Saturday 7 February 2015

Finally - a new post for a new year

I think I am at last getting my act together and managing to read blogs again - I have missed you all.  I have some software called Magic on my new computer which allows me to magnify the text hugely so I can read it.  I have to scroll a long way across each line and then back to the beginning of the next line and some of the fonts I find very hard to read, but I get the gist of most of it.  I also have a very fancy keyboard with extra features for the Magic, all very helpful.
Mostly life continues quite normally, I can easily do all the boring bits, washing, ironing, plain cooking - it is the interesting bits which cause a problem.  One boring bit which I really dislike is that Bill has to come supermarket shopping with me.  He hates shopping and I hate being hurried up when I am trying to work out which product is what I really need!  However every couple of weeks he drops me at the local large shopping centre where I can wander round the shops for a couple of hours, then do the supermarket shopping in peace and ring him to come and collect me.  For the first time in my life I like large shopping centres!
2015 looks like being a very good year.  Bill has been unwell for over two years now, getting steadily more exhausted. losing muscle strength, unable to walk far and definitely unable to do any outside activities.  For an engineer used to doing all his own repairs and gardening etc that has been very dispiriting,  We have spent a fortune going from one doctor to another, every test he had showing he was perfectly normal, with the doctors scratching their heads for a solution.  Finally Bill started googling symptoms, coming up with ticking boxes for Myasthenia Gravis.  There is a blood test for that which he had done.  In the meantime a friend came back from holidays and said Bill had the same symptoms as a friend of hers who suffered from side effects from Crestor, a cholesterol lowering statin.  Bill threw his away just over a week ago and is feeling heaps better already!  At least we know he does not have any fatal illness or heart condition after all the other tests.  We will see a neurologist next Wednesday but the symptoms of myasthenia gravis are part of the side effects according to the GP so should continue to fade.  We will both check our medications much more closely for side effects in future.
The neurologist is in Townsville, a 5 hour drive north of here.  I have found that I can really enjoy the trips through the countryside as I can still see a general view, even though the fine details are gone.  We have close friends up there so it is a good excuse to visit them as well - make a holiday out of a necessity.
I have been to a couple of concerts which I can still enjoy, even if I can't see the performers very well.  I have learnt that in future for opera I will need seats much closer to the stage however.  One benefit available to me because of my disability is that Bill can get in free as my companion - there is something good on every adversity!
This is enough rambling for the time being, but I promise I will be back as soon as I have something interesting to report.

3 comments:

  1. Welcome back. It sounds as if things are turning around, help with anything, like being given able to read blogs must be a plus. Do hope Bill gets back to his normal self soon too. John has a cataract done next Saturday, just hope all goes well. I know what you mean about shopping, John hates it and will have to go back to it for a while when I have my shoulder done. At least I will be able to walk. love to you both.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's so good to hear from you again and that you are adapting so well to coping with your condition. My husband sits in our supermarket coffee shop and reads the paper while I do the shopping. Like you, I'd rather do it on my own. Best wishes to you both for a great 2015.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It is so good to see you back here Robin, and to know things are improving enough for you to get by a bit better. Good on your husband for going off the statin. I wish I could I just dont trust it, but they seem to think I will be worse off if I do.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog. I do enjoy reading your comments and will reply if you leave your email address.