May 2015 - two whole years!

Yes, you heard it right. Two whole years since my pituitary tumour was removed, the 28th May 2013. So what then, does two years mean anything?

No not really - as time whizzes by the memories of all but the most horrible bits fade away, the times when I was less than 100%, those days/weeks leading up to diagnosis are a blur and only the most memorable spikes remain. In chronological order I think it boils down to this:

(nothing much pre-hospital at all, it just hadn't sunk in or seemed real)

• Sitting with Dr Kar, him telling me it was definitely a pituitary tumour, showing me an MRI scan of my head and pointing to the mass. Saying it would be best if it were removed.....he'd refer me to a neurosurgeon
• Sitting on the hospital bed being admitted, going through the consent form with the registrar and the things that could in theory go wrong with the operation
• Being given a 'nil by mouth' sign by my bed (advanced notice the operation was a reality)
• Being wheeled down a corridor in my bed to the operation
• The anaesthetists trying to get a line in me to put me out prior to the operation
• Waking up after the operation and looking into the face of the nurse in the recovery room (forgotten the name, will never forget the face)
• Finding I had about 5 cannula's hanging out of my body
• Leaving hospital (which was good, but scary)
• Getting diabetes insipidus (bad)
• Getting admitted to hospital a second time with an adrenal crisis (also bad)
• Waking up with an oedema in my legs (definitely not good)
• Sitting back in my living room after the 2nd hospital visit feeling the weakest I have ever felt in my life
• Getting the results of my short Synacthen test confirming I didn't make enough Cortisol and probably never would
• End of 2013, finally feeling that my life was back on track, feeling fitter than I'd felt in ages and hormones balanced (good!)

So there you have it, the most memorable moments laid out. I've blogged about all of them at some point - but now? Well to be honest I still think of myself as one of the lucky ones, I take two hormone replacements and am fit and healthy. I don't have any complications from taking the hormones that I take, and I haven't got any other long term conditions right now and long may that continue.

I do still have my moments of annoyance with my condition and rebellion but I suppose that is only natural.

So the summary of all that is:

• A lot of 'stuff' happened
• It was a long time ago now, water under the bridge
• The NHS totally rocks!
• I've come a long way and I've good health and fitness
• It could be a whole lot worse!

Cheers, Carl