I have a friend I met in 1974 when her late husband taught at the local school (she is just four years older than me). We met at the nearby lake when she and her two girls and Max and I were cooling off in the heat of summer.
They moved to Auckland many years ago and life has made many changes and she now lives on the North Shore. I discovered after Christmas that she has a problem with one leg below the knee. It started a few weeks prior to Christmas when she lost the feeling in this leg and had trouble walking.
In the New Year she was putting some shoes on and fell hurting her ankle and following this ended up in an Assessment Ward of North Shore Hospital. She was there for about ten days and, towards the end of her stay, was taken to Auckland City Hospital to see a specialist who had worked at the Mayo Clinic.
None of this did any good as she was discharged with the sole diagnosis that it is Neurological. The doctor discharging her said that she could well end up in a Rest Home and have to sell her house. I was horrified at this as, even if she did end up in a Rest Home, her husband would still be able to live in their house (as I did when Max went into care). She said this doctor was in his 70's and I think he should have retired a long time ago.
I phoned her this morning to see how she is doing and she said she is coping well. She has someone come in to help her wash (she is unable to get in the shower). She has a walking frame but is unable to get down the steps of their Town House or into their car. As she had a fall she is currently under the care of A.C.C.(Accident Compensation Commission) but at the end of February that will end and they will have to sort something out with the Hospital and she should be able to have modifications made to the house and get some more help. Luckily her husband is very good and does the cooking and looks after her.
She has always been a walker and we have had many walks together so this is really upsetting. You never know when life is going to throw a curved ball.
Some Doctors think they know everything. Before I was flown to0 Wellington for a PCI, ( Percutaneous cardiac intervention ) I was told, bluntly and rudely, " You chest pain is not cardiac" This was a European lady Dr. That night the male nurse doing obs told me the same . Is there anyone else who your friend can see? ACC help should go on for some time I would think, or hope. And she will not have to sell her house. Maybe that old Dr is a land agent too and wants the commission. Pity help him if he was in the same situation.
ReplyDeleteShe was a Radiographer so was not intimidated by him which is good. I have just spoken to her again (she had someone with her earlier). I gather the ankle is not too bad hence the short period of A.C.C. and she knows the house won't have to be sold. It sounds as though she will get more support coming up. Apparently, it all started very suddenly. Tonight she sounded very positive.
DeleteYe gods and little fishes. I hope they are at least scheduling more tests to discover the real cause.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness she has a helpful husband.
It is just as well we don't know what the future holds. Talking to her again tonight she sounded positive.
DeleteI'm glad your friend is sounding positive. I really hope things will turn out well for her. As you say, you never know what life is going to throw at you next. All the best, xx
ReplyDeleteThank you. She told me last night that it came on suddenly. She got up one morning and fell and realised she had lost the feeling in one leg. A couple of days before she had walked up Queen Street.
DeleteTerrible way to approach the end of life. i think the trajectory of the ball is curved, Susan, not the ball itself! A baseball pitcher throws a curve ball, a fast ball, a slider etc.
ReplyDeleteOh my, Sue, I am so sorry for your friend and I know that her pain distresses you. Keep in touch with her, make her laugh, and comfort her. Having a friend like you is good medicine.
ReplyDeleteI just wish I was close by.
DeleteSo sorry to eat about your friend. I am of an age where this sort of thing is very much a possibility. Himself, who is 79, is forever telling me to be careful not to fall. We both have dodgy knees and laugh at ourselves each morning as we shuffle into action!
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