This is the last of my introductory entries.
Until 1995 I think I could be regarded as pretty healthy, although I now know that sometime prior to that I had suffered a heart attack that destroyed one of the three arteries of the heart irreparably. I don't know when and I was astonished to learn how many heart attacks are silent (i.e. painless)
Anyway in 1995 I had a severe dose of flu and this was folowed by ischaemic heart disease, ventricular tachicardia to be more precise. After increased doses of medication failed to work sufficiently I had a defibrillater/cardioverter implanted late in 1996. This is roughly the opposite of a pacemaker; that is it works to slow down a racing heart. The cardioverter bit acts when this fails. A double electric shock stops the heart and restarts it instantly, hopefully in normal rhythm. Sometimes this has to be repeated a number of times and sometimes it causes unconsciousness - which is why I no longer drive.
I am now awaiting eye angiograms (special photos) to determine whether I have macular degeneration and if so, which type. Depending on that I either can or cannot be helped with the odds three to one against. In any case it is unlikely to lead to total blindness.
Lastly I have periodic problems with rheumatoid arthritis in the left leg but it can be controlled by pain killers in a few days - so far.
What a wreck, you may think - but that is far from how I feel and I hope I shall be able to recount holiday and other exploits here that show why I don't feel that way..
