When things start going wrong.

[fpb]

Yesterday I left my nephew in his parents' hands. My mother left for Rome - and promptly found that she had misread her ticket and was half an hour late to catch her flight. She managed to get there on time, only to find that it was two hours late. Meanwhile I went home and promptly fell sic with a painful, ripping sort of cough that rises right from the lungs - I can feel them practically being torn every time I cough. The savage weather is devouring heating fuel at a rate I cannot afford, let alone that I should go out today or tomorrow and get the money and pay for the heating, and I really, really do not feel like it. Worst of all, day-before-yesterday I had a scary fit of unfocussed sight. For half an hour I could not focus on anything, so much as to read the price on a food label. This leads me to fear that my sight might be in danger - which is just about the worst thing I could think of. Finally, when my mother finally got home, she found that the filthy weather - which is blanketing not only England, but all of Europe - had got to her own mother - my last surviving grandparent - and that she has slipped into a coma. It is only the icing on the cake that the weather seems to have got the Pope as well, and that he too is apparently in danger of his life. We will have another Pope, but I am not going to have another grandmother, nor, if the danger is verified, another sight.

Comments

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

Oh, man... really got it all at once, haven't you? My best sympathies for you and your family. Get well soon. Take care.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Thank you... as you can imagine, I am feeling rather depressed, so thanks for your kind words.

[curia-regis.livejournal.com]

Ouch. I hope everything turns out okay in the end. My sympathies.

[kikei.livejournal.com]

*huggles* I'm so sorry. is there anything I could do to help out?

*passes you lots of chicken soup*

-Kiks

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Actually, hot soup has been very useful in dealing with the symptoms. A lot of what happened cannot be changed, but I wish that the weather would improve. Meanwhile I have been sleeping under hot blankets for an hour or two at a time, which does not hurt either.

When I've recovered, I will make an appointment to see my doctor. Meanwhile, thanks for your sympathy. I am really rather a tough so-and-so as a rule, but this week has been an absolute bitch.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

By the way, I now realize that when we were chatting yesterday and I had to leave, I already had the illness on me. I thought I should tell you so you understand.

[webbapettigrew.livejournal.com]

Boy, when it rains it pours. Hope things are better soon.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Thank you. One of the worst things about illness, as I am sure you agree, is the BLOODY NUISANCE of all the things I need to do and that are left undone. I have all sorts of things from straightening out the house (remember those books that fell on me a while back? They still haven't been properly settled) to writing, that are just gathering dust and worse. Bloody nuisance. Of course, if my sight turns out to be in danger, the world "nuisance" falls rather short... Ah well, not much I can do just now.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I'll do my best to make it turn out OK. There are a lot of things that a man can do to deal with trouble. Only takes patience - not the foremost of my virtues. Thanks for your sympathy.

[tashmania.livejournal.com]

I hate how everything always seems to come at once. Get well soon and take care. You and your family.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[agatha-s.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry all these things happened to you and I hope everything will turn out all right.

[thepreciouss.livejournal.com]

You and your family are in my prayers (along with the Pope).

[rfachir.livejournal.com]

Stay warm and hydrated and feel better soon. I am very paranoid, so don't be too concerned, but please Get to a hospital if you feel any of these:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

You have one symptom, it may be nothing, but time can make a big difference. Make the appt with the doctor now and let them decide how fast they want you to be seen.

[becomethesea.livejournal.com]

Much LURRRVE to teh FPB. Let the warmth of those on your f-list translate into your life and the weather.

Of course, now I've done it. You're going to get sweltering weather, and everything will become so peachy, it will be mentally disturbing. Oh well. :)

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I do not think I am feeling any of your symptoms, but I will keep them in mind.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Er, no, not yet. As I write, I am looking out on driving snow and my heating is still shot up at maximum. I hope it works, though.

[jennilee.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry. It really snowballs, doesn't it? I offer my sympathies - you will be in my thoughts.

Silence

[rfachir.livejournal.com]

I freaked about "For half an hour I could not focus on anything". I have to learn to take what people write with a grain of salt. After all the strokes in my family, my warning bells started ringing. Sorry to lose perspective like that.
Please look after yourself. You and your family are in my prayers.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I am keeping it very much in mind, but I do not think that it is related. Its appearance did not coincide with the rise of the illness (it was a whole day earlier, and I felt just fine in the in-between), and to my mind it seems rather to relate to the way my view has deteriorated over a couple of decades. (I ought to wear glasses, but since I do not drive I rarely actually need to.) Also, none of the other symptoms you describe seem to apply. (I did suffer from violent headaches in my youth, but that was twenty years ago.) I have, however, already told my doctor that I want to consult him again, and I will discuss the matter with him.

My father's family does have a certain history strokes; my grandfather had four before he died, and my father recently suffered from thrombosis. So I am not exactly taking the matter lightly. And I value your concern, believe me.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Lovely song - did you know that the background is from the Latin liturgy? (Gloria in excelsis Deo "Glory to God in the highest of heaven") Like I already said, thanks for the kind thoughts: it means a lot when you are ill and on your own.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I am honoured. This is probably the only time my name will be joined with that of such personages... Seriously, thank you for your kindness and your prayers.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

I am just so flattered that so many people responded to my whine. It makes me feel that I have friends, and that is not without importance when you are ill and on your own.

[jennilee.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, yes, that's why I picked that song in particular. I thought you would enjoy it. :)

I'm very glad to read that your fever broke.