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hilldweller

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I hope you like my new avatar, it more accurately reflects my engineering background and my physical appearance than a 64 year old photograph. :)

HD

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I did quite like your old avatar HD.
When you have never met someone in person but frequently communicate on the Internet you sort of imagine someone as being like the character in their avatar, so I sort of imagined you as young boy (even though you are older than me).
Likewise I used to imagine Bayleaf as being a grumpy old Victor Meldrew character so I was quite pleased when he metamorphasised into a young David Bailey which was a big improvement.
Anyway, your new avatar, as you say, does represent your engineering past. BUT, - isn't the divided callipers also a symbol of some masonic secret society?

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I

Anyway, your new avatar, as you say, does represent your engineering past. BUT, - isn't the divided callipers also a symbol of some masonic secret society?

If you examine the thumbnail picture hard enough you can make out that one leg is pointed, but the end of the other leg curves round in an arc with a radius instead of a point.

In other words they are "ODDLEGS", otherwise known officially as "Hermaphrodite Dividers". They are used in marking out lines a set distance from a return edge or finding the centre of the end of a cylinder.

Can you imagine the scene in a fitter's shop somewhere down the East End ? "Alf, can I have a borrow of your hermaphrodite divided callipers", "some ^&%$* has nicked mine". lol

My legs are certainly odd, my right leg has scars like zip fasteners down each side of my ankle where they inserted a selection of bits from B & Q's fixings section after an accident.

My left leg looks like a scene from a horror movie. I was born with Primary Lymphoedema in my left leg and an experimental attempt to de-bulk it in the late seventies left it looking a right mess. It's thin where it should be fat and fat where it should be thin and the skin looks like it belongs to something that crawled out of the Black Lagoon. I have to take continuous anti-biotics to keep it under control.

Some years ago I had a spot of bother with officialdom, but my consultant had graphic colour photos taken and sent them off to them. That soon "Settled Their Hash" to use a good old Sheffield phrase. I hope that the person opening the envelope hadn't had a big breakfast. :rolleyes:

HD

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Hi HD, my first observation is: should you really be dwelling on a hill? Your graphic description of your lower limbs is somewhat familiar, I give a Lymphoedema massage to one of the residents where I work. Her legs are like a cross section of the Grand Canyon. I can appreciate your choice of avatar - 'odd legs' yes - but nowhere near as odd as yours.

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With my extremely limited walking ability it wouldn't matter if I lived on a hill or not although the immediate terrain is reasonably flat hereabouts.

The Grand Canyon description is very apt.

When they did my op they sliced off the skin in vertical strips about 1.5 inches wide. After they'd remove the flesh (sorry for being so graphic :huh: ), they replaced the skin on the muscle wall.

When it began to heal scar tissue set in on the vertical edges. Because I had to have pressure bandages keeping it in place, it forced the scar tissue into vertical canyons which closed up and trapped all manner of nasties inside.

These are the main reason why I get the nasty infections. Over the years some of the canyons have broken down and healed over leaving smooth skin. Nowadays I use pressure stockings instead of bandages, they are tailor-made by gnomes in the Black Forest or so my nurse tells me.

My main problem is the build up of what I think is called Keratin from hair follicles which have malfunctioned. This provides a breeding ground for nasties to grow underneath.

Coupled with a previous history of DVT's in the leg, it means that I have to be very careful not to knock it.

Glad to hear that lymphatic massage is available in Tasmania, here in Sheffield it's a DIY procedure.

HD

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I'm coming over on June 15th, do you want to book me in for a complimentary massage? :)

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I'm coming over on June 15th, do you want to book me in for a complimentary massage? :)

That's a very kind offer but experience has taught me that leaving the damn thing alone is the best course of (in)action.

The German-made super strong support stockings do a very good job, (thank-you Gnomes).

If it starts to move into world domination mode I usually rest it up for a couple of days.

I've had it so long now that I just ignore it and get on with life.

I hope you have a good flight in June and are not too disappointed with all the changes in Sheffield. I don't recognise half the vistas when I venture down the town.

HD

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Went to bed last Friday night, happy as Larry and fit as a butcher's dog.

Woke up Saturday morning at 05.30 hrs feeling extremely sick. Made it to the bathroom in time but virtually collapsed on the floor.

Left leg was a very unpleasant dark maroon colour.

After one very bumpy ambulance ride I find myself in A & E at the Northern General.

I tell them that I'm normally sorted by the OPATS team at the RHH and within 30 minutes the smiling face of my favourite OPATS nurse appears at the door.

The OPATS service provide out-patient intravenous drip therapy either at the RHH or in a patients home and it means that they don't have to stay in hospital.

She takes my bloods and gives me a shot of Redex via a drip. A quick trip to the Doppler Scan machine to make sure that I haven't got any DVT's and I'm trundled down to a waiting taxi home.

A quick trip by provided taxi down to the OPATS team each morning for three days of quick drips and a nice coffee, and the team doctor tells me that I'm well enough to stay home on a course of oral antibiotic.

I go back next week for a check up, but meanwhile if I feel anxious about any aspect, a quick phone call to them and a taxi will whisk me back down the hill to them.

This must be a great cost saving over a stay as an in-patient and obviously to me a great advantage.

The OPATS team seem to be a lot more busy nowadays and I just hope the service can be expanded to all those who could take advantage of it.

I'm now feeling much better and my leg is several shades lighter on the Dulux colour chart.

Well done the NHS.

HD

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