Swimming with the Fishes

In keeping with my new drama queen status, I nearly fainted at work yesterday. I decided this was once too many times. So called NHS direct. I could hardly speak to the operator as my head was swimming so much.

She advised me to see a GP asap. So I did. And he signed me off work for a week with postural hypotension. i.e. my blood pressure is pretty low, and my poor head isn't getting the oxygen it needs when it needs it, so nearly blacks out as a consequence. It's caused by moving too quickly, so my body doesn't get the chance to acclimatise and make the necessary adjustments fast enough to catch up with standing up, or going from lying to sitting, or sitting to lying.

Mal Jr is fine though. Perfectly happy, bumbling round in there, jabbing me in the groin, thumping me in the ribs... I think he might be an octopus as I think I get kicks in about 5 directions at once sometimes.

Buddy has relished the opportunity to spend an awful lot of time curled up on me, next to me, sometimes under me... rather than spend the day alone. We have just watched A Fish Called Wanda. It must be the hundredth time I have seen that film, but it doesn't get old. It's one of Kevin Kline's best roles. Especially when he eats the fish. Poor Wanda the angelfish!

I've left the TV on the same movie channel and Buddy and I are now watching Groundhog Day. Another favourite of mine, especially the different treatments of Ned Reierson each time Phil Connors meets him. If the next film is pants, I'll probably start on the DVDs. Lord knows we have enough of them sitting in the dining room. Along with the dishwasher we need installing before Mal Jr gets here. That's a small part of the list really, there is still so much to do!

Drama Queen

Yes, that's me. I have discovered a recent penchant for nearly fainting. I say nearly, as both times it has happened in the last 24 hours I have had the clarity of mind to think "unless I sit down now, I shall fall over unconscious". And then I sit, rather than fall down.

My first error was to attempt to walk the dogs, because it actually turned out that they walked me. I took them into my shop to introduce Yoda to my colleagues. Buddy is already a big hit with them. They agreed that he is much cuter than Yoda. And Yoda is a lot fatter.

On the way back we took the canal towpath (I was literally towed) - full of hooting coots near the lock. Very cute. And then the flight of stairs to get back up to the street where I left the car. I got to the top and my legs felt like lead. I sat down and breathed deeply, trying not to hyperventilate myself into unconsciousness. A lovely, lovely man in a van pulled over to check I was OK. He volunteered to call me an ambulance - I declined because I could feel my composure coming back. But he was a saint for stopping.

The second incident was today. I went home for lunch and I got back into my car to drive back to work, and it was roasting. I opened the windows and opened the sunroof and put the (broken) air conditioning on, but by the time I had driven back and parked, I was feeling woozy and light-headed, and couldn't stand up.

I called the doctor - unfortunately the doctor I spoke to was the one whose usefulness I rate as being about as good as a chocolate fireguard, but she managed to reassure me it was normal.

I feel anything but normal!

Yesterday night I listened to the birthing affirmations CD and the rainbow relaxation CD to kick-start my hypnobirthing experience. The affirmations felt good to say, and I felt that over time they could replace some of the negatives that are associated with birthing for me at the moment.

The rainbow relaxation was something else. I don't remember there being any colours involved at all. I was out like a light before we even got as far as red! I wonder if it will have a similar effect this evening.

Mmmmmmm. Chinese foody smells are filling my nostrils. Mal must have made dinner.