It seems to be a typically British trait to complain about the weather. We complain that it's too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry and/or too windy. We are never ever happy with what we have and today is no exception. Whilst I like a nice sunny day like anyone else suffering with breathing problems extremes of temperature makes breathing so much harder to do. At the moment I'm suffering from a triple whammy of PH, infection and heat so have spent most of my time lying in a darkened room with a fan going full blast and moaning about the heat. I don't know about other PH sufferers but for me heat means finding everything so much more of an effort and when I do anything physical I pant like an over heated Doberman. So while others are rushing to the beach, river, park or just out in the garden I'm joining the cats in the darkest, coolest place I can find.
I was dragged out of this relative oasis of cool by Peter who reminded me of my regular trip to the Warfarin clinic. Reluctantly I got myself together and then faced a dilemma, how do I wear a thin, strappy summer maxi dress without displaying my dressing, line and pump? After several try on's I came up with a solution. Putting the pump in the thin cotton bag I made up when I first got home from hospital I put the bag on under the dress. The straps were just thick enough to cover the dressing and the bag strap while the floaty bodice and skirt hid the pump perfectly. In the mirror I looked as though there was nothing wrong at all. It took me several goes to get the length of strap correct as the bag kept getting caught in between my legs (I wore the pump at the front to hide it under the smocking) nearly tripping me up. Eventually I got it at a length where it rested on my stomach. I felt really good walking around without having to check that the line hadn't escaped. It didn't matter if it had because it was hidden under the dress and no one would see it anyway.
The clinic, thankfully, was air conditioned so for once I was disappointed to be in and out so quickly. Although I got some funny looks when my pump whirred I was not treated to the curious looks and open discussions of my last visit. The nurse asked me if I'd got rid of the pump and was amazed at how well I'd hidden it. Result! I will have to start looking for floaty winter dresses to wear, my husband might at last get his wish and see me wear more feminine attire from now on.
After the clinic a quick trip to Tesco to buy fruit, so I could make some smoothies, and lemonade for the Pimms then back home and back to my darkened corner, however by five the sky had clouded over and it was hammering down, no sign of the promised thunder storm and not much difference in temperature as everything now felt like a sauna, terrific.
Watched the news in absolute amazement at the man with the artificial heart. Wow! What will they come up with next. Compared to what he has to carry around my pump is absolutely nothing. Goes to show that there is always someone having to put up with more than you do. I won't say 'worse off' because he is alive, walking and able to go home to wait for his transplant. Having been given such a precious gift it would be wrong to describe him as worse off.
To read the whole story use this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14363731
With that in mind I'm not going to moan about how I'm feeling today. Instead I'm going to focus on the positives. All signs of sickness have now gone and if I'm really honest I am feeling slightly better as far as the infection goes but I'm still far from well and that is bloody annoying. Still patience is a virtue as well as an opera so they say so hoping for more improvement tomorrow.
We managed not to wake Laurence up and he was quite surprised that he'd slept through one of the hottest days of the year. Only six more nights and then he has a week off and can get stuck back in to accquiring things for his house.
This evening I stood on the patio and turned my face up to the rain and let the water cool me down. A wonderful feeling and so much more refreshing than a shower. Sometimes you have to take your small pleasures where you can.
I was dragged out of this relative oasis of cool by Peter who reminded me of my regular trip to the Warfarin clinic. Reluctantly I got myself together and then faced a dilemma, how do I wear a thin, strappy summer maxi dress without displaying my dressing, line and pump? After several try on's I came up with a solution. Putting the pump in the thin cotton bag I made up when I first got home from hospital I put the bag on under the dress. The straps were just thick enough to cover the dressing and the bag strap while the floaty bodice and skirt hid the pump perfectly. In the mirror I looked as though there was nothing wrong at all. It took me several goes to get the length of strap correct as the bag kept getting caught in between my legs (I wore the pump at the front to hide it under the smocking) nearly tripping me up. Eventually I got it at a length where it rested on my stomach. I felt really good walking around without having to check that the line hadn't escaped. It didn't matter if it had because it was hidden under the dress and no one would see it anyway.
The clinic, thankfully, was air conditioned so for once I was disappointed to be in and out so quickly. Although I got some funny looks when my pump whirred I was not treated to the curious looks and open discussions of my last visit. The nurse asked me if I'd got rid of the pump and was amazed at how well I'd hidden it. Result! I will have to start looking for floaty winter dresses to wear, my husband might at last get his wish and see me wear more feminine attire from now on.
After the clinic a quick trip to Tesco to buy fruit, so I could make some smoothies, and lemonade for the Pimms then back home and back to my darkened corner, however by five the sky had clouded over and it was hammering down, no sign of the promised thunder storm and not much difference in temperature as everything now felt like a sauna, terrific.
Watched the news in absolute amazement at the man with the artificial heart. Wow! What will they come up with next. Compared to what he has to carry around my pump is absolutely nothing. Goes to show that there is always someone having to put up with more than you do. I won't say 'worse off' because he is alive, walking and able to go home to wait for his transplant. Having been given such a precious gift it would be wrong to describe him as worse off.
To read the whole story use this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14363731
With that in mind I'm not going to moan about how I'm feeling today. Instead I'm going to focus on the positives. All signs of sickness have now gone and if I'm really honest I am feeling slightly better as far as the infection goes but I'm still far from well and that is bloody annoying. Still patience is a virtue as well as an opera so they say so hoping for more improvement tomorrow.
We managed not to wake Laurence up and he was quite surprised that he'd slept through one of the hottest days of the year. Only six more nights and then he has a week off and can get stuck back in to accquiring things for his house.
This evening I stood on the patio and turned my face up to the rain and let the water cool me down. A wonderful feeling and so much more refreshing than a shower. Sometimes you have to take your small pleasures where you can.
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