Tag: osteoporosis

Significant and Normal

~ quantumdreamer ~ Leave a comment

Many people might wish to fit in and be “normal”. That is comply and not be the sore thumb of life. These may seek to blend with a peer group if they are not normal in the populace at large. Geeky McGeekface is more at home with others of similar persuasion and not comfortable being with the popular plastic fantastic.

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I will speculate that I am not within two standard deviations of the peak of the normal distribution of intellect. By this I am already slightly abnormal. It is not really significant because there are many way further out. They will have a higher IQ according to how these things are measured and be much better at conventional examinations than me. I am not normal but not significantly abnormal either.

On other metrics I may be more of an outlier or anomaly. It is not my ego or desire to be weird which is suggesting that, rather a detached observation. I don’t particularly want to be special or different, but I am or appear to be, a bit odd. Socially I am not a mixer and socio-politically I do not play the itchy back game so enamoured of by many. Because I am less easy to leverage by “what is in it for me” people may deem me less tractable to control and/or ready manipulation. I do not play “the” game. I am not one of “US”. I am not “good people”.

My bones have osteoporosis so they are among the 0.5% too thin for my age and sex. This is significant enough for the medics to want to medicate me in case I end up in A&E with another fracture.

What each of us finds significant depends upon our terms of reference and the world which we perceive and assimilate. Thousands watched “the Lionesses” on The Mall this afternoon. They are mostly normal in this respect. I watched a bit on TV. Does that make me normal?

Life circumstance has me/us where we are, living the way we do. Our impact on the outer world is minuscule because we do not interact overmuch. In the grand scheme of things human we are not significant. Though in the past we have both changed and facilitated many lives. Our life circumstance and health in particular, limits us. Because there is no fairy godmother our life circumstance is very unlikely to change and even it did, there is no dynamic reserve of time and energy to offer. To an extent we are spent.

Put me in a car on the M25 and I may not cope. I can no longer hack the outside world. A few glancing interactions perhaps and that is about it. Even if someone wanted it otherwise, it isn’t and cannot be. I have not been in a proper city for more than a week or so in the last six years and that for hospital / health reasons. I am a bumpkin these days…Life circumstance has me away from the crowd. It is better for me and probably for them too.

Here is an aphorism pertaining to the rule of the three pronged nagal from the Toltec Teachings by Théun Mares

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This is not a normal example or tract of text. The question might be, “is it significant?”.

As is so often the case, it depends upon context. It sounds grandiose and might fleetingly captivate the attention. To the vast majority of people it has no personal significance and at best might be a curiosity. People are concerned with Facebook, Insta and TikTok. This type of thing would be abnormal to them. It is not abnormal to me.

I think it fair and accurate to speculate that what is normal and significant for/to me is abnormal and insignificant for others.

Thus we are in the subjective. Normality and significance are not objective, people make {personal} judgments which may or may not be rational concerning these notions. At the moment its seems normal to bomb the fuck out of Gaza and starve the people. This is normal for some but abnormal, brutal and evil to my eyes. The Palestinian death toll is more significant on Al Jazeera, less so on the BBC.

So-called normality is not always a strong recommendation for being better. Significance can depend upon prejudices and alliance.

If I was a mosquito, I would be grossly insignificant, unless I were in your bedroom of a hot summer night, and a bit peckish. Then for a few hours I could be significant.

Significance has a temporal component. It was once normal to have slaves. Slavery was more significant for the slaves than for the masters. That normality is now shunned and people are asked to accept the significance of their past slave ownership. Nothing can undo the abuse and torture.  A few quid here and there, a public apology, does not change one single lash of the whip.

Being normal may not be all that it is cranked up to be!

Normality has a checkered past…

Who knows what is normal for you, right now, may in time be seen as a misguided travesty. But for the time being you have the comfort of your peer group to tell you, “We concur old chap” and that everything is just dandy.

I am not sure that anything normal has brought about progress, ever. In that sense being normal is largely insignificant.

Secondary Polycythaemia and Medical Buses

~ quantumdreamer ~ Leave a comment

When you wait for a bus isn’t it always the case…

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In the near future I again have a clustering of medical appointments. There are three the week after next. One of these is with an orthopaedic surgeon. Then later I get to see an anaesthetist and then the colonoscopy chimney sweep. After that it is prostate fun and games. Since it was a few years since my “chimney” was last cleaned, I anticipate a few polyps. Which will be excised and sent for biopsy.

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My Haemoglobin levels are at around 17.5 or higher.

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The blood results for HFE mutation have been sent to the GP and only they can give them to me. It is probably safe in my case to give them without narration. I won’t freak out. This is France and protocol is protocol. If negative {normal} then the consultant rheumatologist suggested JAK poly screening to explain the high haemoglobin, polycythaemia (erythrocytosis) results. If HFE mutation positive then I will be giving a pint a week of blood as haemochromatosis induction therapy. Because I have had cancer this blood will probably go down the drain, it is not good for vampires.

“Molecular genetic assays for the detection of the JAK2 V617F (c.1849G>T) and other pathogenetic mutations within JAK2 exon 12 and MPL exon 10 are part of the routine diagnostic workup for patients presenting with erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis or otherwise suspected to have a myeloproliferative neoplasm.”

The default diagnosis of secondary polycythaemia due to historical smoking, early stage hypoxia due to COPD and perhaps early adolescent altitude is the most likely. The JAK 2 screen is for some rare but serious stuff. Myeloproliferative neoplasm is not a nice phrase. It is a dot the Is and cross the Ts test. It needs a specialist prescription.

The blood results have not found a simple, normal, explanation for my osteoporosis.

The causes can be attributed to the Holy Trinty: Fat Fags and Booze. Although I am technically obese, I am also muscular, there is meat and lard. The GP may be able to shed some light on what is going on when they give me the HFE gene results. My calcium and phosphates are normal. They may suggest more tests, specifically liver, looking for fatty / alcoholic liver etc….

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I am not expecting things to be tied up or solved.

Sometimes it is just one of those things.

I guess the most important thing is that there will perhaps be clarity on the replacement hip situation. The if, where and when. Some decisions will need to me made, some preparation needed. There may be wood to chop and a gardener to secure for the time(s) when I am out of action.

Looks like a summer of fun!!!

Am I a Mutant?

~ quantumdreamer ~ Leave a comment

Tomorrow I am going to have genetic testing for hereditary haemochromatosis.

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“Haemochromatosis is caused by a faulty gene that can be passed on to a child by their parents.”

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“Predictive testing of individuals who have a family history of HH, in coordination with appropriate genetic counselling

This test detects the 2 common disease-causing variants in the HFE gene: C282Y (c.845G>A) and H63D (c.187C>G). The S65C variant will be reported only when it is observed as part of the C282Y/S65C genotype.”

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I have signed the form and given permission for any blood left over to be used for research purposes. I can’t undo the test nor unsee the results and if I am indeed a mutant there is a legal obligation for me to tell relatives in France. I can ask the GP to do this, if I want.

According to the NHS the disease is caused by a “faulty” gene, a bad pair of Levis. NHS speak is not always the most helpful and it is aimed low.

I will find out if I have the X-factor soon and if I can join the mutant army.

Because I have a proper nanna disease, osteoporosis, I am also having a whole bunch of other tests on my Thyroid function done.

Yesterday because we had mole sign, I set traps down by the edge of the pond. Today we went for a walk along a beach. Both of these are getting harder. In two weeks, I will find out if there is a possibility / likelihood of being able to have replacement hips. It is difficult to imagine what life might be like with some flexibility and reduced pain. There is no guarantee.

People selling hip surgery quote statistics like these:

“In general, the success rate for hip replacement surgery is high: About 95% of patients experience relief from hip pain. In one study, HSS interviewed patients to learn about their progress. Two years after their surgeries, 99.4% of patients said they had relief from pain, 98.8% said their ability to move was improved, and 97.8% said their quality of life was better because of their surgery.”

Because I am worth it…there is no big U for Unilever.

The Arthritis foundation says:

Pain Before and After Hip Surgery  

  • 90% – Of patients who had moderate pain before their first surgery reported mild or no pain after five years.  
  • 89% – Of patients with severe pain before their first surgery reported mild or no pain after five years.  

Limitations After Hip Surgery 

Some patients still have limitations after total hip surgery in activities like walking, climbing steps and getting in and out of a car. Seven percent of patients with moderate limitations and 20% with severe limitations before their first surgery still had severe limitations after five years. Among those having revision surgery, 13% who had moderate limitations and 30% with severe limitations reported severe limitations after five years – so 70% were doing well. 

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This is not such a rosy picture. I am on the younger end of the age spectrum despite officially qualifying as an “older person” now. This data is not age weighted. Given my level of medical comorbidities, I don’t have to worry about living another twenty years, so I will probably only need one set of joints. It clearly is not a universal holy grail or panacea for hip osteoarthritis.

In some sense I will have to place a bet. I will be betting that the surgery can happen, that it works and that I recover. I am betting that it will not kill me. My guess is that the second operation will be harder to handle and the likelihood of death during and afterwards higher. I am betting that I will feel better and more able, eventually, post-op. It will take a lot of time.

If I have HH I will probably be getting bled on a regular basis too.

It is possible that I may have some more fun to add to the medical merry-go-round pencilled in for summer. Colonoscopy, prostate PSA levels too high follow up {un toucher rectal} and French rheumatology are all in my diary upcoming. I need to have a full dental survey to rule out infection before I start on bisphosphonates for my brittle bones.

Blood tests often lead to more blood tests…maybe my Thyroid is shot too!

Hey-ho…

It would be a lot easier to take me out the back paddock and shoot me….