New Year….

Well, it’s a new year and I feel like I’m turning over a new leaf, kind of starting afresh I guess, albeit somewhat out of my control. I’ve been laid low with double pneumonia, being admitted to hospital on the 12th of December. I must admit I had no idea where I was initially as I felt so rough, but after finally being diagnosed and eventually dosed with monstrous doses of antibiotics, I hit the ward after three days feeling a lot more human.  I met some great guys on my ward of six, sometimes seven people. To my left was Ken, a diabetic with terrible water retention problems swelling him up to 17 and 18 stone and beyond, but despite his problems he regaled us with some incredible stories of when he was a lad and his time in the army. Thanks Ken. I hope you get well soon. To my left was Rob, an MS sufferer who was admitted with near kidney failure due to being misdiagnosed as having blood pressure problems by his GP. Again, some great evenings spent talking about his problems, loosing his wife to MS earlier in the year and his daughter being diagnosed with a brain tumor, luckily not malignant, and reminiscing about the good ol’ days and the decent music we used to listen to as young ‘lads’. I hope you’ve got back t0 normal soon Rob. Across the aisle to Rob was Bryan, involved in a hit and run accident, initial diagnosed as having nothing wrong with him and being sent home, but later re-admitted with severe internal problems, bleeding, swelling etc. He’d recently got married to his long term partner in a civil ceremony and they’ve had to cancel their honey-moon due to the accident. Bryan was delirious a lot of the time, falling out of bed, pulling out his drips and his bags trying to get home to his husband. Very sad. But again, once he started to recover the four of us often got told off for chatting too much by the nurses. The other beds rotated too often to get familiar with anyone else, suffice to say the last guy opposite me was a pot smoking recovering heroin addict on methadone that was doing nothing to help his condition and was irritating beyond belief. As Ken told him to his face, if you don’t buck your ideas up, you’ll be in here again when they cut your legs off !!! He was less than impressed by that but later admitted it was probably true.

So, I’m now back home again, being let out on New Years Eve and I’m slowly getting back to normal. Everything wears me out, but climbing the stairs is getting to be OK now. I’ve got my first consultants appointments on Thursday where I should find out if my lungs are still clearing up nicely. Fingers crossed.

Well, it’s a belated happy new year from me. Hopefully you’ll keep yourselves health and have a great 2009.

Best wishes.

Steve.

(aka BluePixel)