gangzoom

^ Just saying how much water must have been in you!! .....dont worry about the numbers, its what I do for a job, most doctors haven't got a clue what am on about most of the time too .

Make sure someone keeps an eye on your K when you get out, and if your K drops again make sure someone looks into why.

14 hours ago, Ekona said:

You never told me you'd been drinking 9 litres a day! Bloody hell, that's insane. Especially with other drinks on top. 2-3L is normally plenty for an average person, isn't it?

 

 

And if the Carry On films are anything to go by, all nurses like a cheeky smack on the bum.

If you do some simple very very rough estimate, and assume no k shift from cells.

70kg man has roughly 3.2L of blood which is mainly water.

A low normal serum K is 3.5 mmol/l, so in 3.2L of blood total serum k is 10.5 mmols. Assume no actual inappropriate loss of K to get a seurm concentration of K to 0.9mmol/L will require a blood water content of 11.6L!!!! So over 3 times as much water in blood as normal.

You than factor in only 7.5% of water you drink end up in your blood, to get 11.6L of water in blood = total body water 154L!! (Normal is about 45L).

Clearly very crude numbers that is wrong and need to correct for intracellular K which is at a much higher level, but its safe to say @TT350 at one point was more wet than a very very wet lettuce!!!

54 minutes ago, TT350 said:

I'm being discharged. Praise be to the emperor! K+ at 4mmol steady.

 

It's still a mystery and my GP will be monitoring me. But I've been balls to the wall with work recently and not eating much, drinking Monsters and over working. I'm self employed. 

 

One thing stood out. My water intake. I drink LOTS of water daily and through the night. When we worked out, I had been drinking nearly 9 litres of water a day. Then coffee/Energy drinks.

 

I had been completely diluting my potassium and electrolytes. 

 

Will be under observation by GP.

 

Need to think of gifts to get for the wonderful nurses in the ICU and this ward. Poor overworked b*ggers. 

 

Will put some good thought into it and return next week.

 

Any idea what gifts nurses would particularly appreciate and find touching, GZ?

Gosh you must have been drinking some to drop K to 0.9!!! Hopefully its just that and nothing else :).

A thankyou card is always nice to see, and biscuits.

^ Have they worked out why your K+ was low? ITU/ICU is great at correcting numbers but you need to know why it dropped in the first place, otherwise it'll likely happen again.

2 minutes ago, rabbitstew said:

Another thing which always strikes me is the high number of non English people who work for the NHS. I cant remember the last time I actually spoke to an English Doctor. I cant actually pronounce the names of the 5 Doctors who work at my local surgery. Not that it makes any difference to the service or care they provide, but it seems to me that noone born in England wants to go into this sort of profession any more and so we have no choice but to recruit outside of the UK. Again, thats a bit worrying. We really need to do something to attract more people into this industry.

I've worked 36hrs non stop trying to help patients in the NHS. I've literally shed blood and tears for complete stangers whilst getting paid £15/hr, I don't mind because I love my job. But views like this makes me wonder why I bother. I apologies if been a non UK born citizen offends you so much, and the mental pain it must cause you to try to prounce my name, or the fact the colour of my skin must cause you so much offence.

I can get double my current pay working in Singapore, as can my wife. We looked at seriously emigrating a few years ago, the arrival of our daughter put that on hold.

But I thank you for reminding me just how unwelcome we are for many people in the UK, and certainly when my daughter is old enough for school, emigrating will be back on the cards.

18 minutes ago, bytespc said:

A&E is now effectively a Dr's surgery as GP's are so overwhelmed by the influx of non English speakers that they simply cant cope any more.

Can you imagine what its like to treat a patient who than says 'not seen your kind around here before' or 'I dont mind you lot, you keep to your selves, its the dark ones I don't like'.

Trust me so called 'health tourism' is a not even a blip on the actual problems facing the NHS. But than again am also a foreigner so you probably shoudlnt trust me :).

@Ekona has already hinted at the NHS gets used like a political football by just about everyone, if you don't like foreigners fine, don't drag the NHS into it.

^ The simple issue with private healthcare is the vast majority of elderly patients just cannot afford it. I've been asked many times by more well off patients if I would see them in BUPA/Sprie rather than the NHS, my simple response will always be no. Why should I give some patients preferential treatment over others? Its a naive view point I know but its a principle worth sticking up for.

The fact the NHS offers free healthcare for all regardless of cost is both its down fall but also why I love working in it. 

Private healthcare has its place, but its not for me, no matter how much more the finacial compensation I personally will never do any private work as long as the NHS exist.

^Hope your getting better and ICU have got the right specialists involved with working out why your K+ is low!

No one working in NHS hospitals should be judging patients in any way, the demands on the system is at a breaking point and as I always tell people just remeber no patient wants to wait 4hrs in A&E, 99.95% of people come to hospital because they are unwell.

But the pressure of constant non stop work gets to people, and as a result staff attrition is massive. In our department we have a constant shortage of staff, we have two well paid full time posts advertised (£60k+ salary) for the last 2 years. Not a single UK citizen has ever applied, we did use to get spanish/polish staff but they have now stopped applying, recently interveiwed a chap over Skype from Jordon - nope after a chat he wasn't interested. Sadly any one with the skills needed can earn more in other sectors or abroad. This is the same situation in every department, from social workers, nurses, doctors, even managers.

Sadly the pictures of queues you post is nothing new. I been telling every one with any power to change just how close to collapse the whole system is, all it would take is one flu outbreak and people will die due to lack of resource/staff/beds. 

In our local area there has been at least at 10-20% reduction in beds to save money, yet the population is getting older and require more care. You don't have to be a genius to work out the real life implications. 

But there is no solution, private care is only there really for certain conditions. If you have low K and need ITU BUPA will not touch you with a stick.

Just as it happens I was speaking to a colleagues from a different country on healthcare provision. I asked how do you manage the bed pressure, his answer wad simple - money, if they can pay for the treatment all is good, if not they don't treat!!

I hope we never get to the point where payment is taken before anyone is even allowed in a hospital. But at the same time change is needed, however the politicans just dont appreicate the scale of the problem.

I actually love me job, making people better, even helping making people comfortable at the end of their lives and having them shake your hand saying the most genuine/sincere 'Thank You' is the best job satisfaction you can have. But the sheer work load been put on the staff is bringing the whole system close to collapse. 

^Sorry to hear about the car, crazy these days rather than work hard to get rewarded in life so many people prefer to just turn to crime :(.

Hope at least insurance pays out, one thing I learnt from my recent claim a good insurance policy is worth payin for, even if cheaper policies are available.

^Is £20k expensive for a new car these days? A base spec Focus is £20k and the Quashqai will  (probably) have more stuff inside.

Anyways don't most people 'buy' on PCP/HP theses days, so as long as its £200/month people wouldn't bother doing any sums on total cost of ownership over 5-10 years and just sign up?

Had to go into the city centre in rush hour traffic recently, forget about overtaking, I literally could have walked quicker. In the past would have taken the pedal bike but nursery runs means car had to come along.

Despite traffic, speed cameras, tailgating idiots I really so still love been in the car. Have somehow covered 1300 miles in just 4 weeks since picking up the new car, and got a 650 mile roadtrip coming up next week to Edinburgh/Glasgow, cannot wait.

Will be sticking religiously to the speed limit though :).

10 hours ago, SuperStu said:

It’s hard to imagine how I survived a youth being ferried around in an XR2, a Micra, a Sierra and a Citroen BX - without exploding into a ball of flames.

My dad took me to nursery every day in one of the largest cities in the world on a pedal bike and I was fine. 

But I make apologies for wanting to transport my daughter in an oversized near 3 ton mini truck when idiots like this are allowed to operate cars......

^ No worries, there is a whole wave of affordable EVs with 150-200 miles of real life range coming in the next 12-18months. No need to rush buying now unless your obessed with been an early adopter. 

On 25 October 2017 at 21:30, AMT said:

I get if you want to protect your kids, be safe etc but you must also surely be looking at the styling of the damn thing...and who in the hell is gonna look at the X2 and go ...yeah..mmmm 

I was chatting to a sales rep the other day, I think he was trying to build a rapport with me. 

His first question to me after I told him I had a 18 months old was ' So what hobbies do you do in your spare time' 

I doubt anyone would choose to drive a S-Max over a Focus, and in my case the main reason for going for the X over the S was because of the little madam. 

I ran 24kWh (2015) Nissan Leaf for 2 years and 14K. Interms of pure running costs its cheapest new car I’ll ever own. It cost me £200/month on PCP with no deposit, serviced it once for £70, total fuel cost over 14K was just £185 as I have cheap E7 electricity which costs 6p per kWH.

I was slightly sad to see it go, but the replacement car was just a bit better :).

 

Real life range in winter was 65-70 miles, 80-90 miles in summer, but that exclude M ways, at a true 70mph your looking at 50 miles in winter and 65-70 miles in summer. The reduced range in winter is more to do with less efficient battery discharge than heater use. 

 

But since 2015 Nissan have updated the battery size, it’s up to 30kWh and I understand real life range even in winter is now 100 miles.

 

The 30kWh is now also obsolete, and Nissan about to start delivery on the 40kWh new Leaf, which should be good for 140 miles even in winter at 70mph on M-way. A 60kWh version is coming late 2018 will push the range to nearly 200 miles, if Nissan keep the pricing sensible it’ll sell very well. As a cheap family car the only complaint I had about my old Leaf was range in winter, which the newer cars will have much less issue with. 

 

 

http://www.motortrend.com/news/nissan-leaf-nismo-concept-breaks-cover-in-tokyo/

£85K for a car that has less stuff on it than the cheaper standard version......and people think Teslas are overpriced 

The first one was the real cash generator. Free flowing A road, 30mph limit way before the real start of the village and right at the top of the hill. The is van invisible till you get over the hill but with perfect line of sight of cars coming over the hill. Unless you were already at 30mph they will have tagged you.

I just cannot be bothered with worrying about all these things anymore, so essentially stick to the limit religiously, which sadly often equates to idiots glued to my rear bumper.

I've not had any points on my licence for the last 10 years, and these days I tend to pretty much stick to the speed limit regardless of how quite/empty the roads may seem. This Friday just gone I ended up doing a 40 mile work trip, in the space of 10 miles I clocked 2 police cars and one camera van all positioned in semi 'hidden' locations. No issues for me as I was sticking to the limit, but am sure the BMW driver that was stuck to my rear bumper up until the first camera van was glad I was there, as otherwise I'm 100% they would have got clocked by at least one of these cars.

It does make me wonder about whats the point of owing anything half 'quick' these days, all it would have taken for me to get clocked by these car would have a tiny input from my right foot or got aggravated by the bimmer on my bumper to go quicker, and I could have clocked up some points :(. 

Over the crest of a hill just after 30mph sign, national speed limit just before. 

Blind bend, 40mph from national speed limit. 

National speed limit, 2 mile dual carriageway stretch on an otherwise single lane A road. 

On 12/10/2017 at 21:29, PPod said:

I'm currently wanting that lg oled 55" it's £400 off for a grand total of £1600   but then again that could be a new set of wheels. 

OLED give by far the best picture quality purely because blacks actually look black rather than dull grey etc. I love our LG OLED panel, picked it up for £1400 a few months ago, beats the even the Kuro panel I had for a while.

Just seen this deal, £1200!!

https://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/lg-55-full-hd-oled-smart-tv?deal_option=918dbd07-3776-4c74-85b8-84e45a7a2cee&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=uk_dt_sea_ggl_txt_tim_pads_cbp_chp_nbr_target*_adposition*1o8_prodtarget*266080568135_adtype*pla_productpartitionid*266080568135_campaignid*687507726_adgroupid*40690311562&mr:referralID=63fceebe-b0ab-11e7-983e-005056946dac&gclid=CjwKCAjwyIHPBRAIEiwAHPS-GNynpyQFOgyM14r6jc3z5-06RPT90U7qyAzE3SUBFwpAxQACkvk7PRoCni8QAvD_BwE

Arguing about the ST universe.....you guys need to get a baby, that'll sort out all the spare time you have free!!!

I was happy with all the explosions and woshing noises!!

Don't really get a chance to watch much TV these days but had Sunday night free, thought I have a look on Netflix for anything that wasn't a cartoon/nursery rhythm!!

Came across the new StarTrek series and also the second season of the Expanse.

I know there are a few other geeks on here who like a bit of Sci Fi, both seem really good - especially on a OLED panel. Certainly much better TV than all the dancing shows/pseudo reality rubbish around.

Now just need to find another evening free from child care duties to watch a few more episodes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Expanse_(TV_series

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Trek:_Discovery

Tesla meanwhile continue to expand the supercharger network, work on a massive 24 bay charger site is about to start at Leicester Forest East. Soon it'll be hard for me to drive more than 50 miles on the M-way in any direction without coming across another Supercharger site. If Porsche start rolling out their own charging sites, and than come to deal with Tesla to share chargers it'll be great way to ensure fast charging infrastructure for EVs get developed quickly  :). 

Porsche Mission E taking shape.....looks like a possible alternative/rival to a high spec Model 3. Plenty of choice for our second EV come 2019/2020 :). 

https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/4/16418658/porsche-mission-e-electric-photos-tesla

You can see by the lack of software customisation/voice command the 3 is still pretty much in 'beta' form. It'll get there but I doubt we'll actually see the final production ready car until nearly the end of this year. 

The car it self looks perfect as a replacement for wifes car, but 2-3 years is a long long time to wait, just glad we have our own X back now :). 

5 hours ago, un1eash said:

Only 220 model 3's delivered in Q3, Uk pre orders will be a very long way off, 2020 maybe?

Tesla originally said the X would be out in 2015, we got ours only a few month ago, and we ordered ours before RHD production had started.

Anyone who have actually followed Tesla product development will be familiar with the concept that Tesla time doesn't really follow normal human time :).

Late 2019/Early 2020 is when I think first RHD Model 3 will arrive.