Xolair = Game Changer!

Good day to you all on this beautiful sunny summer weekend - how are you all doing??  I haven't blogged for a few months as I wanted to see how my health would be doing.......... and guess what?  It does indeed look like the Xolair and a different approach to life is working very well! 

I've noticed on Social Media sites a tendency for some people with a chronic illness (any illness, not just Asthma) to have a passive/aggressive approach to how they talk about themselves when unwell. A bit of 'I don't feel well today, but you all enjoy your day' type stuff??? But I've always tried to shy away from that and those sorts of people, and be as positive as possible about having Asthma and trying to be as upbeat as possible. 

If I'm ill then I'm bloody ill, I'll be as miserable as shit and I won't want to talk to anyone but I firmly believe positive mental attitude is half of the battle. 

So how have I got here?? Well after my conflab with my Consultant in April and the mega self pitying cry in my car afterwards I went into my shell for a day or two while I processed what we'd discussed and as usual my inner stubborn 'fuck this' came to the surface!  "Right! If I do exactly as he said - to the letter - and I'm still unwell, then no one can say I've not tried"! See - stubborn independent bugger aren't I! 

Well guess what...................... 3 months with no Ventolin, no little bastard steroids in 5 months, I'm back to 13/15 thousand steps a day with my puzzled dogs! Puzzled because OH has been walking them whilst I sat and made excuses, now, its 'WALKIES' at all  sorts of odd times of the day!                                              

I take my medications religiously, I've at last - long last - learnt to listen to my body. If it tells me I'm getting too tired, then I get my book, a coffee and sit a while.                                             

I'll stay in bed that extra half hour or just go to the beach and stretch and take in the sea air. I've let go of much of the stress in my life by delegating work tasks, I accept that there will be times I'll feel stressed (mostly because of work - I'm self employed) but those times are less and less.  

I've been able to return to work but even an evening shift of 3 hours on my feet especially in the summer heat is more than enough, but the boss is very understanding and lets me go when I want to go. Just as well I'm my own boss! 😍 

Luckily retirement is in 107 days (No! Not counting at all) and then an even more relaxed approach to life.  But now we can go back to planning travel - our original plan, but one that got put on the back burner because of my Asthma playing up so badly!

                                               

Friends and family say my sparkle is back..........But best news of all is that following a change of licence for the medication & after 2 months training and guidance with Staff Nurse Kate at the Chest Clinic, I am now able to inject myself at home!!! No more 2 hour round trips to the hospital every month. But that doesn't mean I'm not incredibly grateful to all of the team at the Chest Clinic at Derriford Hospital, it's so important to have the knowledge that a great team of people have your back and are always at the end of a phone. I know I'm incredibly lucky compared to many around the country. 

Anyway, I did my first lot of injections yesterday and despite shaking like a leaf, I did it and it was fine!!! I had to sit down with a cup of tea afterwards and calm down, but I DID IT!!! 

So, I've taken back control of my Asthma, and this 5 months is now the longest I've been out of hospital in 2 years! I can regularly achieve 450 on my peak flow, and as my consultant said last week, we now just sit and watch. 

Well, I've absolutely no intention of sitting and watching - I'm back in charge of my body and it feels great! Watch out world, my sparkle is back and the crown is firmly on! 

Now where's all those travel books I shelved........................💝

Laters my dear friends, 

Liz x x x x

Flu Jab - Why Should I?

I've completely changed what I was going to write about today because this seems to be a very hot topic - the Influenza/Flu jab! 

Now it's true that just having the flu jab does NOT protect you completely against getting the flu - I should know, because it happened to me this year!! In fact twice in my entire (reasonably long life) I have had THE flu. 

Proper flu........... not a heavy cold or a night on the beer (some of the excuses my staff have used!) but your proper eyeball hurting, muscle aching, shivering body, head pounding flu - that meant if someone had left a thousand pounds at my feet I'd have been unable to get out of bed, bend down and pick it up sort of flu. Add to that the pre-existing Asthma, then you've got a very sick person. 

Now I'm reasonably good about getting the jab every year, and there are a couple of reasons for that;

1 - I have a GP who nags me and has even been known to ask me in the street if I've had it

2 - I have a Husband who virtually makes the appointment for me if I prevaricate! 

Probably, left to me alone and not having a great Doctors practice and a reasonably good Husband (😀 I lie - he's fab!) I'd not bother........ that's the truth of the matter. Just because I sometimes can't be arsed to go to yet another medical appointment. I sometimes think I spend more times in medical centres and hospitals than some nurses! 😱

It has to be said that after this years episode where I ended up in hospital for ten days, 5 days of that in solitary confinement isolation with Influenza B I was totally in the 'Bollocks to it in future' state of mind. To say I was pissed off that I'd caught the flu doesn't come close to how I felt!! 

But in truthfulness I can't really understand why anyone in their right mind could ignore the warnings we're being given such as, the rates of flu are already higher this winter than they were at the same point during last years outbreak which was considered the WORST IN SEVEN YEARS! With experts warning it's only a matter of time before a pandemic of flu hits us. Good reason alone just in that sentence I'd have thought?? 

Most asthmatics know that if they get a cold or any virus it'll upset their Asthma, so it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you what getting the flu will do to it! 

Some of the reasons given by people are worry about the side effects and being sceptical about whether it even works. Well, clearly the flu jab can't work against every single strain, but surely it's better to be safe than sorry. As for side effects, apart from a sore arm some years I can't say I've noticed much if any.    

If you're still not sure or need advice have a look at Asthma UK's website or give them a ring, 

https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/inhalers-medicines-treatments/other/flu-vaccinations/

So did I have it again this year, despite having been so ill earlier this year or did I stick to the 'bollocks to it' approach?? 

What do you think?????????? 

Anyway, away with you now and get it booked in if you've not already done so. 

#buggeroffasthma