I am going to be missing for a few days. Briefly, I have been having some problems with my eyes recently. Last week I went to the hospital in XiAn where I was told that I have cataracts and need an operation. Circumstances make it difficult to return to England for this (partly because the hospitals are full of COVID patients, partly because if I go I can't come back and partly because even in normal times they have long waiting lists for appointments and it could be a year before I get it done.) Therefore I will be having it done here, possible this week. I'm not looking forward to it but I am assured it's a quick, simple, common procedure. So, if they schedule it this week, I will be gone until it's done and I'm recovered and back in my apartment. See (hopefully more clearly) you all later.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
Other than requiring reading glasses, you'll be pleased with the results. I've had both of my eyes done. My right eye was done long ago when such surgery was very new, and done by a superb opthalmologist who put my badly damaged eye back to work.
Originally posted by Kalleh: Yes, I am told it is quite easy and people are all so happy once they do it.
We'll miss you, though.
Typing awkwardly with one finger and one eye I can say that was one of the least pleasant experiences of my life. Won’t know till the dressing comes of tomorrow how successful it was
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
I'm quite surprised that I I'm the only one that finds it unpleasant people poking needles into the corners of their eyes, cutting off their eyelashes and then telling you to relax while an extremely bright light shines into your eye while they perform surgery that's not painful but is uncomfortable. On the whole I can think of about a zillion things that are more pleasant.
Anyway, here's a situation update
I have been away from my apartment (and computer) because I have been having a cataract operation on my right eye - left eye still to come. The operation has been a success and I had intended to return to school very soon. There is always a but. But in doing my eye the tests beforehand have revealed high blood pressure and a possible heart problem. Nothing too serious I think but it might mean a further delay in returning to school. So, I have been back to my apartment picked up my computer and will now at least be online while I am killing time in Xian.
I hope you all appreciate the thirty quid in taxi fare the round trip cost me.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
The situation is now this. My company will no longer allow me to work. This worries me because the information AS IT WAS TRANSLATED at the hospital was simple high blood pressure and a potential heart problem. That's not consistent with the actions of the company who are treating me as if I am likely to drop dead at any moment. I have requested a new visit to the hospital with a proper translator. I can't make decisions about my health if I don't have a complete and accurate translation of the doctor's words.
The situation appears to be that they will bring my eye operation forward to the next couple of weeks, then have a couple of weeks to recover but then I will have to leave China. This is way more sudden than I would like and leaves me in the tricky situation of literally being homeless in England. For the nurse(s) among you my blood pressure is 157/74 and I am now taking medication for it but it's not helped by the worry and stress from being drip-fed inaccurate translations.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
Oh, gosh, I am so sorry, Bob. That 157/74 is high but the diastolic is normal - and that's the more important number. Perhaps you were nervous? That can raise the systolic number. They should be doing multiple measures. Why the comment about a "potential" heart problem? Any clue there? And why the decision that you must leave China? Geez. Please keep us informed.
I insisted on visiting the heart doctor again but with a better translator. This time things went rather differently.
The doctor explained that I have a slightly enlarged heart which is contributing to the blood pressure and also causing some shortness of breath that I have been experiencing. She explained what the medication is and what it does and gave advice on diet (starting, as was inevitable, with "You MUST lose weight.") She also asked about my teaching schedule and said that if I modify my diet, do some gentle exercise and keep taking the medication there is no reason at all that I shouldn't work. Neither the doctor nor I could understand how the ECG in my annual medical has completely failed to notice a problem that she said I must have had for at least five years. The medication has already brought my BP down to 110/80 (I find that to be a bit more dramatic than its easy to believe in such a short time but that's what she said.) So a lot of the problem was down to - to quote Cool Hand Luke - "what we have here is a failure to communicate". The doctor also wants me to onitor my own blood pressure and visit the hospital once a month to check on things.
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
It only shows the importance of a good translator in medicine. We often see people who "think" they can translate trying to do so, and it just doesn't work.
