I have had this cold for about a week or 10 days. It got better after the first four or five days then seemed to disappear. I was amazed as it usually rapidly makes it way to my chest. Today it has returned with a vengeance, with all the usual symptoms. The problem is that I have an appointment with a respiratory consultant on Tuesday to find out if I have bronchiectasis as well. To get there I have to use Patient Transport as I am going to a hospital on the mainland. Some of the people using this transport are receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or undergoing kidney dyalasis and I don't want them exposed to my infection as their immune systems must be low to non existent. It is also a bank holiday so I can't get to the health centre for antibiotics for myself. Even if I did have them now they will not have worked by Tuesday. I really don't know what to do. I must get to this appointment but I don't want to expose anyone else on the transport or hospital to infection. There is no other way for me to get to the hospital as I live on an island, and cannot even get into town (3 miles away without a car or taxi). I know its a decision I will have to come to myself. I have an awful lot to discuss with the consultant and if I am feeling worse than usual I'm sure to forget things even if I write them down. At the moment I also have occipital neuralgia and wearing a neck brace. Any advice or opinions would be very much appreciated. Thanks a lot. hugs xx
I have a heavy head cold at the minut... - Lung Conditions C...
I have a heavy head cold at the minute, but have an outpatient appointment on Tuesday with a respiratory consultant.
Hi Huggs i think you have answered your own question,you can't possibly travel with all those other people needing life saving treatment,.
Your consultant will make another appointment too see him and you will rest knowing you have done the right thing ,
take care Dorothy xx
Hi newlands, In my heart of hearts I know you are right. I think I just wanted it typed out objectively without my emotions getting the better of me. I have been ill a long time and am improving very slowly and I have waited a long time on this appointment. I could not have it on my conscience that I passed on my infection to someone not able to cope with it. My cold has improved since this morning so I'll see how I am tomorrow and make my final decision then. Thanks for you advice. hugs xxx
Hi hugs - I agree with newlands and you - just wait until Tuesday morning to see how you are, with any luck it could be a flash in the pan, take care lots of love TAD xxx
Hi Tad, I know if I am the same on Tuesday as I was this morning then I would have to cancel. I know that in my heart of hearts. As I have just said to Newlands I feel better than I did this morning so if I continue this improvement then I would phone the hospital tomorrow for their advice. Its awkward getting in touch with the right people as it is a bank holiday. The patient transport is picking me up at 8 a.m. so Tuesday is too late to make a decision. Thanks for your advice and I hope your husband isn't too bad at the moment. hugs xx
Would it be easy to get another appointment or would you have to wait a long time ? If you've had the cold for a few days you might not be infectious by Tuesday. I can sense that you don't want to go and just don't feel up to it and I wouldn't feel up to it either if I were you. Could you ring your doctor/nurse and ask for their advice ?
.Hi Argana, I can't ring the doctors for advice because it is a bank holiday. However, I do feel better tonight so if that improves I will phone the hospital direct and ask their advice. If I do have to cancel I am hoping that they would then fit me in quickly because I would be cancelling due to illness. I have waited a long time on this appointment so I am thinking a couple of more weeks is not going to make a huge difference. I couldn't have it on my conscience if I passed on an infection to very ill people. I will see by tomorrow afternoon how I feel and take it from there. Also, what I didn't mention was that my friend and neighbour died this morning so I am obviously upset by that. I know that doesn't make any difference from my physical health situation, but I have been keeping my emotions in check all day which is not good I know. It just feels like my plate is overflowing with serious situations and problems. I have to let my emotions out, and I am trying to be practical and objective. Thanks very much for your advice and listening to me. Take care. hugs xx
you could wear a scarf around your mouth to help keep bugs at bay so you would not pass anything on
Hi Teaky, Funnily enough it crossed my mind to wear one of those stupid looking masks which you wear when doing diy. I tried one on and couldn't breath so that's out. A scarf is a far better idea and I could take if away from my mouth and nose for a few seconds to get air if needed. If you read my replies above you will see what my situation is at the moment. I am sorry, I am just too tired to type it out again. Many thanks for your advice though. Take care hugs xx
There's another type of mask Huggs. They come 3 in a pack, are made of cloth with a filter. Not sweaty n horrible like the normal ones. I've used them for sanding down etc.
xxx
Thanks a lot for your good advice Peeg. I'll see if my friend can get me something tomorrow. Although it is a bank holiday here, it is a holiday resort so the shops stay open although everything else closes. As you will have seen by my other replies I will see how I am tomorrow afternoon before deciding to go or not. I'll still pursue your cloth mask idea because they will come in useful for other things. Take care and look after yourself. hugs xxx
Morning Huggs, I've just found the pack. They're called Premier Valved Disposable Masks and made by Scan. The pack is red and black. I hope you find them. Alternatively, I would go with a big silk scarf around my mouth and nose both there and back and wear gloves so not contaminating (or catching) anything.
I use an anti viral nose spray recommended by Twice called First Defence, perhaps it works both ways? I'll be using it today to go & pick up my little Daisy for her 'holidays with Marmar'.
I shall also be using my Corvonia Throat Spray tonight to kill any bugs in my throat. Call me paranoid but I don't want to catch anything.
Good luck hon, perhaps after all this you'll be fine tomorrow.!
I totally sympathise Huggs, but I don't think any masks or, especially, scarves, will stop viruses from spreading to others, so be kind and change your appointment, as any transmitted germs/virus will be devastating to anyone undergoing chemo. Hopefully the hospital will appreciate you thinking of your fellow man before yourself and give you an early appointment. Best of luck
A very difficult decision indeed. My farther when he was alive had leukemia and had transfusions and gemo his logic was the route into the hospital was as bad as all the people there are ill but he never missed an appointment!
We allways kept away when we had coughs and colds.
Be Well
What a very considerate person you are Huggs, something that I can relate to being on the wrong end of it a couple of times now. I was in a respiratory ward with pneumonia at the Charing cross hospital where a young visitor with a streaming cold was allowed to wander up and down sneezing over everyone for the full 6 hour visitor's session, without anybody saying a word.
It's about time that the hospitals and doctors took much more responsibility for this cross contamination during transport and visits to their establishments. At the moment it is just like a revolving door visiting hospitals or GPs.
I sincerely hope that all turns out well for you, and my very best wishes, Brian.
Hi Brian, I have written a collective reply to this question which you can read. I am replying to you because this is a personal bugbear of mine. I use to work in a hospital and the senior management made it clear you still had to go to work, " as its just a cold". I could not believe my ears and things don't seem to have changed much. It is absolutely ridiculous that any staff or visitor should be allowed in a hospital, nursing homes and similar places if they have anything contagious. It is absolute madness to allow this to go on. If I have to go into hospital and there is any member of staff or visitor with a cold then I will complain in a very vigorous way. In other words I will be angry and I will let them know it. I would never had dared to years ago, and even now it is not really in my nature to make a fuss, but this is too serious to ignore. Thanks for your kind words Brian and I am assuming you have read my reply to you all that I have cancelled my appointment. I am now at the bottom of the waiting list! I have decided to not bother with any of them any more. I will not go back to the health centre or hospital. That's it. I have had to struggle hard for a long time to get the help I need, and because of considering others I am bottom of the queue! Take care Brian and I hope you keep well. hugs xxx
maybe wear a mask ? will protect you and others ... get a proper one though that is efficient.
Hi everyone, Sorry for not responding sooner, but have had a bit of a day of it. I hope none of you mind me responding to you all collectively as I am shattered. I didn't get much sleep last night because of all the coughing. However, I did not feel as bad as I thought I would. For anyone who doesn't know, my friend and neighbour died yesterday morning, and around 9 a.m. his wife called me in a right state. We have been friends for years. I immediately went to see her and called another friend to join us. When we get together we always have a good laugh so once we had talked about my friend dying for a while, I thought it would be a good idea to lift the mood and distract her for a little while. Well, it worked very well, because I soon had her laughing at past incidents and things that had happened. Her son-in-law came into the room looking amazed and simply said to her, "you are laughing". He is a man from Sweden of very few words. Then he said he hadn't seen her smile for days. So he thanked me and I left .....4 and a half hours later!. I was exhausted and my voice had gone again. I felt even worse than yesterday so then made the decision to cancel the appointment. The trouble is that everything is centralised now and the hospital does not even make the appointments. Someone at the other end of the country does that! The girl was very sympathetic as I explained my two reasons for cancelling my appointment, that is me being ill and not wanting to pass it on. She said she would pass on the details for the cancellation, and went away to find out if she could give me a rough idea of when I could expect to be seen. When she came back I nearly cried when she said that the procedure was that I would go back on the waiting list at the bottom of the queue! She was really apologetic and I asked to be put on a cancellations list, but they don't have them any more. She said my best chance of getting a quicker appointment was to get my GP to phone them and ask them to transfer me to the urgent list. At this precise moment I just feel like telling them to forget it. I'll get by, I always do. I am now in tears as I am writing this because I am so exhausted and weak, as well as feeling ill. To cap it off, I then found out the health centre was open today after all, so I could have been seen. By the time I phoned it was too late and there were no appointments left, so I asked for someone to call me. They haven't. I tried to do the right thing for others who are far more ill than me, not taking my infection into a hospital and making sure I was fit enough to go or not. I am a bit irritated and upset, but I realise it is not one persons fault, it is the system. I also could not risk infecting seriously ill patients in the patient transport ambulance. Sorry, I have just noticed that I have not written in paragraphs, so it may be harder for you all to read. I want to thank you all very much for your advice and thoughts. I appreciated the input, and I will be looking for the masks that Peeg suggested as they will come in useful for other things as well. Bless you all and I hope things are ok with you all. Take care hugs xxx
ps Beat that for a post Peeg!! ha ha
oh dear oh dear. Are you on the mend?
I expect that folks didn't see your collective reply -next time (well, I hope there isn't a next time) make a new post & all wil see.
Yes I missed this but then I've missed quite a few days due to my home going on the market last Thursday & open viewing all Saturday (sold subject to contract Monday). All a bit traumatic.
Hope you get an appointment soon. How very annoying. I've done this too, cancelled an appt at the fracture clinic because I had a chronic infection with fever. My practice was still charged and I was treated as a no-show. Unbelievable system.
Get well soon xxxx
Hi Peeg, I am well on the mend now thank you. That entire experience put me on a real downer for a few days, as well as being in constant pain and feeling ill. It was a strange infection because it would be there for a few days, disappear and then reappear. I am hoping it is now over for good. I have not bothered about going back to GP and I doubt I will go to the respiratory appointment when they eventually send me one. I am not coughing as much or coughing up as much disgusting gunk, so I think I will just get better on my own. That's hugs theory at the moment! That's a bit traumatic for you, selling your house and everything. Hope you have somewhere nice to go to with lots of lovely fresh air and little pollution and traffic fumes. Good luck with the move when it comes, and get plenty of helpers in. You can then supervise and encourage, as well as supply goodies!! ha ha hugs xx
Thanks H. I have no idea where to move to, well some ideas but I love where I live & wouldn't leave if I didn't have to repay my mortgage next year. Perhaps I have a winning ticket to the Euro millions this evening!
Everything to storage, live like a nomad for a bit until I decide is the (sort of) plan. I'm thinking of renting in the south of France near my son & his partner for the bad winter months to see if it's better for my lungs. I cannot bear the thought of future winters living like hermit/invalid - and I'm only moderate at worst, quite well in summer now.
Have a good day H, blue skies in London 
Hi Peeg, Its a brilliant idea to try and live in the south of France during the winter. Its certainly worth a try. I'd love to do something like that. You live in London, and you love it there so that's home for you. Is there not somewhere on the outskirts of the city where it is maybe less polluted, and you could still have access to what you want in London city? Me, I'm a country girl and wouldn't give it up for anything. If you feel the same about London then I understand how you feel. Its a big decision to make and hope something crops up soon for you. I know you will be taking your health into consideration in your plans. Its blue skies on the Isle of Bute too, but a little breezy.
Take care, hugs xxx
Strange isn't it, but home is where the heart is.
I love the idea of the country but the reality is I know I would feel cut off & isolated (and I don't like mud)! I live opposite a beautiful little park, at the back I look over the junior school grounds & gardens. Wimbledon Common is 1/2 a mile away ...... Never mind, new adventures around the corner xxxx
Hi Peeg, It sounds lovely where you live. The country isn't all mud you know! I live in a small village on the island and although we are only 45 minutes from the mainland, we are cut off to an extent. It is such a safe, community spirited way to live. I use to have dogs and of course they always found the mud. However, living here and living in London is like chalk and cheese. Although I love it here there are times when I miss the theatre and events on the mainland. If I ever go to something (I haven't been able to for a while), it involves a matinee performance somewhere, or having an overnight stay. At the moment, I am lounging on my couch, and without even going to the window I can see the sea, the hills, the green fields and trees as well as blue skies. When I am low or can't get out this view lifts me. It is so beautiful it sometimes moves me to tears at the wonder of creation. Even on horrible days the hills change colour, and the sea changes and I love it all. I really hope you find somewhere you can love too. France sounds like a great start. See what you have done now, got me waffling again! ha ha ..Good luck, keep well and enjoy your new adventures. hugs xx
I've just booked to see 'The Bad Boys of Dance' near Covent Garden for a friends birthday next week.
On my sofa days I watch park life, my dog walking aquaintences, toddlers & mums, children too & from school, buggy fit Mon Tues Thurs & Sat. Sunday we've our annual picnic. Next month is Teddy Bears Picnic & the over 60's cream tea. Nov Guy Fawkes.
I help out at all our functions though I've had to give Guy Fawkes a miss last 2 years.
6 minutes to the station, 15 to Waterloo, 30 to Gatwick for flights to Marseille.......... Telling myself to shut up now, putty to buy & windows to mend (before the surveyor comes next week)!
You sound as if you are near central London, although I have never been. You are nice and handy for trains and planes for wherever you go. You sound pretty active. What I miss with all my heart is my last dog, Tammy. Its almost 3 years since she died aged 15, but its like she is still here in a lot of ways. I have always had dogs, but I cannot look after them now, so it would not be fair to get a dog, if I could not look after it in the way I always have with my other dogs. We use to go exploring in all the woods, and swam in the sea together. I am going to stop talking about her now. I so miss her. Of course, I have my mischievous Felix to keep me going, and he is so cuddly and loves to sleep on my chest. Anyway, I hope you have your windows done now.! Good luck with the survey. hugs xx
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