Friday 20 August 2010

The Old Man's Prescription

Goosey Goosey Gander, whither shall you wander?
Upstairs, downstairs ... and anywhere that will give me my drugs.....

The Old Man goes to see his heart consultant yesterday. A long-awaited appointment in which he hopes to find out more info and to get his medication reviewed because - as he expresses it - he "feels as dry as a chip" with all these diuretics...

When I meet up with him again later, he says he hasn't learnt much more really. Valve working OK. No fluid where it shouldn't be. Heart function not improved really... but maybe not able to tell for another six months... There's a comfort. Not.

Ah Yes. The Consultant agrees that it's time his diuretic drugs (water tablets) are altered. And there is another drug (ACE inhibitor) that should be reinstated.

Good, says Old Man. So where's the new prescription?

Oh No, says Consultant. I shall not be prescribing your medication. That will be the Heart Failure Nurse. I shall write and let her know this.

It takes a while to sink in to The Old Man's noddle (like - this morning) just how angry he is about this.

For years - decades even - it has been the consultant in charge of his heart condition who has prescribed his medication. He had assumed this was still the case.

The GP, at The Old Man's appointment this very week, made it clear that the consultant prescribes the medication, not the GP.

But The Old Man's Consultant is saying that it's not him (the Consultant) who prescribes - it is the Heart Nurse. (Who has made no contact since we saw her locum several weeks ago.)

Whither shall the Old Man wander?

And when, precisely?

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