Very unusually for me, this has been a difficult week. Looking on the bright side, things are already improving.
I was meant to have an ultra scan of my urinary tract several weeks ago but it had been postponed for obvious COVID-19 reasons. I wasn’t that bothered, it was only a routine “keeping an eye on things” as the consultant put it. Then out of the blue the hospital called me and asked if I would mind going to a private hospital? I said that was fine.
In no time at all, the private hospital phoned and arranged an appointment with me. Separately someone else called me with COVID-19 screening questions.
So, Tuesday I think, I had an ultrasound scan of my uninary tract, so all the way from my kidneys downwards. I have had this done a few times before and thought I knew what to expect. Arriving there I was greeted at the door by someone checking my temperature and someone else asking if I had any symptoms of the virus. I was then issued with a face mask.
A heavily PPE clad healthcare assistant was waiting for me and straight away she took me to the appropriate room. I lay down on the couch, she double checked my details and then the doctor came in. The Doctor was then “dressed” by the assistant in a gown, face mask etc and then got to work.
You can always tell you’re in a private hospital when the jelly is pre-warmed. She moved the probe around different parts of my abdomen. I breathed in and out, turned one side and then the other.
As much as I tried, she wasn’t giving anything away. That disappointed me as I can normally get the doctor to talk me through what they are seeing.
I doubt if I will know any more until my next routine appointment in early August. How frustrating!
The main thing – fatigue
This week I have felt so tired and fatigued. This has happened before and I’m not exactly sure why. Normally it lasts for a couple of weeks but thankfully I am feeling more alive today – tomorrow I’m running with my friend Jon in Hertfordshire.
Last Monday I had a run, 7.5 miles. It was my favourite hilly run. It was such an effort and I even had to walk a little of Hollicks Hill, a short but steep hill at 25% incline. My overall time was a slower than normal but not too much.
Since then I have felt so tired and I have slept so deeply – for 10 hours on two nights. I haven’t run or cycled since. For a couple of days I felt cold and we even had the heating on in the evenings – in June!
My urine has alternates between being clear and cloudy with bits, rather like parsnip soup. I have used dipstick tests a couple times and it has shown raised levels of leukocytes; this includes white blood cells which could be fighting an infection, so I wonder if that could be lurking there. So I’m drinking lots of water, hoping to flush anything through in preference to yet another course of antibiotics.
Routines, focussing
I seriously dislike the lethargy I have felt, my normal mixture of doing useful things and ‘leisure” things has dropped away.
Life is far more rewarding when there is a bit more focus, something which brings some sense of satisfaction. However, being the ever hopeful optimist, I hope to bounce back this coming week!