I'm not dead!

In case anyone is thinking, I'm still around - just have been too busy to blog recently, and not much to blog about as well!

We called the department in the UK - looks like I might arrange to do all scans at once i.e. CT and MRI, rather than have to go up twice. In the long run this is better as we save the money from a trip there for just a scan. Unfortunately the MRI machine at Manchester Royal Infirmary is broken and is going to be replaced, but this means a four month wait for me - until about end April, early May. Oh well...

In the meantime, Maria had her inoculation booster last Friday and she gave us quite a hairy week. She didn't react too well to the injection and ended up with a 104.2 fever. Quite scary, at 4am. So she spent quite a few nights sleeping next to us as she tends to go into a high fever at night. Last night she went back to her cot... and we foolishly thought that we'd get a good night's sleep. My arse... she woke up at midnight and at 4am wanting to come next to us in our bed. I needdddd sleeeeeppp :((((

Wonderful blonde joke

For all people who like a blonde joke, have a look at the link on Maltagirl's blog here, it's hilarious.

If you don't get it, are you blonde?!

Testing the mail-to-blog thingy

Just trying out this thingy to see if/how it works.
Might be quite nice for when I'm abroad.

___________________________________________________________
To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre. http://uk.security.yahoo.com

MRI better at identifying abnormalities than CT Scans

I read an article this morning that is available here that suggests that MRI's are better than CT scans for identifying abnormalities in cochleas for the purpose of performing a cochlear implant. As I described previously, the electrodes are on a thin, silicone cord that is so soft and delicate that even the slightest blockage makes a difference.

As a rule, surgeons (at least in Manchester) prefer to implant the worse ear, unless only one has been stimulated through a hearing aid such as mine, in which case they choose that one. However if there are deformities in the cochlea or ossification exists inside it (see this MRI here for an example) then things get a bit more complicated and the surgeon may decide to implant a lesser performing ear, even though results will potentially be inferior, due to the lesser complexity of the surgery.

A Maltese recipe - Imbuljuta

An addendum that came as an afterthought - this dish is actually a dessert, and shouldn't be used as a starter or a meal! The sugar and the cocoa powder should be a sign but you never know ;)

-------------------

This is a family recipe going back a squillion years. My great grandmother used to make this and I suspect her mother gave her the recipe - my dad gave me this recipe recently and it worked a treat. This is for a sweet chestnut soup which is so nice in the winter, curled up on the sofa watching the telly. You eat it out of a mug to be authentic, with a spoon.

Ingredients

500g dried, shelled chestnuts, soaked at least overnight, preferably 24 hours

500ml boiling water

1 tangerine, finely chopped - skin and all

1 tsp sugar

10 cloves

6 teaspoons cocoa powder (or to taste, maybe you can use less and add more as you go along)

1 stick of cinnamon

125g raisins

1 tot of anisette (such as sambuca or ouzo)

1. Place the chestnuts in a pot.

2. Dissolve the cocoa powder and sugar in the hot water.

3. Add all the other ingredients, bring to the boil then lower to a simmer.

4. Simmer the imbuljuta for about 2 hours or until chestnuts are tender.

5. Add the anisette, mix well, serve hot or cold (but it's much nicer hot).

It tastes better the next day!

I'm back!

Hi everyone, I'm back! The trip ended up with quite mixed results, here goes...

In the morning, on Friday, we went to the Cochlear Implant Programme Office at the University of Manchester. We were met by a very friendly, helpful lady called Corina who performed several tests for me. These involved audiological tests with and without a hearing aid to gauge my level of hearing. I then had tests to see how much I could understand from my hearing. Subsequently I had tests based on just lip reading a person on the screen (he had a very Jason Donovan kind of hair cut and a very deadpan face, he looked very silly asking what I wanted for breakfast in such a monotonous voice with such a deadpan face!) Apparently my understanding for the first, hearing only test was approximately 1% which is rubbish. With lipreading only this rose to 34%. Anyway, then I had an expectations test which viewed what my expectations were, and apparently they were just right. So effectively, I was a good candidate for the implant.

In the afternoon, we went to the Royal Infirmary to meet the surgeon. He was very corteous and asked me for my case history. This is when things went wrong - he latched upon the otosclerosis problem that I had some time ago and he said that some people have difficulties when they have otosclerosis and as such results are not so positive with implantation as with people who don't have it. There are two forms of otosclerosis, I was treated for the normal one but there was the possibility that I would have the other form, which is cochlear otosclerosis. So he decided to view my CT scans... unfortunately the scans were not clear enough and... the cochleas don't show on them!!! So alas, I have to return to the UK in 2 months time, and another 4 months time to do a CT scan and an MRI respectively.

This was a big blow in some ways - I had been cleared for both ears by my doctor in malta some time ago, but this brought up doubts and the fact I have to wait for 4 months to have it confirmed doesn't make it much better. Well it's better than a refusal but it's so frustrating that the waiting period has to start once more.

Oh, and the shopping was great :)

Really the last post now!

OK, this is really my last post! I am in the La Vallette Lounge scoffing free goodies (decent Maltese sausage :) ) and drinking free booze (Campari and Tonic) by virtue of my Flypass card. Who said business travel doesn't have it's benefits?!

Anyway, whiling away the minutes until our flight is called - it's actually very boring in here full of old people staring at nothing in particular.

C U later :)

We're off to see the wizard...

As Mandy said, we're off to England today. I think we're both nervous, because we were bickering like kids a little yesterday - although we made up straight after! Mandy telling me off for not tidying up (well, that's nothing new because I always get told off for that anyway, I always end up forgetting a sock or a tie even with the best of efforts!!!), me bitching away coz most of the money she got from the bank was in twenties (I don't like that note because the English twenty pound note is bigger than the billfold in my wallet so it bulges out).. pretty childish. Sleep was a bit difficult for some reason. I have a feeling that I'll be having a bit of a tantrum fit at the airport - for some reason I really loathe the part of a trip where I'm leaving Malta and am in the departure hall waiting for check in (which is not too long normally as I have a Flypass ;) )- not because I'm leaving Malta as such but I want the trip to get started.

I know I'm not being reasonable - it's not likely that I'll be refused as I am what would be called a model candidate, but you never know... I just want this step to be over. And how can someone be reasonable about this? Oh it's only got the potential to change your life drastically, so get a-grips wid yous-self, mon! Yeah, right.

For some reason I'm more apprehensive about the tests I'll be undergoing tomorrow than the subsequent surgery (if I get to that stage!) - not sure if this is because the surgery is still a far, distant event and the assessment is immediate, or maybe because I hate being prodded and probed and beeped at.. or maybe I've just got that fear that they may turn me down...or is it just a combination of the three?

Anyway this is my last posting before I leave, I think. so bye for now, hope that Monday will bring good news when I post again!

Appointment date is FINALLY here!

After much and much waiting, appointment date is finally here!

I am now psychologically prepared to leave my two year old daughter behind for a couple of days to accompany Ivan to Manchester for his assessment and evaluation. Bringing her along was out of the question. Maria is a very mischievous little girl, and I cannot see her behaving herself throughout Friday’s appointments. Besides, I want to dedicate some time and attention to Ivan. I have made all the arrangements for my mum to watch her, for my brother to take her and pick her up from playschool, for my bestest friend Victoria to take her out on Saturday, I am sure she will be ok, maybe a little unhappy at nights because Maria is used to getting cuddles from her papa before she goes to bedL But I will do my best not to miss her too much L

I am also prepared to receive any news that we will be getting on Friday. Surprisingly enough, Ivan and I are relatively calm and OK about this whole thing. Does it make sense to say that we are being reasonably nervous and anxious??

To all those who have been reading Ivan’s blog, please keep your fingers crossed for him, I am sure all will turn out to be OK…but it helps to know that there are people praying for him.

So bags ready….and Manchester we are on our way (brrrrr it is awfully cold there, and I hate cold weather)

Next posting will be post the news, and incidentally also when I will be working at my new job, which I am starting on Monday

Thesis finished

I finished my thesis today :) Finally... in case you're thinking, it's for my MBA in Information Technology Management. Just one more assignment and I'm a free man for the first time since 22nd June 2003 :)

Mandy did the proofreading for me, now it needs just some tweaking - footnotes, punctuation, etc and I'm done.

In case you're wondering - it's called: The Management of Change: Deployment of IT systems at XYZ (which is a particular airline!) It was quite fun to write but I'm glad I'm finally finished!

Just 2 days to go!

Happy New Year :)

Happy New Year to everyone! Hope that your hangover isn't too bad and your credit card bills aren't too high! May God grant you and your families all that you wish for and shower you with His bountiful blessings.

I can barely believe that it's 6 years since we celebrated coming of the millennium (do you remember those spankly lights at St. James Cavalier that didn't do all that much, all the hype before and all the quizzical stares when we tried to figure out what they were all about?!)

I've also seen in 35 different New Years (although I'm 34!), in God knows how many different places.

Anyway, this is THE week. The week I've been waiting for - evaluation day is this coming Friday. I was quite calm about it all so far but now all of a sudden, I'm getting very nervous. These are going to be a long 4 days I think. 4 days from right now I hope to be at the University of Manchester Audio Department to see how deaf I am. As things are, hopefully I'm very deaf!!

I'm wondering how I'm going to take my CT scans on the plane. Don't want them to get squashed inside the overhead bins, but I don't relish holding them in my hands for 3 1/2 ruddy hours all the way to Manchester. Too big to put in hand luggage, too precious to put in the suitcase. Bummer :(

It's freezing in Manchester right now, as can be seen from the forecast here. I think bobbly hats, wooly scarves and gloves are a must. Hate wearing things around my neck.

I'm moaning alot today aren't I? I guess it's coz I'm back at work and missing Mandy and Maria - we spent a lovely Christmas week together.