Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[MDM]

1 hour ago, Allan Bell said:

 

You are welcome Mick (friend), and it is a relief to hear that you are out of immediate danger and back home.

 

Allan 

 

 

Cheers Allan. I am hoping this will have built up some real immunity for now. Flu jab next. The last thing I want now is another chest infection. Take care.

[Mr Standfast]

3 hours ago, MDM said:

Well the good thing for me is that I just got home from hospital after 1 week after my oxygen levels dropped significantly.  They started giving me oxygen through a mask and I was gradually been weaned down to normal room levels. I am tired but very happy as struggling to get enough oxygen into one's body is not a pleasant experience/

 

Before that I had a bad fever for 9 days. Been really well-looked after by the NHS, excellent care and great vegetarian food. I didn't want to post about the situation as I wasn't really up to anything for a long time. So despite being doubly vaccinated and having had Covid before, it is still possible to get serious Covid. I met a few people in hospital who have been doubly vaccinated and were having a hard time/

 

So I just wanted to say a truly heartfelt thanks to all those who were wishing me well on the other thread. Really appreciated guys. I did tell Allan where I was a few days ago but asked him to keep it under his hat for a few days. Thanks friend.

 

So forum friends do take care, real care.

 

Nice to see you're back.  👍

[MDM]

3 minutes ago, Mr Standfast said:

 

Nice to see you're back.  👍

Thanks Mr S. 😀

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

4 hours ago, MDM said:

Well the good thing for me is that I just got home from hospital after 1 week after my oxygen levels dropped significantly.  They started giving me oxygen through a mask and I was gradually been weaned down to normal room levels. I am tired but very happy as struggling to get enough oxygen into one's body is not a pleasant experience/

 

Before that I had a bad fever for 9 days. Been really well-looked after by the NHS, excellent care and great vegetarian food. I didn't want to post about the situation as I wasn't really up to anything for a long time. So despite being doubly vaccinated and having had Covid before, it is still possible to get serious Covid. I met a few people in hospital who have been doubly vaccinated and were having a hard time/

 

So I just wanted to say a truly heartfelt thanks to all those who were wishing me well on the other thread. Really appreciated guys. I did tell Allan where I was a few days ago but asked him to keep it under his hat for a few days. Thanks friend.

 

So forum friends do take care, real care.

OMG that is horrendous but thank goodness you are now home on the road to recovery and also welcome back to your second home, you have been missed by many.  Onwards and upwards now🙏

 

Carol

[gvallee]

4 hours ago, MDM said:

Well the good thing for me is that I just got home from hospital after 1 week after my oxygen levels dropped significantly.  They started giving me oxygen through a mask and I was gradually been weaned down to normal room levels. I am tired but very happy as struggling to get enough oxygen into one's body is not a pleasant experience/

 

Before that I had a bad fever for 9 days. Been really well-looked after by the NHS, excellent care and great vegetarian food. I didn't want to post about the situation as I wasn't really up to anything for a long time. So despite being doubly vaccinated and having had Covid before, it is still possible to get serious Covid. I met a few people in hospital who have been doubly vaccinated and were having a hard time/

 

So I just wanted to say a truly heartfelt thanks to all those who were wishing me well on the other thread. Really appreciated guys. I did tell Allan where I was a few days ago but asked him to keep it under his hat for a few days. Thanks friend.

 

So forum friends do take care, real care.

 

So glad you're now OK Mick! I wouldn't wish what you went through to anyone. Now take it easy and get on with these new photobraphy projects. And of course, share them if willing! Take care.

[MDM]

44 minutes ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

OMG that is horrendous but thank goodness you are now home on the road to recovery and also welcome back to your second home, you have been missed by many.  Onwards and upwards now🙏

 

Carol

 

Thanks Carol. I’m just taking it easy and having a late night looking at pics on my laptop, luxuriating in my own bed and looking forward to tomorrow - another day in the life. 

[MDM]

24 minutes ago, gvallee said:

 

So glad you're now OK Mick! I wouldn't wish what you went through to anyone. Now take it easy and get on with these new photobraphy projects. And of course, share them if willing! Take care.

Thanks Gen. I don’t really know what I want to do specifically yet but I want to try and produce stuff that inspires- maybe a mix of video and stills. All I know is I am going to try to appreciate every day like it is my first and last. 😀

[Betty LaRue]

Just now reading this. Mick, take care and please take it slow. You’re very sensible, so I expect you will. Illnesses that affect the lungs seem to exhaust one for a long time. It seems you’re well, then in a heartbeat, you’re on your back again.

So glad you had the strength to overcome.

[sb photos]

10 hours ago, MDM said:

Well the good thing for me is that I just got home from hospital after 1 week after my oxygen levels dropped significantly.  They started giving me oxygen through a mask and I was gradually been weaned down to normal room levels. I am tired but very happy as struggling to get enough oxygen into one's body is not a pleasant experience/

 

Good to see you back and on the mend. I can only guess how bad you felt thinking back to when I had collapsed lungs among other injuries after an RTA in 1976, still gasping even while breathing oxygen. Some time back I bought a little device that clips onto the end of a finger and reports on blood oxygen levels, just incase. 

 

10 hours ago, MDM said:

Before that I had a bad fever for 9 days. Been really well-looked after by the NHS, excellent care and great vegetarian food. I didn't want to post about the situation as I wasn't really up to anything for a long time. So despite being doubly vaccinated and having had Covid before, it is still possible to get serious Covid. I met a few people in hospital who have been doubly vaccinated and were having a hard time/

 

So I just wanted to say a truly heartfelt thanks to all those who were wishing me well on the other thread. Really appreciated guys. I did tell Allan where I was a few days ago but asked him to keep it under his hat for a few days. Thanks friend.

 

So forum friends do take care, real care.

 

Good to hear the food is good, in the past it could be awful. I was surprised around 6 years back how good it was when I had a few days stay in hospital for my left hip replacement. 

 

Re double vaccination, I come across many who wrongly think when double vaccinated they are invincible.

 

Take it easy and get plenty of rest. 

[sb photos]

8 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Went into Lincoln today as the weather was nice and needed to do something other than hanging around the bungalow. Took some pictures. Visited Lincoln castle and used my annual ticket to see the exhibitions. The Magna Carta (one of the original copies - yes there is more than one Magna Carta) is in a vault and people are allowed into see it on an almost individual basis, only up to four at a time from my observation. I was surprised how small the real life document is. Also on show is the document signed by Henry III (King John's son) giving rights to the people of the use of some forests. There is also a cinema where there is a shortish film on the history of the coming about of the Magna Carta. Very Interesting.

 

Later I popped into an Oxfam book store and found a book in the photography section entitled "The Hulton Getty Picture Collection 1930's" by Nick Yapp. Bought it at a very reasonable price.

 

Allan

 

 

Dedicated Oxfam book stores are excellent for browsing, often finding many interesting out of print books. I haven't since Covid, hopefully will again. One day I hope to visit in Lincoln what must be one of the last old time radio/electronic shops, J Birkett on The Strait, before it disappears.

[M.Chapman]

10 hours ago, MDM said:

Sleeping in a room on my own tonight is going to be heavenly.

Hope you slept well and wishing you a speedy recovery. I've only spent one night in hospital in recent years. It was so noisy with all the monitoring equipment going off all the time that it was impossible to get any rest.

 

Mark

[Allan Bell]

3 hours ago, sb photos said:

 

Dedicated Oxfam book stores are excellent for browsing, often finding many interesting out of print books. I haven't since Covid, hopefully will again. One day I hope to visit in Lincoln what must be one of the last old time radio/electronic shops, J Birkett on The Strait, before it disappears.

 

J Birkett, yeh I was looking in their shop windows yesterday. Not being an electronics buff (although I do electrical work when needed) I wonder at some of the stuff they have for sale. Lots of dials and other bits from old aircraft. Old communications equipment and lot of others small bits including large capacitors etc, etc.

 

That shop is on the righthand side as you go up The Strait. A little further up on the left they have another shop as well with more touristy things.

 

Perhaps when you make it to Lincoln we could meet up for a coffee or something, even a walk about?

 

Allan

 

[MDM]

6 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Just now reading this. Mick, take care and please take it slow. You’re very sensible, so I expect you will. Illnesses that affect the lungs seem to exhaust one for a long time. It seems you’re well, then in a heartbeat, you’re on your back again.

So glad you had the strength to overcome.

Thanks Betty. Definitely going to be taking it easy for a while but elated to be feeling so much better. It's a beautiful morning here for October. Early morning fog/smog has cleared to blue skies. Life is good. 

[MDM]

4 hours ago, sb photos said:

 

Good to see you back and on the mend. I can only guess how bad you felt thinking back to when I had collapsed lungs among other injuries after an RTA in 1976, still gasping even while breathing oxygen. Some time back I bought a little device that clips onto the end of a finger and reports on blood oxygen levels, just incase. 

 

 

Good to hear the food is good, in the past it could be awful. I was surprised around 6 years back how good it was when I had a few days stay in hospital for my left hip replacement. 

 

Re double vaccination, I come across many who wrongly think when double vaccinated they are invincible.

 

Take it easy and get plenty of rest. 

 

Cheers Steve 😀. Yes hospital food has improved immeasurably since the last time I was in hospital in 1965 with a foot injury. The advantages of our multi-ethnic society: a huge choice of veggie and vegan food including loads of different Indian dishes as well as pastas, tortillas and all sorts of desserts. I had hardly eaten for the 9 days before the fever broke and probably lost a few kg which has now gone back on I guess. 

 

You are right about the pulse oximeter. That little device is a potential life saver. We already had one but it wasn't accurate and was giving erratic readings so we bought a new one a few days before I really started to go downhill. I definitely recommend that anyone with any lung problem should have one around as one of the things with Covid is that oxygen levels can drop dramatically without one realising it. I was getting oxygen readings in the mid-80s which is potentially very dangerous and it was then that we called 999. The paramedic guy was amazing, assured me I had done the right thing and got me on oxygen and into A&E.

 

I will post a link to the device we got as it is highly accurate and precise - compared to the hospital monitors it was always very close. 

[MDM]

2 hours ago, M.Chapman said:

Hope you slept well and wishing you a speedy recovery. I've only spent one night in hospital in recent years. It was so noisy with all the monitoring equipment going off all the time that it was impossible to get any rest.

 

Mark

 

Not much sleep Mark but a lot of deep, peaceful rest which was really welcome. I didn't get much sleep even when had a room of my own in the hospital, as they were monitoring me closely, checking my blood pressure (which is fine) and oxygen during the night, antibiotic injections, steroid drips, nebulisers and so on. But the care was excellent. Listening to one of the other men gasping for breath on the ward on the last two nights made me feel very grateful to be as healthy as I am. 

 

 

 

[Ed Rooney]

 

"Excellent care and great vegetarian food" you mentioned. I'm astonished by the second item you listed. Hospital food I've had in the States has always been somewhat worse than what we can expect on a Ryanair flight. 

[spacecadet]

5 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

"Excellent care and great vegetarian food" you mentioned. I'm astonished by the second item you listed. Hospital food I've had in the States has always been somewhat worse than what we can expect on a Ryanair flight. 

The NHS got its act together on hospital food. One assumes it realised that providing food that patients actually wanted to eat was part of recovery and got people out of hospital quicker.

It's been a while, and I don't recall the food, but when I had my tonsils out I was ribbed by the orderly when we had mince. Guess what he told me what had been minced. I was about 9.

Edited October 9, 2021 by spacecadet

[NYCat]

So glad you are back, Mick. As far as I'm concerned the only good thing about being in the hospital are the amazing nurses. Wonderful people.

 

Paulette

[Michael Ventura]

Glad you are on the recovery (again) Mick! Your immune system must have taken a real beating.  Be well, stay well.

 

Michael

[gvallee]

As we are approaching 2 years on the road in our 4WD Coaster bus, I thought I would put together what I intended to be just an overview of our itinerary. It seems to have morphed into a mini-blog.

 

Big portions of Australia are still waiting, as we have been blown off course by floods, bushfires and then Covid.

 

While I was doing it, I was amazed at the number of memories and adventures we had so far. We feel so blessed to have such a great life, freedom and health.

 

https://www.polarsteps.com/GenevieveVallee/4271764-big-lap-2

[MDM]

2 hours ago, NYCat said:

So glad you are back, Mick. As far as I'm concerned the only good thing about being in the hospital are the amazing nurses. Wonderful people.

 

Paulette

Thanks Paulette. Yes the nurses and healthcare assistants were amazing as well as the doctors and the catering people - every last one professional and dedicated even though they seem very understaffed. There was one senior nurse who seemed to be dealing with the entire ward and was always rushed off her feet.  

[MDM]

2 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Glad you are on the recovery (again) Mick! Your immune system must have taken a real beating.  Be well, stay well.

 

Michael

Thanks Michael. Yes I do feel battered but actually not as bad in some ways as the seemingly endless long Covid exhaustion. It will probably come back but in the meantime I am going to try to appreciate life to the maximum. 😀

[Betty LaRue]

3 hours ago, MDM said:

Thanks Betty. Definitely going to be taking it easy for a while but elated to be feeling so much better. It's a beautiful morning here for October. Early morning fog/smog has cleared to blue skies. Life is good. 

We’ve been having gorgeous autumn weather here, too. Except yesterday and today hitting some hot notes ahead of a cold front. Tomorrow will be comfortable again. Today will set new heat records for our area…96F.

All of my life every cold, flu, strep infection went straight to my lungs. The streptococcus nearly killed me with a respiratory arrest. These last years, because of the stress caring for my husband, my immune system was wrecked (chemotherapy didn’t help) and I started getting systemic Candida infections that attacked my whole respiratory system. My oxygen level fell to the 80s also.

All of that gives me a good understanding of what you have gone through, and are still facing in recovery. The big difference is you’ve faced long Covid where I just faced a few months before my lungs became clear, a few more before my long-term strength became normal. I remember once telling my husband I’d forgotten what breathing normally felt like, it felt like I’d been climbing mountains at speed forever. I’m sorry you had to listen to the struggle of someone worse off. That definitely would cause anxiety for me while my lungs were still compromised.

Severe illness can give you a new view on one’s life. My cancer was when I decided to get outdoors and take up photography, since at the time I didn’t know if the cancer would come back. While still doing my everyday duties, my spare time was doing what gave me the most pleasure. We only live once, make the most of it.

I’m excited for your new pursuits and hope they fulfill you.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Betty LaRue

[MDM]

2 hours ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

"Excellent care and great vegetarian food" you mentioned. I'm astonished by the second item you listed. Hospital food I've had in the States has always been somewhat worse than what we can expect on a Ryanair flight. 

Yes I was very pleasantly surprised by the food. Being vegetarian I am used to having one or two options but there were loads of choices and really good stuff. 

 

I never buy Ryanair food - they are a great airline for getting one to one’s destination at reasonable prices  but food is not their strong point. I always bring my own sandwiches and water. 

[MDM]

4 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

We’ve been having gorgeous autumn weather here, too. Except yesterday and today hitting some hot notes ahead of a cold front. Tomorrow will be comfortable again. Today will set new heat records for our area…96F.

All of my life every cold, flu, strep infection went straight to my lungs. The streptococcus nearly killed me with a respiratory arrest. These last years, because of the stress caring for my husband, my immune system was wrecked (chemotherapy didn’t help) and I started getting systemic Candida infections that attacked my whole respiratory system. My oxygen level fell to the 80s also.

All of that gives me a good understanding of what you have gone through, and are still facing in recovery. The big difference is you’ve faced long Covid where I just faced a few months before my lungs became clear, a few more before my long-term strength became normal. I remember once telling my husband I’d forgotten what breathing normally felt like, it felt like I’d been climbing mountains at speed forever. I’m sorry you had to listen to the struggle of someone worse off. That definitely would cause anxiety for me while my lungs were still compromised.

Severe illness can give you a new view on one’s life. My cancer was when I decided to get outdoors and take up photography, since at the time I didn’t know if the cancer would come back. While still doing my everyday duties, my spare time was doing what gave me the most pleasure. We only live once, make the most of it.

I’m excited for your new pursuits and hope they fulfill you.

 

Yes Betty as you say we only live once so make the most of it. Thankfully I have never had cancer. And severe illness can be a great awakener. I feel very emotional in a very beautiful way in fact. Earlier I had to cry with joy and relief.
 

My wife is such a wonderful soul. She has stood by me right through this and is recovering from Covid herself although much milder than anything I had. Family is so important as is true friendship. 
 

Wishing you the very best from my heart.