I'm tired of being ill. More than that, I'm tired of people trying to help me 'cure' what is an irreversible chronic illness - Bronchiectasis.This may look like an entry that is contrary to the raison d'etre of this Blog - to be positive. But it's not. I manage my illness fairly well. Yes, there are days when I feel less than well, yes there are days when I am so fed up with this condition. Yes, I was unlucky to have caught whooping cough (the probable cause) when I was five.
But, I am lucky that the illness was diagnosed in childhood. I am lucky that it was diagnosed in the UK where the NHS provided me with physiotheraphy and training in self-help managment of the condition. I'm lucky that follow-up visits to the Consultant, and physiotherapy and other treatments helped prevent further damage to my lungs. The most recent X-rays show that the disease has not progressed much beyond where it was when first diagnosed, despite frequent infections and bouts of pneumonia and pleurisy that contributed to my early retirement.
The discipline required to manage this disease properly and keep myself as healthy as possible takes a lot of effort. I know all the things I must do to avoid bouts of infection, wheezing and breathlessnes. I know what must be done when I do have bouts of infection, wheezing and breathlessnes and, in the main, I do them. There is no advice, no matter how well-meaning, that will 'cure' me. So please, , if you feel tempted to tell me about this wonderful technique, drug, herbal remedy, practitioner of the black arts ...... don't.
