Airborne
Week from Monday 11th September 2023 - I was all prepared to ease back into TRAVELLING this Wednesday, but something 'clicked' and I'm now finding it even harder to breathe when moving about. I contacted the NHS's '111 ONLINE' thingy, and the invisible doctor advised me to take a codeine-based painkiller, as well as arranging for a CHEST X-RAY at some point...
I also find myself having to sleep on my back for the first time ever. My customary foetal position is not at all comfortable (understatement!)
I've been perusing the various medical journal websites, to learn of the latest thinking about LONG COVID and the NEW VARIANT STRAINS (If you want to know the FACTS, then read what the medical practitioners have to say, not some government spokesbot!) Naturally, I skipped over all the REALLY deep, alphanumerically heavy scientific data, but I gleaned enough to discover that a lot of that all-important HAND-GEL usage and routine cleaning of tabletops that was all the rage the first time around, is no longer affective against the 'RONAs, because it has now been firmly established that the 'NewVIDs' are transmitted through the air and nout else. So there have been all sorts of recommendations about what kinds of mask should be provided to healthcare professionals, but the latest supermasks, with a much finer thread count, have only an two-to-three-hour guaranteed affectiveness in normal use, cannot be re-used and are far more expensive anyway.
During the first wave, we were encouraged that carrying on 'BEING ACTIVE' would aid recovery the quickest. Hence all those walks around the block and the craze for exercise bikes at home. Well, that too has changed, especially with the Long COVIDs. Once you are struck down with the symptoms, then experts have said that 'TOTAL REST' is the only answer now. Attempts to keep "fit" and go about your daily routine having a weakened immune system only risks further damage. Which is what appears to have happened to me.
The "CODEINE-BASED PAINKILLER" hasn't really clicked in yet and it's showing no signs of helping, so I'm still pretty sore. I've 'made it official' with the Winchester Chazza: I've told them that I'm not yet available for work, as travel is out of the question, or indeed any LIFTING and BENDING. But they've promised to keep my shift open until I'm ready to come back.
Still, there's been lots of BICYCLING on the telly to keep me distracted! I found myself really enjoying (indeed, preferring) ITV4's coverage of the TOUR OF BRITAIN. There's not so many 'BIG NAMES' involved (apart from yet another dominating permutation of the JUMBO-VISMA team), but plenty of thrills'n'spills all'same. At least ITV employ a commentary team that have interesting things to say about the race and keep you CARING about what you're watching (as opposed to the WORD SALAD of the other lot). But in both races, there is ONLY one team being the topic of discussion anyway.
The BBC Proms drew to a close... As most of the population are ONLY aware of "THE LAST NIGHT" anyway, there was the annual media furore about the kind of flags that are 'allowed' to be waved during the jingoistic second half. I avoided the uncomfortable LNOTP spectacle as usual. But overall, the season has been pretty lacklustre. Now that it's done, Radio Three has reverted to its normal seven-thirty "IN CONCERT" slot, which this week has been featuring recordings from the EDINBURGH FESTIVAL at the Usher Hall. I have to say, the quality of the music has proved to be FAR more gripping than ANYTHING that the Proms had to offer: the featured performances are of a superior standard and the choice of music is much more adventurous. Which is what you get when you don't 'dumb it down' by churning out the 'greatest hits' played by some jobbing BBC orchestra.
I also find myself having to sleep on my back for the first time ever. My customary foetal position is not at all comfortable (understatement!)
I've been perusing the various medical journal websites, to learn of the latest thinking about LONG COVID and the NEW VARIANT STRAINS (If you want to know the FACTS, then read what the medical practitioners have to say, not some government spokesbot!) Naturally, I skipped over all the REALLY deep, alphanumerically heavy scientific data, but I gleaned enough to discover that a lot of that all-important HAND-GEL usage and routine cleaning of tabletops that was all the rage the first time around, is no longer affective against the 'RONAs, because it has now been firmly established that the 'NewVIDs' are transmitted through the air and nout else. So there have been all sorts of recommendations about what kinds of mask should be provided to healthcare professionals, but the latest supermasks, with a much finer thread count, have only an two-to-three-hour guaranteed affectiveness in normal use, cannot be re-used and are far more expensive anyway.
During the first wave, we were encouraged that carrying on 'BEING ACTIVE' would aid recovery the quickest. Hence all those walks around the block and the craze for exercise bikes at home. Well, that too has changed, especially with the Long COVIDs. Once you are struck down with the symptoms, then experts have said that 'TOTAL REST' is the only answer now. Attempts to keep "fit" and go about your daily routine having a weakened immune system only risks further damage. Which is what appears to have happened to me.
The "CODEINE-BASED PAINKILLER" hasn't really clicked in yet and it's showing no signs of helping, so I'm still pretty sore. I've 'made it official' with the Winchester Chazza: I've told them that I'm not yet available for work, as travel is out of the question, or indeed any LIFTING and BENDING. But they've promised to keep my shift open until I'm ready to come back.
Still, there's been lots of BICYCLING on the telly to keep me distracted! I found myself really enjoying (indeed, preferring) ITV4's coverage of the TOUR OF BRITAIN. There's not so many 'BIG NAMES' involved (apart from yet another dominating permutation of the JUMBO-VISMA team), but plenty of thrills'n'spills all'same. At least ITV employ a commentary team that have interesting things to say about the race and keep you CARING about what you're watching (as opposed to the WORD SALAD of the other lot). But in both races, there is ONLY one team being the topic of discussion anyway.
The BBC Proms drew to a close... As most of the population are ONLY aware of "THE LAST NIGHT" anyway, there was the annual media furore about the kind of flags that are 'allowed' to be waved during the jingoistic second half. I avoided the uncomfortable LNOTP spectacle as usual. But overall, the season has been pretty lacklustre. Now that it's done, Radio Three has reverted to its normal seven-thirty "IN CONCERT" slot, which this week has been featuring recordings from the EDINBURGH FESTIVAL at the Usher Hall. I have to say, the quality of the music has proved to be FAR more gripping than ANYTHING that the Proms had to offer: the featured performances are of a superior standard and the choice of music is much more adventurous. Which is what you get when you don't 'dumb it down' by churning out the 'greatest hits' played by some jobbing BBC orchestra.
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