Monday 18 June 2018

Well, THAT wasn't a very Good Day

This is the lovely Hybrid Foxglove Digiplexis that I bought last week.  I might have bought a friend for it today.  Both planted up and part of the movable feast.


Well, yesterday was NOT the best day either for my health OR my wealth!  Where I have had to be on a higher (and more prolonged) dose of steroids for a further week (then slowly decreasing for a further week), sleep has been at a premium.  Some nights I was getting just 3 or so hours, then 2 or so, then I went an entire 24 hours without a blardy WINK.  The steroids give you the energy to get through it, but my eyes have been turning into the proverbial you-know-what holes in the snow!  Plus the steroids have my face getting fatter - NOT a good look.  Thursday into Friday was where I didn't sleep at all - slept 10 - midnight on the Thursday and was then awake until midnight on the Friday into Saturday.  I watched a lot of middle of the night tv (some good programmes) and read my book, and then laid in bed, looking at the wall . . .  However, by Saturday, my asthma was showing signs of coming under control again.  Good News.




Another treat.  I have decided when I have worked hard and not slept well, I deserve something special.  This lovely Rosa mundi (R.versicolour) came home with me from the Garden Centre on Friday.  We had done the little Wee Flea at Hay and I made a Wee Profit, and this rose was one I used to have, but it was when we first moved here and I didn't know how poor the soil was and it sort of starved to death.  This one won't.


I bought several of these documents from another trader at the Carmarthen Fleamarket yesterday.  I found a couple of other nice things which are destined for the 2 day Antiques Fair at the Botanic Gardens next month. They were a small positive in what was an absolutely dire day, both for selling, and for my asthma.  Our stall is inside the big agricultural building on the showground.  There are outside stalls too, but it rained and so lots of folk left early.

By lunchtime, my asthma was getting worse and worse and it felt like a hand was throttling my lungs.  I think the building was full of trapped pollen, plus there had been a YFC show there the previous day and so there would have been dust from hay and straw (which I am also allergic to) in the air.  

No-one was buying much at all inside (yet again - this has been getting worse and worse over the past two years) and we barely took enough money to cover what it cost us to stand.  By 2 p.m. I decided that enough was enough, and I was going to end up in A&E if we stayed any longer, so we packed up and left (with help from our dear friend Pam, who helped pack and carry.  (I was beyond carrying and had to just sit in the car).  K worked so hard too, as he carried all the heavy things.  I felt guilty just sitting.



When we got home, the car stayed packed until this morning.  I was glad I had half a risotto in the fridge which I could just put in the "popty ping" (microwave) as otherwise it would have been beans on toast!  

I took a further 3 steroids (having been dropping down and got to 5), my Vitamin D, my STRONG old fashioned anti-histamine (Actifed) which is the ONLY thing which helps at such times, Magnesium, Diet Coke (for Caffeine which also seems to open my airways), washed my hair, changed all my clothes (pollen ones into wash), and took off my makeup and washed my face to get rid of any pollen on my skin.  I sat down quietly - I could do no more.  I did manage to make it to 11 1/2 hours before taking my inhaler (should be 12 hours but if I'm good I can go longer).  I managed to sleep about 7 hours and have been feeling better today. I am stepping down off the steroids again now.  I have to see if I can manage without and if not, then it's back to the Dr's.  

Another treat - it's a quarterly baking magazine I usually get and it cheered me up when I was feeling so miserable.




Back at home, the cats were just enjoying life and happy to have us around to feed them.  Alfie with his mum Miffy.


Pollen levels are back to very high again, which is a pain as I had hoped they had peaked.  Ah well, all I can do is keep inside as much as possible.  Thank you for listening to my moaning!

16 comments:

  1. When I am on steroids I cannot sleep longer than an hour then another hour and so on. The steroids also caused my cataracts to gallop and have to be replaced, now done and the final effect was Osteopenia, precursor to Osteoporosis, fractured spine and crumbling vertebrae. But as you say that is what they give you for breathing problems. Devil and deep blue spring s to mind. Hope you improve soon.x

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    1. I knew you would know the perils of the blasted things too Jill. I would be in hospital without them - well, I'd be on them in the hospital as they seem to be the only thing wot works at the moment. I keep busy and active and try to exercise daily the rest of the year to keep bone strength up but it's a worry. Sorry they have given you the Osteopebua, and hope it doesn't worsen.

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  2. I came up with "exercise induced asthma" this past winter, brought on apparently by the flu. Who knew? So I have been using an inhaler, and I must say, it does work magic. But I don't much like the feeling of my lungs being so constricted, as I am sure you know. You have beautiful cats, and you live in an amazing countryside. Hope you are feeling better soon.

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    1. Hello Hilary. Sorry you have the exercise induced asthma, and hope that it is something which improves so you aren't tied to an inhaler. There's nothing worse than not being able to breath properly, but then I try and take from my problems that at least it's not agonizing pain, and that most of the time it's under control. This summer has been exceptional for bad pollen levels and people I speak to who have never been affected before, are this year.

      We are so lucky where we live - it is really beautiful locally and almost everywhere we go. The cats are, without saying, beautiful and expect me to tell them this every day!!

      Hopefully tomorrow will see further improvement. No more moaning, I promise!

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    1. Miffy has actually been INSIDE this morning, without panicking. Wouldn't eat her breakfast indoors though.

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  4. Son and I adore the two cats ! So beautiful.
    I can somewhat understand what you are going through. I have Valley Fever plus other stuff and my lungs are killing me today. In the summer when the wind blows the dust has spores. So the dust aggravates the spores already in the lungs and can't breather without pain.

    Hope you will feel better soon. I can't believe all the problems you have. Be well.
    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Oh no, sorry you have Valley Fever - sounds horrid. I imagine like me you are having to stay inside as much as you can. I hope you are better soon.

      I knew June would be bad, but this all kicked off in April so I am pretty fed up with it now!

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  5. Trying to give up carbonated drinks ( Pepsi) but like you, if I can't breathe it does seem to help. I hope you are on the mend soon.

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    1. I'm glad it's not just me that finds the caffeine in the pop a help. I have overdone it though as I know I get a reaction to the caramel colour in it, so really I should stick to water . . .

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  6. Goodness, I don't know how you keep going through all the ups and downs of asthma, I hope things are under control before you have to do the big fair at the Botanic Gardens which must be full of exotic pollen flying about.
    The cakes on the front of that magazine................mmmmmm

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    1. Thanks Sue, I will admit I really am struggling at the moment. We were manning the shop today (where we have a Unit), and after just 4 hours sleep I had to go and lie down in the back of the car. Anyway, the Botanic Gardens isn't for a couple of weeks and by then I am hoping I shall be on a more even keel. Fingers crossed that there aren't any Antipodean pollens I react to!

      The cakes do look extremely toothsome! I have put on half a stone from the steroids and am so bloated too, so will be glad to get back to normal fat!

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  7. Oh my what a week. I'm pleased you were able to find some treats during the week, the rose and magazine. Shame about lack of interest at your fairs. Popty ping was something me and the boys learnt before we moved to Wales. Best wishes for your improved health.

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    1. I've had better, Lou, I have to say! The treats really have cheered me up and I bought another today, a half price well-grown French Lavender. Popty ping always makes me smile!

      Keep gardening - seeing your progress cheers me up.

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  8. Beautiful roses, I'm not surprised that you couldn't resist. I wouldn't have been able to resist the old indentures, either. There is just something so special about old paper and handwriting.
    What luck that you had a friend to help out at your hour of need - a real friend. I do hope that you have turned the corner now and are getting some respite and rest. Keep on with the treats - I'm sure I read that they are an essential part of the treatment - in last week's Lancet, perhaps..

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  9. I felt I had earned one and of course, choosing is half the fun. My poor chap fell asleep in the car waiting for me! I want to sit down and peruse the old indentures properly this week, and see if there is Anyone Important there!

    Pam is a lovely lady - she doesn't have the best health either as she has a Scoliosis, and I felt bad when she insisted on helping carry stuff to the car. I shall bake her a Lemon Drizzle Cake (her favourite) as a Big Thank You.

    I am glad to hear that Treats are an approved therapy!!

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