Angst in August

I forgot to mention that we went for a bike ride on the last day of July, only as far as Kings Langley as I was still having a problem with the new saddle and it needed adjusting.
I had some difficulties during August. We had told our Daughter that we wanted a break from child minding, as we had been doing it for getting on for 2 years. Unfortunately Lydia doesn't get her free child care till January, so it was going to cost them. However as things turned out it seemed I needed a break.
We took the children on a day out to Mead open farm.  They have been there before, but still enjoyed feeding the animals, going on a tractor ride, playing in the play area etc.

Nathaniel in play tower

Coming down the chute

Lydia looks at the ride on tractors

feeding the goats

fun in the sand pit

playing on the old tractor

It was our Daughter's Birthday that week and they were a bit disorganised, so we only made it to Leigh on Sea again. Her husband came this time, and once again the weather bucked up, and it was baking hot. The tea room garden was full, but we went to the Peter Boat and ate Later the children went on the little beach and used the padding pool, then we saw a cockle boat come in and unload there was a crowd watching,and it was fascinating to see how many bags they unloaded. Later we bought ice creams, then went up into the town, and had tea and coffee, then Daughter and Husband took the children into a play park, so we set of for home. We had the blowing out of the candles later.

lunch

unloading

cockle boat comes in
(in wrong order)

just been paddling

On the second Sunday in the month, as I was going into church, I started getting palpitations. I went out to try and control them, but they seemed to get worse. Someone fetched a Dr from the congregation, and he checked me over, and asked if I would like to be checked by paramedics. I wish now that I had said 'No I will recover in a few minutes'.  So I was checked over, ecg fine but even being in the ambulance was stressful, so my BP systolic was higher than it should be. So they said they were obliged to take me to the A&E. Husband followed in the car.
Of course on arrival I was so nervous that my systolic was up again. I was taken to a cubicle, given another ecg,and had blood tests taken. a cannula was inserted in my arm. I eventually saw a very junior Dr, who asked me loads of questions, then another who asked the same questions did lots of tests, and went away.
The Aussie nurse, who said she didn't believe in 'white coat syndrome', kept on checking my BP, but over the cannula, which meant that every time the cuff inflated, the needle dug into my arm and caused excruciating pain. Then when a registrar came to speak to me, he said I had recorded the highest systolic ever seen in the department. I was given a calcium channel blocker, which I hate taking, as they make my face flush and my heart pound. I was also offered a sandwich, husband had rung Daughter earlier and got her to turn our oven off. Eventually, after much waiting, a dose of a strong diuretic,and readings taken on the other arm, the A&E consultant arrived, said my BP was not ideal, but they couldn't keep me in for that, and discharged me. He also said that a busy A&E was not conducive to low BP. As we got in the car, I relaxed and all the tension dissipated. It was good to get home, albeit too late to attempt to go to the evening service.
The doctors in their wisdom, had decided that I should take a daily calcium channel blocker, despite me telling them that they did not agree with me.
The next day, we set off on a bike ride, only to be recalled by Daughter, who had a dental appointment and needed a babysitter. On the Wednesday, I booked online tickets for Paradise wildlife park. Husband checked the weather forecast,and said it didn't look too good. The satnav took us on a convoluted route then petered out. Eventually, we found the place, and walked round a wildlife trail. Then the children went in the play area for a time, then we went in for lunch whilst the cafe was still quiet. Suddenly husband said 'look outside'. It had started to rain. The cafe soon filled up, and we went out and started looking at the animals. The meerkats were all hiding, but we saw camel, zebra, tigers. white tigers, monkeys sloths and lions. Most of them were outside. At one point it thundered, and husband said, 'Oh yes that was forecast' We had a bit of respite, feeding some farm animals, and then as we were setting off to see the birds of paradise, a little voice piped up, 'I want to go home'.
I almost cheered! At home I changed their soggy clothing, then nipped up to their home for dry socks for Nathaniel, and wellies to take them home in.
On the Friday, I was due at the GP surgery, as the A&E had insisted I saw my GP for a BP check. I hadn't slept for 4 nights due to a pounding heart cause by the Amlopidine. My systolic hit the roof again, and the GP said she would have to send me into hospital to have it brought down.
I was in quite a state of anxiety, so she arranged for me to go to the ambulatory care unit instead of A&E. I had to phone husband, he drove me there, I had more blood tests, MRSA swabs,  ecg, was given a sandwich,and was eventually admitted to AAU, where the 'urgent' treatment was delayed till. 11.30 pm. Husband left at 8. I had a super nurse assigned to me, I was given a hospital nightie and toiletries. Then a technician had 3 goes at finding a vein, leaving me with some nasty bruises, and him having to wipe blood of the bedside chair.

A drip was set up, and I had my BP checked every hour. Someone else's drip kept beeping, and the heating was noisy, so another sleepless night. I had a bit of respite for an hour when it reached 'textbook', but had to go back on the drip as it rose again. My phone battery had died, but I had asked husband to bring stuff in at visiting. I was eventually told I could go home, my blood tests were fine, but the prescribed 'newer' beta blockers which are not supposed to affect the lungs, I had a lunch of chicken salad, and yoghurt. Husband was late for visiting, as there was a football match on, literally next door to the hospital. We had to wait for my drugs, then I dressed and came home, with instructions to learn to relax.

bruise from failed cannula insertion

I checked my BP about an hour after arriving home, it was quite normal, and proved that my problems were caused by anxiety.