turning the corner …

Having woken at 6am and got up, I was feeling so grim that I went back to bed at 1030, and didn’t wake until about 1300. A massive change – I think I’ve turned the corner after nearly a week of this lurgy. Temperature close to normal, headache diminished, coughing and snottiness reduced, and not feeling completely incapable, though it’s been a question of “doing things” for twenty minutes followed by resting for 40 minutes!

Glorious sunshine this afternoon, which meant that I could have doors and window open, boiling up pickling vinegar while picking remaining tomatoes and cutting down the plants. There were very few nearly ripe ones worth putting on the windowsill to see if they change colour, but no problem getting the 3lb of green tomatoes my chutney recipe needs. Plenty of windfall apples to add in, though these are still mainly the ones that have fallen early due to codling moth infestation so need a fair bit cut out before use. The last, glorious, Deacon’s Pear picked to have at supper time – unless severe gales are threatened, I’ll leave the Worcester Black Pears, picking them in November and storing until February/March before use.





urgh!

I went down with a vile sore throat last Thursday, so didn’t go over to Green Mount for the weekend. It’s progressed to coughing fits, general snottiness, headaches, and a mild temperature whenever the lemsip wears off! The fire has been lit for periods of most days…

It’s always a bit chancy deciding when to stop encouraging new flowers by dead-heading sweet peas and start allowing them to set seed to save for next year. This year, I got it rather wrong! Too late, and many of the seed pods started getting mildew and other things due to the extreme dampness of the past few days. However, I found a couple of dozen pods that dried out OK. The variety is the original sweet pea – “Cupani”, dating back to 1695.

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome …

I’ve been having pain in my right hip for a couple of weeks, so contacted the GP. They referred me to a specialist musculo-skeletal physiotherapist, down in St. john’s medical centre, who I saw two days ago.

I’d been a bit worried – “atypical femur fracture” is a possibility, as I’ve been taking bisphosphonates for my osteoporosis. However, a fairly thorough session of “stand on one leg … put you hands on the wall and raise each knee in turn … lie on the couch and I’ll wiggle your legs in all kinds of ways … ” was reassuring. Apparently, it’s the tendons and bursa that are affected – the one that connect the bum muscles to the femur. It’s basically inflammation, so take things easy, gentle exercises as prescribed, should clear up in ten or twelve weeks.

It’s a considerable relief. I caught a cab down there, as I wasn’t sure quite where it was, but took the bus back. Cycling not really possible – that involves using all the hip joint and bum muscles that are affected.

RSV stuff

I was on the clinical trial panel for trials of the RSV vaccine, which has now got approval. They’ve now unsealed the blinded list, and (as I thought) I had received the placebo both times. So I’ve now been given the opportunity to have the vaccine for real, as part of  followup study (I think to see for how long it remains effective).

So, over to Birmingham today, to see the hunky Dr Peter Keighley and the team. The usual mountain of paperwork, chat, a quick physical, and then the jab. Followed by a compulsory sit under observation for 30 minutes – I suppose it’s necessary, but I was starting to get antsy about catching the train. The 1556 is about the last train that there’s the slightest hope of getting a seat on – and I did catch it with 4 minutes to spare. Usual rush-hour buses in Worcester, but I did get the last seat on the #35, so home about 1700. So far, my arm isn’t objecting to the jab, but it’s early days …

A rather difficult last 24 hours.

Yesterday was my Mum’s funeral, followed by a Celebration of her life. All I’ll say about that was a massive thank you to all who contributed in so many different ways.

Today, I lifted the slabs in the centre of the patio, under the table where Chelsea-cat loved to sunbathe, and placed Chelsea’s ashes there.

I’m now done with the immediate processes of loss, and can quietly continue working through the emotions. Legal and suchlike stuff to be dealt with in due course.


not a great night

I’m not sure if it was something I ate, or an effect of the risedronate (which I felt last weekend was starting to affect my swallowing), but I had a very rough night last night. Feeling desperately chilled and feverish, although my temperature was actually normal. I threw up twice, and had a very restless night with confused dreams.

Today has been largely sleeping! My stomach still very tender, so it’s been hot water bottles or the heated belt during my fairly short periods of wakefulness. I slept from about 1300-1600 and again 1700-2000, and still feel that an early night is called for. I think that a warm bath beforehand might be helpful.

GAH!

I’ve been over visiting my mum in hospital – she had a stroke at the weekend, but is recovering slightly. As usual, the trip there and back the same day on the wretched Hitachi 800 trains has left me almost unable to walk – the seats seem specifically designed to wreak havoc on the spines of anyone over 5’9″ tall !

Blood test for me tomorrow morning, to try to find out why I’m still having shaking spells.

Not one of the better patches, really – still, it’s my annual holiday on the Broads next week, which will be much-needed break and relaxation. And tonight I struggled up the garden to pick the first home-grown lettuce (rather late, but I’ve had shop-bought to use up), to have with ciabatta rolls and salami. There was a quick munch on the first half-dozen raspberries while I was passing.

exhausted

I’ve agreed to print and fold 63,000 A5 double-sided “blue letters” for Carla Denyer in Bristol. She’s our best hope for a / an additional Green MP, so I’m pleased to help. 7,000 were done at the start of last weeks, and an additional 2,000 were collected on Friday. Slightly different artwork for the batch I’ve just finished – below is what 20,000 blue letters looks like! Only 34,000 to go. Still massive problems with te folding machine – it only does about 1-2,000 folds before giving up and needing the temporary fix of a wire through where the defective roller pin should go replaced.

Also, sadly, Mum was unresponsive when Sharon tried to wake her on Saturday, and was taken to JR. An MRI revealed a bleed on the brain – a stroke, in short. On Sunday she was apparently unresponsive while being washed, but – to the surprise of the medical team – came to when she heard Jane’s voice talking to the nurses. She’s apparently eating and drinking OK, and can speak in short sentences, very slowly. Per her advance directions, no major intervention is to take place: she’s on supportive care only. I’m going over tomorrow- rather earlier than usual, as I hope to be there when the doctor does their rounds.

I’m still very shaky on the least exertion. Feels like a massive adrenaline buzz, or like far too much caffeine. Blood test on Wednesday morning (12th).

GP, garden bits

Still having periods of tremors – especially after any kind of exertion, and brain doesn’t feel as though it’s firing on all cylinders. A visit to the GP this afternoon, who says it will probably gradually wear off over the next couple of weeks, but has ordered blood tests anyway. Next available slot for bloods isn’t for a fortnight!

Home for a stroll round the garden. The first flowers are opening on a pink foxglove in the wildflower bank, and in the old strawberry contained there’s the first (very small) flower on the cosmos plants (from home-saved seed, of course).

recovery time needed

Thursday evening (16th) was the first Election Strategy meeting. I got home about 10:30, given a lift by Clare. I got increasing wired, for some reason – didn’t go to bed until nearly 3, slept for 1/2 hour and was then awake until 6. Several days shaking, tremors, and feeling as though I was shivering internally, though no muscle movement evident, and a total inability to focus or concentrate. I’m still not over it, and today is Tuesday, though I feel I’ve turned the corner. Yesterday saw me able to realise that I’d done nothing at all about tomorrow’s Green Party Business Meeting, so forced myself to send an abject but brief email to relevant people.

I was over at Green Mount from late Saturday to yesterday teatime. I did almost nothing – a couple of walks. Sharon (Mum’s live-in carer) cooking the evening meals was a help, as I do still stress a bit when faced with the Aga.

The back fiekd was ablaze with yellow. My immediate reaction was “oilseed rape”, but realised that it couldn’t be – in fact, the horses have been moved off, it’s clearly being put down for hay, and the yellow was buttercups!