It's Awful Hard Work Being Poorly...

From lugging an oxygen tank around, to getting up at the crack of dawn in dire need of a wee and wondering whether you'll make it to the bathroom in time, to taking hours to just have a shower and get dressed...well...not hours exactly, but you get my gist.

I come out of the bathroom to find Himself hovering anxiously and trying to pretend he isn't...

Going to the hospital for appointments has me exhausted, though some of that might just be fright 'cos my new Consultant is not a person to hedge about...she tells it as she sees it and I swear with a certain degree of relish!

And the nurse you have to see beforehand is decidedly scary...she looks much like the nurse on the left of the photo I put on yesterday and snapped my head off when I told her I'd bought an Oxymeter...time was I'd have thought of a suitably cutting reply but now all I really want to do is sit down.

Then there's the talking...now I'll talk the hind legs off a donkey without a bother on me...or at least I used to. Now I let other people do the talking while I smile a sickly sort of smile and hope they don't make me laugh 'cos then I'll cough and splutter and that'll make me tired as well...

There are still a few well-meaning people who imagine it's just a stage I'm going through and I'll suddenly announce I'm better...and those who regale you with horror stories of their Dad or Auntie three times removed who had the same disease and died...

Sometimes I can cook the supper but mostly I can't...and Himself does struggle so with cooking. He puts the potatoes on to boil first then he sits down and reads the paper or does a crossword and I ask what else is he cooking? Besides potatoes? Pork chops he says...so I run through...again...that they need to go in the oven now...before the tatties actually.

And he's befuddled because I don't eat meat...so I explain how to make cheese sauce to put with cauliflower or how to cook a stir-fry and honestly, by the time I've finished explaining I could have done it myself three times over...

But I do feel guilty about how much he does without any complaint...and he's nearly eighty you know. I'm a lot younger than he is...lol

The photo is of Neddy, our very old donkey, drinking out of the rainwater butt...Millie is in the background...Millie is quite good at writing though her spelling isn't brilliant...I'll see if she'll write something for you one day.

I'm in bed by eight with a hottie bottle and a thriller to read...

Onward and upward...!

[Hidden]

actually I could hardly read your post as soon as I saw the donkey it triggered in me what eightyplus wrote about the Pastors Ass.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

And that was so funny wasn't it? !

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

sure was we all on this site need to keep a cheerful smile

[Hidden]

Evening vashti, I'm like that now, everything I read bout you is me to a tee, and my hubby matches Himself, tries hard but sometimes easier and quicker ( if that's possible ) to do it myself , but I do love him and wot he has to put up with, with me I'm sure he feels the same. X Sonia x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes I feel as though I'm nagging and have to just stop and let him get on with it! Glad I have him though...lol

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I like nagging sometimes let's him know whose boss lmao. X Sonia x

[Hidden]

You could write a book - you would sell millions - I just love your 'day in the life' tales.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Lovely of you to say eyes...thank you very much xxx

[Hidden]

Your posts are brilliant Vashti but I really enjoyed this one and I'm sure most of us can relate to your 'take' on living with a lung condition - How true...and how funny !!!

What a lovely photo - thanks for sharing. Neddy looks very handsome and content.

A few years ago I rescued an elderly donkey (though his 'owner' said he was 8!..) Was living in a farm cottage at the time and had enough space for Billy and soon after Mum bought him, so he went to live just down the lane from me.

His poor old back was 'dipped' and kids had been riding him hard; his pen was a small enclosure with a dirt base and was rat infested. I used to sneak apples and carrots over to him and one day a large rat just walked by, never minding that I was there.

Now, he had a proper stable, a good diet, space to move around and gentle walks around the country lanes. Four years later when mum became much less mobile I explained his history to the donkey sanctuary in Devon and they agreed to come up and give him a home for the remainder of his life . Their vet put him at roughly 37 years old. He died a couple of years later in what must surely have been for him donkey heaven

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

They're brilliant people at the donkey sanctuary...there's a big one here in Co.Cork...it's always full to bursting mind you!

At some point in his life Neddy had been well cared for we think...he can be ridden and can pull a cart and is amazing in traffic...but he's far too frail for any of that now and sleeps his days away...we do have another donkey...Jack...he and Neddy are great friends...Jack is also old but still robust!

The owners/sellers will tell you anything won't they?...

Billy was loved and cared for by you and your Mum and then the donkey people...he'd have remembered those times rather than the life he had before xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

That's a lovely thought Vashti ...

Great to know you have given a caring home to your animals and that there's a donkey sanctuary in your part of the world.

Clocks go back tonight but there's some good tv to watch...well, I'm thinking Strictly Come Dancing!

Enjoy your weekend...Lovelight xxx

[hufferpuffer]

Neddy is lovely and Millie looks so sweet , if she can write like you I'm really looking forward to it! Himself is doing alright and has a heart of gold, I hope you are having a lovely rest, appointments are very hard work! huff xxx

[Hidden in reply to hufferpuffer]

Part of the 'getting tired' is the long trip I think...we're forty miles from the hospital though it is a lovely drive there...why does sitting in a car make you tired I wonder...!

I wouldn't swop Himself...no point now George Clooney is taken...lol

[Louisiana]

Have I got this wrong? but is Millie the dog???????? - just asking because you said she writes well......hmmmm hope your day was easier today

[Hidden in reply to Louisiana]

Millie is certainly a dog...I have her as my avatar...and she writes quite well considering her paws are a bit big for the keyboard!

[Louisiana in reply to Hidden]

verrrrry interrrresting

[heho]

new to this please help as would like to read other peoples comments and try and help

[Hidden in reply to heho]

I'm sorry heho...not quite sure what you mean? Could you perhaps explain a bit more?

[Hidden]

I really do love your writing and Neddy and Millie are fabulous.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

thank you eyes...I'm glad you like reading...xxx

[Fern369]

Its awfully hard work living really isn't it ?! The up side is that there are wonderful things to see like your beautiful Donkey Neddy and your lovely dog Millie, what fantastic friends you have! My old dog Mae is a great friend to me, I can grumble about how silly men are to her and she always agrees with me!

[Hidden in reply to Fern369]

This is it...they don't answer back or judge you...just accept you for what you are and love you anyway!

[katieoxo60]

Like the donkey Vashti, and understand what you mean by living being a drag in modern terms. When we have ongoing illness we do not always enjoy the things we used to even everyday task require a lot of willpower and energy. But keep your feelings and examples coming it helps unwind xx

[Hidden in reply to katieoxo60]

thank you Katie...if I make someone smile or forget troubles for just a little while then I'll continue to do so...until I run out of ideas....lol