An Anniversary of sorts


Primroses in our back yard

Thirteen years ago today I came home from my work as a cytogenetics technician at the RLUH. I suddenly felt extremely cold, simply could not warm up, shivering hard. I went to bed at 6pm, and fell asleep somewhere around 8.

The next two days I stayed off work, and on the Thursday I managed to get an appointment with my GP who signed me off work for a week. I returned to work on Thurday 19th March, but my back was very sore by the end of my hours (I worked part time only, 9 till 1, five days a week). The next day I managed to swap to a better chair, but was still struggling to keep going.

That weekend we had a wonderful trip to Birmingham to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, only marred by the weird symptoms I was beginning to experience. The journey to Birmingham wasn't much fun, I simply couldn't get comfortable in the car. I felt every jolt and ached all over.

Saturday morning we remembered that we had forgotton to bring my binoculars (you really need them at the NEC!) so we set off to Solihull, where as well as getting more binoculars we enjoyed watching some Morris Dancers. In the afternoon we visited the glasshouses in the botanical gardens, and before I knew it I was weeping over the fact that the wonderful palm house in Sefton Park was going to rack and ruin. We had some soup and rolls in the cafe, and I felt marginally better. We went back to the hotel (the Novotel) where as I took a bath I noticed I had a rash of purple blotches on my legs. I was not feeling terribly well either. But having got the tickets we weren't going to miss the concert, and I'm so glad that we made it - it was great fun, the girls both loved it too. This was the tour to promote Into the Great Wide Open.

Sunday my diary notes that I felt somewhat better. So we rode the monorail to the Airport and back before setting off for home. We stopped briefly at Mow Cop (which features in Alan Garner's book Redshift), but I felt too ill to explore. I waited in the car while John took the girls for a short walk.

Monday I went back to work, and my diary notes that I didn't feel to bad, but was on the practical (as opposed to microscopy). Tuesday morning I had come out in a rash on my back, arms and thighs. I went in to work, but managed to get an appointment to see my GP again at 11.45, so I left early. I have not worked in paid employment since.

My GP was sufficiently concerned that she took blood for viral titres, after explaining that they would have to be repeated... I think it may have been 6 weeks later, but I didn't note it down. Needless to say nothing was found. But then what were they looking for? She signed me off work for a week.

I think that I will leave my story there for now - I don't want to be too much of a downer. Today has started off well, with bacon and eggy bread for breakfast. Postman knocked with a packet - oh goody! Our Postie is a friend, he knows I'm often still in bed when he calls, so waits for me to stick my head out of the window before leaving packets under the door knocker, or bigger stuff on the step. It's The Goodies DVD that John ordered for me last week.

Five minutes later another knock at the door! Parcel Post this time. The nice man who knows to look up to check at my bedroom window before leaving the parcel on the wall by the front door. Fragile it's marked. It's the mugs that I ordered from Photobox. One each for John, Sarah, Helen and David. I'm really pleased with how well they've turned out.