Saturday, 24 December 2011

M.E and the week leading to Christmas

The weekend before Christmas I slept and slept almost like a hibernation for a weekend, but I did feel better for it by Monday. Tuesday Bob and I went to Telford to finish the Christmas shopping, we had a lovely day, bought loads of goodies, had a nice lunch, talked about everything except us. Telford is good for me to go to the shopping centre is indoors and flat and there is a Debenhams! Bob has decided to come to my flat for Christmas dinner, so at least we will be together for some of Christmas day. I didn't sleep at all Tuesday night, mind worked overtime thinking about me and Bob and Christmas. Wednesday came and I knew something was wrong with me, my stomach just didn't feel right! By the time I got to work I felt worse, I just kept feeling sick. I know nobody likes being sick but I hate it, I'm a complete baby, I feel like I'm going to choke, and I can't breath so I panic when it happens. By 1.30pm my colleagues felt I should go home, I think I looked quite grey and maybe a shade of green too! I just made it to the flat and it started and didn't really finish till about 2 am. I didn't sleep at all and at 6.30am I looked on the computer for the first bus to Aberystwyth, it was 7.30am, I wasn't feeling sick any more so I got ready and caught the bus. At 8.15am I was in lidl's doing my veg shopping and it was great, really quiet, by the time I was coming out though the crowds had started, I treated myself to a cooked breakfast then went to Iceland store and bought more goodies. That's what I do when I'm depressed buy food! I have enough food till Easter! By the time i got back to my flat I was tired, so the rest of Thursday I slept. I woke early on Friday felt very stiff as I had slept over 12 hours and I was still in the same position when I woke that I had been when I got into bed. It took me a while to get up and get breakfast, Cath popped in on me and we exchanged gifts and chatted for a while. After she went I decided I needed a bath, so that took a while, getting in and out is so painful, but I do enjoy the soak especially if i put in epsom salts. 
The Friday before Christmas is known as mad Friday and people go to the pubs to celebrate. Jon and Sarah had asked me to go, and I was looking forward to it. I got ready and met him at 3pm, he was with most of the mechanics from the town and his boss. We had a good time, Sarah met us at about 7pm, Jon was under the influence of alcohol by then! I was sober, I had been drinking rum and coke, but it is a drink that doesn't really affect me so I was okay. By 8pm I was tired so Sarah walked with me to the flat. By 8.30pm I was in bed!. Jon and sarah came in about 12.30am, I had woken a bit earlier, Jon was now sober!. We chatted had a cigarette and a cup of tea then went to bed.
Took me a while to get to sleep, I could hear the rain lashing down and then my brain started thinking!

Monday, 12 December 2011

M.E.still sleeping, working and a weekend with Katie

Bob brought Bobby to my flat on Monday evening and I was told all about the concert, Bobby was on a "high" and excited, but not looking forward to his journey back to Scotland. We all had dinner together before he left. He caught the 8pm train from Machynlleth to Birmingham. About 8.30pm my phoned rang and it showed it was "Bobby" calling, well all I could understand was their was an emergency and he was upset and angry and I was tired, I had planned an early night.
Bobby had got his bus ticket out, which was from Birmingham to Aberdeen and looked at it and noticed he had made a mistake, the bus ticket was only valid for the previous night, he should have stayed in Birmingham after the concert and boarded the bus at 2.30am. Of course the ticket office was now closed, their was nothing anyone could do. Bobby was panicking and angry, wondering how he was going to get back. It was a freezing cold night. He stayed in the train station in Birmingham for a while, but he didn't feel safe their. So he went to the bus station he usually caught his bus from, the bus company he had gone with this time had just dropped him a bus stop and had told him this was where he should be for catching the bus back. So at about 1.45am he leaves the bus stop for the 30minute walk to the bus stop. He thought he could still catch this bus if he explained what had happened and he would pay for a new ticket. When he got to the bus stop another man was their and it turned out that he should have gone back the previous night also. Eventually the bus came, they were not allowed to get on, so another frantic phone, by this time I was frantic too worrying about him wandering around in the middle of the night in Birmingham. So I told him to go back to the bus station, at least he would be warm and he could sort out another bus to get back. He got a bus about6.30am to Manchester then had to wait a couple of hours then he got a bus to Aberdeen. He arrived at 10.30pm! A,very long journey back not one that I could have done.
The rest of the week passed as I slept and worked, then it got to Friday and I left work midday caught the bus to Aberystwyth, had a coffee and 2 cigarettes before getting the bus to Carmarthen.As usual I fell asleep. I always do when travelling lol. The bus arrived at 4.40pm Katie would be picking me up at 6.00pm so I went and had a look at the big shops that I don't get to see very often. I breathed in slowly when I entered my favourite shop....Debenhams.. I love the smell of all the perfumes... its my kind of shop! I had been buying things on line so I had £15 on my beauty card to spend so I headed straight to the perfumery counters...found one I liked straight away.. Lady Millions and their was 15% off so I had a bottle of lovely perfume for £13 my present to me for Christmas and what a bargain. I needed a coffee and a sit down after that excitement and I didn't want to spoil it for me and Katie as we were coming back to the shops tomorrow afternoon. It was nearly 6pm so went to meet my daughter. He bump was the first thing I saw, Charlie has been doing a lot of growing inside his mum tummy. We soon arrived at hers and Ross's new house. Its lovely and big with a gorgeous kitchen, large lounge with a conservatory. Then I saw the new sofa's, oh they are so comfortable and snug and then the huge marble table, what a statement piece it is... wow is all I could say. Ross came home from work got changed and he decided he was going to cook us a lovely dinner which he did and we were all stuffed afterwards. I sat on the sofa, its one of these corner ones and could have stayed their all night. We chatted for a while, then bed for all of us. Ross went to London in the morning. Me and Katie just pottered for a while then she put her tree up to surprise Matthew when he comes home from his Dads tomorrow. About 3,30pm me and Katie decided to go shopping our first shop... Debenhams I found two aftershave I liked for Bob but couldn't make my mind up. So will take him to Telford.We went other shops, Katie fell in love with these tartan boot slippers so I brought them for her to go with her other Christmas present which is perfume Poison Midnight, Katie found some presents she wanted for Ross so it was a good afternoon shopping, But she had to have them when she got home cos she hadn't got any slippers. I wrapped Ross his presents while Katie started doing dinner.Then she started thinking about his birthday in July, it took us till nearly 3am to finally do everything on the net. She was really pleased with what she did.
Well I didn't wake till midday, but I felt happy because I had bought Bob a lovely present too and Katie thought he would like it.
At 4pm Katie went to collect Matthew and said she would be back at 6pm , I thought I would have a rest as I had a 2 hour 30min journey to do myself later, so I rested on the lovely sofa. 
Soon it was nearly 6pm and Katie and Matthew were back, think he was shocked to see me their, we had big hugs but he was most insistent that when I went again it had to be a weekend when he was their!
I caught my bus back to Aber, and sat thinking about my lovely weekend, in March Charlie will arrive and I will have two Grandsons, Jon and Sarah were waiting for me in Aber to take me back to my flat, they were staying the night. It was midnight when we went to bed cos of chatting lol, mainly about the wedding in September, we are all so excited about it now, so how we will all be by then I don't know.
Monday I dragged myself out of bed and woke Jon and Sarah as they had work too. I felt tired, not ready for work at all, but I had to go in so I had to get a move on, Thankfully work was quite quiet for a change. Bob came to the flat later as he had borrowed Jon's car, all of us felt like any early night.
Early night we got in a way, then a family prob happened and we were then up most of the night. It was 10am before I got to bed. So Tuesday till about 10pm did not exist for me, nor I think for Bob.Wednesday and Thursday I was like a Zombie, worked Wednesday high on tramadol, so glad we were not too busy. Thursday I didn't see much of it at all. By Friday morning I needed to wash my hair, to most people this is easy, they just stand in shower and shampoo hair. Well my arms felt like lead weights, I have to wash my hair over the sink with a jug! cos I haven't got a shower. I managed, it wasn't the best but it had to do. At least it would look better for work and I would feel better myself. Friday was slow in work too, it usually quietens down just before Christmas, so 2.30pm we closed and I went to pay bills then back to the flat , had a chat with Bob and Jon then cooked a salmon in a bag dinner from Iceland, which actually was quite nice.

Monday, 5 December 2011

One or two good bits then not so good for M.E

Monday 21st November I just about made it into work, the weekend had passed to quickly I felt I hadn't recharged my batteries even though I had mostly slept. Work was busy and I felt exhausted afterwards and went to bed for a few hours. When I woke I felt hungry, which is unusual for me on a work day because I have lunch I don't feel hungry in the evening, sometimes I may have the odd chunky kitkat! So I had pate and crackers tomatoes ands red and yellow peppers washed down with a glass of red wine.
Then went to bed.
Tuesday I spent a lovely day with Bob in Aberystwyth and had another custard slice in the Penguin cafe, when we got back to my flat we had some of the soup we had made earlier in the month. I was tired when he left and I knew we had another busy day at work with another Charity stall on the market, so I went to bed. I tossed and turned all night had the dreaded sweats, so when I got up at 7.am I looked worse than I did when i went too bed.
Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion, just because I needed to hurry! I met Brenda at work at 8.30am and we got everything together for the stall. We had a raffle the same as the week before, some of the local businesses had been very kind and donated prizes. The previous week we raised £167 so I was hoping to raise more.
It was quite a cold day, so I'm told! Me with my temperature problems didn't feel cold at all, I was boiling as  always. It was a good day, lots of people stopping by the stall and we raised £200, so we were delighted.
I did feel very stiff and sore by the 2.30 so we decided to stop and pack up then draw the raffle.
I had to go and pay some bills before I went back to my flat, once I got back I didn't even have a drink I just lay down on my bed. I woke at 4.30am still clothed and in agony from head to toe.
I got undressed, made myself a drink and had a cigarette and took some painkillers.
Thursday passed as a blur I vaguely remember having a cuppa with Bob, but as for the rest of the day I was oblivious.
Friday no way could I go to work, I just about managed to text a colleague that I wouldn't be in. I texted Bob to tell him I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even get out of bed. I had been looking forward to going to a friends for the night, we play scrabble, drink wine and have a laugh, but I had to cancel on that too.
Bob came gave me my tablets and made me a drink, I didn't have the energy to eat any food. I just slept and slept. Saturday was much the same, only waking for a drink and tablets.I was in agony with my back and legs, had been since Wednesday. Cath got the key to my flat from work and came to see me, made me a drink and we chatted for a while and she took the staff lottery syndicate tickets as i wasn't able to go to the shop. After she went I went back to bed and slept till Sunday morning. When I woke Sunday morning I knew I needed a wash badly! When I get as bad as this having a wash is the last thing on my mind! I got into the bathroom and sat on my stool and washed where I could get too, wrapped a towel round me to dry myself and then cleaned my teeth with my electric toothbrush. I did smell better afterwards but having a wash and putting on clean pyjamas wore me out, so back to bed I went. Sunday afternoon I woke and I decided I needed to strip my bed and put fresh bedding on the bed. I did bits of it over two or three hours, this is a job I hate but have to do it more than most because of the sweating.
Monday again I could not go to work, I spent most of the day staring up at the ceiling or sleeping, I was so fed up of being in pain and being in bed, to me it seemed I had been their for ages. My legs were starting to feel a bit better but my back was still causing me a great deal of pain and discomfort, the only time I could get comfortable for a while was when I was lying down, I couldn't sit for more than 6 or 7 minutes without the pain starting,  so no computer, no tv, not that I could really concentrate on anything because of the pain. Tramadol was becoming my best friend again!. Bob came to see how I was doing and I managed to stand while he quickly washed my hair. Its horrible not being able to do the most basic of things, it makes me tearful and sad and frightened for the future.
Tuesday I should have been having my hair done, guess what, Bob had to go and cancel for me. I love having my hair done, I love being pampered full stop! Most of Tuesday was a blur, I actually got up at about 5pm, had a drink with Bob, then Jon came and we chatted for a while. When they both went I had some pate with crackers and a couple of satsumas. For my own sanity I needed to go to work on Wednesday, so I didn't do much that evening just caught up on some of the Emmerdale's that I had missed. Took my night time tablets with painkillers at 9pm and went to bed. I slept till 3.15pm woke because i needed a drink so I had a cigarette too then went back to bed. The alarm woke me at 7am and I started to get ready for work, I was slow to get ready but I managed and I got to work just before 9am, dripping with sweat but happy that I had made it into work. Colleagues commented that I shouldn't have come in and that they could see I was struggling..... yes I was, but I needed to be in work trying to live a normal life as I was starting to get depressed, I could feel it creeping upon me. I'd had some stupid thoughts enter my head and I didn't want to start going down that road. We had such a busy day I was exhausted by the time I got to my flat, no time for a drink or cigarette I just needed to get too bed. I slept till 4.30am Thursday, I woke with the shakes and sweats I hadn't eaten or drank anything since Wednesday lunch time, so it was a can of coke and I finished the pate with some crackers, I felt like I was going to pass out, soon after drinking the coke the feeling passed and I just sat and relaxed for a while. I had planned to go to Aberystwyth with Bob on Thursday but again that was cancelled, I slept most of the day. Bob and Jon came early evening informing me that Bobby was now coming to my flat at 9am Saturday morning, they had been going to get him when he got to Birmingham but now they realised he could get a train to Machynlleth. They were all excited as they were going to see Bryan Adams in concert in Birmingham on the Sunday and also Richard was meeting up with them for a few hours. I went to bed early Friday evening as I felt totally drained of energy. and I knew Bobby would be at my door just gone 9am full of excitement!
I kept waking up all through the night thinking I had heard my doorbell ring. I got up just before 8.30am so as I would be half awake for when Bobby arrived, 2 cups of tea and 2 cigarettes later the doorbell did ring, Bobby had arrived. He had travelled since 7pm the previous night by coach then train and he wasn't even tired. I wish I had half of his energy! We chatted for a while and I stayed up another hour before I had to go back to bed for a couple of hours. Bobby was fine, he was texting his friends and on the computer and watching tv. A couple of hours later I got up again, we chatted for a while then I got ready and we went for a walk round town, Bobby got his haircut, then we went back to the flat. We met Jon later in a pub, we had a drink then they boys went off to Cemmaes to stay with Bob.
It was nice seeing two of my boys together and I wished I could have gone with them to Birmingham then I would of seen the three boys together. 
Sunday I woke feeling like I hadn't slept, I slept most of the day, just getting up for a drink and tablets and the occasional cigarette. I thought of Bob and the boys and I did have a tear or two because one of Bryan Adams songs, Everything I do, I do  for you is a song that means alot to me and Bob.