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Splitting Blood Cells

I came across an interesting example of pedantry this week while having the latest in my battery of blood tests. That distinction seems to be based on (a) who filled out the referral form and (b) why the test has been ordered.

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Radioiodine Ablation

I’m having the first of two injections this morning of a very expensive drug, Thyrogen, ahead of my radioidine ablation this weekend. Thyrogen costs $1901.52 for two doses, but is fortunately on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS), and so only costs the patient (me!) $36.10. We were given a prescription for the Thyrogen on our […]

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What did you say?

“What?” has been Meghan’s favourite phrase this week, as I’ve had a very weak voice but still insist on saying things from different rooms or over noises like the dishwasher or television. Other than that, I’m recovering well. I’ve had some swelling in the last few days, and a bit of nausea to boot, but […]

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A Tale of Four Doctors

This week, I had my first surgical consultation with the team of doctors at Royal North Shore Hospital who will be removing my thyroid, the 8cm tumour attached to it, and the lymph nodes nearby. The head surgeon, a Professor of Surgery at a Sydney university who has reputedly done 14,000 thyroid removals, was first […]