Sick and Tired…

OK,  so it’s Christmas Eve, and the postman has delivered an urgent letter.  I am now scared and upset, and have no way of checking out where to go from here.

I shall begin at the beginning……

Back at the beginning of November I picked up a pretty nasty bout of flu, and have just not been able to shake it off.  My chest has been tight and my breathing shallow and painful.

On the 20th December, After 2 separate lots of antibiotics, I called the local surgery and asked for more, and this time they wanted me in so they could check my chest and do a lung function check with the puffa thingy.

I failed all miserably, and was told they wanted me to have a chest x-ray. 

Off I trotted to the little cottage hospital round the corner, where I did the necessary, and was told to call my surgery on Friday 23rd December for my results.

I called on Friday afternoon, after work, and was told, by the receptionist no less, that I had a shadow on my chest x-ray and they wanted me to have another x-ray!  I was to call back after Christmas…….

Panic set in, but after sitting down and talking rationally with my friends and hubby, we decided it was nothing to worry about.

Then, Saturday 24th December,( the point at which I started this post) when the surgery is closed until after Christmas, I received an urgent letter from my GP asking me in for an appointment on the 3rd January to discuss my X-Ray results and the course of action planned.

Needless to say both Paul and I were distraught.  I was convinced I had the Big C, and had him check the mortgage policy for our cover!

Following a really crappy Christmas and New Year emotion wise, I dutifully turned up for my appointment on the 3rd, with Paul in tow for moral support.

The GP  was was horrified that the receptionist had even told me anything, and that no-one has spoken to me on the phone to put my mind at rest.  No it is not anything like what we were thinking.  I have a fatty sack growing around my heart, and they need to keep a check on it.

In the meantime, I am on steroid tablets to try and relieve the symptoms of chest pain and tightness.

I have another x-ray in a couple of weeks, and my course of steroids has just been extended once more.

Is it me, or are all GP receptionists, bloody know it all’s who can’t wait to inflict as much emotional damage as possible in one single telephone call?  They did not train for 7 years plus to make a diagnosis or read an x-ray, so why do they feel the need to think they can give a verdict on something they know nothing about!

Anyway, rant over.  I'm hopefully on the mend, and will update  again when I have my next x-ray results (hopefully given to me by a GP and not an over eager secretary)

Jo Anne

 

Hospital Visit

We had some bad news last night. Paul's Dad has taken a turn for the worse. His chemo seems to be really affecting him, and his kidneys are objecting.

He was taken into Royal Cornwall, so that they could keep an eye on him, and rehydrate him.

Having parked up on the park and ride, we got off the bus at the hospital, and made our way towards Trelawney Wing. As we were walking up we could hear the helicopter coming in to land on the helipad just behind us.

I could not decide if I was being morbid or not, but either way I was fascinated at watching a helicopter come in to land to close to where I was, and so got out my trusty BlackBerry to get some clicks!

Having taken my pictures we walked on through to see Mel, and found that his room overlooked the helipad.

It transpires that the copter was coming in for tea break, according to the nurse who was checking on him, so I felt it would be OK to post these pictures, nowI knew that no-one injured was on board.

Mel is undergoing loads of re hydration and may need a transfusion before continuing chemo, but doing better since arriving here.

Feel better soon. xx

Is It Just Me???

I've got Flu!

I caught it off Paul, who has had it for the last 2 weeks!

Since Christmas I seem to have been permanently ill! What the heck is going on?

I've had two stays in hospital, 2 operations and now flu..... We are only 3 months into the year!

I must have been really bad in my last life!

I'm Such A Drama Queen!

Since posting my official new post on this new web address, I have had another trip to the hospital and an over night stay!

Needless to say, my GP was sufficiently worried about my continued stomach pain and had me re-admitted to the surgical receiving unit on Monday evening!

After a night of no sleep at all due to the noise and pain, and the fact that I was taken for an X-ray and scan at 11.30 at night, I was finally given a stack load of tablets, put on nil mouth and told that I should expect another operation in the morning!

On the AM rounds I told them in no uncertain terms that I absolutely did not want another operation and could they try and find another solution if at all possible.

After various drugs, and being told OK, I can go back on food and water, I decided that my body had had enough and promptly threw up everywhere - very embarrassing, and not nice for the people on the ward as I did not have time to do a dash to the loo, because my drip stand would not pass between the end of my bed and the conveniently placed bin!

Anyway - it turns out that there is yet another drug to add the the list that I can no longer take!

They did actually sort out a regime that started to work, and so I was allowed to go home that evening - I was more than relieved as they had just announced another visitor lock down due to the NORO virus again!

I did actually sleep that night, but then you always do in your own bed don't you!

Looks like another week off work though, which isn't so good - I have to say the girls are fab though and are ringing me each day with the latest gossip, so that I don't feel so cut off from it all.

Roll on being able to drive and work again

New Year New Address

So as you area all now are, I have amended my blog address.

After sufficient problems, I finally decided to do something about it, and as such Surf Chick 100 was born - well in web address name only!

I hope that you will all continue to follow my antics, and I am sure that once I am fully recovered there will be plenty on here to keep to amused, not least to say, the first trip with our touring caravan..... Perhaps I should ask you all for suggested names for her, as at the moment she is just known as caravan, and that really is not good enough if we are to be spending our holiday time with her. I imagine it will be April-ish before we try her out for the first time, we need a little Spring weather to lift our spirits when we are using her.

News So Far:

It is now 3 weeks since I had my operation, and although I am pretty much pain free from my appendix removal, and could easily have been back at work last week, I am still in a lot of pain from the endometriosis adhesions that were removed.

The doctor has decided that I am to be off work for at least another week, meaning I don't go back until 8th Feb! It's driving me mad..... I popped out to The Range on Saturday with Paul. This was my first attempt at leaving the house since my op, and although it felt lovely to be out and looking at card stock and decoupage papers for my next lot of greetings cards, it completely wore me out..... it was then that I realised that perhaps the doctor does know best LOL.

Fred, has come out in sympathy and had a nasty ear infection which has needed drops, and also his usual westie skin complaint has reared its ugly head, which means weekly baths - bless him, he doesn't know where to hide to get away from us at the moment!

All of my friends have been wonderful and continue to support me, and despite the fact I feel like quite a fraud being off work for so long, having seen me, they all agree it is a necessary evil.

Meanwhile - I am taking the opportunity to make a few cards and build up my stock to sell. I shall blog them as I make them on my other blog www.card-craftbyjo.blogspot.com.

In the meantime take care everyone

On The Up

Tuesday did not quite go as planned.

I ended up on the phone to the Doctor at 08.20, and after various discussions it was decided that she would get someone out to check up on me.

The Doc turned up at 12.30 and after a good old poke and prod of the belly and back, confirmed that I have a bladder and kidney infection and needed more antibiotics. What I was told though, was that I had done entirely the right thing over the weekend, as if I had not done the cystitis remedies my kidneys would be protesting in pain far more than they were a the moment. Unfortunately, the kidney pain in my back, falls right behind where the appendix was in the front, and I had no idea if I had new pain or old, I just knew something was not at all right.

Mel popped around see me later in the afternoon, and filled me with gossip of the Pilate's classes I had been missing out on since just before Christmas, and how quiet it was without me - MOI! Little old me! Anyone would think I was loud, giggly and chatty LOL!

Mel, also bought me the biggest bunch of grapes she could find along with the entire dutch crop of Tulips. I have to say the Tulips are glorious and the grapes so sweet and moreish - good choice Mel.

It was so lovely to see her, and catch up.

Not long after Mel left me, Sharon and Chris arrived, and once again filled me in on the gossip from work. It seems there are some changes taking place, and I really can't wait to get back so I can get my teeth into the new workload that will be generated from the changes. Is that sad? I don't think so, I really miss my friends in the office, who have been such a huge support to me in the last 10 days or so since this began.

Anyway, yesterday, Wednesday, I decided that I would attempt some light sweeping in the living room. Fred is a loving dog, but OMG so mucky. He will go outside, and kick the mud with his back paws like any terrier, then run inside, all excited and fling great clods of earth everywhere. Needless to say I could look at it from my chair no longer, and had a go at cleaning it up. BAD IDEA! I ended up sat down again a few moments later, able to feel every internal stitch and lazered area in my belly.

So, consequently, today, Thursday, although I feel a lot better in myself, and the lessening pains in my belly allow me to sit for a longer period of time (albeit in a recliner chair) than I have up until now, I have decided to finally start listening to everyone and take it easy for another week or so.... after all it's been about 10 days since my op and they said 3-4 weeks recovery time, even pushing it to 6 weeks for certain things like exercise.

I am supposed to be in Birmingham this weekend, becoming Godmother to little Dylan. I finally had to concede that this was not going to happen as sitting upright in a car for 5 hours plus on the journey would just about finish me off. Kelly has managed to arrange for me to be Godmother by proxy and her mom has spoken to the Priest and organised it all - I am so relieved, but more gutted than you would think possible, to be missing out on such a special day.

We shall be getting together with Kel, Paul and Dylan once I am well for a nice celebratory meal, and although it's not the same it will be lovely to see them and spend time with them again.

It is Kels' birthday today, and I made her card, along with Dylan's Godchild card and Paul posted them up to Brum along with some gifts, and once I know she has received and opened them, I shall post pictures of the cards and how I made them.

I know that things are getting better now, and am feeling far more positive than I have until now, primarily because I seemed to get one thing after another on top of the double op. As the additional infections and problems are bought under control I am feeling far more cheery, and can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Onwards and Upwards...

Until the next time my dear friends

Progress So Far

I have had so very many well wishes sent to me from my friends and bloggers.

Although sitting at home means you have no real news to tell, I thought I would at least let you all know how I am doing health wise.

Friday, was well, Black to say the least. Poor Lorna did a great job of consoling my wilting spirits, as you will already have read in my previous post. To say that things could not possibly get any worse would have been an understatement!

Unfortunately on Saturday and Sunday, this is exactly what did happen. For any of you ladies out there who have been on huge doses of antibiotics you will know that there are a couple of problems that you can acquire as an after effect of how they take their toll on your body.

Being polite, if that is possible, I shall just say two words. Nether Regions! With any luck you will know what I mean and I won't get my blog shut down for indecency, LOL!

Anyway, to begin with I thought I was just imagining it, as I was still very conscious of not being able to sit, bend, lift (even a kettle) and many other normal, take it for granted movements, because of the belly pain I had, caused by my surgeries.

As I was 'imagining' it, I asked a poor unsuspecting Paul to go out to buy my best bud a birthday present. This is the birthday present I had planned to buy the previous weekend, until I got rushed into hospital.

Paul looked at me as if I was a martian talking a strange language - what do I get he said.... I had that part sorted! I went online and printed off pictures of what I wanted, and where to go to get them. Once he was there, he just texted pictures for me to approve or disapprove. OK, not an ideal situation, and Paul was using a few choice words, but because of who it was for, he was happy to do it, bless him.

When he returned home he had even bought me a little PJ set with matching slippers so that I had enough sets to change each day into a fresh set without worrying - Bless!

All this time, please don't forget, he came off nights the previous day and was absolutely k'naggered (translation - very tired LOL).

By late afternoon, I sent poor Paul off again, this time to Tesco to buy me the first of my required remedies for the old water works. Off he trotted, no problem. He called me from Tesco to see if I would like the cranberry or lemon flavoured treatment - lemon of course - I hate cranberry, and then came back with said medication.

Sunday morning came round and I soon decided that I needed the next of the medication of the other rather delicate problem. Again he went off, without batting an eyelid, and returned a short while later, with exactly what I needed.

All this while I was unsure if I could use part of the 2nd box of tricks due to the surgeries, so eventually, after much persuasion from many friends, I called NHS Direct and spoke to a really nice male nurse.

Apart from being very thorough about my medical history, he also gave me some sound advise, but pretty much confirmed that everything Paul had bought me was the right way to go, and it was all OK to use together, including the bit I was the most unsure of.

And so that's it - my weekend in a nutshell. I attempted to do a bit of walking round on Saturday and that put me back to bed for the day Sunday.

The upside to all of this? I've lost 5lb. Woo Hoo! OK not a way you want to lose weight, but there has to be a bright side to any situation, don't you think?

So today is Monday, and although I have been dressed today, and sat under a duvet in the lounge, I can only get into joggers and look a right sight because of the swollen belly. I have a few visitors 'booked' in for tomorrow and am hoping that things are on the up.

Until next time dear friends

xx

999, Doctor, Doctor, ER - HELP!

To all of my loyal readers I apologise for my absence. And to everyone who has sent me well wishes, cards and gifts I thank you with all my heart.

Despite pain and being drugged to the eyeballs, a blogger is always a blogger, so I managed to get some pictures. I even thought of the consequences of showing peoples faces etc, so what you will see is, well, me! Looking quite frankly crap!

So this is what happened.

The snow outside had continued to fall for a couple of days and hence I could no longer use my beloved MX-5 Betty Blue to get to work. It was now down to shank's pony (that's by foot to anyone who needs it translated LOL).

Friday the 8th came around and I trudged into work, arriving on time and did my full shift. However, after I had returned to lunch I was suddenly doubled over with pain, and laughed it off with the girls as women's stuff - as you do!

An hour later Paul collected me for the end of my shift, so that I didn't have to walk home again - thank god for Paul! As soon as I got home I doubled up again and went to bed with a hot water bottle.

I got home at about 2.15pm, but by 19.30 I was crying in pain and begging Paul to take me to the local medical drop in centre that was open until 8pm.

I threw on a pair of joggers and a jog top, pulled my water bottle to my belly and got in the car. It's OK I thought - coupla tablets and I'll be right as reign.

Having fallen through the doors of the drop in centre and burst into tears on the receptionist, I was being seen by the on call doctor that was there.

Needless to say, I had no handbag, no money, no keys, nothing, nada, zip with me. Despite this I was booked a bed in hospital and sent directly there, no stopping, no messing!

This was not going according to plan - I was only supposed to be out 5 minutes - not 5 days!

By this time it was 20.30 and I was on a ward and in my bed. The consultant and his #1 sidekick came to see me, and were very concerned, considering my history that I may have a burst ovary, if not it was my appendix. I needed a scan. You shall have one first thing tomorrow he said meanwhile we will give you any drug you desire.... well no actually he didn't say that, but I was very happy with the huge bolus of morphine that I received directly into my arm - after that everything was lovely Ha Ha!

They kept me drugged on oromorph all night to help the pain, and I took the opportunity whilst I could to get a glimpse of the snow outside the window. A few minutes later they came to take me for my ultra sound scan.

Chappy decided that my ovaries we OK - relief! But could also find no problem with my appendix - it could be low lying and out of view he said - typical nothing normal for me eh!

Anyway - here I am looking thoroughly miserable , and more to the point morphed up, as I await for the consultant to make a decision from the ultra sound slides he was to receive.

I did not sleep at all well on the Saturday night - probably too many drugs, or not enough, but I wanted to hear the end of the nurses conversation about ghosts and missed is as someone pulled their call button!

My IV became my point of interest at this point LOL.

I was taken to surgery at 11.30am on Sunday morning, and did not return to the ward until just gone 15.30pm. It was a long surgery.

It seems that along with my appendix going bad, (which they removed for me), I also had about a hundred adhesion's (endometriosos) that needed lazering and cauterising. This came as a huge shock to me, as I had only had surgery in April 2007 to remove a dozen or so and thought that was all over.

The long and short of it is that it was a triple whammy! URTI (urinary tract infection that I knew nothing about), appendix bursting and endometriosis adhesion's.

All I can say is that I am so glad my appendix burst as the adhesion's would have taken a long long time to diagnose and have done, just like they did last time.

The doctors were fantastic - I did actually keep telling them this however, and I was actually scoring them out of 1o - to their faces - I even married one off and told him he was so handsome in normal clothes and it was a damn shame he was single. OUTRAGEOUS I KNOW! but how many times do I have to tell you I WAS MORPHED UP!!!

Anyway, they released me on Tuesday afternoon, and Paul's Dad picked me up, as he happened to be in the same block for a appointment himself. I was never so glad to see anyone in my life and gave him such a big hug.

The whole while I had been inside we were on lock down to the Noro Virus outbreak the week before, so only patients were allowed inside the hospital. My friends were wonderful and kept me going with phone calls and texts though.

Wednesday evening Sharon and Chris arrived to see me - and I have to apologise for the state of how I looked, PJ's, unwashed hair, duvet pillows and generally not a welcoming sight for them, but they bought me two bunches of gorgeous roses in pinks and yellows, and Chris had me laughing albeit is very painfully, for the short while they visited me.

Sally-Ann and Mike also visited that day, and I have since received these lovely orchids from them, along with my favourite coffee cake, which will come out once I have an appetite again.

Thursday and Friday have been black!

I spent all day Friday crying, and after a visit from my friend Lorna, who happens to be a nurse, she made me feel better, and confirmed it was normal as I had had quite a traumatic few days, been drugged out of my eyeballs, had general anaesthetic, and been through effectively 2 very painful procedures all at once.

I feel awful but I asked some friends that wanted to visit on Friday and over the weekend that I was not up to it - I'm really sorry guys, but honestly you would not have wanted to see me!

Meanwhile.....

All this time.... Poor Paul had been on nights and was trying to hold it all together - one thing is for sure though, Fred loves his Daddy even more now and won't leave his side - after all Mommy left him for the best part of a week!

Apologises

I am in hospital, but shall return with the details soon x

Christmas Eve...

It started out as quite a strange Christmas Eve.

I got into work for 7am, an hour earlier than normal, so that I could help Alison to clear the wages admin, and ensure that payroll went through on time. As it turns out, there was no need as she had arrived about 15 minutes before me, and was well into clearing it all.

It was then a really bitty morning, with typing up various reports and getting as many cups of tea down us as possible!

I arrived home only about 5 minutes before Paul, who suggested we pop over to the Hospital to visit his Dad, who we had heard had been taken in the previous evening.

We had an hour over there with him, and met up with Dee and Jannah just as we left, who promised to let us know what was going on, as he may have to stay in until Boxing Day.

Then it was off home to cook dinner, as we had Sally-Ann, Mike and Hamish coming over.

The dogs were angels, despite my Fred wanting to go out every 5 minutes!

Hamish enjoyed some love off of him Mom, whilst poor Mike looked on, in the dim and little light that he could cope with behind his shades.

We had a lovely evening, and enjoyed some big laughs watching Victoria Wood's Christmas Show, and revelling in the iconic song that we all remembered from her 90's show.

Then it was time for Paul to drive them back home, and as he picked his phone up, he noticed a text from Jannah..... Their Dad was home, as the doctors had managed to get all the introvenus antibiotics in that they wanted to.

At least he could enjoy his Christmas Day in his own home.

Tis the season to feel rubbish!.....

Sorry for the big blank pause bloggers, but I have been, and still am, full of a really nasty cold (does a womens cold translate to flu in man speak) since Tuesday, and finally gave up whilst at work on Wednesday, and came home to bed, which is where I am posting this from in between the wretching over the conveniently placed bin!

Needless to say I will have to go back a few days to tell you about our works Christmas Party on Saturday evening, as my brain has been so full of nasty things that I have not been able to think straight to be able to show what a great time we had.

So sit back and scroll down, for the party photo's and story. x

Men and Dogs

On Friday evening it was the annual boat trip up the Fal with the MX-5 owners club.

Whilst the evening was very enjoyable and the fireworks more incredible than normal, I was not quite all there. I had had to leave Paul at home, suffering with a really nasty bout of Man Flu. This is the first time I have really seen Paul give in to a cold or flu, so I knew he was feeling pretty grotty. I spent most of the evening at the back of the boat texting him to check he was OK!

He promised me he was having an early night and would be in bed before 8.30. At 9.30 I received a picture text. He had built up the dining table that had been delivered that afternoon, and more to the point, it was supposed to be a two man build project!

When I got home just after 11pm, I found that he had only just gone to bed, having built up the 4 chairs to go with the dining table!

The following morning, I came downstairs to find out that Fred had been sick a few times and had got a cough. (thankfully all the downstairs floors are laminated!) and he was very snuffly. I spoke with his vet, and he advised that he had a viral infection or cold and just to keep an eye on him for the next few days.

So now I have 2 sick men in the house. Saturday came and went, with a lot of vegging out on the couch, watching Paul sleep on the sofa, and me cuddling Fred, and soothing his throat each time he coughed.

As he was his usual jolly doggy self, he kept trying to bark at the usual barkable noises, only to find that his throat hurt and he then started to cough again! He didn't stop bouncing around the garden though.

We had to get up to him in the night for an urgent trip into the garden, and at 5am I ended up bringing a duvet downstairs and sleeping on the couch with him.

He finally settled at about 6.30 and got some shut eye.

So here I am - Sunday lunchtime, knackered, and ready for bed and SLEEP!

Yawn........

Swine Flu? Phooey!

On Sunday evening Paul started to shiver, now to put this into context it was in excess of 32 degrees that day so by no means cold. Now he did not just shiver, he dithered, shaking the whole bed as his teeth chattered.

I was stripped off trying to catch a breath of air from the breeze free open window and he was under a sheet, and a duvet. I got a second duvet and still he shivered, so I then wrapped the other half of our duvet over the top of him (we are now up to 1 sheet and 3 duvets!).

Still he shivered!

I forced a good old Beechams Powder down him and made sure he had plenty of water. By 3am he was too hot! Time for another Beechams I thought.

Then the coughing and sneezing started.

On Monday night, whilst waiting to go into our Pilates session, I was chatting with Sally-Ann and Avril about it. Avril got very concerned. Being a practice Nurse she pointed out that flu season was over and that this was very unusual. She then suggested I call NHS Direct to seek advise.

Well.... when I got home from class, Paul was on the phone with a friend gassing away like an old fishwife, coughing and sneezing, but otherwise a typical bloke.

I told him what Avril has suggested and we went onto the NHS swine flu website. We followed the symptom checker for further advise. We answered No to the first 2 questions and Yes to the last one. The next page told us CALL 999 EMERGENCY!

Stupid blooming website - good job we have a small modicum of brain between us or else we would have wasted vital resources needed for the really sick.

And the moral of the story - Ignore stupid government websites and just use common sense, you will have a much better outcome.

By the way it's now Tuesday and Paul seems OK!

Many thanks to Avril though, at least I was on the alert for anything untoward should it occur.

Blood and Gore...

For those of you with a nervous disposition look away now...

For the rest of you ghouls, who are like me, check out what happened to Paul this avo when a rogue tile decided not to come away from the wall without a fight.

You will be pleased to know that I waited until the cleaning process had been completed and the blood had stopped flowing quite so freely before I took the first photo's...

A lovely deep gouge on his left hand above his thumb...

As steri strips would not last 5 minutes on Paul because of his job, John the chap who saw to Paul decided to go with the real deal - sutures - John reckoned on about 5

In went the anaesthetic...

Then the stitches started to go in

Very impressively it actually took 7 stitches to pull the gash together

and here endeth the story of the kitchen so far....

One more scar to add the the collection methinks Mr L

BLLLLLRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

I feel rubbish!!!!!

Paul has given me his cold - which he has now gotten rid of, and I have no voice. Not a squeak, a croak or a murmur.

The sun in shining. There is washing on the line. And I am inside with a blanket wrapped around me.

BRRRRRR.

This morning at work, they all laughed at me. I cover the reception area on my own from 8 to 9, and have to answer the phones and make tannoys out to the factory - and they all laughed at me!!! GGRRRR! Lets see what happens when they get it eh!

Health Check Update

So after last nights drama, Paul went to the GP today, on the advice of the paramedics, to get an MOT and make sure all ok.

He has no heart problems that the GP is concerned with and has no chest infection or flu of any kind on the way..... it seems he had a huge muscle spasm of some kind and it had really knocked his system about.

He'll feel really rough for a few days but will be ok.

So now that I've shed a few tears of relief I can finally say for sure PANIC OVER!

Pains and Plots

We decided to have a wander around Falmouth this morning and despite getting drowned in the rain and Paul not feeling well at all with pains everywhere in his chest and back it was a nice am.

This evening we went to our friends in Portreath.

So remember remember the 5th of November.......

It was the firework display there tonight. Yes I know is the 9th and not the 5th but it was still a fantastic display anyway.

By the time we got home a couple of hours later, Paul was in real pain with his chest and back and was finding it hard to breath. At this point I was getting worried. He couldn't get into a position that was comfortable and could not catch his breath.

It was at this point I really panicked and dialled 999. Something I have never done before unless I was at work and was calling for someone I don't know. When it's someone you love it's really scary!

Two men arrived in an ambulance, which threw me a little as I was expecting a motorbike or car paramedic, but apparently it's normal for 10.30 on a Sunday night. These 2 men were fantastic. He had a blood pressure check and was hooked up to the heart monitor.

All of this was OK thankfully, but they did hear crackles on his lungs and decided the pains that he was experiencing were perhaps an infection and he had panicked when he didn't know what the pains were or why he felt so rough.

They offered to take him to hospital for a few more tests but as his breathing was now under control he was happy to see the GP in the morning to get the final all clear.

Panic over - but boy what a horrible way to end a lovely day.

Huge thanks to the Paramedics that were so good tonight.

How much is that doggy......

Well in this case 30 quid!

My poor little bow wow is not well.

He woke us up on Sat/Sun at 02.45 scratching at the kitchen door for us to come down to him. Very unusual for Fred. I went storming down the stairs, like any normal mother would, to find he'd been sick twice and was dancing to go in the garden. I let him out and he just lay there in the middle of the lawn looking very forlorn and sorry looking.

After cocking his leg a couple of times he came back in.

I put him back to bed and went back upstairs - 10 minutes later he did the same - this time we both came down with the duvet as he was sick in the garden when I let him out again.

we settled him down on our laps for an hour and he looked good so went up to bed finally.

On waking up early on Sunday morning and coming to check on him, it had got worse - this time projectile from each end if you get my drift.... thank god for wet vacs and laminate floors!

We had plans for the day with the fivers - I sent Paul off to enjoy the day and I stayed with Fred.

He perked up and wasn't too bad during the day, but then the same thing happened during the night on Sun/Mon and the wet vac came out again on Monday morning before work.

I called the vet and got him in for the afternoon and in the meantime our friends looked in on him during the morning to make sure all was well. I finished work early as I was so worried and got him to the vets on time.

The long and short of it is that he has a viral infection and is on antibiotics and antacids! The things you do for your best friend!

Thankfully he is looking so much better and the fact that he is barking at nothing in particular once more is a good thing.... I think!

Feel better soon baby boy, more so because you stink and need a bath now!

Sunday - It can only get better

So having spent the morning on and off, in bed, as each time I got up I could not get warm, and dosing myself up with good old Beechams Powders, I actually feel as if I'm returning to the land of the living again.

I can cope with a cold - no problem, but when I have a sore throat I am such a baby, and that seems to be easing of now so fingers crossed that it will continue to go in this direction and I have shifted the bug that Nikki still has after a fortnight, in only 72 hours.

I may be optimistic here but, if I'm well enough to blog it's got to be good - RIGHT???

Saturday - A Day of Rest

So I'm determined to shift this bug.

I did not sleep at all last night with all of the coughing and spewing up into buckets, so I'm dosing myself up with enough drugs to fill a pharmacy and am sucking an entire shop full of sweets to stop the dry throat disaster.

I am determined to shift this thing for Fridays road trip up the Exeter and the weekends fun of camping!

Meanwhile Paul has changed the side markers over on the new 5 to the clear ones that we had on the old 5 so that it looks smart for the car club meet.

I took Fred to see Helen this morning, and he has had a haircut ready for his holidays, and he does look handsome - I think he knows it too.

I also had to do Argos and return the child gate that we have at the bottom of the stairs to stop Fred going up. It had been recalled apparently for safety reasons. They swapped that over no problem, but you should have seen me trying to get the thing into the car. The lid had the stay down and I had to jam it behind the passenger seat as it was too big for the boot. I still say, it's amazing how much you can fit into a sports car!