Casualty

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 05 June 2003 06:49:03

I finally had to take myself off to the local A&E department last night because my peak flow was decreasing.

My landlady took me there after getting a neighbour to pop round, but could not stay because of the kids. I called my vicar and he sent someone to keep me company. Now how do I put this tactfully but G is not the best person to spend time with in a waiting room, and neither is he the sort of person I feel comfortable taking lots of medication in front of so I said he could leave when I got called. That's the worse thing about being on your own.

Anyway, after a 2 1/2 hour wait with G for company I finally got seen. I think they were hoping that it would be a case of 1 nebuliser and home. Ha bloody ha. My peak flow went down afterwards (should have shot up, especialy as it was a double dose). So then a long wait until a doctor was free to examine me. Another nebuliser and some steroids and...still no improvement. Apparently the chest infection together with hay fever was causing havoc. Then a super blast - ventolin with saline (3/4 hours worth). That did the trick - I could feel my lungs begin to work again. Still not much improvement peak flow wise but enough for me to be sent home.

So I'm now knackered. My back, shoulder and chest ache where I'd been using those muscles to help me breath. I'll be taking so many tablets I'll rattle for the next 5 days. And I hate being asthmatic.

Still, after what I've been through in the past few months it could be worse.