Category: health

Maybe wild swimming isn’t as bad as I thought

This week we have been on holiday in Scotland, staying on our niece’s farm. It has been lovely to be back in Scotland. While we love our house in Lancashire and our summers on Narrowboat Thuis, we have both missed this wonderful country, and the family and friends that live here.

We have had many adventures this week. Ten Pin Bowling, Stately Homes, beach walks with the dogs, eating Polish food (it’s a long story), Lammas Fair, family meals, celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary, watching a herd of cows being moved, listening to the very noisy sheep. But my most scary adventure was going dipping with our son Martin (Tin) and his girlfriend Cheryl.

Tin and Cheryl are big fans of wild swimming. All year round they seek out waterfalls, lakes and lochs to dip in. They have amazing countryside in Scotland and they say that going in cold water is invigorating and great for the health. It has never appealed to me.

But on Saturday, Tin had booked a visit to a beautiful country park for four people, where they have a sauna next to the lake. The two people that were meant to join Tin and Cheryl were unable to come so they invited Mandy and me.

Cheryl and Tin jumped straight in. Mandy found a shelved area to slowly immerse herself. And I stood on the edge of the platform for a good ten minutes, trying to build up the nerve to jump. Eventually I made the leap and the shock of the cold water took my breath away, even though it was a warm sunny day.

But I soon warmed up in the water and it did feel good. We then alternated time in the very hot sauna with leaps into the lake. I felt a little dizzy but I was enjoying myself. And best of all, for several hours afterwards I felt energised.

So while I am not sure I will ever become a dipping fan in the way that Tin & Cheryl are, I would do it again, especially during a heatwave. I guess it goes to show that even at 61, every day is a school day.

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How many tests are needed to tell me that my eyes are deteriorating?

I have had so many eye tests over the past two weeks. And they have not finished.

It all started with a simple test at Preston Specsavers. I use glasses for distance and reading but have not had a test for five years so I thought it was about time. The test was free with the NHS but they asked if I would like to pay £5 for an eye health test while I was there. I thought “why not?”.

The traditional test with me reading increasingly small letters went well. My reading eyesight is slightly worse and my distance sight is slightly better but nothing to require me changing my glasses, so good news.

But the eye health test was more comprehensive. They puffed air at the eyes, took photographs of my retinas and got me to do a field test where I clicked a button every time I saw a light in the periphery of my vision.

This last test showed some anomalous results so they got me to repeat it two more times and had a computer analyse my optic nerve scan. The ophthalmologist was still not happy so referred me to a glaucoma specialist to come back the following day

So day 2, I came back and did another raft of tests with fancier machines. I had eye drops to dilate my pupils, coloured dye in the eyes, lights in my eyes, a better field test, and more precise scanning of my eyes. This time the field test came back clear, but one of the computer analysed images showed potential thinning of the left optic nerve. This was odd because if it was glaucoma we would have expected the eye pressures to have been high on the puffer test, and missing areas on the field test. So the glaucoma specialist decided I needed to be referred to a more advanced expert.

I was expecting months to wait but I heard back in days and had an appointment with another optician, in Lytham, for yet another field test. I called to check whether this was really necessary because I had already had four of these tests, but was told that because I was now seeing people from CHEC (Community Health Eye Care) I had to do their tests.

Two days later I was back with a consultant , this time in Blackpool. More eye drops, more eye exams, more detailed pressure tests and cornea thickness measurements. The result – guess what – I need more tests. Apparently I am a Glaucoma suspect but not a Glaucoma patient. The symptoms are something called “cupping” in the left optic nerve and could be caused by short sightedness when I was a child. I will need to wait another 6 weeks but need better scanning of the optic nerve and unbelievably yet another field test!

Maybe I should be grateful for the NHS and that I can get so many tests for free. Maybe I should be grateful that I am retired and can take whatever time I need for appointments. But I have to think that there has to be a more efficient way to diagnose common eyesight problems for oldies like me.

Hey – I am in a Facebook group called “Dull men’s club”. Would this week’s post be suitable?

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Farewell to the Macc

This week we are back properly cruising the canals of the UK and have travelled down the beautiful Macclesfield Canal (the Macc) to rejoin the Trent and Mersey.

The Macc is quiet compared with the great canal & river thoroughfares such as the T&M, the Grand Union or the Thames. It has a reputation for being shallow, which is probably well deserved given closures in recent years, but this year we have had plenty of rain, and while some edges can be shallow, we did not find it too difficult to navigate. There is just one hire company and so most of our fellow boaters were either continuous cruisers like ourselves, or based in Lyme View marina, near Wilmslow.

After nearly six weeks with little movement it has been wonderful for us and the dogs to get back to what we love – pootling along and enjoying the journey. Sadly one of the reasons for our delay was vets tests for our dog Ziggy who it turns out has advanced cancer of the pancreas and bladder. There is nothing to be done so while as yet she is showing few symptoms, we have decided to make her last months as much fun as possible. That means cruising on the canals, cuddling and eating sausages.

We have three weeks from today to get to Ellesmere on the Llangollen canal, where we will meet up with Mandy’s two brothers and their wives who have hired a boat to share a holiday with us. We are really looking forward to that. Three weeks should be plenty of time, hopefully enough to also allow us a side trip up to Chester.

We are of course somewhat subdued with Ziggy’s news, but we are still loving the boating life, as is she.

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Should I wear hearing aids to reduce the risk of dementia?

My Dad died with Alzheimer’s in February 2022. I miss him but I do not miss his last few years, when he was a shell, who knew nothing and nobody. It is a horrible disease. Understandably I worry about getting older myself and look for signs of memory loss. I forget the names of people I know well, and sometimes I mix up words. For instance I might look for a “mooring space” for my car.

This week I was given the opportunity to join a research study about healthy people who might get Alzheimer’s in the future. They took my blood and have sent it to California to get the latest testing for signs of p-tau217, a protein which indicates the formation of amyloids in the brain, believed to be the cause of Alzheimer’s. If the test is positive, I will then go on to get MRI scans of my brain and then either an experimental drug or a placebo to see the results. They will also check my blood DNA to look for a particular gene which increases the chance of the disease.

Whatever the results, I will learn something and will help the research which is likely to help many others in the future.

Attending the clinic also reminded me about hearing aids. I have quite bad hearing at high frequencies but normal hearing at middle and low frequencies. Two years ago I tried out private hearing aids to see if they would help. They were expensive and I did not get much benefit so I gave up on them. But my hearing has deteriorated so I went this week to pick up some NHS aids. The doctor told me that many people give up far too soon, and that I should wear them every day for at least eight weeks before coming to any conclusions. She also said that latest research shows that wearing hearing aids can reduce the risk of dementia.

So that is what i am doing. Three days in to wearing them and so far so good. The world does sound a little hissy and scratchy because I am not used to the high pitched sounds yet, but I will persevere. And if it helps with my brain, so much for the better.

What do you think about what I am doing? Does it make sense, or after my father, am I just understandably paranoid?

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Not immune from Covid after all

It is nearly four years since the Covid-19 pandemic began, and I had begun to think I had a magical natural immunity. Despite the variants becoming ever more transmissible and common, I had either not had the disease, or had had it and not noticed. So it came as a bit of a shock at the end of last week when I felt like I had a really bad cold and tested myself with an old kit, to find I was very clearly positive,

I think I must have caught the disease at a pub quiz in Staffordshire, the Sunday before last. When we are on the narrowboat we live much of our lives by ourselves in the boat, or in the open air, so the virus would struggle to attack us. But the pub quiz had quite a lot of people inside in close proximity, so seems quite likely.

I had all the Covid vaccines when they were offered, but this winter I am apparently too young, and will just get a flu vaccine. So having had the disease will instead hopefully offer me good immunity for the rest of the season, Certainly after feeling pretty rubbish earlier this week, I am now full of energy, no doubt with my immune system running at full pelt.

I was watching a pandemic docudrama this week, and it felt like a different world, with empty streets and very strict rule following by almost all of us. Nowadays no-one seems very any more excited about Covid than a normal cold. And it turns out I am no more an immune super hero than anyone else. Ah well.

By the way, Mandy and I did OK in the quiz, but was it worth it? Probably not.

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Getting my eyes tested

It is over three years since I last got my eyes tested, so this week I popped over for a test to my friendly optician – Robert Callendar in Linlithgow. The good news is that my eyes remain healthy and my prescription is unchanged. I was happy because I thought I could keep my existing glasses, but Robert was in sales mode and persuaded me otherwise.

I was born short sighted and wore glasses till I was about 40, when I had my eyes lasered to get 20-20 vision. I loved not having to wear specs, and I still would rather not. But a few years ago I realised that I could not read small print, and got some reading glasses. Then, when I had my last test, I found my distance vision was also deteriorating, so I got some glasses for driving and watching TV. Now I have the two pairs, but most of the time I do not wear any.

The optician suggested I get some varifocals, so that I could wear them all the time, without worrying about where they are, but I am holding onto my identity as someone who does not wear glasses. If my prescription had changed I would have been persuaded, but I did not want to spend money. This is where my salesman optician got smart. Rather than continuing to argue for varifocals he just asked whether I had been wearing sunglasses on the narrowboat this year. Apparently not wearing them at my age on sunny days can lead to cataracts. That did make some sense and when I mentioned we were hoping to go skiing this year his eyes lit up.

So I have ended up ordering some fancy Bolle prescription sunglasses, with rose-blue lenses which apparently are best for bringing out contrast on the piste.

I do feel as if Robert has stolen my wallet, but I am pleased my eyes have not deteriorated these past few years, and I am looking forward to testing out my new sunglasses. As Huey Lewis said, “The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades”.

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Learning to ski – again

My wife, Mandy, and I did not learn to ski till we were in our forties. It was at a time in my life when every year I would try something new. I learnt to fly a plane, to scuba dive, to do long distance walks, and to ski. The last two hobbies have stuck with me, but we have not been skiing since January 2020. Just as the pandemic was beginning we found ourselves in Morzine, France. We had great sunny days on the piste, and nervous evenings in crowded bars. Since then, lockdowns have prevented us having a ski holiday. More importantly, Mandy has had both her knees replaced, so has been very unsure about whether she will be able to ski. But we have missed it, so this week we took a trip to the “snow factor” artificial slope in Braehead, near Glasgow.

The very good news is that we both can still ski. Mandy remains a little scared that an accident could damage her new knees, but we have done the research and the risk is not really any more than with natural knees. She plans to stick with the easiest pistes (green and blue), but that is fine. Neither of us are into scaring ourselves on the slopes. Rather, we love the scenery, and the fresh air in the mountains.

So my next job is to find somewhere to go, with nice easy skiing for us both, and a few more tricky intermediate runs for me. Probably France – perhaps La Plagne, Les Deux Alpes, Morzine or Courchevel. Any thoughts from my ski savvy readers?

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What day is it?

When you see a doctor in a British film checking on mental capacity, the two questions they always ask are “Who is the Prime-minister?” and “What day is it?”. I have struggled with the second of these questions this week. Indeed, for the first time in 20 months, I nearly missed getting my Friday blog out, because I thought it was earlier in the week. Does this mean I am getting forgetful in my old age? Or is it just that days are much like each other when retired?

We are back on our narrowboat and off on our travels. The next month or so will see us travel the Staffordshire & Worcester and Shropshire Union canals, hopefully making it to Ellesmere Port before returning to a marina near Chester for the winter. We do have a couple of days off each week, but because we are not working, there is no reason for these to be at the weekend, and we both lose track of days.

I have some coping techniques. I have an alarm on my phone on a Thursday afternoon to remind me to write a blog. When it is Grand Prix season, I am always reminded when it is a Sunday – race day. But still, during the week, the freedom to do what we want each day, can mean that any day is like any other. As Pooh says in the picture above – today is my favourite day.

Oh by the way, I think the Prime-minister is Boris Johnson, but based on his permanent holidays, I may well be wrong.

Have a great weekend!

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Should I get my moles checked?

About 15 years ago I had a skin cancer taken off the back of my hand. I have a lot of moles on my skin and one of them had gone a bit itchy. When tested it turned out to be a malignant melanoma. Fortunately it was early stage and I had no other issues after the removal. Despite the skin cancer, I rarely use suntan cream when on the boat, but this week it has been so hot and sunny I felt I needed to. As I was putting cream on the back of my arm I found a small raised mole, and when I photographed it, it turned out I had two red moles not looking exactly normal.

As you can imagine, after my previous experience I felt a little nervous but it is hard to see a GP when on the boat. Our GP is in Scotland and will not speak to me when I am in England – apparently the two health services are separate. But seeing a GP in England is difficult because our address is in Scotland. It is one of the many challenges about not having a fixed address. But fortunately I have access to a video consultation through some insurance, so I spoke to an online GP who looked at the photo and said it was probably benign and not an issue, but I should see a private dermatologist. This was all sounding quite expensive, so I waited till Wednesday, when I was back up in Scotland for the day, preparing for my wife’s 60th birthday party. I called my own GP who kindly saw me that same day.

He gave me a thorough examination and said that these two red spots are entirely normal – some kind of blood blemish – and nothing to worry about. He did find three black moles on my back that he said we should keep an eye on, but all in all, a great result.

So I wonder, was I wasting my time and that of the NHS getting these small moles checked? Should I have bothered? The doctor said I was doing exactly the right thing, especially given my medical history. Unnecessary stress maybe. But much better than not getting them checked and finding out too late that I had a problem.

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Moving on

I needed to blow some cobwebs away this week, after the funeral of my Dad. We had a thanksgiving service in Salisbury Cathedral, which was quite a joyous event, as lots of people celebrated his life. But it is still a stressful time and I was glad to get back to Scotland. My son, Tin, and I took the dogs for a walk up Arthur’s Seat. This is a famous hill right in the middle of Edinburgh.

It was a crisp, cold morning and the fresh breeze on top certainly helped clear the mind. If you read this blog regularly, you will know that walking is one of my things. There is something in the combination of physical exertion and the wonderful views that really energises me and gives me perspective.

It will no doubt take some time to grieve for my father, but life moves on, and next week I should be able to get back to our narrowboat. Within a few weeks, Mandy and I will be off on our next big retirement adventure – six months travelling through the canals in the South of England. Mandy says that in my head I am already there. I am certainly getting very excited by the thought.

I look forward to sharing the experience with you.

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