The news from Kath is much more positive today. She has squeezed her husband, Rob's, hand, obeyed simple commands and even managed a smile. The balloon pump that has supported her new heart has finally been removed. And they are beginning to wean the massive doses of drugs, that they put you on right after the op, down to more manageable amounts. From what I can gather she is still on a ventilator but I'm sure that won't be for much longer. Such encouraging news.
On a purely selfish note both myself and Peter are loving the daily updates which we are finding strangely comforting and reassuring. By following Kath's progress we now have an idea of how things might go for me. Obviously everyone is different but Kath and I are of similar age and are both at a similar stage of PH as well as both having been on the Flolan for a considerable length of time. After Anne I'm finding Kath's progress a comfort and, although I know she still has a long way to go, I'm less panicky about getting my call now. I'm also more hopeful.
Yesterday's trip to MK shopping center was much more restrained and I returned with only a bar of chocolate. Not bad when you consider my current form. Peter failed to find the things he was looking for but it was a nice trip out and beat sitting at home and fretting about Kath. Unfortunately I didn't get the snaps I was hoping for as it decided to start raining the minute we set foot out of the door. Typical but not surprising given the time of year. My new long sleeved top was a success, though if anything I found myself feeling a little too warm at times. Of course that is down to this strange weather we are having. Despite the rain and the wind it is an unseasonably warm 19C at the moment. That's warmer than some of the days we had in the summer!
I had to abandon my lie in this morning as I had an appointment with the warfarin clinic. By a series of unfortunate clashes I'd managed to miss my last two appointments, though my INR was done at the Brompton last week and declared to be fine, so I was expecting a frosty reception. Fortunately they were too busy to question the gap or tell me off so I sat in a corner and played Mahjong on my phone until my name was called. It was only when I was leaving that I realised I'd forgotten to warn them I wouldn't be around next Friday. Oh well, my blood has been spot on the last two visits and I'm expecting another six week appointment so perhaps I needn't worry.
From there we went to Tesco to do the weekly shop and it is here that my problems really began.
I had just sat down on my trike when a car on the other side of the aisle started to back out of it's space. Now I know my trike is small but it's not that small but both it and me appeared to be invisible to the driver. He speed backward so fast I'd have had a hard time getting out of his way on foot, let alone on the trike. Fortunately Peter saw what was about to happen and slapped the side of the errant vehicle with his hand. The driver looked, registered me but then took off without even acknowledging me. So was I in the middle of the road at this point? No, I was next to the passenger door of my own vehicle on the hatchings that separate the disabled spaces.
Having recovered from that I entered the store and was pottering down the biscuit aisle, I never buy but I like to look, when two employees appeared at the other end both pushing those huge cage things they have. They were so intent on their conversation they only saw me when I let out a panicked yelp as one sideswiped me. They did at least stop and check I was OK and couldn't stop apologising.
A succession of near misses followed, before I got plagued by an elderly couple. The first time we crossed swords the old boy who was pushing the trolley just stopped suddenly in front of me and then as suddenly went into reverse only stopping when my handle bar dug into the back of his legs. After letting me through we met up again in the next aisle and this time she nearly took me out as she stepped back into me as she searched for something on the shelves. What is it with people today? Is it national idiot day or something? Two trips to the center of Milton Keynes and one around Costco and nothing. Half an hour in Tesco's Dunstable and I'm a battered and bruised nervous wreck!
Peter suggested I get an air horn to announce my presence but, looking at the state of the old girl, I think one blast and she'd have dropped dead right in front of me, so maybe not.
So with shopping done I'm spending the rest of the day on the settee reading. I'm in the middle of James Patterson's 'The Womens Murder Club' series and am totally hooked. I bought the next in the series on Monday so I've been itching to start it and, would you believe, today is my first chance.
With that in mind, time to pour myself a cuppa and settle down.
On a purely selfish note both myself and Peter are loving the daily updates which we are finding strangely comforting and reassuring. By following Kath's progress we now have an idea of how things might go for me. Obviously everyone is different but Kath and I are of similar age and are both at a similar stage of PH as well as both having been on the Flolan for a considerable length of time. After Anne I'm finding Kath's progress a comfort and, although I know she still has a long way to go, I'm less panicky about getting my call now. I'm also more hopeful.
Yesterday's trip to MK shopping center was much more restrained and I returned with only a bar of chocolate. Not bad when you consider my current form. Peter failed to find the things he was looking for but it was a nice trip out and beat sitting at home and fretting about Kath. Unfortunately I didn't get the snaps I was hoping for as it decided to start raining the minute we set foot out of the door. Typical but not surprising given the time of year. My new long sleeved top was a success, though if anything I found myself feeling a little too warm at times. Of course that is down to this strange weather we are having. Despite the rain and the wind it is an unseasonably warm 19C at the moment. That's warmer than some of the days we had in the summer!
I had to abandon my lie in this morning as I had an appointment with the warfarin clinic. By a series of unfortunate clashes I'd managed to miss my last two appointments, though my INR was done at the Brompton last week and declared to be fine, so I was expecting a frosty reception. Fortunately they were too busy to question the gap or tell me off so I sat in a corner and played Mahjong on my phone until my name was called. It was only when I was leaving that I realised I'd forgotten to warn them I wouldn't be around next Friday. Oh well, my blood has been spot on the last two visits and I'm expecting another six week appointment so perhaps I needn't worry.
From there we went to Tesco to do the weekly shop and it is here that my problems really began.
I had just sat down on my trike when a car on the other side of the aisle started to back out of it's space. Now I know my trike is small but it's not that small but both it and me appeared to be invisible to the driver. He speed backward so fast I'd have had a hard time getting out of his way on foot, let alone on the trike. Fortunately Peter saw what was about to happen and slapped the side of the errant vehicle with his hand. The driver looked, registered me but then took off without even acknowledging me. So was I in the middle of the road at this point? No, I was next to the passenger door of my own vehicle on the hatchings that separate the disabled spaces.
Having recovered from that I entered the store and was pottering down the biscuit aisle, I never buy but I like to look, when two employees appeared at the other end both pushing those huge cage things they have. They were so intent on their conversation they only saw me when I let out a panicked yelp as one sideswiped me. They did at least stop and check I was OK and couldn't stop apologising.
A succession of near misses followed, before I got plagued by an elderly couple. The first time we crossed swords the old boy who was pushing the trolley just stopped suddenly in front of me and then as suddenly went into reverse only stopping when my handle bar dug into the back of his legs. After letting me through we met up again in the next aisle and this time she nearly took me out as she stepped back into me as she searched for something on the shelves. What is it with people today? Is it national idiot day or something? Two trips to the center of Milton Keynes and one around Costco and nothing. Half an hour in Tesco's Dunstable and I'm a battered and bruised nervous wreck!
Peter suggested I get an air horn to announce my presence but, looking at the state of the old girl, I think one blast and she'd have dropped dead right in front of me, so maybe not.
So with shopping done I'm spending the rest of the day on the settee reading. I'm in the middle of James Patterson's 'The Womens Murder Club' series and am totally hooked. I bought the next in the series on Monday so I've been itching to start it and, would you believe, today is my first chance.
With that in mind, time to pour myself a cuppa and settle down.
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