I can’t believe it’s Friday already! Apologies for such a meagre post last week. I had only just come out of hospital and couldn’t find the energy to write very much. Anyway, I will try to set it all out now. By the way, I am writing this out, partly to help me remember some of the details!

In the early morning of Tuesday 3rd October I woke up gasping for breath. I had been suffering from some kind of virus for over a week and it had progressed to the nasty mucus stage. This, combined with my existing breathing problems and asthma, meant that I became hysterical and frightened. Lovely Husband called an ambulance and, after loads of tests, the paramedics decided to take me to hospital. They said that I wouldn’t be in for long, but just for enough time to stabilise my breathing and rehydrate me. Ha, Ha!!

We arrived at the hospital at about 4.30 a.m. and I was admitted to A & E. I spent the rest of Tuesday in there, eventually being taken to an isolation room as the staff weren’t sure if I had COVID. Several tests were taken for this and other issues and I was then, at about 11.30 p.m., wheeled up to an isolation room in the respiratory diseases ward. All of the doctors and nurses who came into that room had to take precautions in case I had COVID: masks, aprons and gloves.

Basically, I had to remain in hospital until the results of the tests were known. I ended up staying there for all of  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning until the all-clear came back. Basically, I had a nasty virus and not COVID.

I must admit that I was a very impatient patient! Oh, I try to remain polite and courteous towards staff, of course. However, my post-stroke brain was a real issue. As LH and Elder Son could not visit, I felt horribly isolated and alone. I struggled to remember past conditions and also things that I might need to pass on. Ages ago, we made information sheets for each of us with lists of medications and schedules, addresses of healthcare professionals and other important stuff. I am so glad that I had mine with me in my pre-packed hospital bag. I spoke to so many staff. A couple of consultants appeared to be interested in one of my more rare conditions, so spoke to me at length about it for quite a while. They were very kind, but I felt like a bit of a specimen!

ES proved to be my hero! As the hospital is across the county border, it had proved difficult in the past to get home. LH still cannot drive, so ES took three buses to reach me and we booked a taxi to take us home. It was so wonderful to see him enter the ward and I burst into tears on him as I was so happy that he had arrived.

In the week since, both LH and ES have contracted the same virus and have both felt quite unwell. We have managed between us by finally using online ordering from the supermarket. There was no other way. We are all hoping that we can shake this nasty bug off as quickly as possible and get back to some kind of equilibrium.

One final thing. I was glancing around the Purse Forum when I saw that the thread for the Hermès’ Spring/Summer 2024 scarves and shawls has been started. We still haven’t seen all of the Autumn/Winter 2023 offer as yet! Anyway, it will be interesting to see what they come up with in terms of new designs. Here is one that I have seen…

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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