The Big Adventure

Goldiegirl

Alchemilla wrote: »

Hope you enjoy a lovely day pottering.

Thank you - I'm just being kind to myself at the moment.

Did everything I wanted to yesterday and Mr Goldie cut the lawn too

So, a similar day today.

Bit of ironing
Take eBay parcels to post office and Collect Plus shop
Ebay buyer collecting DVDs at lunch time
Do some housework
Make chicken soup.
Walk if possible - but not promising at the moment.

Dinner is a Spag Bol that I did in my last batch cook.

Hopefully, should hear from the doctor as to whether it's ok to proceed with my steroid tablets. Steroids can raise the pressure in the eye. As I've got a family history of glaucoma I have to make sure it's ok for me to go ahead.

ljaneyr

I'm glad to hear you are being kind to yourself. It's something most people should do more of!

Well done to your OH for cutting the lawn yesterday! It would have involved paddling to do that here yesterday - talk about wet :eek: The sun is shining today though

Goldiegirl

Hello everyone.


Over the last 24 hours I think I've had a reaction to my current situation, and have crashed and burned.


I feel terribly low - I think it's the combination of waiting to see what's happened to me and the realisation that I'm now partially deaf and I'm going to be like that forever. It's a lot to take in, really.


I have been able to talk to the consultant about the steroid tablets that were prescribed. If taken soon after the event, steroids can sometimes reduce the hearing loss. This was a long shot anyway, as it's now more than two months since my problems started. Coupled with my family history of glaucoma, plus the fact that I have high eye pressure anyway, we both agreed that the risks with the steroids outweighed the benefits. So I'm not going to take the steroids. A bit of a relief really the prescription was for a high dosage, and there could have been a lot of side effects anyway - as the doctor said, the tablets could have sent me loopy!


My resolution for a daily walk has already waivered due to the rubbish weather. But I still intend to do this, will try hard to get this into my routine.


More positively, I've done the 'financials' for the last month, and been very pleased with the results


General spending £264.16 = 50% of allowed amount


Food shopping was £174.86 = 53% of last years monthly average


As a result of this, I've put extra into savings this month - a total of £1945 into savings.


Pleasing results, but we have been fairly quiet this month. Next months expenditure will be higher as we have two days out planned not to mention paying for consultants fees and MRI scans.


Oh, also pleasing news - our tickets and information were received today for our holiday at the end of June.


Work tomorrow. Not looking forward to being in the open plan environment, as it makes more difficult to hear. I'll have to remind them to SPEAK UP !


I mentioned that we were going to do our annual bills review. This was carried out, and in total we paid about £500 less than forecast. We are keeping the standing order to the 'bill' account the same for this year, but will look at it much more carefully next year.


Sorry to have been on a downer, I am picking myself up now


I have paprika beef in the slow cooker, smelling good, so I'm looking forward to my tea:)

edinburgher

I am sorry to hear that you're having a tough time of it.

I'm sure that you have made the best decision re. the medication, although I'm sure that it's a lot to take in. You've avoided several potential complications, but I'm sure that the relief is nowhere near as significant as the concern that you must be feeling re. losing a little bit of your 'faculties'. It sounds like you're managing to remain fairly upbeat - my Dad sulked for about a month after we pointed out that he was getting white hairs :rotfl:

On the plus side, you have lots to look forward to at the moment and your savings are going great guns.

Enjoy your tea, and please try not to worry unduly.

Peonie

I'm sorry about your hearing. If it helps, I think your reaction is perfectly normal.

gallygirl

Me too, I'd be very upset, your reaction sounds normal.

Habibiboo

:wave:

So sorry you're feeling grot Goldie, but it's entirely understandable. I'm glad you're taking time to be kind to yourself and I'm sooooo relieved that you don't have to take the steroids (I'm sure long term treatment with these is the reason for my hideously rubbish immune system and yes, I too was completed loopy on them and in the end took myself off them after seeing one locum after another who wouldn't give me a straight answer about long term use). Not useful when your GP retires!

Please try not to worry (easy to say I know) benign is a good word and the thorough investigation is promising. Being a little deaf in itself is manageable, it's the tinnitus which makes it a real burden so make sure you ask plenty of questions about the long term management of this if you continue to experience it and do end up with yearly monitoring if it is what he thinks. You can get aids which help to mask tinnitus which is worth bearing in mind if it's part of the long term.

I'm glad it shouldn't affect your flying ... hold that happy thought (literally in a Peter Pan kind of way) and you'll soon get the break you deserve! And speaking of flying, I hope work flies by for you tomorrow and Friday too! X

Goldiegirl

I just wanted to thank you all for your kind words.

When I started this diary, my every intention was that it was going to be entirely positive and upbeat. However, recent events show that you never know what's around the corner.

I was just thinking, late spring and early summer are my favourite times of the year, everything is new and fresh. But over recent years, if anything is going to happen, it happens in May and June.

For example
May 2004 - my dad died
June 2006 - I had to give evidence at the Crown Court
May/June 2008 - mum taken ill, and died 20th June
June 2009 - notice of redundancy after 28 years in the same job.

But what I have learnt is, no matter how awful something is, I've always come through. Life is different afterwards, but that difference is the new normal.

So I know I will get though this latest situation, even though it'll be tough going sometimes.

It really does help to post my thoughts on here, and your support means a lot to me.

And Mr Goldie is my absolute rock.

In better news, the tinnitus has been at low levels for well over a week. It's always with me, but either a low hiss, or low whine, which at least is manageable.

At nights, I have a fan on, so if I hear noise in my ear, I try and listen to the fan instead.

Hab, I've been looking around at masking devices. I think I'm going to buy a noise generator to take on holiday. As it's a river cruise, I don't think our room will be deadly quiet, as there might be engine noise, and air conditioning. But just in case it is too quiet, I can put on the noise generator and listen to waves, birdsong or rain. I understand that there are sessions that I can go to to help manage the tinnitus, so I think that'll be something I'll investigate.

This late evening is one of my favourite times of the day. For some reason, my ear is at it's quietest, and with the TV off, it's almost peaceful. I've probably been staying up later than I should, as it's so nice.

So, I'm feeling better than I did earlier. I don't think the weather has helped. It's been so wet and dull, that dragged me down as well.

A better day tomorrow, I hope

julliff

Goldiegirl wrote: »

When I started this diary, my every intention was that it was going to be entirely positive and upbeat. However, recent events show that you never know what's around the corner.

Morning Goldie


Hope you are feeling a bit better, I am not surprised you are feeling a little down, but as others have said, it is perfectly understandable. We can't be at the top of our game all of the time, and I know exactly what you mean about wanting to be upbeat.. I fail at this spectacularly!

And you will get through it. I always like to think that my strength lies not in having any special talents or amazingness, but just the ability to keep going. Thats all we can do, isn't it?

I do hope you have a better day today, rain or no rain.

:grouphug:

mouche

Oh Goldie...I'm catching up with your diary after several days and I'm sorry to hear the hearing loss might be permanent. Still, it could have been so much worse and hearing aids these days are marvellous should you need to get them fitted now or in the future.

I'm glad you avoided the steroids; my mum needs to take them periodically when a condition she has flares up and it really has awful side effects.

I think you're doing really well at managing the problem and at staying positive. Ups and downs are part of life and you are a survivor. Lots of best wishes and hope the MRI scan shows the best possible result.