Saturday 22 June 2013

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Anyway?

Well I did win on the Euromillions, a massive £2.80, so I'm a whole eighty pence up on my stake. I suppose I can't grumble, I'm in profit after all, which is something I didn't expect.

Anne has posted that not only is she back on the main ward but it's six weeks post transplant. My goodness that time has gone quickly. I'm at Papworth on the 12th July so will pay her a visit if she is still there. However I think I'd be right in saying that everyone sincerely hopes she'll have been sent home by then.

St Mary's, Ivinghoe

I'm feeling a hell of a lot better today. My cough is all but gone and my chest feels light and clear. I'm hoping to continue this good progress through the weekend so when I see the doc on Monday he'll let me go back to work.

Because I was so very ill I had to call Papworth to let them know I was on all sorts of meds. Now I have to do this every time I get a chest infection as the drugs I'm given to clear it can interfere with the drugs given post transplant and if you already have an infection it can be very bad news. They have never thought about removing me from the list before but this time I was so ill they said I'd have to be suspended for a couple of days. Thankfully after a chat with them yesterday I found out they didn't actually take me off but I might have been sent home if pre-op tests showed high levels of infection. I have to say I panicked when they said I'd have to be removed so was highly relieved when I found out I was still a contender.

Yesterday after being released from house arrest I paid a very quick visit to Tesco's, well I have to start getting back to normal somewhere, to collect a new prescription and to pick up loads of fruit, soup and yogurt. My appetite isn't quite back to normal and I still feel more breathless than usual when I eat a 'normal' meal so I'm snacking on fruit and yogurt whilst downing large quantities of soup and Complan. I have also managed a doughnut and a couple of toasted teacakes so things are looking up. Today I'm cutting back on the Complan in favour of normal food. I'll still have one just before bedtime though, until I'm eating properly again, if for no other reason than to keep my vitamins and minerals topped up.

St Mary's, Ivinghoe

Anyone would think an alien had landed. Are people really so isolated that they've never see someone wearing an oxygen tank before? The stares and looks I got from customers and staff alike had me asking Peter at least twice if my flies were undone or my bra was showing. Because I'm still physically quite weak I hung the bottle off a trolley when I got into the shop but that caused it's own problems as people tried to force their way between me and the trolley every time I stepped away for a minute to look at something on the shelf. I nearly had my cannula dragged from my nose at least twice. What was particularly hard to take were the accusing looks, as though it was my fault that people walk around in a daze.

Normally I'd have used my mobility scooter on the first excursion out after being ill but my local Tesco is so disability unaware that it recently narrowed the aisles in order to get an extra line of fridges in. The result is the aisles are only just wide enough for two trolleys to pass each other, and then you have to be careful not to have your fingers hanging over the side of the trolley. Add a mobility scooter, even one as dinky as mine, and it is almost impossible to get around, especially as they seem to insist on having those big cages for refilling the shelves all over the place. So the oxygen was the only choice, besides wanting to test my stamina, if I was to get around more or less stress free and without being run into or clouted around the head with a wire basket.

However the trip was worth it because I returned home feeling delighted that I managed so well. I had no real trouble staying on my feet and I didn't experience any pain or tightness in my chest. A sure sign of improvement. What a strange illness this is. Ten days ago I was jumping around in a churchyard taking pictures and now I'm just happy to have made it around the fruit and veg section of Tesco's. none of it makes any sense.

St Mary's, Ivinghoe

So I'm having a very quiet weekend and resting up in preparation for returning to work on Tuesday when my sick note runs out. I might do a bit of baking this afternoon, or I might try and finish the book I'm reading. It's raining so I won't be tempted to go out and do anything silly. I'll keep that for next weekend, when I'm fully fit again.

The pictures are from my last photography trip before I fell ill. enjoy!

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