A few days ago I had an unexpected phone call from the blummin Council. It took me totally by surprise and, for a moment, made me wonder if I had completely glossed over some health matters.
The Council Officer asked if I needed any help with shopping, attending medical appointments and so on.
Naturally I was curious and asked why they were asking me such a question.
“We have heard from the NHS that you are on the ‘extremely vulnerable’ list. This means you can ask for some extra help while you are shielding yourself”
“What do you mean by shielding? What am I meant to be doing?”
“Well you’re meant to be staying in for 12 weeks, not even going to the shops. We can bring food parcels if you need them”
I wondered whether I could confess to having been for a bike ride to Luton earlier that day and was about to get my running shoes on to head out.
The Council Officer went onto say she didn’t have any of my medical details, it was just that my name was on the list provided by the NHS. The Council were organising food parcels and the like.
I thanked them for their concern, said we were able to care for ourselves alright and left it there.
So I called the Doctors
The Doctor’s receptionist is, I think, starting to recognise my voice or at least my name. I explained the phone call and queried whether I really was an extremely vulnerable patient. Jane the nurse called back later on, saying she had looked at my records and wasn’t sure, so she had consulted a Doctor.
The answer was no, as I am well managed, so no need to worry unless my consultant says otherwise.
Then my telephone appointment with the hospital
Luckily the timing was working, since I was due to have my regular appointment with the kidney specialist yesterday. The appointment took place by telephone yesterday morning and, after the usual pleasantries, I asked if I was particularly vulnerable.
The answer was no, I wasn’t. However if I were to get COVID-19 it could be more complicated. So that was easily resolved and much to my relief.
Other really nice kidney stuff
I always look forward to my kidney chat, to find out how I’m getting on. I had recently had the creepy experience of attending the hospital to give some blood samples, so this was a refreshing change in having the chat at the dining room table instead of the hospital.
The upshot is everything is stable. The all important eGFR and creatinine measurements are stable. Other associated things such as liver function, full blood count, calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid and so on are all stable.
We discussed the discomfort I get around my kidneys from time to time. They are prescribing me some antibiotics for me to keep handy for when I think it is needed; seems a pragmatic measure.
We also chatted about the fatigue I experience. Well this just seems to go along with reduced kidney function and that’s the way it is. Nevertheless there was such a positive endorsement about keeping fit with running and so on. I remember he remarked on the small percentage of 58 year olds who go running in the first place and how the “use it or lose it” mantra applies very much. He said that if I were to stop, I would deteriorate in terms of my energy levels.
So, all in all, a very positive consultation. Having been seen every two months for the last two years, they will see me again in four months as things are nicely stable. I liked hearing that!