…MR STICKYFINGERS (sort of) BOWS OUT FOR A WHILE…

[Mr Stickyfingers]

Congratulations on a beautiful garden Mr S. Again, from experience, I know how much work goes into keeping it looking like that. How do you find the time when Big Brother is on . The perfection in your Photoshopping shows in your gardens too.

...oh wow!... thanks tedfthis... haha!... I am quite anal when it comes to both of these... I am as meticulous as I can be when it comes to them looking good in the final result... when Big Brother is on it is quite a juggling act indeed lol!... but it sure is a lot of fun...

What are those Koi Carp like, battered and with chips .

...... that is sooooooo funny!...

Sorry, Mr S, my mistake, I should have mentioned that the knee ops were in 2011.

...I thought that it was either last year or some years before... (my Sherlock Holmes side of me figured it out lol!)...

Yes, we were £10 Poms too. I've met lots of people over the years who would have gladly paid £10 to send me back . Pretty good value and the 2 boys got a log book each, signed by the captain of the BOAC jet, with the air miles on it. I was eager to get out here quickly, with 2 small children, but in hindsight, a 6 week cruise would have been nice . We had a choice of New Zealand, Canada or Australia, I made the right choice.

...yes I'm so glad that mum and dad chose Australia... luckily they did otherwise I would never had met my sweet darling wonderful soul mate that married me!...

Bummer, its really annoying when supposed professional people can't get their acts together. They don't comprehend the stress of waiting and not knowing in the first place and also a mans want of independence and to be able to drive himself around. Then they can't get all the records in one place, EVEN WITH COMPUTERS. I hope that the news when you do get it, is good news, Mr S and gives you more answers than questions. It sounds like NSW Health is the same basket case, that QLD Health is. I feel your pain and frustration, hang in there, they are supposed to know whats best for you. Monday today, so you might have more news now.

...as with my post above... it all worked out in the end thank God!... as if you don't have enough problems on your plate... that when they don't get your results before you visit them they actually wonder why that when they take your blood pressure it is soaring way too high! ...

...thanks for your posts tedfthis... I really do enjoy reading them my friend... cheers.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

That is awesome NEWS Mr Sticky!!!!!!!!!

You should and deserve to high five yourself xxxx

...yes it is good news... I am so happy that about the whole thing indeed...

...that is an absolutely fantabulous garden hooleydooley!!!!... I LOVE IT!... I love gardens like that... no wonder that you miss it so much... thanks for posting it... cheers

 

[Jam]

That is awesome NEWS Mr Sticky!!!!!!!!!

You should and deserve to high five yourself xxxx

That is GORGEOUS!!! How could you tear yourself away?

 

[tedfthis]

...I fully agree with that Trala and have been quite happy to obey that Law and the reasons for it... hence my patience with all of this up until now... anyone that drives regardless is an idiot in my opinion... anyhow... they told me... YES!!!!!!... on the proviso that I go to an Optometrist and have a field vision and peripheral vision test and fully pass it and have the Optometrist sign on the dotted line so that I could take that form to the Road Transit Authority... (or whatever it's called nowadays)... for them to clear me to drive again... they had both agreed that physically I had made the grade to be able to drive again pending the Optometrists report...

...when I went to the Optometrist I then went for a whole lot more tests... one of the tests was what truck drivers have to take all of the time... it involves having to put your head into an almost ball-shaped device that has one light glowing straight in front of you and you must stare at that only otherwise it fails you... you have a button in a hand held device that you have to click each time that a pinpoint light glows all around you... you have to keep clicking until about 100 clicks later... I accidentally clicked it on one occasion when I didn't mean to and told it to the Optometrist and he said that I'm allowed 1 mistake...

...well... I passed 100%!!!!!.. the RTA had just closed 10 minutes before the end of the test... he signed the form that I have to present to the RTA tomorrow and I get my license back!!!!!!... WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!... I am so happy!... I'm sooooo proud of myself because of the hard work that I have put into this... I feel like a million dollars... I really do... I've been giving myself mental 'high fives' all evening lol!...

...the main Physio Doctor that I saw today was my 'case Doctor'... (I guess she is called)... she is the first Doctor that saw me when I originally went into the Hawkesbury District Hospital at Windsor on the first day of this continuing up at Katoomba Hospital too... she was the Doctor that gave me hope in recovering 100% on day one because she saw that I had such grim determination to beat this... her words back then are what got me initially started in this journey... the look on her face when she had seen how far I had come was so worth all of those grueling hours of exercise... I felt so proud of myself right there and then...

...they had the results of two of the tests that I had undergone... one of them was where they stuck a gizmo down my throat until it lined up alongside my heart to take readings... according to the results everything to do with my heart is working as it should be so my heart is not a problem at this point in time... the other one was the results of the scan of the veins on the back of my neck... there are no blockages whatsoever so they are working properly too... they still have to see the results of some other tests that I've taken so I don't know about those yet obviously... they told me that I will be having a number of other tests until they pinpoint what caused my stroke so I was happy to hear that... after all... I want to know what caused the bloody thing...

...well folks... that's it... I'm happy with myself... I'm proud of myself... I'll be driving again tomorrow onwards!!!... what a beautiful wonderful day it is today despite all of the torrential rain happening all day lololol!... (again... sorry for the marathon read peoples)... cheers.

Congratulations Mr S. I'm sure its your doggedness, stubbornness and hard work that got you to the stage where you're at so quickly. Wonderful news about being able to drive again. You have every reason to be pleased with yourself, as I said in an earlier post, rehab is all about what you put in and you have obviously done the all the hard yards, so kudos to you. I hope the remaining question gets answered (the why) and the journey is almost complete. An amazing recovery in such a short space of time. It can't not have inspired others on here, who are going through tough times, whether through health problems or something else. It makes an amazing difference when you have confidence in the doctors treating you. I remember from my own surgeries, within 5 minutes of talking to the surgeon I KNEW I would be OK. As long as they have the ability to ask the right questions and also come up with the right answers, thats a load off you mind. I had every confidence in him and he delivered in spades. Vroom vroom

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

Congratulations Mr S. I'm sure its your doggedness, stubbornness and hard work that got you to the stage where you're at so quickly. Wonderful news about being able to drive again. You have every reason to be pleased with yourself, as I said in an earlier post, rehab is all about what you put in and you have obviously done the all the hard yards, so kudos to you. I hope the remaining question gets answered (the why) and the journey is almost complete. An amazing recovery in such a short space of time. It can't not have inspired others on here, who are going through tough times, whether through health problems or something else. It makes an amazing difference when you have confidence in the doctors treating you. I remember from my own surgeries, within 5 minutes of talking to the surgeon I KNEW I would be OK. As long as they have the ability to ask the right questions and also come up with the right answers, thats a load off you mind. I had every confidence in him and he delivered in spades. Vroom vroom

...you are so right tedfthis... my case Doctor whose words first inspired me to go for it in my recovery sure knew how to inspire me and to stop me feeling sorry for myself... I guess that their experience of all the years of treating people with strokes or injuries really shines through at times like these... they must have an innate quality of being able to read peoples body language and voice patterns to sum up just how they are coping with it... I have nothing but praise for all of the Doctors/Nurses/Physios and whoever that have helped me through all of this rather traumatic journey at times for me... the quality of professionalism and care of me has been truly outstanding in my case... kudos to all people involved...I truly am so grateful to them all...

...yesterday morning at 10:00AM... (I couldn't get there quick enough lol!)... our son drove me over to the RTA... (or whatever it's called now)... whereby I handed in the approval form from my case Doctor and also the Optometrists report to enable me to get my license reinstated... it was approved!!!... (crowd roars and Sticky does a victory nudie run in the RTA in his feeble little mind)... the lady informs me that each year from now on... (about 6 weeks before yesterdays date)... that I will receive a form that needs to be filled out by my GP stating that I am still fit to be able to drive... so I do need to be consistent with my Cholesterol/Diabetes/blood pressure readings etc and not to stray back to my old ways of not keeping them under control as a couple of years back... this is the new me now so it won't be a problem at all as far as I'm concerned lol!... every 5 years I will have another form that has to be filled out to show that my Diabetes is under control too... (sigh!... more bloody forms... but I do accept the reasons for them to be filled out and am happy to do it)...

...I do have to say again that the look on my Physio Doctors face yesterday when she had seen just how far I had come was priceless!... it was so worth all of that hard work just to see that expression on her face... it was probably one of my most proudest moments in my life methinks!... Mrs Sticky was beaming with happiness too for me... a great moment indeed!...

...as I said in the post above... both my case Doctor and my Neurologist have stated that they are going to continue to pursue finding out precisely what did cause my stroke which is a relief to me I can tell you... not knowing is a very daunting experience indeed... there's nothing worse than if say... I get a dull headache... I'll be worrying that it's not the onset of something more serious... it's a natural feeling to happen because of not knowing... but they have stated that they won't let it rest until they do find out...

...anyhow... that's where I am at the moment... it's always good to read your posts tedfthis... thanks for posting... cheers.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

That is GORGEOUS!!! How could you tear yourself away?

...it does make you wonder doesn't it Jam?... hooleydooley have you managed to recreate another where you live now?... just curious lol!... cheers.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

...hey all... I had a really moving experience today... I had decided to go to the Hawkesbury Hospital at Windsor today with a box of chocolates for each of the 4 physio girls that first looked after me in the first 10 days of my stay at the Hospital before I went up to the Katoomba Rehab Hospital later...

...they made me promise to visit them when I had recovered enough to do so because they really wanted to see how I went with my recovery... (true to my word)... I did so... well when I walked in and asked a lady at the counter if any of them were there I heard one of them call out.... 'hey I know that voice... you came back as you said you would do!"... it was the head physio lady that runs the physio department... as I started to speak to her she led me to a room where the other 3 girls were...

...to say that the looks of astonishment on their faces were a pleasure to see would be the understatement of the year I can tell you lol!... they all gave me a hug and just stared in wonderment as to how well that I looked compared to the bashed-up down-and-out that they had seen 8 weeks earlier... I showed them how much flexibilty that I had in my left hand and they were stoked... they asked me to walk a few steps and walk back and were quite chuffed at how well I was walking... (they did point out that I still had a fair bit of recovery to go to get back to as good as I once was though lol!)... I told them that I had got my license to drive again a month earlier than normally would be the case and not one of them doubted why I did lol!...

...I handed them all a box of 'Lindt' chocolates each and they were as happy as hell lol!... they said to me that very few of their ex-patients bother to ever come back to say 'thankyou' because by the time they leave the other Hospitals at the other end they have had contact with so many Doctors/Nurses and Physios etc that them being at the beginning of the chain of events nobody worries about coming back to thank them!... they were really happy that I stuck to my word and came back so that they could see my progress...

...apparently they all had to go up to Kattoomba for a scheduled 3 month get together with all of the physios from the Hawkesbury and Nepean Hospitals to exchange each others methods and cases etc... they were looking forward to paying me an unexpected visit but I had left 2 days earlier... lol!... believe it or not but apparently I was one of those topics of conversation... (from what they told me)... they were using me as an example of how a patient could make a good recovery lol!...

...the physios up at Katoomba had told them of my grim determination in the gymnasium and of just how hard that I had pushed myself while there... they all said today that they could see for themselves how much effort that I had put into it... anyhow... I was there for about 10 minutes all up... it was great to be able to thank them all personally... they really were the ones to start me on my road to recovery and I will always be in debt to them for it...

...as was the feeling of self pride that I had when I saw my 'case' Doctors face on Monday I had that feeling 4 times over with these girls... it was such a good moment feeling like that... it will be a great memory indeed for me for quite a long time...

...anyhow that's today's update for now... what a great day... cheers.

 

[crimmy]

so wonderful to read about your progress Mr Stickyfingers - and its great that you went back to thank those who have helped you along the way.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

so wonderful to read about your progress Mr Stickyfingers - and its great that you went back to thank those who have helped you along the way.

...thankyou crimmy... it's so appreciated my friend... it's sad that they are always left out of the 'pats on the back' on most occasions isn't it?... but I wouldn't have felt right if I didn't follow through on the promise to go back... that just isn't me lol!... cheers.

 

[hooleydooley]

...yes it is good news... I am so happy that about the whole thing indeed...

...that is an absolutely fantabulous garden hooleydooley!!!!... I LOVE IT!... I love gardens like that... no wonder that you miss it so much... thanks for posting it... cheers

That is GORGEOUS!!! How could you tear yourself away?

mmmmmmm That is a Question, in that the answer has been regret from day one, for over the last 8 1/2years!

I have not been able to let go of THAT bad decision. We thought moving to the 'Country' with an added business, was a great decision.

It was not.

Anyways, no debbie downers!!! - It was an awesome garden and I pruned those roses (about 50) always in June and by the first week of November, I had the best Rose Buds, that I would hand select for the trimming of my Melbourne Cup Hat.

I smelt and looked special and won many a Hat Competition

 

[tedfthis]

...I do have to say again that the look on my Physio Doctors face yesterday when she had seen just how far I had come was priceless!... it was so worth all of that hard work just to see that expression on her face... it was probably one of my most proudest moments in my life methinks!... Mrs Sticky was beaming with happiness too for me... a great moment indeed!...

...as I said in the post above... both my case Doctor and my Neurologist have stated that they are going to continue to pursue finding out precisely what did cause my stroke which is a relief to me I can tell you... not knowing is a very daunting experience indeed... there's nothing worse than if say... I get a dull headache... I'll be worrying that it's not the onset of something more serious... it's a natural feeling to happen because of not knowing... but they have stated that they won't let it rest until they do find out...

Accept all the praise and bathe in it, Mr S.You did all the hard work associated with recovery and even though its an ongoing thing, you have broken the back of it. I really hope they can give you that last answer, the "why", because its nice to know. However, you may be one of the 3 in 10 who never find out, so in terms of the "big picture", the way you attacked and recovered from the problem and your ongoing good health, is really the most important thing.

It was 2 years before I finally got to speak to my surgeon after my ops. The follow up checks were always done by another doctor, I suppose surgeons are too busy for mundane follow up visits. However, on that 2nd anniversary, I saw the regular doctor that checked me out and he told me that everything was fine and that I didnt need any more checks, unless I had problems. I asked him to convey my gratitude to the surgeon on doing such a great job. He said "he is in the building, would you like to speak to him", I said yes please. Then I got the chance to shake his hand and thank him personally for doing such a great job on me. It must give them some pleasure too, to see the after effects of their work. Onward and upwards Mr S.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

mmmmmmm That is a Question, in that the answer has been regret from day one, for over the last 8 1/2years!

I have not been able to let go of THAT bad decision. We thought moving to the 'Country' with an added business, was a great decision.

It was not.

Anyways, no debbie downers!!! - It was an awesome garden and I pruned those roses (about 50) always in June and by the first week of November, I had the best Rose Buds, that I would hand select for the trimming of my Melbourne Cup Hat.

I smelt and looked special and won many a Hat Competition

...those roses sound awesome hooleydooley... did you ever make a new garden in where you now live?... just curious... cheers.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

Accept all the praise and bathe in it, Mr S.You did all the hard work associated with recovery and even though its an ongoing thing, you have broken the back of it. I really hope they can give you that last answer, the "why", because its nice to know. However, you may be one of the 3 in 10 who never find out, so in terms of the "big picture", the way you attacked and recovered from the problem and your ongoing good health, is really the most important thing.

It was 2 years before I finally got to speak to my surgeon after my ops. The follow up checks were always done by another doctor, I suppose surgeons are too busy for mundane follow up visits. However, on that 2nd anniversary, I saw the regular doctor that checked me out and he told me that everything was fine and that I didnt need any more checks, unless I had problems. I asked him to convey my gratitude to the surgeon on doing such a great job. He said "he is in the building, would you like to speak to him", I said yes please. Then I got the chance to shake his hand and thank him personally for doing such a great job on me. It must give them some pleasure too, to see the after effects of their work. Onward and upwards Mr S.

...thanks tedfthis... that really is a nice thing for you to be able to finally thank that Doctor after 2 years!!!!... that is awesome!!!!... then you know exactly how I felt going back and saying 'thankyou' personally... it's a great moment isn't it?..

...yeah the 'why it happened' thing does worry me as I said... it's almost as if I'm hoping that they find a problem with me so as to know for sure what it is... I am now so conscious of everything that I eat and drink now as opposed to just eating and drinking anything that I wished before... as I'm saying I'm exercising and walking around a fair amount now... even more so than before...

...I hate not knowing...it's like waiting for a phone call from someone to tell you whether you receive good news or bad news of something your dreading to hear... but I've got to not let this do my head in otherwise I'm going backwards as far as I'm concerned... I must not let it get to me...

...you're normally not allowed to drive for three months because apparently that is the period of time that you are most likely to have another stroke so I'm telling myself that after that time I shouldn't worry as much as I am now... I have around another 3 weeks to go until I am a tad bit more happy about it than I am now... I know that it is just a rough guide to go with but it's better than nothing I guess...

...my sweet darling wife and myself are going to our GP this afternoon for flu shots so I'm going to talk to her about all of this and see what she has in store for me now and in the near future so let's hope that we can find some answers eh?... anyhow tedfthis... thanks for all of the info about your experiences... it really is good to know what has happened to others in similar situations my friend... cheers.

 

[tedfthis]

Hello Mr S. I see that you are now past the three month time frame since you had your stroke. How is the driving going, how are things in general and did you ever get an answer to the Why question? I hope this finds you in better health. Thanks from me and I am sure that just by starting this thread, that you have helped many other people with your positive attitude, so hats off to you and continued good health.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

Hello Mr S. I see that you are now past the three month time frame since you had your stroke. How is the driving going, how are things in general and did you ever get an answer to the Why question? I hope this finds you in better health. Thanks from me and I am sure that just by starting this thread, that you have helped many other people with your positive attitude, so hats off to you and continued good health.

...hey tedfthis... how are you going my friend?... I am indeed doing well in driving around again... it's amazing just how much we all depend on having the ability to get from point 'A' to point 'B' without having to rely on the generosity of others to take you places trust me!...

...I seem to have plateaued out with the 'speedy recovery ' side of things... I am still doing the exercises that were given to me to do but I seem to have got to the ultimate place with those exercises... we're walking around the block every day whenever weather permits and I'm active out in the garden but I'm not due to go back to my Physio Doctor in charge of my case for about another 7 weeks so things seem to have come to a bit of a standstill in regards to more exercise etc... I'm not due to go back to my Neurologist for about another 2-3 months so I'm sort of in limbo at the moment...

...I have asked my GP as to whether I can have any other sort of tests to find out the cause of my stroke and she has told me that she is going to contact my Neurologist and will get back to me with it... she did say that I may have to have a camera shoved up a vein somewhere in my groin area... (Sticky winces at the sound of that)... and then running it up to my heart to take some happy snaps of the inside of my heart... (I really hate the thought of anything happening near the love spuds... hopefully it's not shoved in quite so close to them)... I can't recall what kind of operation that it's called but apparently you're awake for it and you can actually watch the TV monitor to see inside your own heart!... bloody incredible methinks!...

...my left hand has fully recovered and I am slowly getting my body strength back in my left arm and leg but it is such a slow progress and what with me being a tad bit impatient and not used to being so inactive at times I sometimes get annoyed with myself for being in this situation but what do you do?... I just keep soldering on and refuse to stop trying to improve my situation...

...I still do limp as I walk but I'm slowly reigning that in by trying to be more precise in movement as I walk... it is a lot more difficult than I thought that it would be... I'm a lot more fluent in my strides as I go than I was a month ago but I tire so quickly all the time... the Doctors said that my tiredness would stay with me for perhaps 6 months to a year... I have to agree with them to be honest...

...one strange thing though that is happening to me... since my brain started to learn how to move all of my paralysed left side weird things have happened... my left hand and foot are extremely sensitive to touch... my right side is like it always has been to touch... if I run my fingertips over a surface with my right hand it feels the way it always does but when I run my left fingertips over it I feel so much more... my left foot is the same... it's like my brain is overcompensating and is paying special attention to my left side lol!... it is as if my fingertips have been scrubbed with sandpaper and has made them extra sensitive... it is so weird... I wonder why that happens?... I also wonder if anyone else has experienced similar things like this happening to them... I would appreciate them telling me so...

...well... that's about all there is to update you all with at this moment in time... I'm so pleased to be where I am at this stage but I could still do so much better... I guess that I'm just going to have to stay patient and just keep refining those steps of mine as I walk... I'll keep you informed as to whether my GP sends me for more tests after she has contacted my Neurologist... I hate not knowing what caused my stroke... it really is an awful feeling to live with... hopefully that will change in the near future... thanks for asking tedfthis... it's much appreciated my friend... cheers.

 

[somebimbo]

...I have asked my GP as to whether I can have any other sort of tests to find out the cause of my stroke and she has told me that she is going to contact my Neurologist and will get back to me with it... she did say that I may have to have a camera shoved up a vein somewhere in my groin area... (Sticky winces at the sound of that)... and then running it up to my heart to take some happy snaps of the inside of my heart... (I really hate the thought of anything happening near the love spuds... hopefully it's not shoved in quite so close to them)... I can't recall what kind of operation that it's called but apparently you're awake for it and you can actually watch the TV monitor to see inside your own heart!... bloody incredible methinks!...

Thats an angiogram, you get a local anesthetic and the small cut is made on the bikini line into the femoral artery, your love spuds will be safe

the worst part is having to lay still for 8 hours after it! and I hope you like the person putting pressure on your cut for 30 mins after its done, small talk while someone has there hand there can be interesting. i was one of the un-lucky ones that bled after the op, but i was lucky that i was still in hospital at the time, albeit on the loo when it happened! it is rather weird/fascinating to see your insides in real time as they run the wire around.

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

Thats an angiogram, you get a local anesthetic and the small cut is made on the bikini line into the femoral artery, your love spuds will be safe

the worst part is having to lay still for 8 hours after it! and I hope you like the person putting pressure on your cut for 30 mins after its done, small talk while someone has there hand there can be interesting. i was one of the un-lucky ones that bled after the op, but i was lucky that i was still in hospital at the time, albeit on the loo when it happened! it is rather weird/fascinating to see your insides in real time as they run the wire around.

...holy moley somebimbo... 8 hours after?????... what the hell?????... I think that I had better take a crossword book or something lol!... thanks for telling me that I really do appreciate it... (and that's great news about my love spuds... they both just breathed a sigh of relief I swear lol!)... just one question... do you stay in Hospital overnight or can you go once they are sure that you are not going to bleed anymore?... again... thankyou for the information somebimbo... cheers.

 

[somebimbo]

yup i didn't know it prior either. they are cutting into a major artery and the 8 hours is meant to mend it, main arteries are under pressure so they take longer to heal. i did get a stay in hospital but generally after the 8 hours they discharge you with "call and ambulance if you have this"

 

[somebimbo]

i bled, so i got an overnight in hospital, an ultrasound on the artery (and the dude at the Alfred luvs boats!) but generaly 8 hours is enough if you don't bend etc

 

[Mr Stickyfingers]

yup i didn't know it prior either. they are cutting into a major artery and the 8 hours is meant to mend it, main arteries are under pressure so they take longer to heal. i did get a stay in hospital but generally after the 8 hours they discharge you with "call and ambulance if you have this"

i bled, so i got an overnight in hospital, an ultrasound on the artery (and the dude at the Alfred luvs boats!) but generaly 8 hours is enough if you don't bend etc

...oh okay... thanks for the heads up on all of this my friend... it's great to know these things in advance... I guess that it all makes sense really being that it is a main artery and all... I'm glad that it all worked out for you in the end somebimbo... again... thanks... cheers