a protected area of marsh land , they have all been mutiliated in that their left hands have been cut off and its up to detective milo sturgis and Dr alex to work out who did it and why...and will they be in time to stop them!

delving in to the seedy tacky areas of beverly hills this book is a great read bt if your gonna read it read the rest of the series first, as with many of these long running detective series' the books become more about the characters than the story line although the plot here is rather good it really isn't the strongest point, its the whole thing of revisiting old friends which makes serial books so enjoyable to me.

Sanctuary: Nora Roberts

Ezteq — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:00:09 GMT

not a bad read, a bit of a who dunnit (or who's gonna do it) about an emotionally dysfunctional family and how the repercussions of the mother walking out on them years ago has effected their lives, set on an idillic island in southern america with likable characters and some amusing dialogue this is definately chick-lit, although i have to say even i (yes pervy old me) got a bit bored of the "steamy" sex scenes and skipped through most of them, theres only so many heaving boosoms you can read about before it all becomes a bit passe.

anyway it wasn't a bad book and i'd recommend it for cuddling up with on these cold winter evenings....if you get too board of it you could use it for a draft excluder.

Things are getting better.

Kryten — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 21:54:30 GMT

Well, life appears to be improving somewhat rapidly. As odd as it sounds, the bankruptcy has made life so much better within a couple of weeks - we've only been hassled again by one creditor, but even then I took immense joy in phoning them up and declaring I was bankrupt. They still demanded that I made a payment to them, but after swiftly and sternly telling them that they've had my BR details and any further demands for payment or contact that didn't go through the court will result in them being sued under the Administration of Justice act with further action taken from the Financial Ombudsman service :D 3 days later, I've a grovelling apology on the doormat :D

But, less specifically a weight has been lifted from our shoulders. We still feel a responsibility for getting into this state in the first place but knowing our son will grow up debt free (until he hits 18 no doubt) gives us peace of mind we'd not otherwise find. Despite the BR, we've got a new bank account open, I've got a new car and we're all looking forward to Christmas, our first one as a little family of our own.

Baby James is doing startlingly well, just over 3 months old and has already started teething. His laughter and smile brings tears to my eyes sometimes, he's an absolutely amazing little man and has a great ability to cheer me up just with a single cheeky grin. He's had the last of his immunisations, and we're looking to put him on semi-solid foods at some point soon, despite god knows how many paper-pushing nurses saying otherwise. It grates on me to think that all this mollycoddling is the cause for half the illnesses and allergies in the first place, and the healthiest children are those brought up in the country, surrounded by dust, dirt, horse poo and various animals, and eating a combination of all the above. Those that are brought up in sterile environments, drinking sterilised milk from sterilised cups in pet free homes, being instructed to feed them certain amounts of certain foods only at certain ages, keeping everything sterile and clean up until they're able to de-clean everything themselves. It's no wonder humans don't have an immune system to speak of any more - it's all done for us. Other people are our immune system. It'd not surprise me to think that in 100 years time, we'd all be as susceptible to disease and viral attacks as AIDS sufferers, purely as the evolution of city/town dwelling folks will phase out our own immune systems.

Ah well, something positive has already turned into me having a moan! Many people have picked up on me having a good ol' whinge now and then, and the only thing I have to say to that is tough! I'm one of the original FH Grumpy Old Men and that's not likely to change :) I like putting the world to rights. I should be a politician or something :D

My Balls Work

Whipped — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 17:32:05 GMT

Haven't posted on my blog here for a while ... in fact, I haven't posted on Freddy's for quite a while either :(

Anyhoo, this is a good news post. Some time around the 22nd of April 2009, my baby Daughter will be climbing out of the missus and announcing her presence to the world :)

We've just started sorting our the spare room as a nursery this weekend and have been reading lots of baby books. It appears the first year will be spent cataloguing the different colours and consistences of her Poo ;)

I seriously have not got a clue how any of this works, but I guess that's the same for most people. All I can do is try my best and make sure she becomes a professional gamer ;)

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the big day

Jimmy — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:02:11 GMT

well todays the big day less that 4 1/2 hours i shall be a married man.

shocking really when only a year ago i didnt have want to get married but now the days here i cant wait.
worst part of it is spending last night away from carrie (doing the old not seeing each other the night before).

well best start to get ready.....

*picks up the rum*

The case-book of Sherlock Holmes: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Ezteq — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:53:30 GMT

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will like this book as it is rather different from the others, there are two stories narrated by Holmes himself and one that is narated in the third person, but for the rest good old Watson resumes his usual post (and jolly good it is too).

There are a couple of more bloodthirsty stories in this book than in previous Holmes series, even so they are still more about the actual solving of the mystery or crime than the gorey details themselves (something which is lacking in many modern stories), some of the language used to describe the appearance of certain characters is rather erm...quaint shall we say but you have to remember these stories were written a centuary ago when attitudes were different and not get offended by them.

the familiar wry humour is present and there seems to be a slightly more jovial aspect to sir ACD's writing than in previous works, we also get a chance to see what Holmes' life style is like after he retires to sussex in the mystery of the lions maine.

Anyway if you want a flipping good detective story and to glimpse in to the Victorian streets of London you simply can not get any better than these, if you want sex, swearing, intimate details of murder and torture then you will be disappionted.

Back at the Helm...

Milkshake — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:54:37 GMT

Wow,

So an old lecturer got in touch with me about a website I'd done as a dissertation topic back when I was at Uni (ok, so just over a year ago, but it feels like forever).

He said that the site was recieving a substantial number of hits, and that would I like to update it?

I jumped at the chance! It really fucked me off that I lost control of the site - especially in that it had my name written all over it, and the e-mail address was invalid. It was a piece of work I was really proud of. (For those that are interested, it was a site teaching people how to create GUIs in Java Swing and you can find it here - The Guidebook - Swing Tutorials )

So, anyhoo, I have a look at the site. The code is bloody awful (haha, I was such a newb), but it's stable as hell and it's getting over 3000 hits a month! :D

Having fun trawling through it, and looking at all the stuff - and it's awesome :)

I can't believe how much I have progressed in my first year of work. I do hope I can continue as well as I do :)

Just witnessed a serious assault

Kryten — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:17:59 GMT

Horrible :/

I say assault, it's horrible enough that it could be murder very soon.

3 moronic kids, 15 - 17 years of age, wandering on the other side of the road from us. Bloke pulls over in his car and has a go at the ringleader, who's obviously just walked into the road in front of him as they so often do around here.
As soon as they get into a bit slightly back from the road, there's a blow -punch, kick, stab, something. The driver goes down.
This chap is not small - my height, similar build. And he fell backwards, straight - head, tarmac.

Out cold, and I, along with the folks upstairs saw the whole ruddy thing. Just spent half an hour outside in the freezing cold giving statements and descriptions.

What drives idiots to do this - 1. acting like morons in the first place then 2. causing physical harm to someone when they're the only people in the wrong.

The disturbing things?
1. Watching the morons walk calmly away as if nothing happened, no running, not even hurrying. Just sauntered off with their bags from Bargain Booze.
2. Seeing one of the forensic officers shine a light on the part of the pavement where the chaps head hit. Blood. Shitloads of it. Silly amounts. Movie amounts.

Thankfully they've caught 2 of the 3 morons, but they're a slightly insignificance when you think about this poor bloke, his family and his friends. I hope to god he pulls through - watching him put on a spinal board, unconscious with heavy bleeding, having his heart restarted then sped off at a rate of knots in the ambulance isn't good.

These dickheads need stringing up. I can only be glad that I witnessed it happen and called 999 straight away. Emergency response ambulance and police were here within literally 30 seconds of the call too, so quick work from the services that could well save this chaps life.

Nation: Terry Pratchett

Ezteq — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:28:31 GMT

This is his latest book and is not set on the disc world...or this world but the world it is set on is very similar to this one (it's just not it). It's all about a boy who lives on an island with his nation and while he is taking the test to make him a man a tidal wave hits and wipes out pretty much everyone else he has ever known.

I'll not go in to the story line anymore than that because that would be to spoil things but I will say that this book is about the themes of re-examining familiar beliefs and practices in the face of great change (maybe something to do with pratchett being diagnosed with alzheimers....maybe not) and coming to terms with who you are and your own destiny...

this all sounds very dry and let me just assure you that the book is not dry (aside from some of the humour) it is a beautiful example of why this man is one of the most popular sci-fi fantasy writers ever and just goes to shoe that he is definately more than a one trick pony.

well done sir, yet again another splendid, original book!

Iceland!

TdC — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:37:54 GMT

'bout time I got around to posting some pics heh...

exploring around a waterfall en route to V�k...

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the waterfall itself...

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thingvallir pano. very impressive place. the gathering place of the chiefs to hear the law spoken, and one of the placed where you can actually see the rift between the euro and american continental plates (iirc)

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unsurfaced road 52. while you can't really tell from the pano, this road had us going up and down 15% climbs, and through some of the most desolate countryside I have ever experienced. it was awesome tbh, pretty bumpy and rough at times, but we did it in a 2WD Volkswagen Golf without any difficulties at all.

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more pics to follow when I can be arsed. have to see what my travel partner has as well

Pics of the street where I live

Yoni — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:04:15 GMT

below are just a couple of pics from the street on which I live

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Saturday and starting again

Yoni — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Woke early this morning.... cold has gotten a lot worse so I nip out to the chemist for disgusting lemon drink which seems to work quite well...

Deciding that we would shower then go out for a wander, Kris goes in first... about 5 minutes later I hear the sounds of "Laura... I think we have a problem"... It appears that there is no hot water and all the radiators have gone off...

With a cold and feeling very stinky my blood pressure startrf to rise a little... eventually I decided would go to the shop down stairs (posh shop so didnt really want to introduce myself as their neighbour with troll hair and a runny nose).. they advised me that the heating was broken and the tank had to be filled by hand... oh joy.. I rang the real estate person (scum of the earth) and sent a text to my NL HR representitive explaining the issue.. it is Saturday so no reply from the real estate..

Realising there is really nothing in my new home Kris and I go out eventually and get some household stuff... on the way back I noticed that the manequinn in the underwear shop next door had had her pants pulled half way down... obviously to pull in the Saturday shoppers.... I wonder if it will be pants up or down on Sunday..

Off to Amsterdam overnight as Kris goes home tomorrow.. booked in at a Citizen M hotel. I wonder if it will be ok and have more room than the Nite Nite in Birmingham...