Weather, story time and a room with not much of a view!

Personally the worst places are polluted cities..I was born in Paris and I recall always having chest infections. GP used to send me to a French mountain resort for children in summer, I had a huge thyroid cyst out and they thought I had a rare form of TB in those days.

Then I forgot all about that, felt young and free, moved to England I was 20 and became a teacher, always caught bugs from the children, had chest infections mainly in winter and allergy season. I loved the English countryside. I had a beautiful daughter. Didn’t know I had LAM there either but I was on progesterone and doxycyclin most of the time.

Got a teaching post in Switzerland I was 35. I lived well in the Swiss mountains for 15 years. Always had allergies and rhinitis but no asthma. Didn’t know I had LAM then either. I was fed up with snow and harsh winters so was offered

a principal post in Barcelona.

Problems started. They were all smoking heavily around me. I remember coughing for weeks, went to the Spanish doctor, had a xray he was cross and said you have a very bad bronchitis, got my first Ventolin and 3 weeks doxy. Forgot to say I had developed an allergy to penicillin so left with what he called a third rate antibiotic!

Didn’t know I had LAM there either.

I loved the tapas and the sea air...

But I was bored with admin I was a teacher.

Moved back to England, London, teaching in a difficult school. Couldn’t breathe much, lots of ventolin, never sent for an xray, CT scans were expensive and rare in the NHS.

So I survived 62 years not knowing I had LAM. I think I told you the rest before, how it escalated and I had my CT scan on holiday in the south of France where Mum lives.

Anyway I have been living in Switzerland again by the lake, it is humid and I hate the long winters..medical care isn’t great in the public sector, pretty basic I would say. Everything is private and expensive. I am lucky I found kind doctors who found my case interesting but I went across the border to Lyons to see a LAM specialist. There are 20 of us in Switzerland so I don’t think they care. I know they don’t because they call us for an appointment every 2 years and can’t even be bothered to send a report to the local pulmonologist. Although the specialist is a big name, he publishes a lot.

In Lyons, France Pr. Cottin is very competent and kind, I can email him my local scan and results. He will give me advice.

To finish my story I am down at Mum’s again in the south of France, got sick straight away, Hyères humid city I suppose, 5 km from the sea but Mum has the aircon full blast!

How do you recognise a LAM patient she is all dressed warmly with a cardigan, a scarf and bag full of meds 😃 and watching the World cup on telly when everyone is at the beach!

Anyway I am here looking at the sunshine, getting ready for my respiratory physiotherapy. Thank goodness I met him 4 years ago and here we are again fighting against pleurisy I would say, my fractured thoracic vertebrae not helping.

Pop in a paracetamol Fran, stop feeling sorry for yourself, have some George Clooney espresso and get out there!

Love to all of you 💕

Fran

[sassy59]

That’s quite a story Fran and I do admire your tenacity and determination. Not always easy when having LAM.

Pop those paracetamol and get yourself out there if you feel like it. I hope today is a good day and wishing you better days ahead.

Love and hugs to you and your mum. Xxxx 🌞🌻💐

[Hidden in reply to sassy59]

Thank you Carole 🌷will do!!

Love Fran xx🌞🌼💕

[Hacienda]

Hi Again Fran, Like me a bit of a Traveller, A post for another time, But we have something in common apart from illness, I'm not LAM though as you know. And our ages are similar. It is Spain, where I started with my Lung Problem, Bronchitis constantly, Yes the heavy Cigarette Air of the old Days. Though I lived there for 28 Glorious Years. We are Strong Women , Mujeres Bravo y Fuerte. Stay Strong my Friend, be as you are, and keep pushing for your Right to have the Best Medical assistance. Salud Y Viva y Viva. Snra. Carolina . xxxx

[Hidden in reply to Hacienda]

Muy interesante!! Muchas Gracias Carolina 💐🌷💕

[hypercat54 in reply to Hidden]

Well I know the 2nd bit means thank you very much! Not sure about the first bit though x

[Hacienda in reply to hypercat54]

"Very Interesting" xxx

[hypercat54 in reply to Hacienda]

Ah, debería haber adivinado eso. Muchas gracias.

Bless Bing translator. x

[skischool in reply to hypercat54]

wow our dear Lil/Bev has gone bilingual :).............S&S xx

[hypercat54 in reply to skischool]

Funny bunny! Love Bing translator. This says I should have guessed that. Thank you very much. xx

[Hacienda in reply to hypercat54]

Muy Bien, Practica mas , Los Palabres en "Bing". xxx

[hypercat54 in reply to Hacienda]

All right, practice more, the palaver in "Bing "? x

[Hacienda in reply to hypercat54]

Palabras = Words xxx

[chubby2x22]

What a story Fran, enjoyed the read with my cuppa. Goes to show determination pays off in whatever we want to do. Hope your mum improves quickly so you can go home. Jane

[Hidden in reply to chubby2x22]

Hi Jane

Thank you 😊

Well if not you just sink! Im not ready to sink 😉🌸

Wouldn’t be able to get back on that train just yet if I wanted to. I will next week then she is flying over to stay close to me in a care home, it will be good for her to see her granddaughter and have a break from the local heat.

Take care of yourself!

Love Fran xx

[skischool]

A well penned travelogue from a very determined and respected member of our tribe,definitely not a Lam that lied down on broadway as Genesis sang and i and my not so glorious companion Scruffy hope you can enjoy your day after your pummeling from the physio person who i am sure will not look anything like George Clooney.

Love and stuff................Skis's and Scruffinetta xx

[Hidden in reply to skischool]

😊 thank you our dear Skis 🎿 and furry companion Scruffynounette 😻

Never met George Clooney but he makes a good Nespresso 😍☕️, I don’t recommend breakfast or lunch or eating and drinking anything for that matter before meeting Hervé the respiratory physio..won’t use the descriptive emoji for the end result 😂 xx

[hypercat54]

Wow you have really been around Fran and I envy you. I don't envy you the LAM of course but sassy is right you are always positive and determined. Look after yourself. x

[Hidden in reply to hypercat54]

Thank you Bev 😃 that’s kind xx

[hypercat54 in reply to Hidden]

It's also the truth! xx

[Hidden in reply to hypercat54]

😃😃💕

[Dedalus]

How lovely you've been able to live and work in different countries. Shame they're not more proactive in Switzerland with people with LAM, especially as the specialist is more than qualified! Hope you keep the pleurisy at bay and feel better soon xx

[Hidden in reply to Dedalus]

Good times yes Iris? Thank you for reading and what you don’t know doesn’t bother you in a way..

LAM was another “brand” name by that stage, it sounded more serious but Im the same Fran and they can’t treat it so, that’s that.

Yes surprisingly in Switzerland, they have big pharmaceutical companies, they are a wealthy country but their public health is uncaring.

I remember when they sent me back home with Dad after a day in A&E, he had dementia and a colon pouch, he thought he was going blind and got himself discharged from the care home. He was 87, a very tall and big man, they said your father your problem, here is a list of private agency nurses!!

So I got one for one night she said she would be there by 9 pm. We put him in bed and she said tomorrow is my day off, I’ll help you to find a facility so we got through to the GP and he committed him in a neurological ward till I found a solution. She could drive as well I don’t. Well that young woman was Lithuanian. She did it out of the kindness of her heart 💓

Fran xx

[Dedalus in reply to Hidden]

Wow, I had heard that the Swiss health service was very good and that care was readily available - maybe its only if you pay privately(?) I was obviously under misapprehension. Your poor dad - we put up with so much when it's ourselves, but it hurts so much when it's our loved ones. I hope you're feeling better soon Fran. xx

[mskpjb]

You really do deal with all your setbacks in a positive way Fran. I hope this latest bout of infection isn't causing too much discomfort. Aria will be missing you but I bet your mum's glad to have you there. Feel better soon, Sheila xx

[Hidden in reply to mskpjb]

Thank you Sheila 🌼

I can be miserable too but I don’t like myself miserable so it doesn’t last 😃 Life is too short!!

I’m uncomfortable with the fractured vertebrae when I cough or do physio but Im going to have a couple of paracetamol with a cup of tea now. Im missing Bea and Aria. I will take Mum back with me I think.

Love Fran xx

[Hidden]

Oh dear Fran, life can be very hard sometimes look after yourself. Will be lovely to be back home and nice to take your mum with you. Hope you are feeling better soon take care. Majt 🌸 X

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Matj. You are kind xx

[watergazer]

Keep popping! Hope today is better. Pretty hot and humid here in the UK

[Hidden in reply to watergazer]

Thank you so much 😊 getting there x

[Shirleyj]

Fran you sound like you have lived a full life and still enjoying it with your lovely daughter. You love your football, you must be enjoying the world cup. My son is convinced we are bringing the cup home this year.

Keep your chin up, pop those parecetomol and hope you feel a bit better soon x x x ☘☘🐈🍀🍀

[Hidden in reply to Shirleyj]

Hi Shirley

I am enjoying it all that’s true and thank you for saying.

Does he now? 😃

I’m really not sure. It is a very exciting world cup, unpredictable!

Yes popping them in and carrying on as usual..xx 🤞🧚‍♀️🍀🌞😻