Flying blind.

I have had the oddest week or two.

I've had a bit history lately of sudden blackouts.

After waiting four months for a Neurology appointment, See Here my Bear and I attended.

I was as expected, prodded, poked and push this, pull that, the works. Then the chap that examined me noted I had trouble fastening my shirt buttons using my right hand. "Y'know" he said "I think you can use that right hand, but for some reason you don't want to"

Note this blog's title.

"I need to talk to your wife". S'ok.

He did, then suggested "I think there maybe some Neuropsychological why you can't use that hand", and asked me whether I had a mental health history. Nope. "Well, you are the first one I've said that to who's not objected" He explained "I need to talk to my consultant". You're not a consultant? "No"

Came back with 'his' consultant who asked all the same mental health questions. Lots of explanations about how some people suffer from hidden childhood trauma who are desperate for a better quality of life who beg for help. I, apparently, have shown little impetuous to reveal any 'hidden' trauma, therefore he wouldn't refer me for that. I said. Hidden? He said "Yes"

Psychobabble.

Have you, I asked, checked my records? "Records?" Yes. I was hospitalised here and was treated, had a number of scans and ultrasound here and at another hospital and by my GP for years for strokes and small strokes, and it's causes. "We have no records"

Soooo. I've dug through my records, phoned back (well, Anne did) discovered they had the correct name and patient number, a phone number as our number which has nothing to do with us, but in 2001 it stopped. Which means they had a record. It's just that after 2001 they went missing.

There's only so much I can say here, but I found I was referred to a trainee, and the wrong consultant, and a department that hasn't dealt with TIA's for many years. More, I've discovered that most of my medical records are at my Gp's and at another hospital.

These guys were flying blind.


Catchya x


I've had a letter and confirmation phone call asking me to go  for a MRI head scan in three weeks time. Very pleased. I've never had an MRI. CT scans and Ultrasound but not that. So that's progress.

I also discovered they totally reorganised stroke care in 2009 and in 2012 in my city - two totally different schemes. But only for those who are admitted for critical care, not for those with TIA's. The new standard only applies to those admitted to hospital.

I'll comment on that as and when I can get further information. But I'll say this, 'NHS Choices' seems to be a misnomer.