This Middle Age Life We Both Inherit!

Despite living under tier 2 restrictions, Ramona and I were able to meet up for our monthly get together as usual. Ramona has become a bit of a lifeline during this pandemic and without our catch ups, life would be even harder than it already is. To all intents and purposes, both of us are in the same social bubble, allowing us to continue seeing one another whenever we can.

Before I met Ramona, I had yet another appointment at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth. More diagnostic tests to try and determine the source of pain I am constantly feeling and another procedure to untangle the GI Jigsaw that dominates my life. Today is a perfect example, to illustrate how I feel, without digressing too much. I am plagued by issues that I am finding difficult to fathom; since I woke up this morning, I have been feeling off kilter, dizzy and light-headed, quite common for me. I have tried everything to alleviate symptoms, that have become an ongoing mystery for so long now, to no avail. Blood pressure monitoring, reducing medication, eating different foods and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, have all failed to yield answers. I have been very proactive in almost demanding further investigation and have discovered many small, irritating ailments that seem to be contributing to my continual malaise, but nothing major or significant, life changing or sinister.

With more tests arranged, I am hopeful I will find the origin of my current state of health soon. Presently, the dizziness I am experiencing, since my possible COVID symptoms in March, has been the most significant. Unable to pinpoint the reasons I am feeling so unbalanced, I have taken it upon myself to try and palliate the problem alternatively, without the use of anti sickness tablets. So far nothing seems to be working and this ongoing hindrance, just seems to linger stubbornly, as a consequence of all the other conditions I am being treated for.

It felt fantastic to get that off my chest and after more of the same bluster on Friday, it was good to spend a few hours with a friend who understands me more than most. Walking around Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, we were once again able to put the World to rights and offload our respective health concerns, a topic of conversation, both of us' articulate perfectly. When you have known someone for thirty years, you often recognise aggravations they can't always determine themselves. Friends are a great source of fortitude, especially at times of stress and Ramona is a tower of strength, especially today.

We hope to see one another once again next month, after the Christmas season, hopefully in a more intimate setting. For now, we will continue to help one another, as we navigate the implications that surround COVID and our own inimitable, characteristic, personal journey, trying to understand the middle age life both of us now inherit!