Fact And Fiction!

It's Saturday!

One of my favourite things about Saturday is the Guardian Review. My treat of the week is to sit with this section of the paper whilst I drink my coffee or hot chocolate and ignore the rest of the world!

I'm quite selective about the order in which I read the various articles and after one or two particular favourites I always skip past the non-fiction reviews in order to read the fiction reviews. (Non fiction can wait!)

But there are times when fact is far more important than fiction!

Remember that back in November 2008 we were required to jump through hoops to attend an appointment with Stafford Lightman? (See 'The Missing Link'.)

Well following that appointment Stafford Lightman wrote to our GP - the letter definitely comes under the heading of 'fiction'!

I'm not going to bore you with the trivialities but one particular section is very important. In the last paragraph Stafford Lightman states:

'Furthermore I am worried that if Hari has insufficient salt input, she may well lapse into the hyponatremia which has caused her further problems in the past and been the reason for acute admission.'

Obviously this concern was the reason for NOT taking bloods for testing at the appointment!

Are we back to the allegations that Hari's episodes of hyponatremia were a result of my neglect through dietary input? (See 'The Current Situation' and 'The eviction'.)

So let's get the FACTS straight on this issue!

Hari has had two severe chest infections (approximately eleven months apart) which resulted in her being admitted to hospital. On both of these occasions her sodium levels were low. This was due to SIADH (see 'The Eviction') which is associated with the chest infections.

On the first of these occasions the sodium levels were drastically low. This was BEFORE we had identified the link between the undiagnosed problem and Hari's sodium/potassium intake.

Therefore, it was also BEFORE any changes had been made to her diet.

Prior to her admission on this occasion Hari was seen at our local A&E, at the GP surgery and at Bristol Children's Hospital (in that order) within four days. On each occasion she was sent home and no blood tests were performed. On the day after she was seen at Bristol Children's Hospital she was taken to our local A&E again as an emergency. The doctor who saw her told me that if any of the people who had seen her on the previous three occasions had taken bloods then her low sodium would have been detected. This would have prompted action and prevented the sodium dropping to such a low level - so low that they did the test twice as they didn't actually believe it!

As a result of Hari's condition on this occasion I was taken aside in A&E and asked if I actually wanted everything possible done for her. Remembering that still makes me feel physically sick!

On the second occasion the sodium was low - but nowhere near as low as the first episode- this was AFTER we had identified the link between the undiagnosed problem and Hari's sodium intake- and AFTER we had begun to make changes to her diet.

I wonder if the oracle Lightman would like to explain that one!