Two Month's of Sickness!

Although I had been starting to feel better, a recent Doctor's appointment saw me signed off for another month but, this time, with post viral fatigue rather than influenza. However I started to feel really unwell again on Thursday 14^th February and was floored with: fever; aching muscles; tiredness; a dry cough, loss of appetite and shivering. I slept for around 40 hours, taking the opportunity to change my bed linen, take on fluids and have another maximum strength LemSip whenever I awoke from my slumbers. I felt a bit better on Saturday and actually enjoyed an evening meal.

Hopefully I'll feel a wee bit better again today but given that it's almost two months since I first started feeling ill, I'm sure you can understand my concerns and frustrations. I'll give the Doctor a call on Monday and see if there's any thing else that they could test for me but until then it's back to resting, keeping warm and taking plenty of fluids.

Christine Goudie Happy 50th!

It's hard to believe that my 'baby' sister Christine would have been 50 today!  She was the youngest of the family, having five elder brothers when she was born in Stewarton on 14th February 1963.  Sadly Motor Neurone robbed her of her life and, after a lengthy fight with the disease, she died in 1993.  I had returned to the west coast to spend more time with her and I still remember the early morning call from the hospital advising us that her battle was over.  

The people of Stewarton had rallied around to support her in her final years and to fund a trip to Disney Land with her daughter Kelly.  This was Christine's one and only trip abroad and I thank the people of Stewarton and the Scottish Sun for their support.  Her memory is always with me and many others. Happy 50th Birthday Christine!

“You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” ― Oscar Wilde

I’m often asked if I’m a lecturer and although I have given a few guest lectures in my time and was asked to go into teaching I am not a lecturer or a teacher although I feel that I’ve probably got more out of the education system than most.  In fact I’ve been fortunate enough to attend the following Educational establishments: 

Stewarton Primary School; Stewarton High School; Kilmarnock Academy; Southampton Marine College; Bell College; Stewarton Academy; Stevenson College; Telford College;Napier College; the Workers’ Education Association; the Open University; Keele University; Edinburgh University; Leith Academy; Glasgow University; Strathclyde University; Military Academy Budapest (Hungary); the Miltary Academy Ljubljana (Slovenia); the University of Juensuu (Finland); Plymouth University; Lancaster University;Bremen University (Germany); Middlesex University; Brest University (France); Malmö University (Sweden); Kiel University (Germany); Langside College; Cardonald College; the University of Barcelona; the Metropolitan College Glasgow; the City of Glasgow College; a number of trade union educational establishments and maybe a few others that I’ve forgotten about.  I've also had the amazing experience of undertaken a study tour of Nicaragua.

I do love education but as you can see it’s not always easy to answer the question “where were you educated?”

One Day Soon?

The snow was falling the other day as I looked out the window wishing that I was running.  Today the sun was shining but I was still indoors. 

There’s much more than a pane of glass separating me from where I want to be: Outside in the wind, rain, snow or sunshine, running or cycling.  Being free. Breathing the fresh February air, feeling the winter cold on my face.  

It’s been a long time now since I ran or cycled.  A lot of days spent indoors, feeling locked in.  Looking out the window and wishing that I was out there running or cycling.  Even walking would be a start. 

I don’t know how many days I’ll sit inside, on the wrong side of the window, aching.  But I do know that there will come a day when I’ll be out there, no matter what the weather is I’ll be out there running and smiling.  I hope that it’s one day soon!

Flu Part 3

I had a couple of days when I thought I might have been recovering but sadly it was not to be and I still find myself battling against the symptoms of influenza.  It's floored me for a long time now, I initially started feeling unwell on the 18th December!!  I have another Doctor's appointment on Monday but there doesn't seem to be much that she can do.  For my part all I can do is continue to rest and to eat healthy foods, I'm also doing a little Yoga to improve my circulation.  I've found myself regularly wearing two pairs of trousers and three tops to try to warm up the chill in my legs and back and that's on top of the central heating.  My night sweats appear to be an indication that my body is fighting back but, to date, it doesn't seem to be winning.  Things can only get better :-(