At last we have a date! To be honest as a clinically extremely vulnerable person I admit I will be very nervous but we have to get on with our lives. We have had 12 months up to press with three more to go - who could ever have known when it all began it would last so long, With a life limiting illness we could have thought it a waste of our lives but we didn’t. It gave us a chance to catch up with jobs, speak to friends on the telephone, try lots of different recipes, learn to grow fruit and veg in our newish garden and not to feel guilty for wearing lots of pyjamas! Life will change again and hopefully if we are all careful, taking precautions when outside we just might come out of this on top. Thank goodness for the vaccines.
Talking about the said jabs at the phlebotomy department today the nurse using the vacuum to take my full blood tests said she had forgotten how to do them as she had been away for three weeks, I asked holiday or COVID and she told me that her husband, son and daughter and grandson all living in the same house came down with COVID but she did not. Five weeks ago she was given her vaccine ( she had the Pfizer but I think they are both great ) and she did not get COVID. She put it down to her having had the vaccine and the family not and I agree. I was so pleased to hear this and it gave me so much hope for the future, not just for me personally but for mankind the world over. We cannot be free of the pandemic until the world has the vaccine with regular top ups as with the flu jab. As a country we are doing well in the injection take ups but we are just a small part of this horror and we need the small countries as well as large ones having the same opportunities as us to get theirs done, I hope humanity pulls it socks up and makes sure injections are available for everyone whether a rich or a poor country.
We both had our first injection at our local hospital and to be honest it was so smooth and easy. We were met just outside the door of the venue and given forms to fill in and then very quickly shown into our own little booth to have our jabs. We were both given the Pfizer one and after a fifteen minute wait afterwards we left to go on a walk. We had no side effects, not even a sore arm and we felt so much relief that we have begun the process to hopefully be safe. I pray it goes well for everyone else and that we can begin to feel peace again.
I woke up in the middle of the night about three days after having my jab. I was clearly coming down with a cold and in the morning I could not taste or smell. Colin joked I had COVID though it’s not a joke COVID is it, but I was not alarmed as I have done all in my power to stay safe and a cold DOES stop sense of taste and smell. Three days later all ok and just a runny nose now and hopefully my immune system is working to fight the baddies now.
Pushing back the heart rate
Since I had my ferrinject infusion I have been able to once again take up walking, a passion of mine. I hate it when I can’t get out and about walking along the tow paths of the canal or the river. Because of my chips inserted into my body monitoring just about everything I do for a study I have been so pleased but also shocked as to how much benefit I see after a walk. It wasn’t so long ago that my heart rate seemed to be in either fat burn zone or so often cardio even when doing nothing. I was told how important it was to try to exercise five times a week. When checking all my stats I see my heart rate has dropped thank goodness and mostly my heart rate shows a lot of more normal readings, and quite a lot of fat burn zone but very little cardio, I know we need cardio too but I was scared when mine was in it just heading to the loo. Now it goes into it when I am walking up a hill. Yes I do hills again! I won’t kid you that they are enormous ones cos they are not but before we would not go where I would have to walk up one, now I actually like to push myself so I can read my stats afterwards. The power of walking! As my doctor said it is like another medicine for us with ph. So I pack a couple of small oranges and a few almonds and off I go. This morning my Fitbit did not show my heart beat went above normal at all in my sleep when it always used to, it just stayed in the green so I am pleased.
I have been watching a baby cormorant on the river. When we first saw it it truly was a butter ball round squat and fat so it actually looked like a penguin sitting in a branch. We saw it’s mother taking off after feeding it and we have not seen her again but we have seen a change in her baby. Instead of the butterball we now see a sleek bird developing daily, how quickly it changes from day to day. A couple of times we did not see it and thought it had flown away to pastures new but no ..... going the following day it would be back just sitting on its own perch in the middle of the river. I guess it won’t be long before it leaves us but it has been lovely to feel the anticipation walking along the river of wondering if it would still be there.
Dogs!!!
Now before you dog owners switch off please read what I have to say. I am allergic to dogs but appreciate the love that people have for them. My daughter had a beautiful dog but I could not be around him without my chest tightening up. Walking on the tow path of the canals and the river I come across many dogs and smile at them as they walk by. I have admired them and tell their owners what beautiful dogs they have and I mean it. Most people are respectful of others walking too and if their dog is boisterous they keep them on a lead, most do not need to. Yesterday was not a good day for me walking due to an irresponsible dog owner. Walking on the riverside I saw two women walking towards me with a big black dog walking in front of them. They were too busy talking to each other to bother with the dog. Seeing me he ran towards me and was jumping up and down on me. I was scared as I had been bitten by a dog before. I stood still and shouted NO NO NO but the dog ignored my calls and carried on. I could have been pushed over very easily. The two women walking did not even try to stop the dog, did not call it back at all. One just told me if I did not like dogs I should stay away from canals and river beds. I was flabbergasted and said actually I am a human being and this is exactly where I need to walk. She would have had me walk on the roads and breath in all the pollution from the cars. I was so upset by this encounter and cut my walk short. Today walking my same route I actually carried a stick with me in the hope that if they were walking with their dog and saw me they might actually decide to bother with the dog and call it back thinking I might hit the dog with the stick, The stick was actually for them!!! I know of people’s love of their animals but this does not mean they should be allowed to harm anybody. Sadly I did not see them but I was prepared to show them the stick and tell them that I had done research and that if I felt threatened by a dog I could defend myself. I doubt I could have done it but it may have made them more wary and they might take more notice of their dog when outside. As Colin said it is not the dogs at fault but irresponsible dog owners who seem to think that as they love their dogs and are happy to have muddy paws all over their coats and faces licked by the same mouth that had just licked it’s own bum we all feel the same. Well I don’t. I feel sure that most dog lovers on here are responsible when out with their dogs, sadly not everyone is.
Stepping out
I have been doing pretty well doing anything from 15000 steps up to 20000 steps a day. I am so chuffed and when my P. A.I part of my fitness plan tells me I have done well and rest for two days as I deserve it I am ready to do it! Sometimes it is hard getting going but I think of the benefits and just go for it. It makes it easier to do it as I am out anyway getting Izzy to school so the battle is halfway done, getting up and dressed and out by 8.30.
Loss of a friend.
Sadly we lost a friend recently. She was the one who comforted me in Spain when I was given my diagnosis. It was hard not being able to go and visit when she was near the end and I do know friends that ignored the rules and did. I can’t say I blame them but knowing that this particular friend saw quite a lot of people towards the end it was just too risky for me to go and anyway we have abided by the rules for so long and so been protected we just could not risk it. I feel bad for her though that the last year of her life was one living under such restrictions. So very sad. Towards the end she was in such pain and the end came when the carers turned her and broke her leg, I think it was full of bone cancer. Throughout this Covid we will likely all have lost somebody and she is the first and the last I will mention but I am very upset I could not give her the comfort she gave me except for on the phone. May she rest in peace.
Back to the garden
A friend bought us new plants for our garden so in the next day or two I will go out and plant them ready for a nice display later in the year. Colin is going to dig over the veg patches though I have asked him not to dig in any fresh compost yet as we are not ready for planting veg out this year so early. I am not even sure what veg I want to plant. The beans were too prolific last year, we ate them at every meal and the veg that is a cross between cauliflower and broccoli ( romenesco) just took over we were giving it away to everybody. I think we will do different ones this year. We did add another apple tree and a conference pear tree last year so it will be interesting to see how well they do this year. The garden kept us sane last year throughout lockdown but we need to take care once we are out of it that the garden does not take over our lives, we have a life outside of these walls and gardens and at last we can join it. I will still enjoy watching things grow though and seeing how wonderful nature is. Our crocuses are blooming in the garden and the tulips growing nicely. This does mean though that there will be lots of lawn to be cut! Ah well we can’t have it all to easy.
Boring jobs
Today I was exhausted after my walk so after a simple meal of avocado prawns and salad was an easy and not taxing lunch. I decided to rest on the bed. It didn’t take long before I was bored so I decided to pull the drawers out of beside cabinets and sort everything out. After that it was onto my medicines, there are so many in so many different boxes so I checked everything and put in a pile anything that I was not able to take. Our meds do change often with pah and sometimes some need to be returned to the chemist. On then to our cutlery drawer which is a huge one and I took everything out to clean it and put it back. There was hardly any need as only saw two crumbs but I know it is all done and disinfected now. Colin then rang to say he had a flat tyre and was taking it to Kwik fit to get a speedy repair as Izzy needed collecting from school. Thank goodness I was not driving it when it happened. I hate anything to do with cars except for driving them.
Izzy
She has got another rabbit. Sadly one died last year leaving Bluebell on her own. Rabbits are social creatures so they just bought another one they have named Copper. It is a harlequin rabbit and quite cute, So far though they cannot be put together as the big rabbit would quite likely kill the small one judging by what we see when they try. Hopefully in time they will blend together. We shall see.
She told me that they lost their internet for three hours yesterday and her parents were trying to sort it out so she did all the housework! When she told me what she had done I was flabbergasted as it was so much, we reckon if we asked her mom it would not be quite the same tale! Izzy tends to exaggerate somewhat.
Watching
Escape to the chateau. What an amazing series. To see two people turn around this huge chateau that was derelict has been a joy to see, In fact it was watching this series that prompted me to buy wallpaper with birds on as the french had on their chateau walls. So pretty. Gradually they did manage to get some jobs done by some tradesmen but oh my goodness the work. It makes us tired to just see all they have done and still have to do. They have made a truly marvellous job of it. Now run as an events venue a friend of ours got married here and said it was absolutely magnificent.
Holiday
No not for us yet as such. Certainly no going abroad but we do look forward to heading off in the motor home as we can be totally on our own. We don’t need to use facilities or eat out if we are nervous. Danielle and Chris are looking to hire a motor home for two weeks and are happy for us to join them. We won’t get in their hair but it will be nice to see them from time to time. Let’s hope we can manage to get two bookings together later in the year.
Right, time for bed. Walking and cleaning day tomorrow so need my beauty sleep for sure, Hopefully we will soon be able to have our cleaner back and what a red letter day that will be. Take care everyone and thank you for reading.
Warm love
Carole xxx
Walk finished and I did 20000 steps which is 8.34 miles or 13.45 kilometres. So thrilled.
( since writing this and not being published I did manage to do some gardening and also plant out 20 new ones. Left me totally drained with only 5300 steps as not a walking day. Don’t think digging and bending over are good for me at all.
