Earlier today, Mr D started complaining about lower back pain (excrutiating), so this evening, we went into the afterhours GP at Joondalup Hospital, who diagnosed kidney infection or stones and prescribed Cephalexin.  He took the first one at the pharmacy before we returned to Yanchep.  By the time we had returned to our house sit in Yanchep (30 minutes later), he was complaining of numbness and tingling of the gums.  Got home and he started coming out in whelts and rashes, as if something was biting him.

We rang the GP Hotline, who suggested we might try an anti histamine, (fortunately there was some Polaramine in the house), and they called an ambulance, who have now taken him back to Joondalup hospital for the night. (What a great way to start a house sit)

All a bit scary when you are alone in a strange place.  However, I can't comment enough, the attention that the person at the GP hotline gave us, and subsequently the paramedics from St Johns Ambulance.  I will update tomorrow when I know more, but I suspect he will be allowed home tomorrow.

Its a bit lonely here, I am the only one on the forum at the moment.

I'm sure all will be fine Lorraine .. wishing you both well !

So sorry to hear that, Lorraine; I know so well how that feels, but I agree with sufil, Joondalup is a great hospital (where our d-in-law was looked after). Hope Mr D is out and about today or tomorrow!

Andrea & John

Thanks all, Went into Joondalup this morning, they are running more tests for the kidney stones, but the reaction from the drug has been covered.  Also concerned about his lungs, so more test there as well.  Just as well I have a comfy house sit to keep me busy.

Thanks VT, agree, just as well it has happened here, and not in few months time when we are up north on the Gibb.  We are house sitting here till 7th March, so hope we get the clearance to move on by then, our next one is in Geraldton starting 16th March.

Best wishes from us too Lorraine, if it is kidney stones I know exactly how painful that can be so do not envy him.

I began suffering in Daintree Qld on our trip around the block.  Had bouts of excruciating pain then weeks of nothing.  Had it in Darwin then again in Broome where the culprit was spotted on a Cat Scan.  I couldn't get in to remove it until Bunbury, what a relief when it was gone.

Hopefully John will get a diagnosis & removal quickly.

As everyone else has said, it was just as well you were close to a hospital.

Hope it's sorted soon. Best wishes.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and wishes.  Hopeful that he will be out today. Spoke with him last night, he was comfortable in his air conditioned room, tv on, steak for dinner.  He faired better than I.

Confirmed three kidney stones, which they will allow to pass normally, also confirmed (what we had suspected for a while) that he has emphacemia, so they want to have that covered off before we leave the area.

Dunmowin wrote:

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Earlier today, Mr D started complaining about lower back pain (excrutiating), so this evening, we went into the afterhours GP at Joondalup Hospital, who diagnosed kidney infection or stones and prescribed Cephalexin.  He took the first one at the pharmacy before we returned to Yanchep.  By the time we had returned to our house sit in Yanchep (30 minutes later), he was complaining of numbness and tingling of the gums.  Got home and he started coming out in whelts and rashes, as if something was biting him.

We rang the GP Hotline, who suggested we might try an anti histamine, (fortunately there was some Polaramine in the house), and they called an ambulance, who have now taken him back to Joondalup hospital for the night. (What a great way to start a house sit)

All a bit scary when you are alone in a strange place.  However, I can't comment enough, the attention that the person at the GP hotline gave us, and subsequently the paramedics from St Johns Ambulance.  I will update tomorrow when I know more, but I suspect he will be allowed home tomorrow.

Its a bit lonely here, I am the only one on the forum at the moment.

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 Cripes, have only just seen this post Lorraine, hope the young fella is recovering ok, sorry to hear about the lung problem also, give him our very best and like you have said better this happened in the Perth region (if it had to be) than up north in the more remote areas.

Get well soon John!   Vic & Carol

Thanks Vic & Carol and HW.  All is good now, the "young bloke" is now back in the nest, all is good.  Kidney stones appear to have passed, and what they thought might have been encephalitis, turns out to be asthma, so new puffers and a check up in three months ( just hope we can get the records sent through to a specialist in Darwin)

Thanks everyone for your concern.

Dunmowin wrote:

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Thanks Vic & Carol and HW.  All is good now, the "young bloke" is now back in the nest, all is good.  Kidney stones appear to have passed, and what they thought might have been encephalitis, turns out to be asthma, so new puffers and a check up in three months ( just hope we can get the records sent through to a specialist in Darwin)

Thanks everyone for your concern.

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So glad he's home again, Lorraine, and also that his lungs are not under the threat you initially thought - asthma is more manageable than emphysema (which my father suffered for about ten years before he died) - and he's lucky to have passed those stones without any more drama. These men of ours really are a bit of a worry at times!

Andrea

Yes, Andrea. I (we) don't want to do a "tour de hospital" like your John.

Dunmowin wrote:

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Thanks Vic & Carol and HW.  All is good now, the "young bloke" is now back in the nest, all is good.  Kidney stones appear to have passed, and what they thought might have been encephalitis, turns out to be asthma, so new puffers and a check up in three months ( just hope we can get the records sent through to a specialist in Darwin)

 

Thanks everyone for your concern.

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 Hi Lorraine

Good to see things are working out, at least you know now.

In regards to records,,, I need to take mine when we are on the road,, I need to go to an ER once a month for a specialised jab, some take my script and ID and treat me; some accept my electronic Doctor's records on USB; and some wanted a hard copy letter from my Doctor.

I suggest you get the Doc's OK to have your records copied to USB (usually PDF format as it is harder to change anything) and a summary of medical info in a one page letter, ie current condition, alergies, treatment, current medication etc; and take them with you.

If you do this you should have no worries,,, Darwin is "on the map now",,, lived there for 25 years,,lol.

Good luck with travels.

Cheers Baz

Baz421 wrote:

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In regards to records,,, I need to take mine when we are on the road,, I need to go to an ER once a month for a specialised jab, some take my script and ID and treat me; some accept my electronic Doctor's records on USB; and some wanted a hard copy letter from my Doctor.

I suggest you get the Doc's OK to have your records copied to USB (usually PDF format as it is harder to change anything) and a summary of medical info in a one page letter, ie current condition, alergies, treatment, current medication etc; and take them with you.

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Agreed, Baz! We carry all our records, including copies of blood test results, x-rays & scans, discharge notes, etc.

And one more useful 'tool': while John was in the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle last year I got heartily sick of various doctors and nurses referring to 'this happened', or 'he did such-and-such', and having to correct their misapprehensions - including one statement that John was 'alcohol dependent', which got me really mad! I was also being asked frequently about what happened when. So I sat down and wrote a summary of events, from the time John went to Port M Base Hospital in September, listing everything by date. The two pages are much easier to read quickly than the bundle of collected notes, and I've been given (somewhat surprised!) thanks ever since by a series of doctors and specialists. And it's easy to update whenever necessary.

Anything we can do to make their job easier is worth the effort.

Andrea (hoping that I won't need to become familiar with any more hospitals this year!)

 .. 'tis good to see all's well !

Such good news. Glad you are both back together and all is ok. I hope you can now enjoy your travels.

Andrea that is a good idea having everything written down, Baz has a diary going and the Drs just look at that. We should all carry some medical records when travelling.  

Yes, before we set off, and I had my last "annual spruce up", the doc gave me copies of all my records, including ecgs, blood pressure records etc, etc, and current meds.  Now, when I go to a doctor, I can pull out the relevant paperwork (if for rewrite of meds) or had the history to hand, i.e. when my knee realignment was done etc.  Had thought about putting it all on a USB, but find it easier to just have the paper work to hand. 

If eHealth ever gets up and running properly, it should be good.

Thanks Jules, keep in touch re WA,  we will be around for quite a few more months, but moving north slowly.