For quite a long period of time I have been suffering from increasingly painful feet. My GP referred me to a foot specialist. In turn he promptly passed me on to a podiatric surgeon. The interview was brief. Basically I required surgery, however, due to the fact that I live alone and was unable to arrange after care, I was refused surgery. There was an offer of cortisone injections. A stop gap really. My GP and a senior consultant within the gender clinic where both unhappy with this outcome. Both agreed my hill walking was beneficial to me. Exactly what occurred I am unsure of. One thing I do know was that words where exchanged. The upshot of all this has seen me with another appointment with a surgeon for a second opinion. He was excellent, explaining exactly what was wrong with my feet and what corrective surgery entailed. Basically, I have arthritis in both feet. On one foot the bones around the big toe are totally fused. The other foot is heading the same way.Corrective surgery means some of the bone removed, plates and screws fitted and so forth. The surgeon is prepared to operate, on the proviso that someone collects me from the hospital. Fine, yes that is a problem but I shall try and sort something out.
There is one fly in the ointment, recently I have developed a tremor. There is a chance, according to the surgeon, it is the early stages of Parkinson's disease.Now I have to have to that checked out before surgery. That does worry me.
Addendum to the above.
While away last week I lost a filling in my tooth and the tooth itself has broken down to the gum. Om my return I promptly registered with a dental surgery. Forms duly filled in, the receptionist asked if it was an emergency? Well, yes, I am in pain and need it sorted. The receptionist shuffled some papers and then told me I could have an appointment in a week's time and it would cost me two hundred and forty pounds. Somewhat taken aback, I pointed out to her, that, as I had stated on the registration form, I am unemployed, registered disabled and receiving sickness benefit as well as a disability living allowance. Apparently none of that qualifies me for free dental treatment, odd?? Now I have had to complete a whole series of forms, send it of and wait for somewhere in the region of three weeks before I may receive treatment. Note, may receive, no guarantee on that! In the meantime I am living on a diet of paracetamol and codeine tablets. Probably overdosing on them, the boxes say not to be taken longer than three days???
What has happened to our national health service? It would seem that people come second to money, paperwork and quotas. It grieves me in some ways to see the way this country is heading. 'No money, living on a low income, sorry, you are only a second class person!' There is a two class system in this country, those who have and those who have not. Slowly but surely there grows a deep social divide and it beggars the question as to how far it may go?
The saga of my feet also continues. Yet again I am informed, by my GP this time, that surgery may not go ahead. Once more this is due to the fact I live on my own. For crying out loud, I could not fit another person in to my flat, even if I wanted to. Nine foot by eleven, three metres by four in new money. At least I am lined up for neurological tests for Parkinsons. From what I have been told that should happen somewhere in the region of three months.
