Had my face-to-face appointment with Dr.Ku (GP) this morning, Sue was also present at his request.. Doc in full PPE. We went through the history of the possible Parkinson's again, and he did a variety of tests. He dismisses the possibility of Essential Tremor but thinks I might have early and/or mild Parkinson's. So he is doing a referral to a neurologist - with the NHS this will take approx 45 weeks (!) plus two weeks to get the letter done. Why that couldn't be done next day, if not that afternoon, is a mystery to me.
I have several options here. (1) Go the NHS route. There's no big rush, unless there is a rapid deterioration at some point over the next year, and it's nothing I can't live with. Cost is zero. (2) Start another claim with AXA HEALTH - would move things along much quicker but would cost me another chunk of No Claims Discount and put the monthly premium up quite a bit. Will need to work out just how much - and as is common with NCDs these days, it takes several years to work that increase off. And frankly I feel that AXA is doing enough for me already, don't want to become a problem customer. So not at the moment, but keeping in reserve in case I get that rapid deterioration. (3) Pay for a first consultation with a neurologist myself. If he/she says it's not Parkinson's or Essential Tremor, well, I'm not that badly off. If he says it is one or the other I'll have a better idea of which of the first two to go with.
Back to myeloma, or at least one aspect of living with it - did the "long walk" through Tower Gardens, Admiral's Park, and Central Park in Chelmsford, with coffees on an outside table at the Central Park Cafe. That was badly needed after a lack of decent exercise for the last several days.
Dex night tonight...
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