still here!

[Lyd12]

but struggling. I have bronchiectasis, and have been prescribed Nacsys tablets one a day. It does help clear the mucous, and fingers crossed hav3 been without infections since taking it. But I am not very active and had Shingles recently. Almost housebound, very grateful for family help but going downhill I feel. Any comments very welcome. Love Iris x

[sassy59]

Bless you lovely Iris. I’ve been thinking of you and it’s so nice to see you on the forum again. Hoping the tablets work well for you and that you’re over shingles now.

Pleased you have family close by and hoping you can get out when Spring arrives.

Lots of love and hugs.

Carole xxx❤️🤗

[Lyd12 in reply to sassy59]

kind words Sassy, miss Tony so much. Not doing housework, just essential jobs like washing up,

[sassy59 in reply to Lyd12]

Of course you miss Tony, you were together for so long. ❤️❤️❤️

[Lyd12 in reply to sassy59]

don’t like the empty house sons visit every day, bless them.

[sassy59 in reply to Lyd12]

I can understand that. Xxx❤️

[knitter]

I have been thinking of you, hope you feel better soon and can enjoy looking at your spring garden through your window .

[Lyd12 in reply to knitter]

just walked around my garden with a walking stick, can’t brave a walk into the shops though, when it’s warmer son will take me in our wheelchair.

[Morrison10]

you’ve been.missed,glad.on.mend.Jean.x

[Greenthorn]

Good morning Iris - it is bright and sunny in London. My son is with me for the half term holiday but has just left the house to be taken to the cinema, AND hopefully to have a hair cut. But not at the same time ha ha. Normally when I'm going downhill its because I'm happier since it is not uphill which puts a strain on my knees.

Like Sassy and Knitter have intimated, we are not too far away from warmer weather, Spring and some colour and greenery in the garden. The TV news and pictures however is depressing to many people - the awful sight of those suffering in the earth quake. Tomorrow I am going in to visit wards at UCLHospital in the Euston Road. A team of us are delivering chocolates and artificial flowers to the nursing staff that are on duty. I'm taking my son with me and he has been promised a a bright fuchsia coloured Volunteers shirts, I will use my Bluetooth speaker to play romantic songs as we pass through the wards, I will have to put a play list together later today.

Is there any tune you and Tony liked over the years. I am sure you have one or two favourites. Please tell me what they are and I will play them on the wards tomorrow.

PS I was at St Pancras Station on Saturday when I began chatting to one of the assistants from a flower shop at a display of balloon hearts and flowers. I enquired of the young girl assistant if the roses were artificial. She answered "No, they're official!" ❤️

[JJ_7 in reply to Greenthorn]

Hahahaha 😂

[peege]

you've certainly been missed Iris and it's so thoughtful of you to to write an update especially as energy is lacking. I'm so sorry you're feeling frail but its wonderful that your sons come every day, what a blessing.

Sending you love and a very gentle hug - roll on some spring warmth for you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Izb1]

Good to hear from you Iris and sorry to hear you have been struggling with bronchiectais, hopefully your shingles have now gone, I believe they are very painful. Good that you managed to have a walk round the garden even if it was with a stick, you have pleasant memories in your lovely garden and of course you miss Tony it wouldnt be normal if you didnt. So nice of your family to keep popping over to see you. Keep smiling , the weather is changing and its nice to see sunny skies x

[OOB_Tigger]

Sorry you have been struggling Iris, thought I'd not seen any posts from you for a while. I hope you gain a bit more strength over the coming weeks and can get in your garden as the weather improves.Take care. Jackie and Jasper xx 🤗

[Alberta56]

Nice to hear from you. Iris. I hope the weather is as sunny down your way as it is here and that as Spring approaches you will be able to get out and about more. Sorry you are struggling-hope you'll gradually start to get stronger. Shingles is beastly, I'm told by my daughter, who has got it. Hope you are now over it. Very best wishes, Chris xxxx

[Morrison10]

I.have.bronchestacis.on.daily.azthromycin.and.4.carbociste,Nebulising.spirometer.Are.your.tablets.helpful.Best.wishes.Jean

[teddyd]

HiJust wanted to say hello 👋

[Patk1]

Hiya.its gd that you've managed to walk in yr garden.life sounds v hard for U Iris.U must miss Tony.i hope yr able to enjoy yr photos&memories.xxxxx

[CDPO16]

I'm sorry to hear that you have had shingles Iris, it can be very painful and that pain can linger long after the rash has gone. Take it easy and just do what you feel you must.

It's good to hear from you and I hope that you will have better health now. You must miss Tony tremendously and it takes a long time to get used to that loss. We learn to live with such things eventually. Love from Carole xx

[Lyd12 in reply to CDPO16]

thanks for your kind words Carole. Ow and then I have a better day but then a bad day. Shingles is horrible, and added to the bronchiectasis pulls you down.

[CDPO16 in reply to Lyd12]

You have had so many things pull you down Iris but you are stronger than you perhaps realise. We are all here for you too if we can help in any way.Sending you love and adding you to my prayers tonight. Carole 💕

[YummyBear]

Ahhh poor you! Your immunity must be very low to have Shingles, the most awful of conditions. I have mild bronchiectasis and am on rescue packs of Amoxcilin when I have a flare-up. I have been fine for some months now but what concerns me is that I have not been checked by anyone since March 2021 at the start of Covid. I had a vaccine for Shingles when I was 70 and within 8 months I caught it with a vengeance, taking 4 weeks to recover. In April 2022 I contracted Shingles for the second time, due and anxiety due to Covid isolation; this time I was very ill for 5 weeks. I dread having it again and hope to have another vaccine in April to guard against getting it again. I was prescribed Vitamin D supplements and do feel much better of late, so maybe check with your GP the levels of your Vitamin D. I wish you well.

[O2Trees]

Thinking of you Iris, and wishing you better xx

[Cloudancer]

Delighted to see your post -what a challenging time you have had and then having shingles as well.I do hope that with time your health and strength will return.

Spring is just around the corner our snowdrops are in bloom and the daffodils are growing.

Being housebound is hard and I do so hope that things get better for you.

Gentle hugs x

[horseygirl_0103]

sorry to hear youve had shingles -I know someone who has had sihingles & they said themselves it was painful Ive never heard of Nacsys before -glad it helps.I just take chesty cough lemsips to subdue the coughing-but Ive had to resort to taking the tablet versions as theres a big major shortage of lemsip powder drinks -even in the shops & even online I'I can only get them on ebay & I have had to resort to paying a lot more money than what is normally chargedin a store /online

[Thepainterswife]

Oh Iris , you are having a rough time 🥲 The stress of losing Tony won’t have helped but let’s hope that as time goes on you find some sort of peace - it is early days yet . Shingles was probably brought on by stress too and can take some time to get over As others have said the better weather will buck you up and hopefully in a few months you’ll find yourself in a much better frame of mind 🙏 Walking around your garden and getting back on the forum are good signs 😃 I’ll look forward to your Sunday poem 👍 xx

[Lyd12 in reply to Thepainterswife]

thanks for those kind words, hope you are well as can be, Iris x

[Digger0]

Glad you have some new tablet - let's hope they work really well. Lighter nights are coming so at least you can get into your garden.

[Australia06]

hope you’re feeling better soon nana, sorry to hear you’ve been feeling under the weather.

[Lyd12 in reply to Australia06]

lovely to hear from you Sorcha, not feeling too good probably the Shingles, a long lasting painful condition. Garden is in need of a tidy up, maybe when it gets warmer.am reading the tale of Beatrice Potter just now, I have saved all her little books from when my boys were young. It is an interesting read, she had a restricted early life, did well with her writing and drawing. Love Nana x

[JJ_7]

Lovely to hear from you Iris. It is great that you have family near by and I hope they are a help and a comfort. Try and get out when it is sunny for a bit. Thinking of you. JJxxx

[Donald_1931]

Good to see you posting despite your difficulties Iris, We must carry on regardless living on our memories, I know you have many good ones as I do. 😘x

[Lyd12 in reply to Donald_1931]

I was hoping all was well with you Don. Miss Tony so much, hate the loneliness.,my sons are wonderful but have their own lives to live. Love Iris x

[Donald_1931 in reply to Lyd12]

It’s nearly 13 years now since my Margaret died but I sometimes I hear her knitting needles clicking away when sitting watching TV. You are lucky to have your sons and like me, so many happy memories to keep you going. Do what you can remembering ’if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it’. I have to keep reminding myself of that. 😘x

[Lyd12 in reply to Donald_1931]

just managed to walk with my stick to my sons house all of two doors away! Just need a change of scenery sometimes. Tony had written down his memories and one f my boys had turned it into a book lovely to browse through it with old photos. His days in the RAF.

[Donald_1931 in reply to Lyd12]

That’s good, just having a change of scenery can work wonders. Have you considered getting a mobility scooter?

[watergazer]

Lovely to hear from you Iris. Fingers crossed the tablets keep working.

Sending you warm hugs 🤗🤗🤗🤗 and let’s hope the warmer weather will soon be here and the new life will inject us with hope and happiness. What wonderful boys you have. Xx