What a week it has been! Fighting to stay awake during the days, refusing to let myself sleep during the days, then sleeping over 9 hours each night, while trying to keep positive. However, I am happy today. I am feeling so much better! I don’t feel as though I am struggling to stay awake, feeling like an elephant is sitting on my face anymore.
Basically, I’ve had a sinus infection. I’ve been prescribed a 7-day course of Doxycycline. Not my preferred choice of antibiotic after a trip to Scotland left me with 2nd-degree burns, from taking it. However, it’s the best antibiotic for sinus infections. It’s the one that always clears them up twice as quickly, compared to any other antibiotic.
Remember The Story About My Lemon Tree?
If you read my blog from 2 weeks ago, you might remember me talking about my lemon tree. I had brought it inside my house from my greenhouse to help it. The tree wasn’t looking too healthy from the winter after I had over-watered it. Well, it’s now back out in my greenhouse, and will be staying out there forevermore! Basically, since the day the tree was moved into my living room, sinuses became very inflamed. The problem I then have, once my sinuses become inflamed, normally, it leads to sinusitis. Basically, because I am immunosuppressed my body isn’t stronger to fight off the inflammation, and leads to an infection. I do not fully know the whole science behind it, but I think it’s something along them lines. I just know I always end up needing antibiotics to get rid of my sinusitis!
I think because the soil in the lemon tree was so saturated with mould on the top layer of the soil, the dampness and mould had caused my sinuses to congest. My mom on the other hand thinks I’m allergic to lemon trees. I’ve told her that is not the case, it will be the soil. It was damp with mould spores, the same 2 things which I think cause my sinuses to congest every autumn. I could be wrong, I’m only guessing. Like I said in last week’s blog, without an allergy test I can’t be 100% sure.
I’ve now gone sprinkling cinnamon on all my indoor plant soils, just in case any mould spores are forming on them. In case anyone is interested, apparently, cinnamon gets rid of mould spores. My houseplants should be fine though. Just not taking any risks, after having this sinus infection. I’ve had them in my house for ages, and I have the ones which supposedly filter and purify the air. Also, I don’t overwater them. Overwatering plants and having saturated soil are what cause damp and mould spores to form.
Had A Lovely Walk This Morning
After being stuck indoors the last few days, resting, and fighting off this infection, it felt so good to get this morning. It was only a gentle walk. But it was just nice to be out in nature, in the fresh air. We found a really pretty wooded area on our doorstep, which we never knew existed. I saw my first bit of blossom this year, which made me so happy.
As much as I may complain about being in lockdown, and not being able to travel for walks. It’s actually taught me to enjoy my local area and really appreciate what I have on my doorstep. I have found so many hidden gems where I live. The chances of me finding them, if it wasn’t for lockdown would be slim. I always have the attitude, I have to drive miles for a good walk. Now, I have realised I don’t need to. I can just step out of our front door and now have plenty of lovely routes to choose from.
I know it’s not the case for everyone. I have said over and over again on here, how lucky I am where I live. I do have the countryside on my doorstep. Even though I have lived here all my life, it’s only now I’ve truly appreciated how lucky I am. It’s a nice positive thing I can remember from my lockdown 3.0!
My Asthma
My asthma has been bad today when I was out walking. I just felt so tight-chested. I had to use my inhaler a number of times along the route. This isn’t normal! On my local walks, I can normally go without using my inhaler. It’s only when I am climbing hills and mountains I normally need it. But recently, on my last few walks, I have been needing it. Then today, it was even worse. In the end, I had to get Alex to slow down, as I was just getting too out of breathe. All I can think it’s allergies that are triggering it.
Even when I’ve been in the house the last couple of weeks, not doing any exercise, my chest has felt tighter than normal. I guess if it continues, I will have to speak to my doctor. Next month, I am hoping to be climbing a few peaks. My fitness is at its best it has been in so long. I’m not going to have my asthma hold me back!!!
Still Waiting For My ENT Appointment
I’ve been waiting to see my ENT consultant since last July. When I had my appointment last week at doctors, I asked about my ENT appointment. She said my name is down there, waiting for an appointment, but she also said at the moment there’s a 16-months plus wait. I guess I am going to be waiting for a little longer then!
I’m not sure why I’m desperate for my appointment. Most of the time it’s a waste of time. They stick a camera up my nose, give me some stronger steroid drops to use up my nose to clean out my sinuses, and then blame the cause of it on my condition. The problem is never solved! This time when I see them, I am not going to just accept that! I get at least 2 sinus infections a year, on top of a lot of sinus trouble. I know if it is allergies causing it, I guess there’s not a lot they can do. But still, I want answers! I take Cetirizine all year round. They originally put me on it to help my sinuses. 9 years later, still taking it, and still got sinus trouble. Is it really helping? I mean it could be helping a little, as I don’t get as many sinus infections as I used to, but I don’t know. I don’t know if that’s more my Flixonase nasal spray, which may be preventing that.
I Really Didn’t Want To Have To Go On More Antibiotics
I was so annoyed when I realised my sinuses were infected and I would need antibiotics. I am trying so hard to avoid infections. Every time you go on a course of antibiotics, your gut flora gets damaged. It then takes 6 months for it to recover. A healthy gut is so important. It acts as your second brain. If you have a healthy gut, you are more likely to feel better. This is why it is so important to look after it, feed it with highly nutritious foods, and avoid foods that aggravate it. They also say a lot of autoimmune diseases start in the gut. A lot are caused by leaky gut syndrome.
At the minute I feel as though I have no chance of ever getting healthy flora in my gut. January was a UTI, March was a sinus infection, and who knows what’s next! I do have pre-biotics and pro-biotics food in my diet every day. I am hoping this speeds up the recovery of my flora after each course of antibiotics. It might only help a little, but it’s better than nothing.
I Do Try And Fight It Off Myself, But I Need To Stop It
I always try and fight off the infection myself. This is something I need to stop doing. I need to except when I get poorly with an infection, I must go to my doctors. The number of times I have been lectured by doctors, telling me if I ignore them, one day I will end up in the hospital with a serve infection, potentially fighting for my life. Very blunt I know, but I think the idea is to tell me off and scare me, so I won’t do it again. The worse thing is half the time, I always give it a few extra days before seeing my doctor. That’s a few extra days of feeling unwell when I could have been on the road to recovery. Why do I do it?!
Doctors always say to me, ‘don’t worry about the number of times you go on antibiotics. The antibiotics are there for people like you, who have weakened immune systems, and need a bit of help to fight infections off. Ignore the bad press you hear all the time about that. It’s not aimed at people like you.’ This has stuck in my mind, and I try and remind myself every time I need antibiotics.
If anyone else is reading this, and have weakened immune system, remember the antibiotics are here for you!
Anyways, enough from me this week.
Until next week
Goodbye for now
Emma
xox
