Friday Five!

It's kind of a long one, but what happened was this:

I had the first jab in February, and in the couple of days after, I was delighted that all I had was a bit of arm soreness.  Then there was another 8-week wait for dose #2.  One day I noticed that my normal activities were leaving me a little breathless and fatigued.  This breathlessness started to go away a bit, but came back full force after the second jab.  And it kept getting progressively worse, so I was using my oxygen more and more just to get through my days (I typically only have it when sleeping, so this was a bad time).

In May, we werestanding in the garden and I was huffing and puffing for breath and told my husband that my lungs were clear, so it didn't make sense and that it had to be my heart.  I have moderate mitral valve regurgitation (historically referred to as "class II"), but it's been fairly stable my whole life, and I was so afraid that it had finally decided to get worse, right in the middle of the pandemic when I didn't feel safe going to hospitals, so I couldn't just pop down for an echo to check it out.

May was the worst of it.  I struggled with everything.  And I was so afraid this was the change in my energy and ability to cope with exertion that I've been taught to watch out for, when tricky surgical intervention would be needed... I thought I had heart failure due to my leaky valve.

But then the news came out about myocarditis related to the vaccines, and I thought, "Well, that would explain everything I'm feeling... maybe that's what this is..."  No way to test it without going to hospital, but I felt emotionally much better that there was another explanation.

In July my O2 nurse called and instead of declining the visit, I felt the exposure risk was warranted and I negotiated a safety protocol for her to come round.  We had to wait until late August (it took that long because Respiratory is a hard-hit department), but from then until early October, it was a series of sorting out ABGs (I went to the hospital twice), and home visits to see if I was recovering from everything.

I am happy to report that I am now back to my pre-vaccine baseline, again. Whatever was wrong with my heart seems to be sorted and I'm staying oxygenated on room air again.  But I really don't want to risk going through all of that again.  I thought I had heart failure.  I thought I was dying.  :/

On the plus side, my team really wanted me to come in, and I wanted a spot check on my kidney, so I leveraged my cooperation for the extra blood draw.   They did a full panel, and the only problems they spotted were with the ABG, so my kidney is still working fine. 

I wish this was more recognised as a potential side effect, a lot of my chronically ill friends have been in huge flares since their vaccine but because the NHS is the NHS, they're just told its nothing with no investigation. And of course the risk of covid is significantly higher to cause lengthy flares and new issues via long covid. I had my biannual echo just after the first vaccine and it was good (still leaky valves but no significant progression), but I've been on a decline since the second - getting an MRA to check the blood flow in my noggin soon. If all is well there I may be checking back in with my cardiologist. At least the neurologist doesn't think it's cancer from his exam, but it may be something else autoinflammatory and the rheumatologist I saw in the summer literally just pulled on my joints to see the bendiness instead of listening to me and examining me.

I have met Aquila! She exists a s is even lovelier in person of you can believe that!

So happy for all the wonderful people I’ve met through here.   

Nah, KFdancer is the one who is super lovely!    She's brilliant!

How is it Friday again already?!  Time is flying by.

1.  My O2 nurse rang yesterday to see if I was happy for her to come round today for a spot check of my blood gases (ear scratch).  We set tgat for 11am today.  She phoned again about ten minute ago to say she's Covid negative but "full of cold", and would I still be happy for the visit or should we leave it.  Obviously, we're leaving it.  Don't come around my lungs with your germs.

2.  Yesterday I learned my consultant has ordered the echo I wanted, but I haven't received my invitation letter yet.  I still want it, but I don't know how we'll manage it without a huge exposure risk.

3.  It's Friday, so bread-making soon.  I'm still working on a recipe that provides reasonable structure so we can make tidy slices, but is as tasty and soft as the farmhouse sandwich loaf recipe I've used the last two weeks.  I think the answer is less yeast, more time (to build stronger gluten structure).  My husband thinks it's the baking temp and duration.  What we do agree is the too-soft bread is tasty, but near-impossible to slice.

4.  We're going to put bird feeders out for 'our' birds.  The magpies already get noms.  Hopefully, the blackbirds and robins will get some, too, soon.

5.  It's coffee time.  This is the best time of the day.  Oh!  And the new beans arrived yesterday!  Yay, fresh coffee!

We make bread too JFKimberly ,but we're 95% of the time lazy and use our bread machine. Makes a great loaf!  I bet yours however, is yummy!! Do you do sourdough at all?  That's my 5% of time I'm not lazy and actually make sourdough. 

Happy Friday!

1.) Getting boosted this afternoon   

2.) Playing with an orchestra on Sunday, doing Spanish tunes. Rehearsal and concert all in a day. Will be great fun. 

3.) This weekend starts my 6 weeks of manic gigs every single weekend and some during the week!  So nice after 2020 of nothingness! 

4.) Craving eggnog.  Need to make some soon.   

5.) Another busy week at work. Glad its the weekend. 

JF- That's nice though that she actually asked vs. just turning up and assuming. I would be super annoyed if somebody came for a health check but was carrying germs. Funnily enough, I was just on a call with my team and we all declared it coffee time as well

1. Played D&D for the first time in person yesterday (we always play online with my family but never had an "in person" session with anybody before). It was super fun and I can definitely see why people enjoy LARPing   

2. Tonight I'm off to reading for a beer event with Rik and some friends then tomorrow I'm in London at another beer event with drinks happening after as well but with a separate group. I've been so with drinking because I recorded podcast episodes Monday & Tuesday (so drinking both of those nights), Wednesday I had to do a review of a beer I was sent, yesterday I had a few beers while playing D&D as we met up in our local drinking establishment (so would've been rude not to, obviously!), and then this weekend - minus Sunday - is full of drinks. I'm recording again Monday & Tuesday so really need to make a effort to NOT drink on Sunday.

3. .....which will be relatively easy as we have D&D early afternoon and I START POLE FITNESS AGAIN SUNDAY EVENING Somebody from work is coming with me and we have a 2-on-1 private lesson. I'm really excited as I've wanted to start it back up again for a while but covid really proved to be an issue with that for obvious reasons. I will find out just how out of shape I am (very) come sunday night lol.

4. My ear is still clogged. It feels like I'm underwater and is really screwing up my concentration because when people speak to me I have to put extra effort into listening as background noises can overpower somebody speaking to me depending on which side of me they are standing. I tried some spray and that didn't help. My husband had me use his ear drops last night that he got for a wax buildup but it also did nothing (so doesn't seem to be wax). There are moments where it feels like it's maybe just congestion and about to clear but then nothing happens.... I've made peace with the fact I may just be hard of hearing now.

5. Got all the christmas shopping done for the kids in the US so I don't have to worry too much about delivery timescales. I need to sort out my family grab present (as we're due to be there this year and that seems to still be on) and a few bits here and there, but at least kids are sorted. I don't tend to shop this soon for christmas, I'd normally be starting maybe next week, but the delivery timescales in the US are insane. For our UK family, we're all very fortunate and don't need more "things" (and the "kids" are all legally adults now), so we've made the decision that in lieu of gifts, we will be doing charity donations and have asked that they do the same for us instead of buying us gifts.

PB - I am not an eggnog fan but will always go and try the Starbucks eggnog latte every so often just to shake things up and check in and see if my opinion has changed..it never does 

4. My ear is still clogged. It feels like I'm underwater and is really screwing up my concentration because when people speak to me I have to put extra effort into listening as background noises can overpower somebody speaking to me depending on which side of me they are standing. I tried some spray and that didn't help. My husband had me use his ear drops last night that he got for a wax buildup but it also did nothing (so doesn't seem to be wax). There are moments where it feels like it's maybe just congestion and about to clear but then nothing happens.... I've made peace with the fact I may just be hard of hearing now.

I definitely recommend you put ear wax drops in for a few weeks to soften it up and then ask your GP to help you clear out the earwax. They do it with water spray and it makes a world of difference.  Your GP may not do it, not all do ,so you might need to go private.   If after that you still can't hear, definitely make an appointment to get your ears checked (many opticians do this as an additional service).  Hearing loss can be treated in several cases. 

I definitely recommend you put ear wax drops in for a few weeks to soften it up and then ask your GP to help you clear out the earwax. They do it with water spray and it makes a world of difference.  Your GP may not do it, not all do ,so you might need to go private.   If after that you still can't hear, definitely make an appointment to get your ears checked (many opticians do this as an additional service).  Hearing loss can be treated in several cases.

I dont think it's was though my husband has the drops for wax but mine happened off the back end of a cold and doesn't seem like there's any wax in there as far as i can tell..

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I dont think it's was though my husband has the drops for wax but mine happened off the back end of a cold and doesn't seem like there's any wax in there as far as i can tell..

It doesn't hurt to try. I wouldn't even bother with the drops, just use a food safe oil like almond or olive oil. That will dissolve the wax and might just work on it's own if there is just a bit, with no need for the water pic thing.

  She phoned again about ten minute ago to say she's Covid negative but "full of cold", and would I still be happy for the visit or should we leave it.  Obviously, we're leaving it.  Don't come around my lungs with your germs.

Wow, lucky escape!     At least she told you in time!

It doesn't hurt to try. I wouldn't even bother with the drops, just use a food safe oil like almond or olive oil. That will dissolve any wax and might just work on it's own if there is just a bit, with no need for the water pic thing.

As we have the drops, i will try giving it a go again for another day or two. Just SO incredibly frustrating.

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I had to use the drops for 2 weeks (none came out) and I had to get my ears cleaned with water. So don't rule out wax yet 

I've been dealing with ear issues, too.  Mine is definitely wax.  Every once in a while, when the wax feels like it's shifting around and my ear gets itchy ina place I can't reach, I ignore the warning on my packet of cotton buds and get some peroxide inside.  That helps for a few days.

As for eggnog, it obviously doesn't affect me either way if you like or don't like eggnog, buuuuut... I thought I didn't like it, either, until my husband and I made it ourselves.  I do, in fact, like eggnog.  We used the Jamie Oliver recipe , cut in half.  Mount Gay rum for the booze.

PB, way back when I first got my oven (January, 2020... just before the pandemic hit, so perfect timing), Jimbo sent me some sourdough starter.  I ... didn't take care of it properly.  I should start some again, but long-term responsibilities are such a struggle for me.  (This is why we can't have a dog, much less childrdn!)  But sometimes I remember that horribly delicious 'Frisco burger (and equally horribly delicious Frisco breakfast sandwich) from Hardee's and want to copycat it (burger on grilled thick sourdough with swiss cheese (I'd use emmental), tomatoes, and garlic mayo.  The breakfast sandwich was ham and swiss and egg with garlic mayo on grilled thick soughdough.)  So, yeah... I should try some sourdough again.

Wow, lucky escape!     At least she told you in time!

Yes!  I mean, she knows the difference between me with a paper mask on and no mask is hypoxia... she should know I must avoid anything that could impair my airflow at all.  But at least she phoned up, and didn't make the assumption that I'd be fine with the exposure.

My husband is glad because I've been having her set up in the workshop and come outside where I'm standing in fresh air to collect the blood... so this cancellation means we can play in the workshop this weekend.  She won't be in the breathing on things and touching them.

As for eggnog, it obviously doesn't affect me either way if you like or don't like eggnog, buuuuut... I thought I didn't like it, either, until my husband and I made it ourselves.  I do, in fact, like eggnog.  We used the Jamie Oliver recipe , cut in half.  Mount Gay rum for the booze.

Proper eggnog is epic.

Friday + payday = FRIYAY!!!

1. Love working from home-- I cracked open a can of Love & Hate at 5, even though I don't officially finish till half 5!

2.  Friends are coming to us for a change... 5 or 6 people coming for a curry in Helensburgh tomorrow, instead of us trekking through to Glasgow.  Makes a change!

3.  My baby Becky just gets cuter as the days go by!  She has recently started playing with all the soft toys originally bought for Jimmy, but he doesn't really bother with them anymore.  She keeps herself busy during the day by moving shoes, cushions, blankets and toys from room to room.  She sort of 'mouths' everything, but doesn't damage or destroy them... except a foam mattress pad... that got shredded tae hell.  Love her so ridiculously much!!

4.  Work is going really well... I've been really stressed out since July, having to learn something new and get up to speed with everything, but in the last couple of weeks things seem to have settled and I'm feeling comfortable with what i'm doing.

5.  Next week we find out if we're getting a bonus at work... we didn't get one last year, so I'm reaaaaaally hoping, cos my credit cards are starting to get a bit scary...