Still in limbo :-(

[Grumbletum]

Not really a rant - well, OK, maybe a little mini rant.
Been having symptoms since Sept 2010, bowel problem identified by ultrasound in Dec. Today I had my appointment at the surgical clinic. The doc asked me about my symptoms, went through my notes and blood test results ( nothing there ) and had a feel of my tummy.
Says the ultrasound shows some thickening of the bowel and that I need to have either a CT scan or a barium swallow to pinpoint the cause. Said possibly adhesions from an op I had to remove an ovarian cyst or maybe inflammation. That means a little trip to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis and the hospital there - not sure how long I'll have to wait for the appointment. Advised me to take painkillers. So at least things are moving in the right direction.
This is the bit that got me though. He asked me to pop up on the bed, but before he came over to look at my tum, he got on to his computer which i had a clear view of. And he was googling 'Crohn's Disease'!! Or maybe an NHS site to access info on it. I was a wee bit gobsmacked. Just kind of surprised that a surgical consultant would have to Google a disease and it didn't exactly inspire me with confidence. Or am I being a bit unfair?

 

[Rebecca85]

I can see why it wouldn't fill you with confidence, but judging from your location and the fact you will have to travel to get a CT scan, I'm guessing he hasn't seen many cases of IBD. So he may have been refreshing his memory, or maybe checking a specific fact. I mean, at my hospital the surgical guys are more interested in the mechanics of cutting you open and what bit to remove than what's actually wrong with you! Once it was determined I had Crohn's and they weren't going to have to remove anything like appendix or gallbladder, the surgeons lost interest!

 

[Grumbletum]

Yes, Rebecca, I think you're right - our islands are tiny, really. Having read some of the stories on the forum of the long, long journies some people have had to diagnosis, I think I'm doing pretty well to be getting these tests relatively early on in my 'trip'.

 

[Rebecca85]

Yes, when I was being diagnosed it annoyed me how long they took, then I saw people's stories on here and mine was nothing in comparison! I was 'lucky' in that I was admitted to hospital with suspected appendicitis, then they changed their mind to gallbladder, so got a few tests rushed through as an inpatient.

Let's hope you don't have to wait too long for yours!