The Diary Of Onebrokelady Aged 60 And A Half

Onebrokelady

I went and met my friend today for coffee and she invited someone along who we used to work with when we were all housekeepers at the hospital. I haven’t seen him for a few years so it was really nice to catch up. He asked how I was and I was about to say ok when my friend went oh she’s very ill 😀 I don’t mind him knowing but I didn’t want to bring the conversation down but it was a happy accident because I told him what was wrong and he has the same lung disease and also has Polymyalgia Rheumatica which is a weird coincidence,I said maybe it’s to do with all the chemicals we inhaled while cleaning the hospital because one of the things we used to use when doing a terminal clean was lethal and used to make us all cough and splutter 😳 he was only diagnosed a few months ago and he is seeing the same consultant that I’m waiting to see, he did say that the consultant is lovely so that’s put my mind at rest a bit because some of them are not so nice.So it was nice to meet someone else who has the same things wrong and who knows how it feels to be given such a horrible diagnosis. He said he will meet us again but he can’t make it every week so that will be nice. 

I came home and sat down for half an hour then decided to go out and make a start on weeding the front garden which has got a bit out of hand. I normally keep my front garden looking very presentable because that’s the bit people see and there are no chickens running round digging everything up but it’s looking a mess, my neighbours must be wondering what’s going on 😀  I didn’t finish it because it’s too big for me to do in one go now but if it’s nice tomorrow I will do a bit more. If I’m not going back to work I will have time to keep on top of the garden until I’m too ill to do it myself but I’m hoping I won’t be living here by then 🤞 I still have a bit to do to finish my bedroom but I like to be outside of the weather is good so the garden won today. It’s meant to be raining on Sunday so I can do the bedroom then. 

Tomorrow I’ve got got be up early ( for me 😀) because the lady coming to collect the books is now coming in the morning after she drops her children off at school, if she doesn’t turn up I have another lady who is very interested so I will message her. Someone came and took the educational games for their preschool so they’ve now gone but I didn’t hear back from the man about the other bag so I might go into town in the morning with them and some of my books. There’s an Oxfam bookshop who will take some but I also discovered a little library cupboard in the shopping centre so could drop some off there too.
I do need to go to the main library to print off another form to remove myself as LPA for my Mum, I thought I could do both on one form but you can’t. I also have to give the original form to my mum to keep then a copy to my sister and a copy to the Office Of The Public Guardian so I need to photocopy them which I can do at the library if I can figure out how to use the computer and the photocopier 😀

jwil

Although it's not great that you both have the same diagnosis it must be nice knowing there's someone you can talk to about it.

DawnW

I was going to ask if there were ground floor flats with gardens in your area, as they do exist. My Mum had one. A bungalow would be great, but like your area, they are really expensive round here, and many have big gardens which aren't easy to manage if you are older or not in the best health.

Sun_Addict

That's interesting about two of you having the same condition and the possibility of it being caused by chemicals. Especially as you seem to be particularly sensitive to strong smells, it does make you wonder...

Coincidentally there have been suggestions that Mr SA's Lymphoma in his brain could've been caused by sealants used in his roofing work. When he was being treated I spoke to a woman who's husband was a roofer with the same condition and she believed there was a connection. I've also heard it could be caused by agricultural weedkiller and Mr SA worked in the countryside mostly. 

debtfreewannabe321

All caught up with you. You're doing great on the decluttering! My mum is in a flat (ground floor because of disability) and she has a front and back garden! Lovely sized back garden too. Maybe that would be a good swap for what you have? 

Onebrokelady

jwil said:

Although it's not great that you both have the same diagnosis it must be nice knowing there's someone you can talk to about it.

No it’s definitely not great that we both have this illness and I was sad to hear he had been diagnosed as well but it will be good to be able to compare notes if he wants to of course. I just say I would never have guessed there was anything wrong with him as he looks really good for his age too 

Onebrokelady

DawnW said:

I was going to ask if there were ground floor flats with gardens in your area, as they do exist. My Mum had one. A bungalow would be great, but like your area, they are really expensive round here, and many have big gardens which aren't easy to manage if you are older or not in the best health.

There are a few ground floor flats around but so far in the last year I’ve found two that would have been ok for me and they were both over budget at £160,000 

Onebrokelady

Sun_Addict said:

That's interesting about two of you having the same condition and the possibility of it being caused by chemicals. Especially as you seem to be particularly sensitive to strong smells, it does make you wonder...

Coincidentally there have been suggestions that Mr SA's Lymphoma in his brain could've been caused by sealants used in his roofing work. When he was being treated I spoke to a woman whose husband was a roofer with the same condition and she believed there was a connection. I've also heard it could be caused by agricultural weedkiller and Mr SA worked in the countryside mostly. 

It is isn’t it , they did ask me if I had worked with chemicals and at the time I said no but I will mention the cleaning chemicals when I have my appointment. I’m also wondering now if keeping chickens might have contributed as well because I use a couple of chemicals to keep them clean that are both in powder form that I’ve probably breathed in. The last culprit and I now think highly likely because a lot of the damage is at the top of my lung is acid reflux which I have terrible problems with due to a hernia. 

That’s interesting too about Mr SA coming into contact with something while he was roofing, you never know what these things are doing to your body so you ? My best friend who I meet for coffees husband is a carpenter and he has asbestos damage to his lung from working as a carpenter ☹️ it’s not severe and they said they will keep an eye on it for him.

Onebrokelady

The decluttering continues 😀 I have now got rid of nearly every book I owned apart from a few I want to keep that I will read again but I now own less than ten books that are going to stay in my house. This week I have got rid of the coffee table that DD2 left behind after she decided she didn’t want it after all and a little side table that I painted as a project a few years ago. I also got rid of a tv that has been in my spare room for a couple of years, all the bags of toys have gone now too. I’m having a few days off because I’m fed up of people coming to my house 😀 but next week I will start again because I still have things in the loft that need to go. I have some cds to go from a cupboard in the living room but that room now has only the things in it that I want to keep so basically furniture that I actually use 🙂

Today I had my second CT scan where they scanned my chest again and my stomach and pelvis with a contrast dye. This involved having a cannula in my arm which wasn’t too bad but the iodine that they inject makes you feel like you are weeing yourself 😀 it’s the strangest feeling. I’m hoping the results won’t take too long to come through 🤞🤞 and I will soon get an appointment to have my lung function tests and to see the consultant.

Its been lovely here for most of this week so I’ve spent a lot of time sitting in the garden reading and watching the birds and squirrels, there’s a little robin who is becoming quite brave and getting quite close to where I sit which is sweet. I’ve told the squirrels they need to slow down eating the peanuts because I can’t keep up with them 😀 I filled up the feeder on Friday evening then stayed at DD2s on Saturday coming home on Sunday at lunch time and it was empty 😳 

I haven’t felt great this week so have had to slow down and really pace myself. I think the lower dose of steroids is kicking in so my joints are all starting to ache which means no gardening 😩 I still have to finish the wardrobe in my bedroom before the 28th so will have to power through for that but once that’s done the bedroom is done so on the 28th I will be able to move back in 🍾🥳🍾 I can’t wait 

dawnybabes

I’ve always found my results on the nhs app before I hear from the doctors 🤣🤣

I need help decluttering, can we hire you ?