Friday 5 November 2010

The State of Me - health update

So I went to vet medic yesterday to see if he could suggest something to unstick the mucus on my lungs.

Came home with a five-day course of powerful steroids (6 a day!), an appointment for a blood-test for allergies to cow's milk, wheat, etc., and a follow-up appointment for two weeks' hence.

I should know if the steroid pills are working within a couple of days. If they do, it's a signal to up the dose of the inhaler version. If not, we await the blood-test results to see if that sheds any light on the problem that is preventing a good night's sleep.


Last night was no easier after the first dose of steroids. What? I expected progress, patience is not my middle name (it's Vivienne, if you're curious). There were fireworks here today just after midnight (adding to the broken sleep)  - probably to celebrate the beginning of Divali. As with all 'festivals', I think most people have lost sight of (or never knew) the background to today's Guy Fawkes celebrations.

I loved Bonfire Night as a child. It was a real community affair with the dads organising and supervising the bonfire and firework, on 'waste ground' behind our house, and mums providing baked potatoes, toffee apples, treacle toffee and other goodies. The boys usually competed with their home-made 'Guys' on trolleys - for some reason girls took a passive role in all this.

It was surprising that I was alowed to celebrate because my Dad came from a Catholic family, my sister was a practicing Catholic and my Mum 'converted' on marrying Dad.. Although I didn't attend a Catholic school until i was 11, I had been baptised as a baby. I was allowed to choose a selection of fireworks that my Dad would let off one at a time in the back garden - why did the Catherine Wheel always fall off the nail on the fence? Probably because my Dad's middle names were 'Heath and Robinson'.

Stay safe tonight and keep a close eye on those furry family members. I know that Ron will be spending the evening under my duvet, even though he's not afraid of the noise.