Saturday 16 March 2019

Flowers, Friendship And Fatigue

 As well as the flowers outside in the garden, I'm currently enjoying flowers inside the house.
My two orchid plants are both blossoming. The one on the right has been dormant for about a year, and I thought it was dead and nearly discarded it. But my good friend Jenny gave me some orchid food - and these gorgeous pink blossoms appeared unexpectedly. Thanks J!

Then in recent weeks I have received a couple of floral cards from blog-friends [you know who you are] one is a delightful decoupage in shades of peachy pink, the other a get well card with stunning scarlet poppies. Both so very pretty to look at - but more important are the thoughtful words inside. 
The older I get, the more I value friendships. I am sure you feel the same. 
A big thankyou to the people who suggested my mystery herb might be rocket. 
The leaves do not match the rocket I get in Lidl - but they definitely have the same peppery flavour.  Did you know that the Romans introduced rocket to Britain two thousand years ago? In the Middle Ages, it was forbidden to grow rocket in monasteries because it was believed to arouse sexual desires. It was often mixed with lettuce leaves in salads because lettuce has a soporific, calming effect, and the theory was that the two would cancel each other out! I discovered a crop of flatleaf parsley too - a good source of vitamin B. 
I saw the GP yesterday - he thinks I have Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome, and need to rest and pace myself better. He's done blood tests for vitamin B & D deficiencies, and apologised that the NHS cannot afford to prescribe a week's holiday in a sunny climate. At least it is nothing serious or sinister - and I must just Slow Down A Bit.
I'm trying ["You're very trying sometimes" says Bob] Thank you to all my dear friends out there who have sent such kind wishes. 




9 comments:

  1. Hope you work out how to slow down so the fatigue syndrome doesn't last too long.

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  2. Thank you Sue. Any advice from fellow sufferers will be gratefully received!

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  3. I'm afraid the only thing to do is to rest, and you are going to find that difficult, I think. The holiday in the sun would help and really the NHS should realise what a lot of good it would do for people.

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  4. I hope you will be feeling better especially with such pretty cards to look at.
    Hazel c uk

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  5. I have RA and Fibromyalgia (similar to the fatigue syndrome) and my rheumatologist always says "Use it or lose i" - but - she also says to listen to your body and to learn to pace yourself. Most people are very surprised when they find out that I suffer from these conditions (although I do use a cane) as I am always on the go and seem to get so much done - and I'm always out and about. But the truth is I've learned how to manage things by trial and error. I can feel a flareup coming on and that's when I cut back - if I can't do a complete clean of my apt. then I do a small job every day. I keep a stocked pantry so that I don't HAVE to go the the shops if I'm not up to it - and I've learned that I can't say "yes" to everything - be it volunteering or socializing. And don't feel guilty if you have to say "NO" occasionally - it's better to take a bit of time off now and again instead of going through a complete collapse and being out of action for weeks.
    Please take care. Oh and I take 2,000 IU of Vitamin D every day - doctor's orders as my levels were very low.

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    1. Great advice, take life in bite size pieces and pace as much as you can. I have cfs/me and know the signs of overdoing it. I’ve also learnt to eat little and often and to make it count by eating healthily, little pots of cottage cheese or yogurt provide a lovely protein hit which helps my energy levels. Sometimes just closing your eyes for a few moments when sitting down, to avoid information overload helps. Hope you get over this ASAP Angela x

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  6. My daughter had a mystery illness and thankfully a CT scan showed nothing amiss. She had severe vertigo and then post viral syndrome. She was off work from October to January and still experiences periods of fatigue. Take your time and pace yourself- you will eventually feel better. Roll on the lighter days and outdoor living.

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  7. Hope you feeling better Angela!! Speedy recovery! I must say I have never heard of rocket before. I grew up in Brazil where we use lots of herbs. My grandmother was excellent in knowing them. Take care!

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  8. Your orchids are beautiful! Yes, your doctor is right, you need to rest more! As in staying home with your feet up, doing nothing more strenuous than read a book, drink a cup of tea, and, maybe, knit! Hope you can rest and feel better, soon.

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