Sod’s Virus? - a novel way to reward careful isolation

[Trainfish]

.............. think of all the nasty things that float around in hospitals!   

If it were me I'd be thinking of all the beautiful things floating around the hospital instead. I did that once and I could tell you a personal story about it from many years ago but it's not for this thread as I was about 30 years old and single at the time 

[daffy]

Just an update, and the reasons I've been essentially absent from the Forum for a good while now.

The infection Sheila had in May subsided after antibiotic treatments but her general condition remained the same, that is generally shattered. Her drug treatment has been continuing to the point where today she should be on 25mg of Methotrexate, as well as the plethora of other meds she has to take. I say 'should be' because 10 days ago she developed another more debilitating lung infection for which her GP prescribed more antibiotics. Suffice to say the week long course of Amoxycillin did diddly squat and her condition is worse now, with her very tired, coughing a fair bit (unproductively), and being breathless upon minimum exertion.

Yesterday the GP's best phone-call advice (is it actually possible to physically see a GP these days? - all our contact is by phone. ) was to go to our local A&E - again! - to get fully checked out.

Well, that little 7 hour expedition was an eye opener indeed! . What a contrast to her hospital visits in Spring! Seems like all hell has broken loose and the way the A&E is run has changed from being a carefully controlled Covid aware environment to one where Sheila spent the whole time there feeling very, very unhappy and at high risk.

Okay, so it was evidently a particularly bad time for the staff, with ambulances arriving almost en masse to discharge new emergency cases, but those walk-in cases like Sheila were all in close proximity to each other and to the ambulance cases in a very crowded area. Covid security was limited to them being sat along a narrow corridor in seats, each separated only by perspex screens, as trolley-borne new cases are wheeled past. At one point an irate Doctor (or some-such uniformed guy) raised his voice to day "This is a Covid area! Could you all please leave!" This apparently was directed at the numerous 'others' in the corridor, that is relatives and adherents of patients. Sheila was left to wonder why any of them had actually been allowed into the are in the first place, as this was definitely not allowed in May when she was there, and as we have not yet reached the laughably named 'Freedom Day' on the 19th, it was just ridiculous. I fact it hit so busy that on returning from her blood test she had nowhere to sit at all but upon the floor! This is a 71 year old with acute vasculitis, a lung infection, and a compromised immune system! Pity those who were around her with far worse problems.

Anyway, all that aside, she had blood tests and xrays to be told by a Doctor at the end of it all that he thought the infection was clearing. How he determined this we do not know as her blood test inflammatory markers were up from a blood test she had just last Thursday. But he prescribed more antibiotics which he had with him. That is until Sheila raised the fact she was supposed to be taking her weekly Methotrexate that day, but was aware that certain antibiotics can give adverse reactions to it. He went away for advice,   returned without the said antibiotics and told her she would have to contact the Consultant's team who were monitoring her condition to see what they thought about it all, who would then advise her GP what to prescribe!

So that is where we are now, Sheila coughing in bed waiting to hear what pills or potions she can or can't take, and me continuing to worry and wondering why on Earth our leader and his minions feel it is a good idea to throw Covid masks and distancing rules away.

All July 19th means for us is an increased need to keep away from people, including our family whose fears for their matriarch are best summed up by Sheila's son who would love her to be free to visit her grandchildren again soon, but who said last month that he would be mortified if a visit led to her being hospitalised again - or worse!

So I'm busy looking after her, trying to avoid vaccine-happy people in Tesco, and vainly attempting to convert a shed into a summer house for Sheila (next summer I think! ) while trying not to notice the garden is getting a bit wild and that dripping tap in the kitchen needs looking at.

One day I'll even be playing trains again. One day.

[Newportnobby]

So sorry to hear all this, Mike, and I'm not surprised you're sounding off about the appalling situation Sheila has found herself in. I've given up trying to see my GP who evidently only works Tuesdays.
I rang bang on the dot of 08.00 yesterday to be told by the automated voice I was 24th in the queue. I called much later and ordered a repeat prescription of the statins the GP had recently moved me onto rather than the ones I was taking before. I could order them on line but he's removed all statins from my records. I needed to give him the BP results from the last week but, stuff this, looks like I'll have to write a letter to him as it will get there faster than me trying to see someone at the practice

[Bealman]

Mike, I really don't know what to say about your post. What a bloody nightmare! I can only say that Sheila appears to be a pillar of strength and is not going to let this beat her.

All the best to both of you!

[Train Waiting]

Dear Mike

What a truly horrid time you and Sheila are having.

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.

With the very best of good wishes.

John

[RailGooner]

Mike and Sheila, I can only offer my very best wishes to you both.

[dannyboy]

Not sure how to answer your post Mike, except to say that I do hope things improve for Sheila and yourself - you both have an awful lot to cope with. I watch the BBC News more than I watch the Irish TV news and it seems that, come 19th July, it is going to be a question of "we will still give advice, but it is every man and woman for themselves". It is quite likely that something very similar will be happening in Ireland from the 19th and, even though I have had my second jab and Louisa gets hers tomorrow, there is no way on Earth I am just going to stop taking precautions. Cases are rising again here which seems to be acceptable, as the people affected will not be as badly affected as previously!  . Good luck to you both.

[stevewalker]

That sounds awful Mike. I hope Sheila recovers soon.

I know what it can be like, my wife is under the GP and four different Consultants - all for different things - and had to do without her Methotrexate for three weeks and her steroid injections for months. She's had to attend all sorts of appointments alone, where normally I'd be there to support her and when she was admitted as an emergency admission, no visitors were allowed.

I too think that things are going too fast. We can't keep everything closed down, but basics such as distancing where possible, masks around others and working from home should be continuing for now. Unfortunately there are large vocal groups that demand that all measures should go, refuse to wear masks now, refuse to test or self-isolate and heavy pressures from businesses, who want everything to go back to normal instantly (including people in offices, simply to support landlords and coffee shops). I don't think that government could have held out against it for much longer, despite the rapidly rising cases (up 25-fold here since the schools went back, with a rise of 63% in a week).

[daffy]

Thanks to you all for your good wishes, they are much appreciated by us both.

And John, as long as there is Poppingham to visit in a quiet moment to discover what is happening in that technicolour world of yesteryear I'll be more than happy, relaxed for a while, and ready again to look after my ladies every needs and wishes. 

Now the good news.   After numerous phone calls to A&E, her GP, her Consultant's secretary and Uncle Tom Cobley and all, and all, she now has a stronger antibiotic to hopefully finish the fight against this lung infection - whatever it is!
She is very tired and coughing more this evening, and looking forward  to the side effects the Doc has said these antibiotics bring - nausea, diarrhoea and other joys.   
And tomorrow will be better than today. 

[daffy]

Another update.....

Summer has all but gone and Sheila has been better but tired since the last infection. Sadly the steroids have taken their toll - side effects have put weight on her face and neck, made her skin less smooth, and caused a few spots and blemishes, as well as the tiredness and heaven knows what other changes.
The good news is that she has now been on the highest dose of Methotrexate they want to give her for over a month, and the steroids have reduced from 60mg in April to now just 7mg and will be reduced by 1mg every four weeks.

Sadly since our trip to Cleethorpes (link thread somewhere here) a couple of weeks ago she has slowly developed another as yet unknown infection. The last few days she has been asleep more than awake, and lately her heart beat has been erratic and up to 103bpm at times. Two telephone appointments with the GPs - the last yesterday evening lasted over half an hour - and she is now on strong antibiotics for the next five days.

Hopefully things will now rapidly improve as she is hoping her youngest grand-daughter Ruby (5) will be spending Saturday with her as I take a trip down the road to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Members Day with Ruby's twin brother and their Dad. But of course that's all changeable. 

With depression obviously a key issue for Sheila now I do hope Saturday will go as planned. We have planned and cancelled so much these last 20 months, and since her health hit this hiatus in March it has been the focus of everything.


Oh dear, this is a sad and maudlin post. . Sorry for that. It's really not all doom and gloom here in the Lincolnshire wastelands. Life is just different for a while. And things will get better - for us all.

[Train Waiting]

Kindest regard to you and your family, Mike.  And here's a colourful picture postcard from Poppingham to convey my good wishes:-



Please take care of yourselves.

John

[dannyboy]

What you and particularly Sheila, are going through tends to put our own problems in some sort of perspective Mike. I have to take a tablet every day, I am having a couple of teeth removed on Friday, the dog is at the Vet's tomorrow, but they are just minor inconveniences in the grand scheme of things. I hope Saturday is a good day for you all - and give my regards to the Dakota, (if it is there), probably my favourite aircraft.  Look after yourselves and my thoughts, (and a lot of other peoples I suspect), are with you. Take care.

P.S. Some pictures from Saturday would be appreciated if possible. 

[port perran]

I do hope that your day out does indeed go ahead and that Sheila soon starts on the road to recovery.
I wish you both all of the very best.
Cheers
Martin

[Newportnobby]

So sorry to hear Sheila is in the wars (again)
Poor lass must be wondering what's she's done in a previous life to be so afflicted in this one.
I really do hope things improve...........................and quickly.

[daffy]

Thank you so much guys!

John, your wonderful postcard, complete with a centre stage front Flossie, is well received indeed, and it is noted that you have included two nods to us, an LNER van for me here in their country, and a banana van (not one bent in the middle ) for Sheila, who adds a small yellow fruit, suitably sliced, to her breakfast dish every morning. I am currently boring Sheila to tears with tales of the golden days of rail travel hereabouts, with the GNR, ELR, LD&ECR and others aappearing in excellent books I'm reading at the moment. It might be what drove her to her bed!

David and Martin, thanks for your good wishes. It looks like Saturday may actually be a good day. It has already had a prelude here at home today, as I was fortunate indeed to be in the garden when a BBMF Spitfire, closely attended by a high wing monoplane that I took to be a camera plane, made slow circuits in the clear blue skies around me. They were high in the sky but the throttled back Merlin sound still reached my ears and I stood transfixed for some minutes.
Then as I was preparing dinner at 6:00pm a familiar drone had me rushing outside, just in time to see the same camera plane, this time at much lower altitude, leading the mighty Lancaster, undercarriage down, in a long slow pass right across the small paddock and fields just beyond my garden. Magnificent! Four Merlins with the evening sun glinting off her wings as she turned westward towards her base at Coningsby. Sadly Sheila missed this as she was in bed and unable, you understand, to leap out to take a look.
And of course I shall share some memories of the Members Day, all being well.

Mick, things will improve (see below), and I fear that what has afflicted her happened in this life - she got stuck with me! After over 26 years of helping me through my health problems she is now simply playing pay-back - and no matter what I do for her now it can never repay her. But I shall do my best nonetheless.


And now, latest update:
Took Sheila to have a full NHS Covid Test last night as Doc insisted a home test 'instant' result was not always reliable, and as Sheila had just a very minor cough (three times in a day!) she wanted to get a proper result. Not had that result yet but neither we nor the Doc think this is Covid related. Still, we're keeping a low profile, as if that's any different!

New antibiotics - Doxycycline - picked up early this morning when heartbeat was high and irregular and temperature was 38.3 . Two pills taken (one a day hereafter) and now the irregularity has gone, pulse rate lowered considerably but still above 'normal', and temperature down to 35.9 (normal!).
Sheila was tired still, and spent all day til now in bed, asleep a lot, but feels a lot better already. Early days, but seems the GP has got the right plan and Saturday, as I say, looks promising.
Fingers crossed.
Then we can get back to getting the underlying condition sorted.