Saw the dermatologist a few weeks ago. I decided to stop taking Erethromycin (sp?) back in May, as I couldn't tell what was being the most effective in treating the rosacea. Well, that medication was helping!
Dermatologist has now given me a script for roaccutane, so I feel like a teenager. Took it under dermatologist instructions around 20 years ago, because my first step-mother said I should try to do something about the cystic acne for my wedding. Sigh. (I was not a teenager when I got married!
)
Apparently the dosage he's prescribed shouldn't have the side effects of the dosage I was on back then, so we'll see. If I don't like it, it will be back to the E-mycin stuff I guess. Also contemplating seeing a naturopath to see what can be done from the gut out to the skin. My new GP recommended the naturopath, but was very non-pushy about it.
Meanwhile, FIL has been in hospital since last Weds. Not due to rosacea.
He's been complaining of being short of breath for ages, and just wasn't feeling right. Went to his GP every day for about three days in a row, only to be told he was fine, it was all in his head, and he's just getting old (80 later in the year). So, after the last visit, he walks to meet up with MIL and the grandkids at the local swimming pool, almost 2km away. Then spends the afternoon in bed recovering. Next day, he still looked awful, so MIL called the ambulance, and gathered family to help with babysitting the grandkids.
Long story short, atrial fibrillation, fluids in lung, fluids and swelling in the legs (not just "getting old"). FIL having an MRI today, and we don't really know much more than the hospital is waiting for him to expel the fluids and see what the MRI says … his overall demeanour is a lot better than a week and a half ago, but still some niggles. The family is strongly suggesting FIL finds a new GP.
(I don't want to bash any GPs, I don't know the intricacies of their relationship, but this GP has been the family GP for 30+ years. FIL has been getting a lot of "you're just old" for the past few years, including the times he fainted. One faint occurred at the gym, and ended up with him getting a pacemaker! I also don't know how often he's been seeing his cardiologist … the ILs are normally pretty good with appointments and not letting them lapse).
Suddenly feeling old for a moment - 80yo FIL not well, 80yo step-father not well, 93yo grandma making comments about celebrating my Mum's birthday "in case it's the last one she's at". Last time I knew so many ill older people, I was much younger, and they were much older than me.
I'll focus on the positives and that we still have them all in our lives.