19. Do what you can

Mile 16 – Unplanned hills

Or, in full, “do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” (Theodore Roosevelt.)

Once, at the Brighton Half Marathon, I had convinced myself at the start that I could only manage half the race. My knee was playing up, and, since the route doubled back on itself, it would have been easy to drop out. Then a car pulled up by the start line. The driver hopped out, opened the boot and strapped on his prosthetic leg. I realised then, I could (and had to) do the whole thing after all.

Last week’s spots grew into this week’s rashes, leaving me itching from neck to knees, and my previously busy social life was cut right back. The rashes are inflamed by contact, so I have been wandering around the house in my boxers, causing Sue to jump every time she sees me. I look like I have fallen asleep on a sunbed. 

In addition, I have been more light headed than usual, unable to go for walks or exert myself much. When I stand up, it feels as though I have just finished a bottle of wine. As I found I could not do much, I lowered my expectations as the week went on.

Back in April, when I had the rash on my neck, head and arms, the dermatologist diagnosed it as Urticaria. I can confirm that that is also the case now by pressing my finger down on a red patch, then, when I release it, it turns white, slowly filling as the blood returns. She prescribed Fexofenadine, at four times the dose suggested on the packet, so I have been taking those this week. I’d like to think it is helping but it certainly hasn’t cured the problem altogether. As I mentioned in post 12, Urticaria is caused by too much histamine in the skin. When it flares up, it irritates the blood vessels, causing them to swell (making the skin go red). I guess it is caused by the current regime of chemotherapy, but it’s odd that it should show up now when I have been on the same drugs for nearly two months. Perhaps it is the hot weather too. 

I’m thankful that my temperature has remained normal: there was no sign of the infection that left me bedridden over Easter.

I had a good Monday, seeing my sister and niece, followed by a drink with an ex-work colleague, who brought me up to date with the latest developments in the virtual office.

However, Tuesday’s breakfast at the garden centre and Friday’s lunch at the local bistro both had to be postponed, leaving the week free for rest and recovery. I welcomed the cooler weather at the end of the week. 

So, what could I do when I couldn’t do much? Well, reading, watching the Ashes and Lego.

I am a mediaeval history expert now, until I forget it all in a couple of weeks’ time. I have recently read Philippa Gregory’s Lady of the Rivers, White Queen and Red Queen, which cover some of the influential women involved in the Wars of the Roses, and the first three of C.J. Sansom’s Shardlake murder mysteries set in the reign of Henry VIII: Dissolution, Dark Fire and Sovereign. Next, I’m reading Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, chronologically between the two, earlier in Henry VIII’s reign. It’s good to stick to the same period, so I can recognise events from different points of view.

After talking about the Antarctic a few weeks ago, a friend sent me a beautifully illustrated copy of Endurance by Alfred Lansing, telling the story of Shackleton’s voyage, with the photographs taken at the time by Frank Hurley, really bringing the subject to life. I’ll enjoy that.

When we first moved into our house, I found an old newspaper while clearing the attic. As well as mentioning an up and coming racing driver called Sterling Moss, it reported on the first televised cricket match, promising that it could be as good as watching the game live. It proved to be right: by the end of the week I was captivated by the Ashes, something I have never found time for in the past. The coverage is absorbing, there is fantastic analysis that even a non-cricketer like myself can appreciate, and I can thoroughly recommend it.

My Fathers’ Day chocolates and Lego have gone down well, although I seem to have a few pieces left over – Lego that is, not chocolate! I’m looking forward to being able to visit the real London before too long to see if those landmarks really are that close together.

Thanks for reading and take care.