Tuesday, January 26, 2016

TUESDAY CHAT

May I first wish all Aussies everywhere a very happy Australia Day.


 I am never sure if we in the west should be included as, in the beginning, nobody cared about this part of the continent (or island if you prefer to call it that).   It wasn't until the French appeared to be threatening to colonise the far west that the powers that be decided they'd best do something about it.  They send the army by boat and when they landed in what is now called Albany they hoisted the British flag and proclaimed the area to be theirs.  (Actually I think it may have been the Dutch who first discovered our west coast as Rottnest Island was named by them.  When they went ashore they saw the quokkas and thinking they were giant rats they called the island "Rat's Nest" in their language).

It was a couple of years later that a ship arrived in Fremantle and the *Swan Colony was proclaimed in 1829.  This was about 41 years after the settlement in New South Wales.  One thing we in the west often chuckle about is the fact that Perth is several years older than Melbourne.  There is always a little bit of rivalry between the states but you have to remember we are still a very young country and jealousies do arise at times.  *This makes Albany a couple of years older than Perth.

Very little has happened over the past week.  Phil and I both had blood tests.  He has received a call up to see our doctor about the results so he will see Dr Ken on Wednesday.  It may mean his blood glucose is a little on the high side or perhaps his cholesterol.  I think as we age these test results should make allowance for age.

Mine are a little more complicated.  Some may remember that at the end of 2014 I had a parathyroidectomy.  All seemed to go well but when I saw my endocrinologist last month he wasn't too happy about some blood test results so sent me to have one very particular test.  It was so particular that my usual pathology people only do it at their head office.  That is in West Perth and an awful place to get to across the river.  The lady at Beaconsfield kindly took about 15 minutes trying to find a laboratory south of the river that could do the blood test.  She found one (the opposition actually) only a couple of miles from us so I rang them and was told to be there at 4.30 that afternoon.  It seems this particular test has to be shaken well and then snap frozen so those that do it need the facilities for that.  I now have to wait until I get the results and then go see Dr Ken (not the Professor who wrote out the request).   By then Dr Ken will have had a report from the Prof explaining why he has done what he's done.  Whether anything will come of it I have no idea but apparently it all has something to with the calcium that the parathyroid makes.

Sorry to bore you will all this but it just amused me that there was such a rigmarole about what has to be done to the blood.   One day I will ask someone to explain all about it to me.  I can't even remember the name of the particular test but it had a very l.o.n.g name!

Once again, my Australian friends, enjoy the holiday today.  Huge fireworks display on the Swan River tonight which we will probably watch on TV late in the evening.


P.S.  Seeing the koala it reminded me that this week it was reported that an eagle had seized a koala and while flying, it dropped the poor little creature.  Apparently they recovered the koala and it was OK,  A very lucky little fellow.  Just a bit of Australiana there for you.

12 comments:

  1. I heard about that koala, just a quick line on the news, glad he's recovered.
    It's amazing what they can find out from a few vials of blood these days.
    Happy Australia Day.

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    1. Hope your Australia Day was a good one.
      That koala was very lucky. I didn't realise eagles would take koalas.

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  2. Happy Australia Day to you....and God bless that little Panda.

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    1. Thanks Delores and it seems the little koala is quite OK.

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  3. Crikey ..... that poor koala. I'm glad he's ok and I hope you and Phil are too. A very happy Australia day to you both and you in the West should most definitely be included. Australia would look very weird if we chopped WA off it. What's more the west is great. Mum and Dad love it. I haven't been yet but they have promised to take me very soon.

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    1. Poor little guy. What our for eagles Charlie....you never know when one may pounce.
      Yes I think Australia would look strange without WA which is one third of the whole.

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  4. A happy Australia Day to you too, Mimsie. Arriving in Australia 44 years ago as a 10 pound Pom (or whinging Pom, as many Aussies used to call us), I couldn't be happier, proud or more grateful to be an Australian.

    Your story of the eagle seizing the Koala reminded me of when I crossed the Nullarbor from the west to the east. Stopping at Ravensthorpe, I took my little dog, a terrier Chihuahua cross into the Information Centre because it was too hot to leave her in the van. After buying my goodies, the assistant gave me a stern warning about eagles taking little dogs on the Nullarbor. A bit astounded but also a little sceptical, I thanked her and went on with my journey. After every lorry driver, petrol station attendant, shopkeeper and fellow traveller I met told me similar stories, my scepticism disappeared. The message was the same; "Keep your dog on a short leash - stay very close, do not let it out of your sight". They told me tales of eagles carrying off Shetland sheep dogs, Staffordshire terriers and full-grown sheep. I did keep my dog very close and got across the Nullarbor without mishap. It doesn't surprise me to hear of the poor Koala's ordeal. Koalas are such sensitive animals - I hope it recovers.

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    1. My hubby came by ship to Australia (with his first wife) also as £10 poms. He lived in South Australia for 2 years and then headed west where he stayed (for which I am very thankful). Phil was naturalised (I tell him he was neutralised)and loves it here in Oz.
      I can imagine you being surprised about the stories of eagles taking animals as I didn't realise they would be able to carry such large creatures. Come to think of it though we were driving through the Stirling Ranges years ago and an eagle took off from the road in front of the car and it had a wing span that was almost as wide as the two lane road. It was huge.

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  5. Hari OM
    HAPPY OZ DAY MIMSIE AND PHIL... and Candy of course!!!

    The standard parathyroid hormone test includes a process of freezing and is used to determine calcium levels in the blood... too much is not desirable... was your procedure in 2014 a quadruple para-ecto or just the one or two...??? A further test could be the Parathyroid Hormone-Related Peptide (PTHrP) - either way, there is a query regarding levels of calcium; definitely good it's getting investigated!

    Wishing you both good (ie negative) results!!!
    YAM xx

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    1. Hi there Yam. It was a type of calcium that first began this event. I had two parathyroids removed and I think when he operated he found things somewhat different to that which appeared on the scan. Apparently this type of calcium can thin the bones which was the worry. I have very very strong bones (bad joints) but they were still concerned.
      Phil's results had our doctor sending him for a kidney/bladder scan which he had yesterday. He'd had one a few years ago which was OK so hopefully this one will also prove to be so as well.
      I received my results today and it is somewhat confusing. My PTH is in the normal range as is my serum calcium but the the metanephrines have been referred to one of our large public hospitals. Will wait till Monday and then ring and ask why.
      We spent Australia Day quietly but pleasantly and I was disappointed they didn't show the fireworks on TV that night.

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  6. Oh dear, I am glad the little guy was okay...even though I love Eagles!...:)JP

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    1. I wonder do your eagles take large creatures like that. Our eagles have been known to pick up dogs and sheep I am told. They are extremely large birds.

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