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1. The Operation
Well where do I start, to be honest I have wanted to do this for the past 6 months or so, but I have never been in the right frame of mind to write it so here goes. I got diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease 4 years ago and to be honest it meant nothing to me, all I had was a twitch in my left hand. Over the next couple of years the tremor gradually got worse and started my leg off as well, my consultant Dr. Thistle in Glasgow recommended I had an operation which would sort out my tremor, seeing as that was the only symptons I had. An appointment was made to see Mr. Partick in Glasgow Southern General Hospital, with hindsight I shouldn't have went to see him myself, but this I did, it was about three years ago.
That meeting brought home to me what Parkinson's entailed, and what the future held for me, Mr. Partick told me what it was all about, and to be honest I had just closed the whole episode off in my mind and put into some cupboard in ma heid, to be forgotten about, I wouldn't tell anybody what was wrong with me, I didn't want anyone to know, why ? I haven't a bloody clue. My decision was easy enough, no way was I having the operation, you wouldn't do that to me in a month of Sundays, not a scooby of a chance.
Thanks, but no thanks Mr. Partick !! He did say that he didn't want a decision there and then, if I decided at a later date just let him know, he would be willing to perform it.
Well a year had passed and the worse I was getting, I couldn't actually hide what was wrong with me anymore. So on another visit to Dr. Thistle, (it was par of the course now that she would try to talk me into having the operation), on this occasion I went in and said to her I wanted the operation, the night before I was staying up at my sister n' laws, Karen, she has a few years nursing experience behind her, so I sat and told her my thoughts, she was very neutral with her opinion, but told me the point of view from a medical side, which helped a lot.
Back to Dr. Thistle, I don't think she could believe my sudden change of mind, but there it was, she said she would get in touch with Mr. Partick, my reply was that I would appreciate if I could write to him personally as he had been nice enough to leave the invitation open to me.
So home I went and wrote a letter to Mr. Partick, in his reply he made an appointment to go up and see him in Glasgow, but this time I was taking Jeff and Karen with me (my brother and sister n' law), this time I meant business, my mind was made up, the proverbial in with both feet. Mr. Partick mainly pointed out, that I should really think about what I would do if it didn't work, and I was paralysed down the one side. now this I hadn't thought about, what do you mean ? It might not work ? I knew the 75% chance of success but that goes with any operation, I did ask him if I would have to have my head shaved, an in joke for anyone that knows me, but I was being serious, also what size was the hole ? Am I awake when they drill the hole ? God my mind was running riot. If only I could talk to someone who had had the operation, to put my mind at ease, but there wasn't anybody, which is why I'm writing this, to try and hopefully help anyone out there with a chance of the op !
Well that's one helluvan introduction, I do tend to blabber on at times and maybe stray off of the subject sometimes, for this I apologise, so on with the story.....................................
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