~ LIVING LIFE, NOT JUST SURVIVING IT ~
••• tiff firth photography •••

Monday, April 4, 2011

e2c 011

what a weekend of highlights and lowlights.

Another superbly put together Escape2Create retreat weekend put on by the girls. Not a little job I can tell you, and all the little details well in place.


Its a very unique Retreat in that it's pulled together by a small number of volunteers and not by a business. And the fact that 5 retailers are together under the one roof during the Retreat is a very special thing. So I do applude Sue, Kathyrn, Meredith, Val and Amanda for getting another successful retreat done and dusted.

My asthma reared its ugly head yet again. The exact same thing happened last year at the Retreat. Feeling off, hot and sweaty, and wheezey. I've not had one issue with asthma since the retreat last year. This year was much worse. There is something down there in the area that is a shocking trigger. I suspect it might be the carpet.... but can't say for sure. I was fine until I went to bed on Friday night and then it started to escalate. I had a lot of ventalin to get me thru the night.

Saturday just sucked to put it bluntly. By Saturday night I was getting seriously on the edge of heading into Lincoln hospital for nebulising. I was overwhelmed to the point of having a bit of tear when a number of the girls really were ready to drop everything and offered to take me in if I thought it necessary. (This was at midnight mind you).

I had left my spacer at home to save space (s'xuse the pun lol) and I was so very fortunate that Cassandra had one in her vehicle. That little gadget used with A LOT of ventolin turned the corner for me. And as Tania H put it, the flashing red warning light turned to amber. I got thru the night with a good sleep, but still needed to get up twice to use the spacer and medication again.

To be honest I was exhausted on Sunday. I was still struggling to keep going. Any exertion resulting my struggling to breathe again. It must have been so obvious as I had so many concerned friends asking if I was alright. Me being me, I put on a brave face, smiled and just said, "yep, I'll be right."  A few times people caught me unawares when I didn't have my 'game' face on, and it was just so obvious I wasn't in a good place at that time. Another good friend had an Asthma preventer with her and that was wonderful. Different to mine, but so effective. That helped immeasurably.

Funnily enough, as soon as I left North Shields on Sunday, I was fine. I haven't had a wheeze, a gasp or even a need for ventalin since.

I struggle to accept help but love to give it. I really did feel vulnerable and overwhelmed by the offer of help in the dorm room on Saturday night. I thank you very much ladies. I really do.

On a lighter note, our table had a little mascot over the weekend. Amy's son had hidden his Buzz Lightyear toy in her stash, so he was overseeing our antics all weekend. He was a bit naughty on occasion and was caught on camera a few times in comprising moments. All in good fun.









Layouts posted later.
mwah.
tiff

4 comments:

Kerryn said...

Well all I can say is you have one hell of a brave face!!

It was great to see you again Tiff. I hope you enjoyed yourself despite the troubles with your asthma.

amyf said...

so glad u r feeling better :). that 1 of buzz with the cream is a crack up. wonder what he will get up to next......

amanda hall said...

sorry you were feeling so crappy Tiff. I was worried when they told me how you were struggling and wanted you to go in to the hospital for a few nebs to be sure… glad it all worked out ok-ish anyway.

Wish i had known that you needed a preventer as i had my medications with me too….

Those photos of Buzz really made me laugh - great idea!

miasmummy said...

Oh Tiff, I saw you in your dorm when we went to bed and was also very worried and thought you should go to hospital, but knew that you had lots of other chickies around you... You just cannot mess with Asthma at all! You don't need to be brave, sometimes it's not worth it, specially in hindsight, you might realise that you were worse than you thought! Glad you are all better now, and enjoying your week with Lou. I couldn't make it tonight, been doing waaaaay too much Ali only things and now it's hubbies turn tonight!! xxx