h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have had various close shaves with sister Death, but never one like yesterday.

i was feeling really peculiar. I have been having problems breathn fpr the last four days. My lungs have been absilutely refusing to absorb any oxygen, and have just refused to work, and when theu do make a heck of a racket about it.

After three days of this yesterday morning I eventually took a taxi and went down to the hospital.

I had phoned up direct nurses who were very helpful and supportive and who told me what to do. I did not sleep one night at all as I couold not get comfotable, and just sat up in my wheelchair.

Yesterday when I went down to the lovely A and E part of the local hospital, within minutes I was being rushed up to a special room with a marvellous nebuliser where I spent nearly an hour. Thank goodness. I really thought I was going to expire. It is really a horrid feeling. I shall go io my GP on Tuesday and get myself a little nebuliser so if it happens again I have some means of gaining instant relief.

I have never suffered from this problem and wonder why on earth I am starting now. It is really very distressing when one cannot breathe. anyway, I am hoping that I can find relief very soon.

With affection
Christiane
AR80
Sunday 24/I/2010 17.40

Glad you're feeling better now.

Indeed

GB

Hope you can relax now, Christiane. It must have been horrible.



Jabs

Christiane, my husband was like that for a very long time and it is horrible. It sounds like a nebuliser would be a good idea, if the doesn't come up with any other solution.

In the meantime do take care,

Websailor

Might it have been asthma? I know asthmatics who use nebulisers (at least I think that is what they are...)

It's more likely to he hardening of the arteries, restricting blood flow to the heart. Us octogenarians need a 'stent' or two and 'blood thinners' to let us 'go with the flow'.
Stick in there AR80
Ancient Brit -

oh Christiane that sounds very scary - I'm glad you have a nice A&E department close to you.

Hi Dear Christiane,

Trust your doctors. They´ll probably take a torax radiography to check the cause, since it is a multicause desease. But don´t worry.

My mother had breathing problems because of her heart desease. She used nebulizers and also a bottle of oxigen. She used to put the mask for a while before going to bed when she needed it, and could sleep well.

As Sho says, it´s good to have specialised doctors close to you. Just relax. Breathing is a vital function and any of us would have felt as scared as you were.

Take care

Hello Christiane!

I'm sorry to hear about this! I really do hope you can get the small nebuliser, and that it helps!

Best wishes,

Willem

and are the only smileys I can think of that cover breathing. I hope you can keep doing both, Christiane.

Christiane I am glad that you are feeling better now.

Take care and all the best


Katrine

Oh, Christiane, take it easy, nice hot , and let us know how you are doing. My best wishes for your speedy recovery. I have asthma, and know what it is to struggle for a breath. If your doctor gave you a rescue inhaler, keep it handy at all times.


HN

I would hate to think of anyone having to suffer through asthma. I hope it's *not* asthma. A few years ago, I had an infection that caused asthma for a while, and I had to have the inhalers. I was really lucky that the asthma went away. It'sa very, very scary!

My very dear friends,

Well I could not sleep so came to chat with you. I wrote a long letter and whilst editing it managed to touch a "crook" key and away it went.

I never got to see my doctor because there was a very important meeting where K is in hospital and I had to go there. I wheezed my way breathing very badly, to the town where he is, with my empathetic carer driving her car and being most amiable. We got there in time, and for a change she saw how people like K and I are treated by the staff of such particular hospitals. They still live in the dark ages, when mental illness is caused by bad parenting. which is both hurtful and untrue. It is bad enough having a beloved offspring ill, without being told or it being inferred that it is one's fault. Sometimes I think that this dear island is lost in the dark agesl It really is heartbreaking.

Anyway, for the moment only I hope, I think that he has been persuaded that all is my fault - but he still wished to come home and they have flatly refused and wish him to go and live in a boarding house in the old town where he lived. Where no-one cares about anyone. Very very sad.

anyway life for him is so sad and without hope that I really feel totally desperate. We really live in the dark ages on this strage island.

Please remember him to whoever you appeal to for help and see if we can get them to remember how to treat people who are frail that way.

A sad Christiane who is breathing more easily now but is very concerned about K.

BTW Paul apparently mine was asthma which I have never had in my life. Fortunately I have strong lungs and a strong heart from all those miles of swimming training which I did when I was young. it was a good investment in my health. !!

With much affection
Christiane and K - still sadly in hospital

Tuesday 25th January 2010 3.15

Please forgive the errors - I dare not lose another letter to you.

I am so happy to hear from you, dear Christiane. I have worried about you so terribly for the last day or so. It's terrible not to be able to breathe. At least now they know what to treat you for.

I worry for your son, too. Nevertheless, he knows that it is not your fault.

My so dear Paul,

Thank you for your lovely reply. Well I suppose that I can console myself with the thought that the old saying goes that "the good never die young" At least I think that is what it says.

I have even neglected to take my own medication I have been so concerned about K. I still think that mental illness is quite the worst thing to have because truly it is so misunderstood and also sifferers are so isolated and their families on the whole really neglect them. It grieves me no end. I was very hurt this morning because my eldest son in the States and my daughter in Oz both advised me NOT to go and visit K. Because I had a bad chest. Well I defied them both, and my carer helped me by covering me up warmly and parking the car very near the block of flats so that it was just a short wheelchair ride and hey presto I was in her car.

I find it incredible that they have no compassion for him whose life was totally blighted by that wretched LSD which was slipped into his drink by his friend, and because we have that wretched gene of schixophrenia in the family that he should succumb to it. How can they not feel compassion for him. they have careers, and partners and children and yet they feel totally nothing.
anyway, I am now getting cold so I had better go and try and get warm in my chair. !!

Go well and thanks for your kind thoughts.

Christiane 25/I/2010 2.10 GMT

You're welcome to my kind thoughts any time, Christiane.

Dear Christiane,

My heartfelt sympathy and goodwill go out to you across the ether, you are having a very difficult time at the moment. It's good to hear you have a caring person who can take you to visit K in such a thoughtful manner.

Whilst I can't really offer anything of practical use to your situation I can reiterate what Paul said, and that I feel there are some lovely people here on Hootoo who can be here to offer moral support at such times.

Make sure you go to your GP to follow up your trip to the hospital, you must take care of yourself. Can you ask your GP for advice on local support for you, as a relative of someone with mental illness? I haven't looked at the websites myself but I'm sure that MIND http://www.mind.org.uk and SANE http://www.sane.org.uk may help you feel less isolated in your current worries.

Use us here as you need to and take care.

Jules

DEar Jules,

Thank you so much.
I shall do as you suggest because yesterday was extremely traumatic.
Lil has my home email so perhaps if you had it I could actually write there. It is difficult naming names and people when this site is so public.

But thanks all the same. I have been working in the field of mental health for the 38 years of the onset of theillness - I held the post of chairperson of the organisation to which I belonged but can do absolutely nothing to alter the course of affairs which I know to be unjust and illegal.

sincerely,

Christiane
AR80

Wed. 27/I/2010 13.05 GMT