All sorts

There's a lot going on at the moment, some of it good, some of it very good, some of it not so good at all.

One of the very good things is that I got the final results for my MA and I got a Merit.  Hurray!  If I'm honest, I was actually slightly disappointed with this at first, but that's only because I set the expectations for myself very high, and actually, when I'd had time to reflect on it, I'm still proud of myself.  It's been a tough year, and to get through the course has been difficult enough at times, so to get a high Merit is good going.  When I had a look at my marked dissertation/portfolio there were a few points where I felt I could come back to the markers with comments, but of course that's not possible.  All in all, a good thing.  A very good thing.  I'm looking forward to graduating on 6th December.

Another good thing is that I've been involved in setting up a choir.  I'm not running it, but I've been helping find the venue, set up the bank account, help with advertising, setting up and checking the email account, taking subs, etc.  Many years ago I was in a youth choir, Swing Bridge Singers - I've spoken about them before.  I loved it, and it was probably the one good thing in my teenage years. The conductor/musical director (Scottee) is one of my most favourite people, as he is for many of the 600 or so people who have now passed through Swing Bridge Singers.  After a lot of years of being asked by ex-SBSers and SBS parents, Scottee agreed to do an adult version of Swing Bridge Singers.  We are called Flotsam and had our first rehearsal last week.  There was no way of knowing how many people would turn up, and whether or not we would have a choir, but in the event thirty two folk came along!  Not a bad turn out for week one.  The second rehearsal is this evening, and we're hoping for a few more folk to come, especially men as we only had four last week.  The four we had were very good, but they were rather outnumbered.   I'm loving it though. I came out last week feeling a bit more alive and reconnected with the world :o)

Now one of the not so good things is that my lungs are playing up.  During the day I'm not too bad.  My peak flow isn't very good, at an average of around 150, but at night time things are going totally pear-shaped.  I cough.  I wheeze.  I'm breathless.  I use my nebuliser again and again, and eventually it settles, but not until around 5.30am, and I'm getting exhausted.  I went to my GP today, knowing that there's not really anything she can do, although she did say to increase my furosemide (diuretic) in case my lungs are filling with fluid at night.  Then she suggested I get in touch with my consultant.  I have done that, and eventually got past his gate-keeper secretary, who started off saying that I should see my own GP, but then listened when I said that actually I was phoning on the advice of my GP.  My consultant has been busy all day, but his Registrar phoned me.  When I explained what was happening, and explained what medication I'm on he said he wasn't sure what to do either, but would speak to 'The Boss' and get back to me.  He has just done so, as I've been typing this.  The upshot is that they want me to go into hospital :o(  They want me to have some IV aminophylline and to try to stabilise things.  They want me to go in tonight :o(  This means I'm going to miss tonight's Flotsam :o(  They haven't actually got a bed for me at the moment, but the Registrar said they're going to make one - perhaps literally - and he'll phone me when they've got one :o(  I said to him that, if they can't get a bed tonight, I could go in tomorrow instead.  I was trying not to sound too hopeful, but I really wanted to go to Flotsam.  The Reg said that they really want me in tonight in case tonight is the night that everything goes belly-up :o(  I completely understand, and my rational head agrees with him, but I don't like it.

There's a load of other stuff going on too.  Stuff I can't talk about here.  That's the very not good stuff.

Anyway, I'm going to have to go because the Registrar has just phoned me back to say they've got a bed :o(

Booo