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    Post COVID Problems!

    It's been a few weeks since I was diagnosed with COVID-19 and I have started to get back to normal. Looking back at the ten days I had this wretched disease, I can confidently say, It was, in the main, quite mild. When I compare my symptoms with other peoples, I am fully aware of how lucky I was, to recover relatively unscathed, with mostly no enduring issues. However, I am left with a few annoying problems, that just won't go away.

    I still have a cough, that just lingers and lingers. I'm not coughing constantly, but enough to cause concern. All of us cough for a reason, it's usually because we have an irritant in our throat, that just will not go away, and I suppose that is the case with me. During my bout of Coronavirus, I was given antibiotics to help clear, what the Doctor thought was a bacterial chest infection. Apparently, according to him, coughing up dark green phlegm was the key to this diagnosis. Having finished the medication, although much better, I am told I have 'post COVID-19 bronchitis,' which could take a while to shift.  I am still bringing up mucus, just not the thick substance I was earlier.

    One of the biggest ailments, for want of a better word, I am left with, is fatigue and tiredness, as well as constant dizzy spells that just will not go away. I have never been someone who sleeps particularly well, waking up numerous times during the night, but since COVID, my sleep is far worse. I am tired every day and often feel nauseous and disorientated. My joints ache far more than usual, making it difficult to carry out tasks I would usually find easy. These are not life limiting manifestations, but they do make my activities a lot harder than they already were.

    There is very little I can do about the niggling post COVID symptoms I am suffering from, but they are a reminder of how bad things could have been. After explaining my brush with Coronavirus with my Doctor, he told me, how I had got off lightly. For me, this virus went straight to my chest, but luckily no further. Had I not had the vaccinations, I may well have been in trouble, COVID could have moved further and deeper into the lungs, causing extensive damage and my outcome could have been very different.

    I didn't suffer from classic Coronavirus symptoms; I had no temperature, could breathe absolutely fine and experienced only mild traits. Other people were not so lucky and are racked with lasting pain. In many respects I am glad I have had the disease, as I now have many more antibodies than before. I would hope not to get it again, but there are no guarantees. None of us really know where this virus will go, and it is likely many more variants will be discovered over the following months. I am still trying to take greater care around people and will always wear a mask in public places to differing degrees, but for me, it's time to move on, and live life once again. Coronavirus will be with us for a long-time yet and as it becomes endemic within our boarders, all of us will have to learn to live alongside it. The only thing to fear, is fear itself; COVID isn't the killer it used to be!
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    Another Weight Loss Goal Achieved!

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    Today, I have finally achieved another weight loss goal. Since October 5th 2021, I have been on a calorie controlled diet, not a keto or one of those fad diets, but just a good old-fashioned calorie counting weight loss programme. With a little help from my 'nutracheck' app, I have managed to lose nearly 20 kg, going from 100 kilos last year to 77.9 kilograms today. For me, that is a huge undertaking; I used to have a BMI of 43, through careful eating and an active lifestyle, that has now fallen to 24.6. I am no longer obese, I am a normal healthy weight, although still at the higher end of normal…. I can cope with that; I am just happy to feel fit again, without the aches and pains I have suffered with in the past. Getting out of bed is a dream, walking has become easier, and I no longer get out of breath walking upstairs.

    My weight has always tended to yo-yo over the years, I have literally been every size you can imagine and everything in-between. I have been on many diets, but never really achieved a sustainable weight, that I was able to maintain. Of course, I am hoping this time will be different, but I am also under no illusions, as to just how difficult it will be, to stay at 77 kilos.

    I have downloaded the 'nutracheck' application on my phone and use it to keep track of the calories I eat on a daily basis. Through a barcode scanner, I am able to accurately establish my intake of food and drink daily, make adjustments where necessary and also take account of any exercise and activity I undertake. This app has been amazing at keeping me on the straight and narrow, preventing me from deviating from my weight loss goal too much. It has also allowed me to track my changing weight and other health indicators, making it the ideal diet companion.

    This time I was determined not to make the same mistakes of the past. I have allowed myself to eat treats now and again, not every day, but on occasion, when I fancy something a little different. Also, when eating out, I have put no restrictions on what I consume, not always opting for the healthiest option. This has worked well for me and as a result I have rarely craved food, in the same way I used to.

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    Tonight I am going out for a meal at 'Yan Woo,' in Portsmouth, one of my favourite restaurants. This is my first Saturday night off in nearly four years, after I worked my last Saturday night shift at the Newcome Arms a few weeks ago. I decided, after much deliberation, that it was time to take a step back from the pub and give up one of my evening shifts.

    At fifty years old, I understand I can't keep burning the candle at both ends. With both Darrell and I working, I felt it was time to cut back and give someone else the chance to take on the busy Saturday shift at the pub. That doesn't mean I am giving it up entirely, far from it, I will still be working on a Wednesday. I love being there, and it has become an important social outlet for me. I couldn't give up this part of my life just yet; many of those who go to The Newcome have become friends, I love spending time in their company. This job was never about money, it was always about keeping connected to those I regard as close.

    Tonight will be about eating good food and drinking a few glasses of wine with Darrell, the first time we have been able to do that since Darrell returned to the UK in September. After receiving his new biometric card and me reaching a significant milestone, it is time to sit back and let someone else do the work.
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    Leave to Settle in the UK!

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    December 2017

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    February 2022

    It has been a little over four years since Darrell was granted his Spanish residency in December 2017, and my God, a lot has happened since. In 2017, we were very much looking forward to our new life in Gran Alacant, enjoying living on the continent and the Spanish way of life. Today in 2022, we are firmly but in many respects reluctantly committed to settling in Britain; not what we planned, but at least we are together.

    Today, Darrell received his UK settlement status for a second time, after what has been the most turbulent five years in our life. Darrell was originally given 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' in 2001, but after changes to immigration law, the introduction of a new biometrics card and dramatic changes to our circumstances, he was forced to reapply for the same status yet again. Living outside Australia for nearly two years, caring for Mum, only complicated our situation further. When one adds Brexit and a Worldwide pandemic into the mix, you can see, just how precarious our situation was.

    Since his return to the UK in September, we have both been living under a cloud, not knowing if he would be allowed to live here permanently or not. However, after consulting a solicitor at great expense, we were able to establish a legal basis for settlement, and he was finally given back his right of abode. It has been a long, difficult journey getting here; despite our current situation, we are both determined to make the most of our life together and forge a future at least in part based in the UK.

    Being around family has been amazing over the last four years, especially whilst living through a pandemic, it has given us both a reason to stay in this part of the World. We have grown close to our cousins and family in a way we haven't before and for that reason, I couldn't be happier. There is nevertheless a profound sense of disappointment that we couldn't continue our journey in Spain, and I will forever wonder what could have been. Despite the sadness we feel, we are both well aware of just how much the World has changed over the last two years in particular, and believe our life in Spain would have been cut short in any eventuality.

    Today we both have the luxury of planning for yet another new future, whether on the south coast, or further afield in Lancashire, an area we know well. Neither of us know where life will take us from now, but we are determined to make the most of the opportunities we have and hope the next five years will be a little easier than the last!
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    COVID Positive!

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    Well it was only a matter of time before I caught COVID once again, and today I am self-isolating, after testing positive for Coronavirus. I had been suffering from a tickly throat for a couple of days, just a niggly annoyance if I am honest, but due to the nature of my work, I was testing daily; each time, my lateral flow test was coming back negative. Not feeling too unwell, I carried on as normal, bought a tickly throat medicine and ate copious amounts of lozenges. Oddly, nothing was helping, and the mild symptoms just lingered and lingered. All the time, I continued to test every day, just to be sure, there was nothing going on.

    This week, on Saturday, I was due to have a procedure in hospital, so it was important that I remained as safe as I could, constantly testing, social distancing and wearing a mask. Every time, the results came back negative, and I felt confident to prepare for hospital. However, on Monday this week, Darrell tested positive for COVID and I instinctively knew there was something wrong.

    The new lateral flow kits only have swabs long enough for the nasal cavity. After quickly looking online and taking advice, I was told to try and swab the back of my throat as well as my nose, even though this isn't standard practice. Low and behold, I tested positive within seconds and immediately informed work.
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    The rules on self-isolation have changed recently and despite my COVID-19 app initially telling me to quarantine for eleven days, it was only a guide to how long I would have to separate myself from the World. The new rules state that if I take a lateral flow test on day five and six, and they are both negative, I can return to work. I would need two negative results over two consecutive days, then my period of isolation would end immediately.

    Today is my fifth day, according to 'Track and Trace' who phoned me this morning, informing me I probably caught COVID between the 14th and 18th of January. My guess is, they determined this after I did a PCR test yesterday, but I can't be certain. The gentleman on the phone asked me all the standard questions about whom I had been in contact with. He assured me, that even if I am still testing positive on the day I return to work, it would be safe to do so, since I would no longer be infectious.
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    I am aware that a PCR investigation is no longer required, if you test positive on a lateral flow. However, in order to make sure I was actually infected with the virus, I wanted to do the more reliable laboratory analysis, especially after registering negative LFT's.

    Yesterday morning I walked the short distance to the testing site and the temporary Portakabins, erected in the old Sainsbury car park on Commercial Road, Portsmouth, and did the test. Last night I received the news, I was positive and should continue to stay at home.

    Tuesday was a particularly busy day, as I had to rearrange hospital appointments, thankfully with only a week delay. The lady on the phone was extremely helpful, even informing me I would not have to do a PCR test before attending my appointment. Initially, confused, I questioned this, only to be told, it wasn't necessary. Apparently, even though I would be free of Coronavirus on the day of my admission, I would still probably test positive on a PCR test. I would be able to bypass this element of my hospital stay and just attend at the new appointment time.
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    With both Darrell and I self-isolating together, we are catching up on some much-needed sleep and rest. I am unsure which strain of Coronavirus I have, but the symptoms are extremely mild. I suppose I feel a little more tired than usual, and I have a tickly throat, coughing on occasion, but nothing more than that. If I am honest, I have had worse colds; the way I feel at the moment, is like nothing I have experienced before. In many respects I feel like a charlatan having to self-isolate, but I do understand the reasons why.

    If I hadn't had my vaccinations and booster, I can guarantee I would be feeling a lot worse. Yes, I do feel out of sorts, but nothing bad or unable to cope with. By staying away from  people I am protecting others, but I am not sure it is entirely appropriate to quarantine for such a long time, especially when, like most people, I have to work for a living. Nevertheless, all of us do need to support the most vulnerable in society; if anyone in an at risk category caught Coronavirus, they may not be as lucky as me.

    Today, I feel completely different to the first time I had to self-isolate with COVID symptoms, back in March 2020. Back then I lost my sense of taste and smell and isolated for seven days. I did have a few days when I wasn't feeling great, but nothing too concerning; this time, I feel like I have a very mild cold! Also, the anxiety, worry, and stress I suffered with back in 2020 is no longer there, as I just wait for the day I am able to return to work.

    All being well, I should be out and about again on 31st January and in hospital on 8th February for my rescheduled appointment. Darrell and I are at least able to spend some valuable time together, despite being ill. As Coronavirus becomes endemic in Britain, there will be more times I will have to self-isolate I'm sure, unless, of course, the rules are changed once again. The hope is, life will return to normal and all of us will just have to live with the virus, making our own personal judgements on who to be in close contact with. The only concern I have, is the possible discovery of yet another new variant, that is more dangerous than Delta or Omicron, and we return to lockdowns and shutdowns. If things remain as they are, then hopefully we can learn to live alongside COVID and use our own common sense, showing respect for friends, family, and colleagues when we have to and enjoying life as we did in 2018. I pray it's the beginning of the end for self-isolation and I never, never have to do it again!
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