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Walk This Way
Sep 11, 2009

Finally I got to see a specialist at the Podiatry Musculoskeletal clinic (aka the funny walks place, the gait clinic). A brief check through the referral letter from the physio and check on this sort of medical history from me then it was down to business.
Walk to the end of teh room and back a couple of times. Now get changed into shorts and do it again barefoot. Then it was a physical check to see how my joints moved and which muscles were affected.
Then I was told about what she had could tell from all this. My feet, ankles, knees and hips aren't quite as aligned as they should be, one leg is shorter than the other and that most of the problem is with the lower leg.
To try and sole the problem I'm going to get some custom made insoles - an impression of my foot was made in a box filled with expanding foam that crushed down when I carefully stood into it. This was a much easier experience than twenty years ago when they took a cast using plaster bandages of my foot! Till they custom ones are made I've been given some off the shelf orthotic insoles to get my body used to using this sort of insole.
I did find one of the insoles I'd had made previously and the podiatrist asked if I could remember who I had seen all those yeas ago, no chance but it turns out that one of the possible people who did it all still works there. The podiatrist also knew the consultant who was my specialist as a child, Mr Weeble who helped me and a lot of other people to not fall down

(4 replies, Latest reply: 4 Weeks Ago)

Night Shining
Jun 24, 2009

Over the years I've been fascinated by various natural optical phenomena that can be seen. Sundogs and halos, parhelic arcs and circumzenithal arcs have been seen over the years (the last of those is great by the way, looking like an upside down rainbow grinning at the top of the sky). Of course manyh rainbows have been seen. Single, double, partial and the last one looked like it was going down into the valley we were driving into. Moon halos are harder to see in that you need a dark sky and bright moon as well as the right conditions for halo formation.

I've managed to see aurorae from home, nothing spectacular but certainly green glowing in the sky where normally there isn't any.

Once thing I've not seen for certain is Noctilucent Clouds. Not till last night anyway. Over the years during the summer months if I've woken in the night then I'll have looked out of the window at the back towards the north to see if any were there. Often I did think I could see something but was never sure if what I was looking at was noctilucent clouds or just a slightly woozey addled brain making up what I wanted to see when I'd just woken up.

Overnight I woke up again and after dealing with what needed dealing with I thought tonight would be a good night for looking out to see noctilucent clouds. The night had started quite still and very clear and would have been great for stargazing had it not been just after midsummer. At about 2 in the morning though the sky had gone as dark as it could get. I stepped out into the garden and looked towards the north and northeast. There for a few degrees above the horizon was a blueish, whitish glow. Within the faintly glowing area there was some form of cloud like structure. I think that must be it. Finally, definitely noctilucent clouds. Maybe even if the weather today stays fine have another look this evening.

For more information about the how and why of all the phenomenon I've mentioned and many more, Les Cowley's Atmospheric Optics website is the best - http://www.atoptics.co.uk/

(2 replies, Latest reply: Jun 25, 2009)

Sweet toothed vampires
Jun 2, 2009

So more blood tests and more results to write about.

The frequent HbA1c results round up.
From the doctor on the 18th May I had a HbA1c of 7.0% according to the bit of paper I was given when I asked for printouts of the results. Not too bad considering that in march when I was at the hospital for a routine clinic appointment it was 7.3% Maybe the suggestions of the doctor at the hospital are working. I hope so as I've incorporated some suggestions of the DSN who I saw in may as well and I think it should drop further (I hope so).

In other results I had a liver function test as well and everything was fine. Not bad considering my liver will have had some use over the few days before my blood tests, it had been my birthday on that weekend

(8 replies, Latest reply: Sep 6, 2009)

Bend at the knees
Apr 30, 2009

Once more I'm subjecting myself to some physio treatment on the NHS. Every so often I need to go and see someone about the fact that my knees hurt. I know I'm getting old but it's not just that. I've been seeing physios and related specialists for a long long time (sine I was just a wee one in fact). I've not seen any for since I was in my late teens and have just been ignoring any aches and pains but I've decided to go back now (things have got a bit more painful recently).
The physio thinks that generally my legs aren't in too bad shape but I could do with some stretching on the leg muscles and also that I should be put on the waiting list to see the podiatrists at the gait clinic.
These are people who look at how the joints work together as you walk and move. When I last saw these people in my teenage years I heard the phrase "hmmm, interesting". Not the things you like to hear from a medical specialist! Hopefully the stretching and if the gait clinic can make up some orthotic insoles then it should get a bit better.
Still I've made the first step now so I hope it goes smoothly from here.

(11 replies, Latest reply: Sep 10, 2009)

A Comet-ary
Feb 26, 2009

Well a clear starting evening at last. As long as it stayed that way for a couple of hours we might be able to get a chance to see comet Lulin.

A few hours later when Leo had risen enough to clear the hills and treetops around our house I went out for a look. Some high light cloud but Leo was visible as were the Pleiades so there was a good chance. A quick scan of the area didn't revel anything so back inside to check the exact position with some software. When I knew where it was I went back out and looked where I needed to. A short while later and there was a small smudge in the view of the binoculars. Moving around a little using averted vision and there. It was certainly there in view. Not any stars in the same field of view either. Out to MC in the back garden (I'd been in the front till now) and see more thin high cloud in the sky. Check again and there it still is.

Now to make sure MC could find it. Tell her a couple of pointers and then hear the gasp of yes, there it is!

Sucess.

We'd finally both managed to see the elusive comet. It's mostly been elusive by being hidden by a think heavy blanket of cloud meaning nothing could be see in the night sky.

(1 reply, Latest reply: Feb 26, 2009)