FILMER FINAL DRAFTxxx.pub

I was lucky that five years earlier Dr Crawford was going to cut my spleen out then
didn’t because I said we might go back to Africa. His comment was, he wouldn’t as I
might need it for Malaria. Glad we didn’t as I now need it.
I must men on the contribu on Dr Michael Prichard has made. He came on board
when I started making phlegm in my lungs. He is a respiratory and sleep Physician
and has a ended to my health for 6 years now. We would always be talking
agriculture. One day I said Michael, I’ve looked at all your technology (X-rays, CT,
MRI, ultrasound, etc) you had be er come down and look at mine. He said he would
love to, so Michael and his wife stayed a night with us on the farm.
I have had 56 x-rays, 32 CAT scans, six ultrasounds, three MRIs and two bone density
tests at the me of wri ng this.
I appreciate the value of the Royal Flying Doctor service as I have had numerous
flights when my health has deteriorated badly. My lungs have bad bronchiectasis
and bronchioli s and causes me to make copious quan es of phlegm that if I don’t
cough it up I can’t breathe. They have cut a piece out of my lung three mes now
trying to find out why I make all this phlegm and the last me had lumps in the lung.
This has led me to have full home oxygen to be able to cope.
The whole issue has completely changed Linley’s and my life. I keep a very posi ve
a tude and never go to sleep at night without thinking posi ve thoughts.
I should men on the me I was having trouble with my lungs and was stuck in the
Mount Hospital for treatment and decided to get dressed and go for a walk. I had
never seen Jacobs Ladder so walked up to the base, which isn’t far from the Mount.
When I arrived, I thought I’d just go up a few steps then a few more to find I was
half way up coughing up all this phlegm. I had to let my heart catch up before going
on. Eventually, I arrived at the top coughing and splu ering, then walked down
again. I felt be er for it. The next day I said to the nurse I was going up Jacobs
Ladder, she said, “no you are not, does Dr Prichard know this?”. I said, “yes, he
encourages it”, so she had nowhere to go. I did tell him eventually.
I am also blessed to have a very suppor ve wife who looks a er me with dis nc on.
I have great support from the rest of my family. Brad will ring me up and say, “Dad
can you do various jobs for me? If you can’t, don’t worry, I’ll do it.” I appreciate this
and most mes I endeavour to oblige.
Karen and Jane o en ring to see how I am on their way home from work. We also
stay with them when we are up for my monthly treatment as this gives us exposure
to our grandchildren also.
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