Friday, April 3, 2015

Something happened in Casualty


2 April 2015

Sun!  20 degrees

I started sneezing at midday yesterday and by the time I went to bed, was wheezing and nose was pouring.  I must have woken on the hour every hour, first thirsty,then unable to breathe, then needing the toilet.  Dawn broke and I felt 100 years old so I spent virtually the whole day in bed, until 6 came around and I went to the doctors to pick up some new germs.

Bronchitis, was the doctors diagnosis, so I am antibiotics and the magical Prednisolone, a strong cortisone which kicks germs into touch in no uncertain manner and is much preferable to the intravenous injections of Ventolin which I used to be given in the UK and which made me shake like someone with  delirium tremens.  I normally take an inhaler of low dose cortisone which controls my asthma very well, but because my pulmonary airways are inflamed, I cant inhale it properly.  

A full blown asthma attack is terrifying and can be accurately described as drowning out of water.  I had a particularly bad attack back when I was a student, and staying in someone's dusty flat.  In the morning, I was about to pass out and went with my friend to Leeds Infirmary, where they put me on inhaled Ventolin and I sat and steamed and shook and felt life return to my lungs.  There was a little old lady sitting in Casualty (there is nothing like asthma for jumping the queue) and she was covered in bandages and sticking plaster and had some very nasty bruising.  A nurse came over to her and said, in piercing tones, 'the man who ran you over, wants to take you home'.  'oh thankyou' said the lady, and went out, hanging onto the man's arm.  Apparently she had stepped out in front of his car.

Attempted to watch the leader's debate, with seven party leaders, including the Greens, the Plaid Cymru (Welsh), the Scottish Nationals and the other usual suspects.  Alas, the effort was too much for me and I slept fitfully.  The only person who seemed plausible was the Scottish leader and the whole thing was rather disappointing.

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