I just had to tell you this.
Since I was referred to Dr Peter Hopkins, consulting lung physician at Prince Charles Hospital, back in September last year, there have been quite a number of coincidences involving him. First, his wife Danene is a general practitioner who works at the same surgery as my GP, Dr John Golder, the doctor I have been seeing for 18 years since moving from Melbourne in 1987. Peter and Danene's baby Jessica was originally due on my birthday, 1st June, but arrived via caesarian section on 30th May.
Second, since my surgery on 4th May, Peter has seen my son Paul at the Woolworths Supermarket at Bulimba, a suburb of Brisbane.(Paul didn't recognise him with his street gear on).
Then just a few weeks ago, Peter saw both Jacqui and Melissa, who was visiting from Melbourne, in Oxford street Bulimba but Peter was too embarrassed to say hello as he was in his gardening clothes.
Only yesterday, Paul met a lady on the Esplanade at Labrador on the Gold Coast and through a casual conversation discovered that her husband is a patient of Peter's and is awaiting a lung transplant.
Finally, and this is a true story, Janyne went for her regular bike ride this morning to the Hope Island Golf Clubhouse where she has breakfast with her friend Suzanne. Suzanne had her new puppy with her and some of the golfers came over to have a look. In conversation, it emerged that one of the men was visiting from Sydney to play golf for a few days and it turns out that he is Danene's father, Peter's father-in-law.
Is this an omen or is this Peter's covert way of keeping a watchful eye on my recovery process and making sure I'm behaving myself????
Just for good measure, Dr John Fraser, another consultant at Prince Charles Hospital, has a three year old son. And his name is.......? You guessed it, Benedict John, the same as mine.
Life is full of coincidences.
Bye,
Ben
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1 comment:
Hello Ben: yes, life is full of coincidence. I feel certain that it happens for a reason, no? I am really enjoying your updates/comments. I read your response to my suspected OB; here's what I've learned about it as it relates to me. I had a very intense flare-up of my rheumatoid arthritis (ra); debilitating pain & loss of mobility. It was non-responsive to all medication except prednisone. I complained of shortness of breath (which came on very, very acutely), but it was thought by my gp to be asthma & a chest xray was done which showed nothing. So, on to a rheumatologist & then a pulmonologist. Pulmonary function testing revealed a 16% output; blood/oxygen saturation 95 dropping to 88 with slight exertion. Perfectly good lungs (yay me) on chest ct scan; perfectly good vascular lung condition on 2nd ct. So, it must be my bronchia. Evidently the inflammation of ra can cross over into the lungs & ravage connective tissue & bronchia leaving them impaired or fibrotic. My 2nd PFT was at 26%; 3rd set at 22%; 4th set this Friday. I'm full of positive thoughts that the 4th set will show improvement. I'm on 80mg prednisone a day; weekly injections of Enbrel; these should help calm the inflammatory process.
Anyway, I'm enjoying your spirit which comes across in your blogs and reading about the full life you have with good friends. I have an American friend who is working in London for a couple of years (high school theater teacher). My 16-year-old daughter and I had planned to visit her over the summer, but bad lungs don't make for a good flight. We look forward to a day when we can go & visit; neither of us have been to Europe.
Take care.
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