Slow Sunday.

I feel a little less spaced out this morning. In fairness I had quite a good night, waking only once but going straight back to sleep. Peter also had a very good night so we are both feeling a lot better today.

I watched Wales play with little enthusiasm, which was just as well as they played appallingly. They were undisciplined and all over the place. They deserved the loss. There goes the Grand Slam, we could still end up champions but it's going to take a hell of a lot of improvement. I also watched a bit of skiing, ice skating and snowboarding but couldn't get into it at all. Which is unusual for me because I watch Ski Sunday as often as I can. In the evening we forced ourselves to stay up and watch a film. The tactic worked because I was so tired I can barely remember getting into bed.

We have woken up to a wet and windy morning, what's new, but I have yet to turn on the news to see what damage has been done overnight. Unfortunately today will only be a small break in the weather and then only for this afternoon as another storm is moving in over night and then we are expecting the big one on Wednesday. It seems never ending but at least there is one thing in it's favour. It is mild. This time last year I was wearing jumpers to bed I was so cold.

Today is a 'get you house in order day'. We are getting all those horrible little housework jobs done so we are free to enjoy ourselves over the next few days. Tomorrow is going to be shopping day, well we have eat, and a quick trip to a charity shop to deposit some clothing. From then on we are free to do as we want.

The plan is still to do a few day trips but looking at the weather it might be difficult unless we are visiting something indoors. Norwich castle is still on, provided we can get there, and we may also pack a visit to the National Gallery or British Museum in as well. I know we go to London a lot but they are usually for hospital appointments and by the time we get out half the day is gone.

I was woken by a very insistent Smirnoff who wanted feeding. I'd forgotten to put biscuits down last night, that shows how tired I was, and he was hungry poor love. Smirnoff really doesn't like the weather. He is very nervous and skitish when the wind blows. He also thinks it is all my fault and keeps looking at me as if to say 'make it stop Mum', if only I could.

This afternoon, once I have got the housework out of the way, I'm going to do a little more painting so I'd better get on with it.

On Australian Time

Goodness knows what happened to me last night but I hope it doesn't happen again.

We went to bed at our normal time, read a bit then turned off the light and promptly became wide awake. At 00:40, after lying there talking for two hours, we got up and went into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate in the hope it would send us off. It worked a treat on Peter, who was gone about five minutes after we turned the light off. I was still wide awake at five and thought I would never get any rest. The next thing I know it is light and the clock is saying eight thirty. To say I feel like a zombie would be an understatement. I'm going to be a grumpy girl all day.

Yesterday we decided to forego our usual trip to the shops. We have to go out Monday so we'll do it then, so I got the paints out and have started on something. At the moment it just looks like a splodgy mess but I'll take a picture when I'm happier about it. Any plans for today have been shelved and it is highly likely I'll be asleep on the settee this afternoon while trying to watch the rugby.

I watched some of the opening ceremony from the winter Olympics yesterday and is it my imagination or did they copy the London one? I haven't seen any of the events yet but I will. I'm off for a whole week so there is bound to be one day when I want to do nothing but vegetate in front of the TV. Today for instance.

Once again the weather is the main feature on the news. It is almost becoming normal to see people knee deep in water and cars abandoned on roads turned into rivers. Latest predictions are that the storm due later today could bring waves of over fourteen meters high. If that is true then it will be goodbye to most of our Victorian sea fronts. Those that are already damaged are especially at risk as local councils have had no time to effect repairs or put in defenses. Having said that I can't see much being able to defend against fourteen meter waves.

I must say sorry to those living in Norwich. Of course you are not on the coast. What was I thinking, but your are closer to the coast than I am so my concern still stands, especially as some of our main roads are under water now.

I really need to take a nap so I will finish here. Next blog tomorrow, when I will hopefully not be doing a good impression of the walking dead.

Uk Versus The Weather Round....I've Lost Count.

Well two days back at work just flew past.

It was nice to be back and catch up with my friends and colleagues but I am starting to admit to myself that the job itself is no longer really 'doing it' for me.

To be fair my views might have been coloured by the problems I had getting to and from work this week. It is no fun driving through rain and high winds at seven in the morning and having to dodge fallen trees, flooded roads and wildlife. On Wednesday I more or less had to drive in the center of the road in some places and just as I entered the darkest, most wooded stretch of my journey,  I had to slam on the brakes as this huge deer shot out in front of me. Fortunately I was not bombing along at my usual speed or there is no doubt I'd have hit him.

Thursday was better going in but I had to drive through a monsoon on the way home and the puddles were back. The wind rocked the car and, for the first time since I got it, I wished it was bigger. I felt quite vulnerable to be honest. What really made me worry is the number of people bowling along without headlights on or driving through the floods at speed. No wonder the emergency services are run off their feet when there are so many idiots on the road.

However I now have ten days off so the weather can do what it likes because I don't have to go anywhere. I have got a few things planned but it does depend on the floods etc. We want to go to Norwich Castle to see the Roman exhibition but Norwich is on the coast and there have been some problems already with worse weather to come. I guess we will have to play it by ear. That's all we can do.

Having my holiday plans disrupted is nothing to what has been happening in some areas of the UK. People are having their whole lives disrupted, and in some cases totally destroyed, by the floods. My heart goes out to them and I'm horrified by the news reports I see everyday. Of course my most heart felt concern is for the people in my home town of Aberystwyth. They have been in the front line for every storm coming our way. They have had a few lucky escapes but the storms coming in tonight and particularly the huge one due on Wednesday could cause some real damage. I can't see how they can escape but I'm hoping against hope that they will.

My auctions have finished and I made over sixty pounds which is a very good start to our holiday fund. All I need now is the transplant to allow me to travel again. Arrrgghhhh! It is so frustrating! I have so much I want to do but just can't because of my stupid body.  Ah well maybe soon, never say never.

Right must get on. I'm having a bit of a laundry fest. My only problem is going to be all the ironing I'm creating.

Tomorrow Wales faces Ireland in the Six Nations. I am so looking forward to that. The Winter Olympics have also started. I can't say I'm that excited but I might watch some events if the weather keeps me housebound.

I'm Like A Rubber Ball...

This will be my last post until the weekend as I'm going back to work tomorrow. Yay! I am getting a little stir crazy and I feel great so why not. I'm still on antibiotics, which will continue for another five days, but they have certainly hit this one on the head. Of course I could get the call tonight, doubtful but I could, in which case I will not be returning to work for some time. There is always hope.

That's the trouble with me. No matter how gloomy I get or how ill I become I always, always bounce back. Some would say it is a good thing but sometimes I wish I wasn't quite so optimistic because I'm constantly getting disappointed. I suppose it is better for those around me though. If I was constantly moaning or looking on the dark side I think I'd be very lonely right now. No one wants to hear constant complaining. That's the problem those of us with serious illnesses have. Because we are used to feeling grotty or being in pain we tend to get on with it, while others make a fuss about everything. Sometimes I listen to someone going on and on and on and I'm thinking 'if only you could spend a day in my body, how would you cope then?' Occasionally I feel like screaming 'suffering! You think you're suffering? Grow up!' Of course I don't and never would, I'd lose my job for one thing, but mainly because if they can't feel what I feel then I can't feel what they're feeling. There are always and will always be people who are worse off than me.

Last night I watched saw an advert for a weight loss programme. The woman, who was overweight but nowhere near obese, was sobbing away because she felt so awful about her situation. The tears were real, this was no actress, but I had no sympathy at all. Is that bad? I just thought 'well you got yourself into that mess, get yourself out'. To be fair she did and looked fantastic. However it I got me wondering how that tactic would work for an advert for organ donation. It would be useless using me, I'd be there smiling and saying how 'nice it would be' to find a donor. Hardly the grip you by the throat 'I need your organs or else I'm going to die' message that's really needed.

Can you tell how bored I am? I'm commenting on adverts. Tisk!

Yesterday I tested the waters and found that the ironing, cooking and laundry did nothing to upset my breathing. My SAT's remain at 89 - 91%, very good for me and certainly a sign that whatever was ailing me has gone, at least for now. Of course this might be down to my extra diuretic. I'm no longer taking the extra one every other day but now every third day. It has had a remarkable effect on me. My tummy and ankles have gone down while my oxygen levels have gone up. Clearly I was slowly drowning. I will continue with my regime until I next attend the PH clinic in April but for now it seems to be working and I'm not dehydrated so no more dizzy spells. Bonus!

I'm keeping up with my 365 challenge. OK sometimes I get a bit desperate and end up taking pictures of packets of crisps but a picture is a picture. I've included some of my latest efforts in this blog. Actually I had a pretty difficult decision to make last night. Should I go for the pickled onion Monster Munch or the flamin' hot? I love them both. I especially like the flamin' hot with a sprinkling of Worcester sauce over them. After a lot of thought and consideration I had both. Piglet!

Well I'd better go and check I can locate all my uniform for tomorrow. There is nothing worse than losing your security pass at six thirty in the morning. It makes getting into the building a bit tricky as the receptionist doesn't arrive until eight. Next blog Friday.

A Smoking Gun?

There's an article in the paper this morning regarding organ donation and transplants. Specifically lung transplants.

According to research, done by Harefield, one of the UK's best transplant hospitals, over half of lung transplants are done with organs donated from smokers. A fifth of these smoked twenty or more a day. The piece is written with a headlines designed to shock, which is typical. The paper is always trying to stir something up.

Now when you are put on the transplant list you are given a tick list of the type of lungs you will accept. You can opt out of receiving lungs from drug users and those of smokers. Personally I saw no reason to limit my chances so I ticked everything as acceptable. If they'd offered me pigs lungs I'd have ticked the 'yes' box. I was, and am, that desperate.

The way I see it is this. OK, the donor may have been a smoker but how long ago? Research into lung cancer etc shows that it doesn't matter how long you've smoked for you lungs will start to recover the minute you stop. Over time you could end up with lungs as healthy as though you have never smoked. Even if the donor had smoked up to his last day I'd trust the transplant team to make sure the lungs were fine for transplant. They would never do something to put me at risk, which is why so many organs are rejected every year. The heart and lungs are the first organs to be removed from the body of a donor. This is because they have the shortest 'shelf life'. It has been know for a transplant to be stopped as a patient is being wheeled into theatre because cancer has been found in another part of the body. That's how careful they are. No matter how perfect the lungs are, the smallest growth in any other part of the body means they cannot be used.

There are many, many risks involved in lung transplant, or any other type for that matter. One of them is catching something from your donor. It is a known and acceptable risk. Usually it is something easily treated such as a virus or infection. Occasionally, and as far as I know there has only been one case, you can develop lung cancer. However who's to say you wouldn't have developed cancer anyway?

Only 20% of transplants take place in the six months directly after transplant. That rises to 50% after three years but by then half the people on the list will have died waiting. Overall you are much more likely to die waiting for a transplant than from catching something from the donor. As far as I'm concerned those are good odds. For someone who has been waiting for over a year, and who knows time is running out, the risk is minute. I would much rather have one or two years living a 'normal' life, and accepting the risks that come with smokers lungs, than deny myself that over a tiny possibility.

So talking of lungs how are mine this morning? Well feeling good. I still have my cough, I don't think that will ever completely go, but it is now unproductive, always a good sign. I'm feeling better in myself too. I'm sleeping well and getting plenty of rest so everything is progressing nicely. I have another day or two before my sick note runs out to decide whether to go back to work. If I do it will only be for two days and then I have a week off. Sounds like the perfect way to 'test the waters' as it were.

Today I'm going to do something normal. I have already taken my kitchen back and now I'm planning on a little light ironing this afternoon. As I said, just testing myself.

Ireland beat Scotland in the rugby, no surprises there, in a very one sided match. Ireland face Wales next weekend and I think it's going to be a difficult one, especially as Ireland will be playing at home. However I have already booked my place on the settee and will be cheering with all the gusto I can muster.

Well time for my antibiotics, a cuppa and then a little exercise in the form of loading towels into the washing machine. Next blog tomorrow.

Heart Awareness Month

February has been designated 'Heart Awareness Month'. During the coming weeks there will be lots of information sent out on how to keep your heart healthy and how to spot potential problems. As much as possible I will add bits and pieces to my blogs to keep you updated. Also look out for news articles, television and radio programmes and initiatives by your local health authority.

So lets start on a positive not and take a look at a perfectly normal, health heart. (It's OK, nothing gory just a diagram.)

My heart was thumping like a drum when watching the match yesterday. It was a really tough match but Wales came through and a win is a win right? I have to say that when Wales made a try in the first few minutes I thought we might be looking at a bit of a whitewash, but Italy was not so easily defeated and came roaring back with a vengeance. I have to say I always enjoy the nail biters more than the walk overs so I had a really good time.

The England France match was another edge of the seat match and for a while it looked as though England had got it. However France came back stronger in the second half and won in the final few minutes by a couple of points. The Ireland v Scotland match has just started as I write this so I'll be nipping down to watch it as soon as I've posted.

Health wise I'm feeling a hell of a lot better today. My cough has finally all but gone, I still cough when I wake up but have done so for years. My oxygen SATs are impressive at the moment hovering around the 89%. Not bad when normal for me is around 85%. I'm beginning to eat well again but my craving is mostly for fruit and veg so I'm piling my plate with health stuff figuring that food is food and at least I am eating even if it isn't the high calorie stuff. I did indulge in a plate of nachos covered in melted cheese last night while watching a film, so it's not all bad. Or should that be good?

Andrew's results are still trickling in and he has received one of his essays back which he passed with a very high mark. Brilliant! Just one essay and two written exams outstanding and then we can breath easy until the next time.

Peter presented me with a load of stuff to put on Ebay this morning so I've spent most of my time photographing and listing the items. He's got a lot of old car stuff lying around from all his renovations and upgrades so may as well get rid of them. I've also dug out and put on a few more items too. We decided that as we want to move house in a year or so we need to start clearing out all the accumulated junk. If we can sell the stuff and put the money to a good cause, why not. There is no point hanging on to it 'in case it comes in useful' and we really do need to de-clutter. I've got a feeling that every time I return from work I'm going to find another pile of stuff on my desk ready for me to list. Still it gives me something to do and keeps me out of trouble and best of all our holiday fund is going to be huge if we manage to sell everything.

Right better get to the settee, don't want to miss the whole match. 

Souped Up.

Well my trip out was cold, damp and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Peter fussed and worried about me getting wet or being too cold but I had three layers on and a coat, gloves and hat so I think I was fairly well covered. We went to Dunstable Tesco's as it has a covered walk way from the car park so we could make sure my trike, I decided against the wheelchair, would stay dry during assembly and I could trundle most of the way in undercover.

Being a Friday afternoon it was quieter than usual so we went around in double quick time, to be fair we only needed a few things, and we were soon back home feeling non the worse for wear. Andrew beat us to it by about half an hour and we were greeted by dripping biker gear draped all over the dining room. Lovely! I then embarked on one of the biggest disasters I've ever made. Seriously do not try this at home.

A successful Tomato soup

I am one of the worlds biggest soup lovers. I love soup. I find it warming comforting and practically the only thing I can eat when feeling off colour. As a result I make a lot of the stuff and I am always on the look out for new recipes. A few weeks ago I found a Mary Berry recipe for sweet potato soup. I was delighted as I love sweet potato and being a Mary recipe what could go wrong? So yesterday I bought the ingredients and got to it. The description promised a 'spicy, warming soup with a vibrant colour'. I followed the recipe to a 'T' and all seemed to be going well apart from the slightly sludgy colour. I reasoned that the colour would change once all the ingredients were whizzed up and blended.

One hour later and I stuck the blender into the pot and whizzed expecting a vibrant orangy yellow colour as seen in the picture on the recipe. I got a grey/beige sludge. Andrew, who had wandered into the kitchen in the hope of great things, commented 'maybe it'll taste better than it looks. So out came the spoons and we sipped tentatively. The smell wasn't that appealing and I nearly spat my spoonful straight out. It didn't really taste of anything much but there was this rather sweet, cloying hint of something deeply unpleasant. Not willing to give up I poured both Andrew and myself a bowl and tried dipping with some bread. I couldn't finish it. It actually made me feel quite sick. Peter took one sip and pulled a face indicating he wouldn't be taking anymore.

So I'm afraid it will be washed down the sink at some point today as it is stinking the kitchen out, I've actually been burning josh sticks in an effort to drown it out, but I have found another recipe for roasted red pepper soup. Maybe in a couple of weeks, until then I'm sticking with what I know.

Today is the start of the Six Nations rugby tournament and no prizes for guessing who I'm supporting. I love rugby and get extremely excited about it. I scream, I shout, I jump up and down and on very rare occasions do a lap of victory around the living room. Quite often at the end of a match I feel I've played it, not just watched it. Wales are the reigning champions and if they win this year that'll be three in a row. The competition is going to be tough though, but I'm sure we will come out victorious again.

In the news Justine Bieber has been arrested again, this time for assault. Has anyone's career ever disintegrated quite so quickly? Sadly he still has quite a large fan base. I wonder what will happen when these teeny boppers start to grow up and realise what it is they were really supporting.

Naturally the papers are full of the Kercher case, with Amanda Knox taking center stage and pulling out all the 'poor me' angles she can think of. Will the USA send her back to Italy to face the music? I won't be waiting with baited breath.

Aberystwyth appears to have survived this morning's tidal storm as it hit further south. They are not out of the woods yet with at least another high tide and more high winds to come later today. However the rugby might not escape entirely unscathed. The Wales versus Italy match is being played in Cardiff and, although the match should take place without any problem, the worry is for the fans travelling to and from the venue. Have these people issuing the warnings ever come across a determined Welsh rugby fan? I think not! It'll take more than a bit of wind and rain to prevent them watching the match, believe me. Tenacious is just not in it.

Right time for my cuppa and yet another antibiotic. I swear that if you picked me up and shook me I'd rattle.