For years, Phil and I have talked about moving to the hills. Whenever we sit down with a glass of (non-alcoholic) red wine, and daydream about our future, it involves mountain views and wild footpaths and open landscapes that stretch for miles. We holiday in the hills, we always choose the scenic route through the … More The House Search
We watched a nature documentary yesterday. With squealing monkeys and hungry lions. As the death throes filled the room, Kepler the puppy, continued snoozing. Oblivious. Last December, the sound of flamingos flapping their wings resulted in an evening of barking and zooming, as he searched for the scary pink birds. What a difference a year … More Living with PH and a Puppy
Back in March 2013, I was feeling rundown. Walking made me breathless, and life felt exhausting. I’d reported similar symptoms to my GP in the years prior; but was always told I was anxious or unfit or anxious or unfit. Desperate to improve, I started walking a loop on the outskirts of our village, that … More A Mini Miracle
I was behind the wheel of our car, when Phil rang. We were enroute to the MOT garage in our nearest town, driving in convoy. Except he was ringing to say we weren’t. Turns out that after two months of chilling on the driveway, the campervan battery was dead. So instead, he was five miles … More My First Taste of Freedom
It wasn’t the trip we expected 🙂 The last time Phil saw his Father was March 2020. He flew to the Isle of Man days before shielding began, and days before the island closed their borders to visitors. For over a year. Living with advanced dementia, and in a residential home, we couldn’t even ring … More Covid Russian Roulette
Back in my twenties, buying travel insurance was easy. And quick. And cheap! It was one of those simple five minute jobs, normally done whilst watching television, and often on the day before the holiday. Fill in a short form online, pay for it, and voila, insured wherever I wanted to go. For a few … More The Eye-Watering Cost of Travel Insurance
I was taught how to read maps as a teenager. Well, I learnt the theory. 😉 I knew churches were represented by black crosses, red triangles were youth hostels, and toilets were politely labelled as PC. I could calculate distance by counting the squares, could work out height gain by the contour lines, and knew … More Our First Real Adventure
When I was first diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension, back in 2013, I was really ill. After a month of lying in a hospital bed, overwhelmed with weakness, incapacitated with fatigue, and breathless with movement; I was like a living corpse. Phil would spend every day on the ward, by my side, emotionally supporting and physically … More Beating My PB
I’m not a fan of Cardio-Pulmonary exercise tests (CPET). They’re exhausting. Professional athletes regularly enjoy them as part of their training regimes. Keen amateurs pay big bucks to have a go. And Phil would love love love to strap on the probes and push himself really hard. 😉 But not me- I’m not a fan. … More Some Long Overdue Tests
For the past eight years, I’ve been slightly fearful of snow. Whereas once it represented adventure and excitement and fun, since developing Pulmonary Hypertension, it makes me feel trapped and isolated and in danger. The cold air further restricts my airways and lungs, making me breathless after just a step or two. My rural village … More The First Snow
We Can Adjust The Sails 