Dizzy, but it was fun getting there…

I’m exhausted, and a little on the dizzy side.  It’s been a challenging weekend, and I’ve done far too much.  It’s at times like this where I employ the phrase ending “… but it was fun getting there.”

Yesterday my parents took me to town to choose my birthday present.  I turn 30 in a little over 2 weeks time – a prospect that leaves me a little melancholy if I’m perfectly honest about it, not because I am to turn 30 but that it is another ‘big’ birthday since I got ill that I have not been well enough to do anything ‘big’ to celebrate, plus a few other reasons I won’t go into.  I’m still nowhere near recovered allergy-wise from my recent big hiccough, and the telling sign was I am back to reacting to virtually every shop I enter – for some really odd reason I was OK in Marks & Spencer!  The day was a success though, in that I chose some lovely presents for my birthday and my graduation, and got some nice shoes too.  With the aid of a mobility scooter I also bought some funky slipper socks at Sainsbury’s.

Today my family had a belated celebration meal at the only place I can eat fairly freely and without worry about my allergies.  It ‘only’ involved me sitting in a car, transferring to the table at the place, and eating, but by the end of the meal I knew I’d over-done it big time.  I get vertigo spells when I’m extremely exhausted or when I have over-done it, but before it has been limited to home, or where ever I am staying that night.  Today it happened while I was out.

I’m that exhausted and having vertigo spells that it’s taken me over 5 hours to write this, and I know I am going to have to do absolutely nothing for the next few days.

Now it’s time for bed.

Tired But Not Sleepy

Yes, you can be tired without being sleepy. ME sufferers will recognise this frustrating situation well. So while I lie here in bed, connect to here via my phone and try to make myself tired enough to be sleepy, you lucky people reading this get to know what my achievements were today (well, yesterday really, but tomorrow only starts after I’ve slept).

Dad and I travelled back from my clinic, though what should have been a nice 1 hour 30 minute journey at the very most turned into an arduous 3 hour 30 minute haul, all thanks to a road closure and subsequent traffic jam. However with the help of my trusty phone and its various apps, I found out exactly what was going on and created a diversion.

When finally we were home we were more than ready for lunch, so had a meal at Sainsbury’s. Nothing special and it was only just lukewarm, but it filled a gap that needed filling. Plus, I didn’t react adversely to it. That was my sixth meal that I happily ate. It’s so good to eat again! I love my food!

Lunch eaten, I deposited my crutches at Customer Services and traded them in, albeit temporarily, for a bright orange mobility scooter. With the help of Dad, who got everything from the shelves I couldn’t reach (which was most of the time), I managed to do the first full grocery shopping in a long time. Without that scooter I wouldn’t be able to do it. I’m just so pleased I had the courage to start using them. For as long as I need them, I’m not turning back.

My oldest friend came over this evening to see me too. I normally wouldn’t have had visitors after such a long and busy day, however it was really good to have the company. Today is the most poorly he’s probably ever seen me, and yes I did feel self-conscious with my skin flared and being so skinny (or as he kindly put it, slender), but I think in some ways it did me good to allow someone to see me ill like that. Probably all ways if I think about it!

One of my best friends also phoned up briefly just to check on me after my trip away to the clinic. I am lucky to have some really good friends around me. I might not see them all as much as I’d like, but to have them there is amazing.

I know that in one day I did a lot, more than I have done since my health nose-dived almost 2 weeks ago, but it made a nice change from feeling utterly weak and cut-off from the real world. I must take it easy for the next few days, but hopefully I can get some strength and finally, maybe, even arrange to have friends over – there are a few I haven’t seen in such a long time, and with one thing and another it just hasn’t happened. I do need to try and straighten the flat up a bit though!

Now I think I can sleep.

A Lot Sometimes Happens in a Week

I haven’t blogged in a week, but that’s a good thing.

Last Thursday I got my hair cut.  The local community transport picked me up and brought me home, and in between I had an hour’s pampering.  It was exhausting (yes, being pampered can be exhausting when you have ME!) but it felt so good.  It was even cheaper than normal thanks to redeeming some loyalty point, and I even managed to get a natural styling product that I’m OK with free.  Bonus!  I hasten to add I didn’t realise I’d not been charged until I got home.

On Friday I had to go to the surgery to see the nurse, and afterwards I went to Sainsbury’s and used one of their disability scooters to be able to get around the store to get the prescription made up.  Again, this was all exhausting, but I certainly couldn’t have done this without using the scooter.

On Saturday my family and I went to the O2 Arena in London to see the Strictly Come Dancing Live tour.  Dad had won tickets at work for us to be in one of the hospitality suites.  This was a truly enjoyable day, and exhausting despite my crutches, all the assistance my family gave me on the journeys there and back, and the wheelchair assistance that was provided once we arrived at the venue.

I have been resting ever since, and will be taking it extremely easy all this month, apart from one night out for Dad’s birthday in one week’s time.  That reminds me, I must buy him a present.  Oops!

Life is for Learning

They say that life is for learning. When you have ME you learn something every day. Usually it’s what you can and can’t manage to do, and this can change every day.

Today I woke at 9am and got up at 9:30am. A real achievement as this is the earliest in a month that I have been up this early. Having learned from yesterday that I am still very run down and more so in the evenings, I decided to have a bath and to wash my hair.

I was just making a cup of tea to sit down for a rest after my bath, when Sainsbury’s came with my groceries. Having dealt with that I then received a phone call from a lady who wanted to ask me some questions about allergies. I don’t mind helping when I can, but I hadn’t realised how long we were on the phone for – 2hrs!

While I have done things today, and some very good things in some cases, it was far too much for me. I am currently reclined in my chair with my feet up, under a snuggle blanket and in some pain despite my pain medication. I need help.

Needing help is something in the past I have found difficult to accept. Asking for it was even harder. Lately I have become more accepting of the fact that I need to ask for help. Today I realise I need that help as soon as I can get it. It is not failure on my part, nor a sign of a weak mind. Quite the opposite. I am going to start practicing what I preach. When my GP returns from his hiatus I will request that he starts the process of getting me some help to look after myself.

For me, the biggest achievement is not what I’ve done today, it’s the realisation of what I need and when.