Heart attack

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Chilly Weather and Signs of A Cold

The weather has turned decidedly more autumnal. It's been far warmer for the past couple of days, to such an extent that it's difficult to know exactly what to wear when you go out side. This morning has returned to being a good deal colder and as I walked over to the Academy with Carol at 7.30 a.m., there was a very thin and watery sort of rain beginning.

I have had the beginnings of a sore throat for the past couple of days. I think I may be developing a cold. My voice has gone very deep, which always happens when I have a cold. I have an annoying cough which doesn't help, the sort of cough that develops on my chest and goes to the back of my throat and no amount of coughing will clear. It's made worse when I go to bed and lie down and wakes me in the middle of the night. I think I may have to start taking some sort of linctus to sort it out or to at least relieve it. Being on heart medication means I have to be careful what I take as some of these remedies you can buy over the counter in a pharmacy can be dangerous as they contain ingredients which cause side-effects with my heart medication. I should have my annual flu jab in the next couple of weeks, which I get as I have a heart condition. Our doctor's surgery, Ashfield Medical Centre, will do doubt email me or send a letter to say when this is going to be. It's usually done over a couple of weekends, a Saturday morning.

I had a really nasty angina attack on Monday morning when I was walking over to the Academy with Carol. I didn't unfortunately, have my G.T.N. spray with me (Glyceryl Trinitrate). I think it may be because I have been over-exerting myself recently. I just have to slow down a bit. Also, any sort of stress can set an attack off.  The small, picket-sized spray I got the last time I had my repeat prescription has a rather pleasant minty flavour. The car breaking down the other week hasn't helped. Sitting down and letting my heart rate go down helps. Using the spray, which you administer under your tongue with a couple of sprays, does usually work, although you have to be careful as it can make you feel quite light-headed. It can give you a headache and actually the effects can be quite pleasant! All the walking we've done since we've been without the car may be responsible for the angina attacks. I was put on isoborbide mononitrate by the coronary department of Milton Keynes Hospital when I had a bad angina attack a couple of years ago and that medication has the same sort of effect on your heart arteries (it is supposed to make them dilate, or widen, to allow blood to flow more efficiently and reduce the pain of an angina attack.) It has generally been very effective and I haven't had any sort of angina pain for quite a while. But I was warned by one of the pharmacists I spoke to when my medication was reviewed some while ago, that over-use of these medications will become ineffective so you have to be careful how often you use them.

There was a phone call at around 7.15 yesterday evening for Carol. It was Sainsbury's pharmacy ringing about 'flu jabs or something. She had hers done there last year. At her own expense, I may add. Which seems unfair as she'd not only diabetic (diagnosed since last year, I will admit.) and should be done, free, by the Academy. I get mine free because I have a heart condition and am also above a 'certain age.' But I thought it was a bit over-the-top for Sainsbury's to ring so late in the day. I realise it was to get her to book an appointment to have her 'flu jab done for this year, but did it have to be so late?

The motor mechanic who is a friend of Carol's friend and teaching colleague at the Academy, Lois (I forget his name, but I think it might be Mick or Mike.) came to look at the car the other morning and is going to be able to do the required work, something to do with the head gasket. Not being particularly car-engine literate, I'm not sure exactly what the head gasket does, but I know it's important and when it goes it can be an expensive thing to fix. He will be coming to work on it over a few days, actually managing to work on the drive and is able to start this Monday evening. He's also going to service the car after that work is done which will mean, hopefully, the car will be mechanically as sound as it can be to get it through the winter months. We have managed quite well without it over the past month or so, being able to do our weekly shop on-line and have it delivered by Sainsbury's. We are getting quite adept at doing this on-line and I must say it does save time and effort, particularly having it delivered is almost stress-free.

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