The more observant of you may have noticed that there was no Saturday posting on Noirish, and that since last Wednesday I’ve been neither replying to comments here nor posting comments elsewhere.
This is because I’ve spent the past several days in hospital with pulmonary oedema (note fancy Brit spelling) as a consequence of congestive heart failure (itself thought to have been a consequence of a minor heart attack we didn’t notice, but that’s another story). This all sounds a lot grimmer than it actually is: the oedema seems essentially to have been treated and done, and congestive heart failure is regarded these days as eminently treatable . . . otherwise I’d not be home already, would I?
The next few days will perforce be quiet ones. I’ll mount a post on Wednesday, according to schedule, if I feel like up to it; otherwise know that I’ll be lazing in bed, reading good (and not so good) books and every now and then plaintively asking Pam to peel me a grape. Normal service will be resumed in the fairly near future.
And I’m home in time for our wedding anniversary — our 18th, so there. Alas, not in time for the fancy-schmancy (and remarkably heart-healthy!) anniversary noshup, which is being postponed until tomorrow.
Noirish 
So sorry to hear about this, but glad things seem to be on the up. Take it easy for as long as you need to, and remember they say both red wine and dark chocolate are good for the heart… 😉
Hope to see you back to full health soon!
Thanks for the good wishes, Leah!
they say both red wine and dark chocolate are good for the heart
Alas, they’re both off the diet except in — this dreadful word — moderation.
Oh good heavens! Please take care and heal.
I’m aiming to do just exactly that, Kate, believe me! Right now I’m feeling by no means dreadful, to the extent that I’m having to keep reminding myself of my limitations!
Oh my gosh! That is scary! I’m so glad you seem to be on the mend though. I’m sure Pam must be planning lots of TLC for you in addition to the grape! Just take care of yourself okay? We’ll all be here when you feel up to it!🤗💐
Thanks for the friendly thoughts! To be honest, I feel so much on the mend as to be a complete charlatan. Obviously there are some limitations on what I can do at the moment, but they’re at the “irritation” level rather than anything else, and with luck will soon be past me.
Get well.
(This revises the customary ‘Get well soon’, which bothered my wife’s 96 year old grandmother after recent surgery. ‘Please, get rid of the soon. I will get well in my own time.’ Fiery, just the way i like ’em.)
Thanks for the good wishes! I don’t mind the “soon” part of it at all!
Look after yourself mate – or have your good lady do it for you!
I’m doing my best! Although of course I understand that the condition isn’t entirely a bagatelle, and could turn serious again if I were to be an idiot, right now I feel pretty okay — aside from the fact that I have an oxygen cannula in my nose! And that, hopefully, won’t be for long . . .
Oh dear! So sorry to hear this, but pleased you are on the mend. Take it easy and get those peeled grapes while the going’s good 😉 Congratulations on the magnificent anniversary, I am sure the nosh up will be super when it comes. Take care.
I’ve been told pretty firmly that the peeled grapes are orft. Actually, it’s a joy to be doing the opposite of taking it easy. It was embarrassing in the hospital, where just about all the other people in the division I was in were pretty horrendously ill — motionless in bed, staring at the ceiling, etc. — I was pretty active and coherent and obviously, after the first day or so, being held primarily for precautionary reasons.
I bet you brightened the place up no end! I am so pleased you are okay. Don’t overdo it, though 🙂
I “brightened it up” as much as I could in hopes they’d throw me out at the first possible opportunity . . .
I bet they are missing you…
Yes, I’m sure that’s why they threw the farewell party . . .
😀
Take care John! Hope you’ll be in fine form soon. All the best!
Thanks for the kind words! To be honest, I feel like a bit of a charlatan, because right now I’m really not feeling too bad.
Congrat on your wedding anniverary, John!
Many thanks, Jose Ignacio! I’ve passed the good wishes along to Pam, too.
Very sorry to hear this, but glad it seems to be getting better. Happy wedding anniversary, and do make up with another noshup in a few weeks’ time.
Thanks for the good wishes, dear MS. Since the substitute, pro tem noshup last night was sushi, we didn’t feel we were especially hard done-by in any way, and tonight will come the real blow out, oh ho. But I think that idea of yours — another noshup in a few weeks’ time — is an extremely good one, and will suggest it to Pam.
Hope you repair in due course, John. Pleased to hear you’re already on the mend!
Thanks for the kind words, oh He Whose Real Name Must Not Be Spoken!
Blogdemort?
AyeJJa?
Dammit, I had a Blogwarts joke ready to go and everything…
Funny, was it?
Not especially.
Feel MUCH better as soon as you can!
I actually don’t feel too bad right now, now that my breathing’s been restored to normal. Well, I’m sucking on oxygen most of the time, but with or without the oxygen I can now take deep breaths — the oedema was making it impossible for me to do more than pant in a sort of milquetoast fashion.
John, I am deeply concerned about these health developments, though Lucille and I are confident it will end up as relatively minor as you just intimated it is. I know you are frustrated when you are on the sidelines, but this hiatus will be very brief. Am reaching you now by e mail. Will be seeing you in action here soon my great friend.
Many thanks for the kind words, Sam — and for the email, just read. Aside from having to take things a bit easy over the next few days (and having to swan around with an oxygen cannula in my nose, ho ho what fun!), I’m feeling pretty okay. The docs are talking in terms of me being back to essentially normal within a matter of weeks, assuming I’m sensible.
John, I am deeply concerned about these health developments, though Lucille and I are confident it will end up as relatively minor as you just intimated it is. I know you are frustrated when you are on the sidelines, but this hiatus will be very brief. Am reaching you now by e mail. Will be seeing you in action here soon my great friend.
I’m still trying to work out why your comments are being slung into moderation, Sam. The spam filter’s fine with them — it’s allowing them through — so there’s something else within the arcane depths of WordPress’s software that’s being a pain in the ass. I’ll keep looking.
Goodness, I’m glad to hear you’re home now and resting up! Take care and get well very soon!
Thanks for the kind thoughts!
The “resting up” is the difficult bit . . .
Glad it’s minor. Rest, relax, and enjoy whatever you can each day.
I’ll do my best, ma’am!
How traumatic for you and your wife! I am glad to hear you are much better and so optimistic. Attitude is really important. Happy anniversary and I am glad you are home for that.
Thanks for the kind words, Tracy — and you’re right to mention Pam: this has obviously been far more traumatic for her than it is for me, because she’s been worrying herself sick while I’ve had the much easier task of just getting through a few not-so-good days.
Oh, wait, I’m male, I shouldn’t be saying that!
Correction, then: It’s been complete and absolute hell. Anyone less grizzle-jawed and two-fisted than moi would never have fought his doughty way through it, batting adversity aside from his BED OF PAIN like . . . er . . . like . . .
We had a similar experience two years ago, less serious but it took a while to figure that out, and I remember exactly how scared both my husband and I were. Hospital rooms are much better now than I remember them from years before…
The rooms may be better (and the food!), but the constant intrusions for the sake of intrusive tests seem worse than ever. I was being woken up several times a night to get vitals taken, blood drawn, etc. Most of the other patients were ill enough that they were happy to spend large chunks of the day sleeping in front of the telly, but I was spending my days reading, nattering with Pam, plotting escape (she very unsportingly refused to swap clothes), etc., so was pretty washed out by the time of my final release.
Oh man, that sucks! Health issues are the worst and hospital stays are a season in hell..really feel for you, mate. I just joined this site a couple days ago–now this! I’m sending you good energy and wishes and my absolute confidence in you. CHF is a bitch. Runs in my family. Please be well! Lizzie
Hi Lizzie. Many thanks for the sympathetic words! Sorry to give you such an . . . unorthodox welcome to the site.
I’ve felt a lot iller on other occasions for less dramatic-sounding reasons (e.g., flu), so right now I’m feeling pretty chirpy about this particular bump in the road. It’s the giving up beer that’s the depressing bit . . .
Glad to know you’re feeling more chipper. I’m looking forward to reading your blogs so back on your feet! (But don’t rush it, please.) Lizzie
Thanks, Lizzie!
I experienced the same problem with lots of tests, day and night. Unfortunately I could not read while I was there and even for a day or two when I got home. I insisted my husband bring me a book, and then my brain just wasn’t functioning well enough to concentrate.
I was luckier! I polished off the last 100 pages or so of Elizabeth Brundage’sThe Doctor’s Wife, whacked all the way through Tana French’s ginormous The Secret Place and accounted for most of Val McDermid’s pretty flippin’ chunky The Last Temptation.
One of the nurses, seeing me reading the latter, suggested I should try Patrick Suskind’s Perfume (which I’ve owned for years but so far never gotten around to). I was somewhat startled, since I had not put her down as a classy-translated-fiction sort of a person. That will serve me right for judging someone by the superficials.
Sending a big feathery hug, and you take care now. Much love xxx
Many thanks! Nothing like feathery hugs to chase the collywobbles away.
Ack! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been waylaid with this trouble. I’m glad to hear you’re on the mend, though – your fab description of “that cesspit of vice” in your “River Patrol” review is proof of that, I hope.
Also, happy wishes your your anniversary!
Thanks for the kind wishes, Ruth.
Er, the entries posted here tend to be written weeks or months in advance, but thanks for the compliment anyway!
Oh dear – late to the party as always.
Well, here’s to your anniversary next year! *clink!*
Ha! No, I was referring to the phrase you cited in a movie entry that I wrote some weeks/months ago. The anniversary was indeed last Monday, the hospital stay for a few days before that. Sorry for the confusion!
Very glad to hear you are on the mend chum, really am. All the very best fpr a speedy recovery 🙂
Thanks for the kind thought! Alas, with CGF there ain’t no such thing as a “speedy recovery”! I’ll likely be finding out Thursday if heart catheterization is the best way forward; otherwise I’ll just have to stay wimpy. Which is boring.
Be strong mate!
I’ll try!
Good lad 😀
Well – apologies for being ridiculously late in realising you have had such a health scare. I do hope in the event you managed to celebrate your wedding anniversary in a suitably healthy fashion and you are now feeling back to normal:). Take care!
Thanks for the kind wishes. It may be a while before I feel “back to normal”, alas (aside from anything else, I have to wear an oxygen tube 24/7), but at least I’m not feeling outright lousy the whole time, as I was before! Just a matter of taking things carefully, which I’m not very good at . . . 🙂
Oh my goodness! And yes… it is always difficult when you have to take things more carefully. Thinking positive thoughts at you!
Thanks again, Sarah!