TY - JOUR T1 - A patient's diary: introducing Norman Gland JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 78 LP - 79 VL - 57 IS - 534 A2 - , Y1 - 2007/01/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/57/534/78.abstract N2 - I have decided to keep a diary to record the state of my health and my dealings with the medical profession. This will help me to keep track of the various symptoms that are currently assailing me and it may subsequently be of great interest to medical research scientists. I can see that it might seem a touch morbid and introspective of me to brood over my health problems like this, but the fact is I've not been at all well lately.Looking back on it, I don't think I've ever been the same since that nasty virus infection I contracted in the Autumn of 1993. Ever since then, I've had these weak feelings down my legs and a tendency to giddiness or throbbing in the head. I even wondered at one point if I had come down with ME and I suggested as much, on one occasion, to Dr Teacher, who is one of the GPs at my local practice. But a very shifty look came over his face and he began to tap things on his computer in a spasmodic way (as they do when they're upset). Then he said (still gazing at the screen) let's not go down that road, Norman, so we didn't. Then there's my liver, which has been a source of great worry to me for several months. But I will go into that in more detail later.Perhaps I should introduce myself at this point. My name is Geoffrey Norman Gland, or G Norman Gland as I generally sign myself. I am 54 years old and I live with my wife Hilda at 22 Chestnut Avenue, a pleasant residential road, whose quiet ambience has been somewhat marred of late by the noisy habits of some of our newer neighbours. I work as production … ER -