Hacking Death Cough

Posted by bec on Dec 16, 2008 in Headspace

This post was supposed to be full of more gift ideas for Christmas but I am not feeling in a very shopping/Christmas/good/anything mood.

I have the hacking death cough burning throat hot sweats flu thing because apparently the world wants me to suffer.

I am NOT taking any time off work - I can get through four hours a day on basically no sleep. Of course I can. The no sleep? It’s not that every time I lie down I cough and wheeze (although that certainly is part of it) - it’s the burning up thing. I can’t sleep if I am too hot. i am pretty much always a stick one foot out of the duvet person, and my window is always open at least a crack - yes, even in sub zero weather… but at the moment nothing works - not the sleeping naked on top of the covers whilst turning the pillow over and over to find the sweet cool spot.

I have been coughing so much my stomach aches… and swallowing is becoming a thing. Should have known I was going to get this. Damn carrier monkey family!

Tags: cough, sickness, sleep, sore throat

Most Depressing Day of the Year

Posted by bec on Jan 21, 2008 in Friends, Headspace, News

Today apparently was the most depressing day of the year - it’s traditionally the day when resolutions are broken, the weather is rubbish and there are a high number of suicides.

Well, one of my resolutions was not to over-react to things - broken today, the weather is insane and nope, not topping myself but…

Of course this is one of those posts that doesn’t really need to exist. Y’know if the entire world followed me on Twitter… but… well…

I have had a day of it. Woke up this morning to the sound of torrential rain (apparently most of England is under water and some bloke called Noah is being all seventeen kinds of smug), and then about 2 minutes later I realised that I couldn’t move any of my limbs without huge amounts of effort. I dragged my arse downstairs, as my mobile had no bloody signal, and called into work.

Then I saw Mum. She looked lovely, of course, but like death warmed up slightly. There was a wheezing thing going on but she insisted she was fine and that I should go back to bed. After 29 years of living with her I have come to take this to mean ‘don’t mess with me or fuss about it or I will rip your head off and feed it to the cat.’ and I was feeling too weak to argue, so I did as I was told (a prime signal that I am ill) and after twittering it was ‘head hit pillow oh the phones ringing oh it’s 3 o’clock somebody will get that it’s still ringing I swear if that’s a call centre I’m going to kill everyone’ and I got up again.

It was Dad. Calling from the hospital. About Mum. Breathing problems. Tests. Not to worry. Bye.

Stress. Panic. Dressed. Shower. Cup of tea and a sit down. More stress. Biting my fingernails as many many bad scenarios played through my head with statistics about how bad NHS hospitals are (remembering none of the good things) plus own massive phobia of the entire medical profession meant I had a very un-relaxing afternoon. (Thank you (by the way) for the messages of support!).

At one point I was running through all the people I would have to call if she died. And there are a lot. Mum is a much beloved person.

I however, forgot to call my brother to let him know what was going on so when he calls to say he’s on his way home (a ritual as he walks along one of the most ridiculously dangerous roads near us) I had to install panic in him. Sorry Ads, I’m crap.

Dad came home about half an hour later sans Mum. In overnight for observation which is a GOOD THING. See positive persuasion thing? Packed clothes and nightwear and wash bag and book and glasses and what else? Kept picking things up - have given her two options for clothes. Hope everything is alright.

Dad left to take things back on a flying visit as visitor hours are massively shortened due to the hundred bugs flying around at the moment. The news is telling us that the hospital she is in is on reserve water supplies due to some cock-up with the local reservoir. Classic. Am considering filling bottles and taking them to Mum’s ward to make damn sure she has water if they don’t fix the problem.

Right now, however, I am glad that today is over, and having written all the numbers in the world down for the morning am going to work with my mobile switched on all day - just try and stop me taking the calls tomorrow, work!

Tags: , Most Depressing Day of the year, sickness

Living Longer

Posted by bec on Jan 20, 2008 in Family, Headspace, News

It was one of those days were any plan that I made was immediately eliminated by the fact that Mum was sick. She finally succumbed to one of the many bugs that are going around. And trying to get her to sit down and relax became a full time occupation. Eventually she went to bed giving me time to clear some of Bloglines. But not before she sorted tea, did ironing and a hundred other things that I or my brother could have done. She should take tomorrow off but I’m not sure I have the energy for that particular fight.

My brother brought up an interesting proposition today - what about running a business together? I’m not sure if it’s genius or if he’s had a knock on the head. Either way it’s something worth looking at.

And it was a slow news day. The only thing I saw that made me actually stop and read it was a piece saying that if you exercise, eat the right amount of fruit and vegetables, don’t smoke and moderate the amount of alcohol you drink you can add up to 14 years to your life. And all I could think was that quote by Clement Freud yes, I googled it.)