In Like A Lion and Out Like A Lamb

(Thursday)I was out with Alfie at around 6.50 this morning, but no sooner had I gone out of the front door of Dexter House I realised that it was wet and then suddenly, that it was snowing. Alfie isn't a fan of snow, so we weren't out there more than five minutes and as soon as I said 'shall we go home?' he turned tail (quite literally) and we were heading back to the warmth of the flat. I'm just glad that I don't have to drive anywhere today if that's the case as I don't enjoy driving in falling snow, or, indeed, any snow of any sort. Just unpleasant.

I took Alfie out again at around 9.30, by which time the snow had more or less stopped and as I write this at 10.35, the sun is shining and there is very little sign of snow.

(Friday) This morning, not a hint of snow. Hardly seems possible that barely 24 hours ago I was looking out of the window with the white stuff fluttering down from the heavens. Not a single speck of the stuff, mercifully, but it's now raining. The pavements outside are wet and there's more than ever puddles walking along Strudwick Drive towards Oldbrook Green.

(Saturday) Another night with a howling wind which kept me awake. I'm writing this at 6.15a.m. Alfie is determined to get my attention and wants to be taken out, but with the wind at full strength, I'm reluctant to go out, although we will be going out at around 6.45, or at least, as soon as it gets light. Apparently this storm is called Jorge, but I don't remember the names of the storm prior to this one, because the last one was Dennis. What about E, F, G,H and I?

It's Leap Day today, which might not mean much unless your birthday is today. I can't imagine what it would be like to have a birthday every four days. Seems to be just an excuse for companies to attempt to cash in on selling you something or offering so much of the price of something you probably didn't want or need in the first place.

(Sunday) Colder than ever this morning. It might look bright and sunny at 7.15a.m., but as soon as I had gone out with Alfie, I was surprised how cold it was. In fact, I was shocked by the cold having an effect on my heart and I thought I was going to have an angina attack, but it didn't come to that, although I had my G.T.N. spray in the pocket of my Regatta jacket. I was glad to get back to the warmth of the flat and so was Alfie!

I'm shocked by the amount of litter that is to be found all around Oldbrook Green. There are several rubbish bins dotted around the area, but still people seem reluctant to put it in any of the bins. There is a sort of covered seating area which is used by youths and then all around it are beer bottles and cans and the nearest rubbish bin is a mere handful of feet away. Just laziness in my opinion that they can't be bothered to put their rubbish in the bins. Then, a gang of youths, presumably from Milton Keynes Academy, walking along the path towards Oldbrook Green, and only a short time later a litter of rubbish, presumably from them, dropped along the path when I follow them with Alfie only minutes later. I was always under the impression that this generation of children were aware of environmental issues, probably more than my generation, so why is there an issue with dropping rubbish everywhere? It's just sheer laziness.

So, why 'in like a lion and out like a lamb'? Having done a bit of a search on the internet, this is what I discovered:

According to a saying which dates back to the 17th century, or, according to a later account, sometimes the other way around. The old saying is a cliché in modern meteorological circles, but it's not necessarily  a reliable forecasting guide. March is the transition between winter and summer, often starting with stormy weather before becoming mild later. In this sense the saying is simply an observation of the common seasonal pattern. However, it fails if it's taken to be a specific weather predictor, with studies failing to find a correlation between especially bad weather at the start of March and good weather at it's end.

One idea which has recently gained currency is that the saying refers to the stars. At the start of March, the constellation Leo (The Lion) is on the eastern horizon at sunset. By the end of the month. Aries, (The Ram) is on the western horizon. It's an ingenious explanation, but fails to account for the saying occurring specifically in weather folklore. According to another theory the saying is biblical. Jesus's first appearance was as the sacrificial lamb, but He will return as the Lion of Judah, hence those symbolic animals, inconveniently though, the older version definitely put the lion first.

Regardless of all the above, this morning (Monday) it's quiet outside. No wind and reasonably sunny and definitely NO RAIN. In fact, it's really quite spring-like. Let's just hope that it remains that way for the time being.

Wetter Than ever

(Monday) Alfie, as usual, has been eager to get outside for his customary walk. I had to wait until it was at least moderately light before venturing forth, but he wouldn't have it. I put on my shoes and jacket downstairs whilst he was still in the bedroom, because if he sees me preparing to go out he will start his usual racket of barking. Then he came rushing downstairs after I'd used my G.T.N. spray (I nearly always use this prior to starting a walk or anything vaguely strenuous.) As soon as I went into the kitchen and picked up his lead he went wild and once he was on his lead, which takes some effort to attach to his harness, he goes through this mad-dog act, even getting hold of his lead with his teeth, growling madly and shaking it. Why? But I only have to say the emotive word 'kitchen!' and he stops, if only briefly. It wasn't until I got outside that I realised that it was raining, quite heavily, but had been under the impression that it was dry. I kept on walking, down to the usual place where I let him of his lead, but then decided that I'd only do an abridged version of our usual walk, not the complete circuit of Eaglestone Park, and cut across the central grassed bit and walked back home through the estate. Just not worth us both getting soaked in the process, but even then, having got a soaking, Alfie's coat had become crinkly. It always looks as if he's had a perm with curls all over his back. It takes some while for him to dry out and he runs around the house rubbing himself up against the sofa to dry off.

Alfie is in definite need of being groomed. His coat is currently looking decidedly scruffy, but, with both of our health issues, Carol being in hospital and me having had my recent heart attack, it's been quite difficult to coordinate a booking for him. I will go to Pets At Home at Bletchley to see if I can get him a booking this afternoon. They can be extremely busy, so getting a booking can be tricky, but they do a very good job, not only giving him a lovely wash and trim, but cutting his nails which can get long and sharp and they give his paw-pads a lovely treatment to stop them cracking up and he comes out smelling fresh. I think he loves it, particularly the fact that he gets pampered and made a fuss of. Considering he has to stay at home on his own, it would be good to give him a treat.

(Tuesday) Alfie insisted on going for a walk, as usual. It was well past 7.30 so it was light enough, but it was damp and gloomy out. A certain amount of damp and a chill in the air, but that didn't stop Alfie charging off as soon as he was released from his lead. Never mind, he deserved his walk. I didn't do a complete circuit of Eaglestone Park, but cut across the central grassed area. At least we both got our morning exercise.

It's surprising how many people you see when we're out. Some stop and chat, usually those of my generation, but those younger are always in so much of a hurry or have their faces glued to their mobile phones or else have those crazy ridiculous headphone clamped over their ears that they wouldn't possibly want to communicate. Sad, really. People with dogs often want to talk, particularly if Alfie runs up to attempt to make friends with their dogs.

Later. I have managed to get an appointment to get Alfie groomed. I drove to Bletchley and went to the retail park where Pets At Home has a branch and within it there's the Groom Room, to which both our dogs have been over the years. I was glad to be able to get him booked in for next Tuesday at 1 p.m. So, he's going to come out looking much better than when he went in. His coat is getting very long and matted and has lots of tangles and his nails need trimming and he must find it difficult to see where he's going with the hair over his eyes.

Emergency Trip To the John Radcliffe In Oxford- Part 1

It will be a Sunday I won't forget in a hurry, and, no doubt will the members of Shenley Christian Fellowship.

I left Carol asleep and left a note for her to see when she woke up and drove off as I usually do at around 8.40 a.m. on my way to S.C.F. One horrible driver coming up far too close behind me as I make my way along Chaffron Way. Why do some drivers think it's acceptable to do this, attempting to make you drive far too fast? I avoided him by going round a roundabout and returning to my route before the turning for the National Bowl where this driver was heading as he soon joined the queue of cars entering that site. So, after all that he had to slow down. Stupid really. This type of behaviour only increases any stress which is not good if you have heart-health problems, which leads well into what was to happen later. Some people just want to control the road, always want to be in front, always need to cause stress.

I should say that I'd had a few attacks of angina over the days leading up to Sunday. We'd walked down to the gardens at Stowe along the Bell Entrance drive (all described in a previous post.) and had to stop to use my G.T.N. spray (Glyceryl Trinitrate), which usually works sufficiently for me to continue. Then, over Saturday into Sunday night I got a few more 'attacks', not anything to be really too concerned about. I also got a bout of indigestion which I dealt with by taking a Zantac tablet which seemed to relieve the discomfort. I should say, when I had the first heart attack in 2006 I did find it difficult to differentiate between the feelings in my chest of indigestion and the actual heart attack, both are very similar and in much the same position in the centre of my chest. But there was no crushing pain and I never had any pain in my arms or any other part of my body, nor any sweating which are supposed to be signs of a heart attack as described by others and given in any information on the internet or literature which deal with any symptoms.

Anyway, to jump forward to Sunday at S.C.F. The service began as usual at 9.15 (for the first of two Sunday services, the second beginning at 11.15 a.m.) I didn't feel any discomfort at that particular time and we started off with about 25 minutes or so of worship songs. Then, just as Ross Dilnot, our Pastor, got up to begin his sermon (probably at around 9.50) I got a slight twinge in my chest, and, in an attempt to avoid an angina attack. I discreetly used my G.T.N. spray which I had with me in my trousers' pocket.

I have no idea exactly what happened next, nor the time-scale of events, but the next thing I recollect was lying on the floor, with people standing or kneeling around me, with the service ground to a halt.  It was an odd position for me to be in, staring at the ceiling and having people looking at me. Having at one moment being standing facing forward in church, to then coming round at floor-level was somewhat mystifying, to say the least, when at first you don't know how you got there. I had collapsed, no doubt because of my blood pressure falling because I'd used the G.T.N spray too often. I'm not sure I had the heart attack then. I didn't feel any pain in my chest, just a sort of tightness, as if I was being sat on. (I don't really know how else to describe it.) Someone put me into a recovery position (having been trained in First Aid myself I know this procedure.) and having some questions asked of me, such as, 'where was the pain?' and so on. I don't remember anything else, but I certainly don't recall collapsing. So someone must have seen all this going on, as they had moved the chairs out of the way around me. Then the paramedics arrived, so someone had obviously rung for an ambulance. The paramedics then too over my care. I am so grateful to everyone at S.C.F. Everyone seemed to know how to deal with my First Aid. I don't know in particular who was First Aid trained and knew to put me in a recovery position and handed over to the paramedics when they arrived. Don't ask me how quickly they came, from the original 999 call, but it must have been quick.

Sunday, Sunday

I'm trying to find a different title for each blog post I write. I usually try with alliteration, as most of my readers will notice. Sunny Sunday sounds just downright corny. Well, it might be accurate. This morning, as I write this at 7 a.m., the sun isn't blazing, so it's inappropriate. I can hear the boringly repetitive cooing of a pigeon. Or is it more than one? There was one which seemed to spend a lot of time in our garden, looking, frankly, half-witted. Just do tell me, are there full-witted pigeons? I somehow doubt it. Anyway, we had a rather large water filled plastic plant pot near the shed and this stupid pigeon looked as if it was going to dive into this plant pot. It wandered about on the roof of the shed, as if it didn't have the faintest idea where on earth it was. Seemingly lost the plot. It attempted to perch on the bird feeding station and tried to get some of the food out of one of the hanging feeders, without success. The repetitive nature of pigeon noises, coo-coo-coo-coo, does rather get on your nerves. Can't they make a more interesting sound? Infact, pigeons generally, are not the most interesting of birds. The way they move, like some sort of wind up toy, the way their head keep nodding endlessly. Do they not get a headache from doing this sort of thing? I was driving into the hospital campus this morning and as i drove round the inner ring road on the way to the carpark, there was a group of around half-a-dozen pigeons idly standing in the road. They made no attempt to move out of the way. One, in particular, just stood where it was. I think I would have run the stupid bird over if I hadn't slowed down. How totally idiotic these birds are. As thick as a couple of planks of wood. Just were not going to budge. 

Alfie more or less now asks for his early morning walk. He's now got into the routine with me, knowing that I'm as keen as him to get out. No sooner had I put on my shoes than he sets off barking and wanting me to collect his lead from the hook in the kitchen. Who says dogs can't talk? I don't mean using verbal language. He uses body language quite clearly. Although he barks, so I suppose that can be classed as verbal. If nothing else, it's good exercise for me. I had to use my G.T.N. spray because I got a sort of angina attack, not too bad though. I take the spray with me in my pocket because I was told that it's best to use it before any strenuous activity, not that a morning walk is exactly strenuous. Two of these circular walks of  Eaglestone Park, one in the morning and one when I get back from the hospital.

It's turned out to be another hot and sticky day. Not bright sunshine, but nevertheless it's still hot. At night it's just as clammy and it's difficult to sleep. This heat is tiring, which doesn't make sense when I can't sleep. I'm spending time reading, the Dominic Sandbrook book 'State of Emergency.' I watched the first part of his history of the 1980's. I don't know whether he's writing a book on this decade, but I would imagine he would, based on the BBC series and following on from the next book I have called 'Seasons In The Sun' and taking the history up until the election in 1979 which brought Margaret Thatcher to power. The episode of the History of the 1980's seems be explain why things were the way they were in that decade, the rise of individualism, and the roots of what became Thatcherism. A period of strife with strikes, the Troubles in Northern Ireland, unemployment and one or two scandals. It's a period I remember very well, strikes, piles of black bin bags littering the street when there was a dustman's strike, the three-day week, power cuts and television having to close down at 10.30 p.m.

After church this morning, I drove straight to hospital. Carol feeling really bored silly with the hospital, and no wonder, she's been in there for four weeks, or at least it will by tomorrow. Her temperature is stabilised and no further problems with her blood sugar. I think she's realised how important to keep her diabetes under control.

Hospital food is really disgusting. Carol had ordered soup, which was stone cold, followed by what was supposed to be roast chicken. She was really looking forward to it, but she said what purported to be chicken didn't taste of anything. Followed up with ice-cream, rather like those ice creams you get when you go to the theatre, in a small tub. But it was defrosted. Carol said it was warmer than the soup. How on earth can you make such a mess-up of food? Can't be too difficult to produce something at least appetising. I know they have a minuscule budget but how difficult can it be to keep food warm until the patients get to eat it? Have mobile units which have hot water in them, which they use in most catering establishments. These then plugged into mains supply to keep food warm. Hospital food should help patients to recover. Most of the food is thrown away and never eaten, which is a waste.

Still Sunshine

As I write this, at 6.30 a.m., it's not bright sunshine. Well, probably not so early, as I don't expect the sun has risen long. As a result I thought I'd take Alfie out for a walk. I say 'walk', as he hardly walks, he runs like a little hare, darting off ahead of me and stopping to investigate every tree, blade of grass or twig and then running back to me, yapping noisily. I was determined to more than one circuit of the park as I wanted to see how many extra steps my gadget would register. As I look I can see it reads 1998. I am quite out of breath and I had a slight twinge of angina, but nothing too bad and my G.T.N. spray helped to relieve things. I certainly don't let it stop me going out with Alfie.

The glass has been removed from part of the Redway that passes through the park. As we walked (in Alfie's case, running.) round the other side, along near some houses which overlook the park, I saw a tent in amongst the trees. It makes me wonder who on earth would be camping in the park.

Carol is still on Ward 22. It's over week since we went to Ashfield Medical Centre and we then had to go into the hospital and ending up on the Acute Ward, Ward 1. She has been put on a second type of antibiotics which has to be administered by syringe in the stomach. When I was in hospital myself, some of my medication was administered in this way.

Carol's temperature and blood sugar levels are going up and down, but they seem to be levelling out considerably.

I haven't been writing any more blog posts for the past couple of days. They are becoming very repetitive. Some days there's simply not enough to fill a decent post, so I decided to leave off writing anything.

It's another hot day. I'm annoyed by the Council bin men. (Is that their correct title? Dusbin men is perhaps a bit out of date. Refuse collection operatives? I don't know the correct name.) Anyway, Wednesday is our rubbish collection day, as I've more than likely mentioned in earlier posts. You are supposed to sort your recycling into a pink bag (for some reason they have stopped supplying pink bags and we now get grey ones. What is all that about? Why the change of colour to dull grey?) Then you must put these bags (black ones for other unrecyclable rubbish.) to the edge of your property, in our case, to the road-edge so the dustmen can collect them when they come, sometime after 7 a.m. Unfortunately, plastic bags are susceptible to being attacked by cats and birds, usually magpies and crows, which live in and around this estate. If the bags are opened as they would be by a bird or a cat, the contents are spilled out onto the roadside and the lawn at the front of our house. I came back on Wednesday afternoon to find all manner of refuse left from the rubbish bags. Which was unsightly and positively annoying. I don't think the Council has much common sense in this regard, because if these bags were inside wheely bins, they wouldn't be attacked by animals and birds, plastic bags are far too easily torn open and the rubbish to spill out.

Life on a hospital can become somewhat monotonous, as you would expect. The same sort of routine day after day. Ward 22 is busy.  The patients come and go.  Not as much as they do on Ward 1.

Carol's been told that she should be able to be discharged today (Friday). Her temperature and blood sugar levels need to remain stable before she can go home. On Friday morning, at about 1 a.m., she was given a sleeping tablet so on Thursday she was extremely sleepy. Understandable, really. When I arrived at the entrance to Ward 22 at just after 10 o'clock yesterday morning I was met by Carol, in a wheelchair, being pushed by a porter. She was on her way to having another M.R.I. scan, the unit only a very short ride from the ward. I had to sit and wait in the waiting area as the scan took around 40 minutes. 

More Mowing and Oncology Appointment

Another really warm and sunny day. I've done a bit more of the mowing of the grass, but there's still a bit more to do. The grass is exceptionally long and somewhat wet and the mower really moaned. Who can blame it? It's designed to cut nice, neat grass, not grass you would ordinarily find in a meadow and eaten by cattle. The machine is still sitting on the grass, waiting for me to complete the job. At the moment it's really far too hot. Not a good idea if you have a heart problem as I do. I have used my G.T.N. spray to alleviate any angina attacks, which is always possible if I'm exerting myself, which is definitely the case pushing the Flymo back and forth across the garden. I shall continue the job when it's a little cooler, which makes sense.

Carol had an oncology appointment with one of the consultants at 11 this morning (Friday). As it's been so warm and sunny it seemed a good idea to walk to the hospital. After all we only live around 10 minutes away. So we set of at around 10.30 and got there, having walked along the Redway and then into the hospital campus. Carol insisted we scramble up a slope which lead into the carpark behind the cardiology department. I had to climb it first and I helped her over the hump. On arrival in the Macmillan Unit it was exceptionally busy. Nowhere for us to sit together at first. As people went in for their appointments, this left vacant chairs, so we were able move around and to sit together. All a bit like a game of musical chairs. When the music stops . . .

Overhearing people's conversations. Well, it's just impossible to not hear. One old man, he must have been in his late 80's, if not older. Sounding a bit like Jones the butcher in 'Dad's Army,' who kept going on about his time in the desert during the First World War. This old man had been 'in the desert, in North Africa.' He'd been a chemist, so he knew a lot about the various chemicals they were using for his chemotherapy. He'd also worked in a paper-mill or somewhere and they'd used his skills.  Rather like being in the midst of an Alan Bennet play. He did go on and on. Got the other waiting people smiling. He did go on, though. But then he was called in for his appointment.

One of the volunteer men came round collecting mugs. Then he asked people if they would like tea. I didn't, but Carol did. By the time Carol was called in for her appointment at 11.20, he was coming around with a tray of tea, so Carol took her's into the consultants appointment. The surgeons have yet to see the results of the last M.R.I. scan from Wednesday afternoon, but they have discussed Carol's treatment. It looks likely that she will go to Oxford for radiotherapy on part of the cancer whilst the rest will be operated on in Milton Keynes and it's likely to be within the next four weeks or so. So everything is very positive. The warm weather definitely helping and the fact that we walked and didn't have the stress of driving and having to park the car.

On the way out of the unit we bumped into the cancer nurse we had been assigned when Carol was first diagnosed, and whom we haven't seen in quite a while. She said she didn't recognise Carol, as she is looking so much better. The fact that we've been out and about, that she is walking further and further is probably one reason.

So, a really pleasant walk back home, going through the hospital campus and back along the Redway.

We had a grocery delivery during the afternoon from Sainsbury's. It was easier to order on-line and have it delivered. We'd booked it to come between 3 and 4. It was efficiently done and saves so much bother of going to the store and trudging around picking up everything ourselves. It's great to let someone else do the work for us, and you don't end up buying stuff you don't need. As the site 'saves' your list of items, it's easier next time to do your shop faster.

I did a further bit of mowing, but there's still another section to do, mostly around the edges. I refuse to describe this scrappy bit of grass a 'lawn.' It no more resembles one, it may be grass, but not a neat and tidy piece of turf. Perhaps we should tear it up and have some artificial grass as someone has obviously had a bit further down our road. Oh, gracious! It would save time and effort, but I don't think our landlord would approve.

Sunshine, Sneezes and Grass Cutting

So, we're now into September. I suppose it's now downhill to Christmas. The shops will be brim-full of the usual tat that passes for 'Christmas' stock, all the junk you couldn't possibly want but seem impelled to purchase. It's such a pity that B.H.S. no longer exists as we always found it great fun to visit their Christmas shop because it used to be chock full of the exact tat I've just mentioned above, furry slippers with Father Christmas hats on, party packs of chewing gum and assorted mints in Guinness glasses. You name it, some idiot has thought of it and it's packaged and made available to the general public. So, which shop will take the mantle from those eager to buy this stuff?

Further thoughts on B.H.S. Why did it deteriorate so rapidly? When it was run by Conran's under the umbrella of Storehouse (or some other name) along with B and Q and Superdrug (which, incidentally, are still going strong as separate companies) but when Philip Green took it over did it become nothing but a disaster, the standard of the stuff they sold really poor quality? Further to that, what happened to the stock that was left when it went into administration? The same could be said of Woolworth's when they, too, went bust. What happened to the stock that they had left when it closed down? Is it in a  warehouse awaiting being sold on to some other business.

I've been sneezing for the past few days. Considering all our health issues over the past couple of months, the last thing I wanted to get would be a cold. I suppose it's no surprise, I probably picked it up from sitting in waiting rooms. I remember a couple of years ago when I went into hospital when I had a glitch with an angina attack which didn't stop, I came out of hospital and came down with a severe bout of noro virus. Just typical, you go into hospital with one thing and come out with another. Not nice and something we could well do without. Since then, I have noticed when we've been to hospital, how much effort is now made to keep the various places clean, there's always someone cleaning the floor or surfaces, how much effort they seem to make when they change the beds.

Well, anyway, as I say, I've been sneezing a lot the past couple of days. I haven't had a cold in a few years now. My general health has been good. I haven't had any severe angina attacks or anything heart-related for quite a while. If I do anything too strenuous I always manage to use a G.T.N. spray. For example, whenever we go swimming at Nuffield Health I have a few puffs before I get into the pool. Or, if we go out and go for a walk I often use the spray before we set of or at least take one with me. I have several spare in the box I have to keep my medication.

It's possible that the sneezing is because of the grass-cutting, but they can't be linked as it stopped before I cut the grass.

I've put it off for long enough. It's not a job I particularly relish, but there was no point in putting it off much longer. The weather was fine, so I just went and cut the grass. Anyway, it was long and if I ignored it for much longer the mower wouldn't make much of a job. Considering the machine has such a tiny plastic cutter, it's a wonder I managed to make much of an impression on the grass at all. It was slightly wet which didn't exactly help, but at least it's now done and should not need doing again for another couple of weeks. Mention as I have above about using a G.T.N. spray I usually use it before mowing the grass and stop several times as I'm mowing as I don't want to get an angina attack. Makes sense really. One reason to cut the grass is, that our beloved landlord will visit at some point within the next month, and probably the only comment he will make will be 'have you cut the grass?' Well, if he was to merely take a glance into the garden he would be able to see whether it was cut or not. He and his wife usually ring us during August to come and visit (having to give 24 hours notice) but, up until today, they haven't done so. Why, I begin to ask? Have they forgotten? Is it because they trust us to look after the house? Or is it they don't want to have to spend out on repairs to the place, one such repair desperate for something or other is the toilet cistern in the bathroom. It doesn't stop water flowing into the bowl after you flush the thing. And quite a few minor things that need doing.

Anyway, returning to my sneezing attacks. It seems to have passed. It didn't develop into a full-scale cold, thank goodness. Probably a sort of hay fever attack. Which, incidentally, isn't something I'm prone to.

Chest Pains

Incidentally, for those that know me. Don't be alarmed by this post. I am alright. Not in hospital or anything. Just my intention to journal everything that happens to me and this is part of that effort. I'm at home and fine as I write this. So, read on . . .

I've had a really annoying cough for the last couple of weeks. It's not connected to a cold, or anything else. I've been fine for the past couple of years.  No cold or anything similar. No flu, basically because I have a flu jab every year. I might have had a glitch as regards angina attacks, but they're under control. I was given isoborbide mononitrate by my doctor some while ago after I was rushed to hospital after a particularly bad angina attack that didn't go away. Those tablets do help relive the pain and act in the same way as the main ingredients of my G.T.N. spray.  In fact I have a couple which I keep handy. One lives more or less permanently on the bookshelf in the lounge and I have one in my bag for when we go swimming. I gave a few puffs under my tongue before swimming or if there's a chance of an attack, particularly if I need to exert myself which can bring on an angina attack. If I sit down for a couple of minutes the pain goes away. When the cough didn't go away I went to Boot's over at Westcroft and bought some linctus which helps relieve the cough. Carol did me a  hot lemon and honey drink which I had on Friday evening. But then I had a really bad attack. A really bad pain in my chest. It didn't go away, even with the G.T.N. spray. I have to admit that I did begin to panic. Usually these pains go off after about five minutes. Carol told me to just lay down on the bed and relax. I did this, but still the pain went on. I was reminded on how my heart attack began. I didn't realise that I was having a heart attack and thought that the pain I was experiencing was caused by indigestion. I know it sounds crazy, but heartburn and the feelings you have in your chest when you experience a heart attack are very similar. This time I took a couple of ranitide tablets, which are intended to relieve heartburn. It took several hours for the discomfort to go off, but I have to admit that while all this was going on, it was quite scary. I have done some research on the internet and found that I'm not the only person to find heartburn of this sort of intensity to panic somewhat. Heartburn isn't actually connected with your heart and is caused by acid or something.

Anyway, the heartburn gradually subsided. But it's not something that you want to ignore, particularly if it doesn't immediately go away. Would you delay calling 999 for an ambulance? It could always be a genuine heart attack and not just caused by a really bad dose of indigestion.