Bulletin

[O2Trees]

Morning wonderful friends. Blown away by the love and support from you all. Thank you everyone who’s posted or messaged and special thanks to Ruby who started it off. You have really lifted my mood. Small progress on sick front though I can now walk about 12 tottering baby paces and don’t need help to put my cardigan on and off. Spasm coughing has stopped aided by saline nebs which is wonderful. So there’s progress.

One of main difficulties is impact of reflux in triggering asthma which is dreadful. I always sleep on my left side on wedge pillow but during exacerbation have to be constantly upright on hardish chair and sleep like that too. So little wonder feet swollen like pumpkins and ive got incipient pressure sores.

A distressing thing was the GP insisting I should have amoxicillin as recommended by the emergency centre consultant, when he never talked to me about which ABs I was on and didn’t know id already had course of co-amoxiclav which amoxicillin with an extra ingredient for people who don’t respond to amoxicillin. So she wanted to go with his prescription to give me something weaker than the med that already hadn’t worked. I felt so unheard and willing to take yet more useless ABs. So Rita called her yesterday a.m. and explained it all and she – the GP – said of course I shouldn’t be taking that. So what muddled communication, made worse by GPs sense of themselves as lower in a hierarchy.

Rita has been amazingly stalwart but now she’s got an upper respiratory infection herself and is very sick and exhausted. We’ll have to call in our friends to help. I know just how lucky we are and really feel for those of you who have to struggle along on your own.

I was just one day in the hospital - Friday. They wanted to keep me in for the weekend but when we questioned them they admitted they wouldn’t be doing much more than we could do at home – ie monitoring. So given weekend staffing problems etc we decided it would be safer to come home.

Concentrator brought round by nice young man called Chris who smelt a bit less of aftershave than most of the others. The concentrator burbles away and brings back childhood memories of the cabins we had next to the engine on regular overnight ferry crossings from Liverpool to Belfast.

The respiratory nurse and district nurse trainee are coming today – great, trainees need hands on experience. And I need info about how to maintain O2 levels – at present mostly on 2 ½ litres but for a time after coughing sats plummet and 4 litres wont get them to 88 for about ¾ hour.

Uplifting things: Frasier reruns. Is the hitch-hiking weasel real (eyes, jolyn?). The amazing female snooker player taking on the men and winning.

Daughter coming at weekend, best friend coming from London tomorrow, friends helping with chores. Sun through the window.

I wish you all the best day possible. For all of you who are sick, many more so than me, I hope for improvement. I may manage the odd post otherwise tomorrow or next day for more tales from the sickroom. But for now

“Frazier has left the building” xxx jean

ps just saw lovely post from Argana, thank you. Love to know what ppl are doing xx

Dora: at top

[Hidden]

So happy you're on the mend! It sounds as if you have had a nasty experience,complicated by GPs that need to stand up for themselves!

It's great you're home,& have good friends etc.Do hope Rita recovers quickly.

Is your dog a labradoodle? He's beautiful!

My thanks to Penn,for posting how you were,must have missed Rubys post.

Take care,& take it slowly, xxxx

[O2Trees in reply to Hidden]

Spanish water dog xx

[Hidden in reply to O2Trees]

Wow,gorgeous,never heard of them here! xx

[peege in reply to O2Trees]

I looked after an Italian Water Dog for 3 weeks before I had Fred. He was gorgeous and showed me I could have a dog in London easily.

P xxxxxxxx hoping today is better J.

[Hidden]

Morning Lovely, I agree I dont know how people cope on their own it is so difficult to even think when you are ill and my husband finds all he concentrates on is breathing!! Glad you have had help but gosh it has been awful for you. Even more pleased that you are seeing small improvements AND the sun is shining. Hope the respiratory nurse is helpful. Replied on Arganas post about my ordeals for the day - thinking about flagging the garden next year! Take care lovely, have a great weekend with your daughter, lots of love TAD xxx

[Hidden]

hi 02, good hear to hear ur on the mend, it might be slowly, but suprising how small improvements lift us to know something is actually working/helping. Glad u have people around u to help and enjoy ur weekend. Xx sonia xx

[pollyjj]

Hi 02 glad to see you are improving albeit hard going, I do hope you get a breakthrough very soon.

Just take it easy try not to rush things, that might sound obvious but we all do it.

Take care

polly xx

[O2Trees]

Big thanks everyone. Having a major asthma incident right now - possibly AB side effect. Communication on those has got more complicated. Can hardly walk or talk again. Will let you know what transpires xxxxx

[peege in reply to O2Trees]

Oh god O2. Do wish I were nearby to help. It's all a nightmare, really feel for you throughout this ordeal. So sorry Rita is now down too.

Bloody amoxicillin, I can't believe you've had to go through that as well.

It's so hard to speak up when you're ill and brain not functioning properly.

yes, you're right, it's awful to have to cope completely on your own - from my little experience. . . . Here's you thinking of others, please concentrate on you.

Don't answer this, save your energy my friend.

Thank you for the pic of Adorable Dora, cheered me up no end. As always, get well soon xxxxx

[brianj]

hi there,

I also have asthma,and i find that reflux is a major factor for my incidents.

The past year ive had many exacerbations,and really the amoxycillin wasnt doing any good ,or so i thought.

My last visit to see my gp they changed my ABs to doxy,when i asked why,they told me that it was a note on my files from my specialist,whom i had seen about a fortnight beforehand.As he wants to see an improvement before my next appointment.At the moment i am much the same as yourself.(well maybe not the same severity),although ive had a substantial weight loss,anyway i was at the gps yesterday i have a bit of plursey,so i am on ABs doxcy, painkillers are naproxcen, and 40 mg of steroids.As i have copd and asthma.Have you been tried on any of those mentioned,if so could you let me know your opinion on them pls. i also take fostair, and spirva .

[Hidden in reply to brianj]

I find doxycline the only ab's that really help me so I hope they do you as well. I can't take penicillan as I am allergic to it. x

[Hidden]

Hi O2 good to hear you are making progress - you will get there just take it easy and wrap up well. Poor Rita, that's not good either. Take your meds and hopefully you will be better again in time for the spring starting. Take care xx

[Hidden]

Lovely to hear from you

and yes its real - it must have jumped on the bird whilst both were on the ground but because the weasel was punching above his weight, the bird could take off.

The weasel was clinging for dear life bet he didn't expect to go flying that day

but it did end well I believe.

you look after yourself and hope you and Rita start feeling better soon xxxx

[knitter]

Thinking of you,and take care. Doxy is the only antibiotic that works for me and glad you have friends to support you. Get well wishes

[huggs]

Hi O2,

Glad to know you are strong enough to type your update, but worried at your later post about your asthma. I can tell you from personal experience as well, that acid reflux plays havoc with asthma, and it really does affect you badly. So hoping they can get that under control quickly, and like others I have found doxycycline one of the more effective antibiotics, and in fact have just finished a course of it, so hope it kicks In soon.

Take special care, and as someone else said don't hesitate in calling 999 for help if your asthma attack doesn't come under control soon.

Sorry, Rita is now under the weather too, and hope she improves soon. At least you have your friends visiting and daughter arriving to look forward to.

I know its so tempting if you begin to feel better to then overdo, its so easy done, but try and not do that as it will only set you back. Pace yourself, and go slowly, but I'm sure people won't let you overdo things.

Glad to meet Dora at last, and she is gorgeous.

Get well soon.

lots of hugs,

Huggs xxxx

[butter-fly]

Thinking of you O2 and hope you are gaining strength. Gently and easily does it sweetie. Lots of rest is what is needed but you'll get there. Love doggie. Such beautiful eyes. Lots of hugs and kind wishes on their way to you and Rita.

Sara xxx

[naresh62]

Hi O2,sorry to hear both you and Rita are unwell please do take care. .post when you are feeling better god bless naresh62 x

[Sokrackers]

Hi 02Trees

Great to hear you are making progress as many wise people before me said 'take it easy'.

I'm recovering slowly and find myself talking to the mounting pile of laundry - it wants my attention but I just give a wink and tell it - it can wait.

Hope to hear more good news when you are ready. Enjoy your company and your dog is sooooo cute.

[dall05]

Hi 02, good to see you are home and taking things easy. Theses dam infections come from nowhere and knock us for six but you'll see it off soon and be ready for the improving weather.

I included 'What' a top Northern soul tune in my last exercise video especially for you, it just has that classic Northern soul beat to it but my moves are not in time as usual cause I'm way to out of breath to keep up.

Get well soon 02 and then get back to saving our NHS.

Tony x

[bulpit]

Good morning O2, So good to hear there has been a slight improvement,so frustrating for you, at least you are going in the right direction.What a gorgeous dog. Best wishes Bulpit

[bikergrove]

So pleased you are on the mend take care x

[FarmerD]

Bonny dog,onward and upward O2 feel better soon,regards D.