No pluses for the weather

Cold it was

It must be the cold and I am not yet used to it, more so, I must avoid the dreadful effects of it as in pneumonia or influenza, I just cannot afford to submit my body to the ructions of those ravages.

In a week that was 3 nights in Berlin and another 3 in London, I basically spent the last 2 in bed trying hard not to succumb but beginning to vegetate as I do when I am beginning to feel ill.

A chesty cough that tugged violently at whatever held my lungs to their predefined locations, it was not looking good at all. I was slowing down in everything and could not bring myself to see food with any excitement at all.

Black tea with honey seemed to soothe my throat and began to work on the discomfort but I felt best just curled up in bed waiting for that time that I could return home.

Home is my fortress

I had to return home in any case, I had only taken pills for 7 nights and needed to get to hospital to give blood for tests in preparation for my quarterly medical consultation to see how I was doing.

I got to the airport quite early but the walk to gate 22 at London Heathrow was literally interminable they were making the last call when I finally got to the gate and then someone offered to give me a wheelchair ride to the plane.

This is after 3 carts had seen me trundle to the gate with the speed of a tortoise trying to imitate a slow snail; I could not be bothered anymore.

I finally got to my window seat as we were told our flight would be delayed an hour before take-off, I tried to relax and hope for sleep. Sleep suspends for a while the discomforts of illness whilst the body recuperates in some ways or deteriorates as I first noticed as I woke up to shingles lesions in June 2009.

Not delightful

Just as we approached Schiphol, I had such a violent coughing bout, I was literally sick over myself and could only get so much into a sick-bag, there was no time to feel embarrassed, I was just sick as a dog and unwell.

Thinking of warm custard I got home and just collapsed into bed with a spittoon nearby because things had really gotten that bad and for the whole day I have spent most of the time horizontal.

I wonder if it is a sign of recuperation that there are unfinished plates of food, a salad and some rice; none too appealing after a few spoons – the food is however necessary for my pills and the cough is subsiding as I got some daily use cough mixture at the airport chemist.

I still need to get to hospital braving the cold in the process but I believe I am on the up and should be very fine very soon.

Now, I need to get some serious Christmas sunshine, somewhere old or somewhere new?