Cracker Jack or Jill

Boost for the garden total today (22) when one of the Little Orme peregrines flashed across overhead scattering all the jackdaws and local gulls. Otherwise quietish around garden with collared dove and wood pigeons in evidence, the latter devouring most things included crackerwheat put out by Margaret.
Third day of steriods and main change is a slight improvement in constipation - at last! Hospital tomorrow for blood letting whatever that is. Had to make 2 trips to GP this morning after nurse used wrong philes (not her fault) for a sample but at least she saw me in straight away and is proving very helpful to me.

That was the week that was

Chaffinches were among the small greenfinch flock in the hedgerow nearby.
Not a good past week but hopefully over the worst for now at least. It all kicked off when last Tuesday I reacted badly after chemo treatment feeling light-headed and strangely breathless when getting up to go for my taxi back home. Thankfully the quick thinking Alaw Day Unit nurses had me straight down to A&E where I was tended to almost immediately and during my stay there til 5am I was well looked after and seen in steady progress by nurses, duty doctors and then medical consultant, I was really impressed. Diagnosis seemed to be my heart had reacted to the drugs and chemo and had gone in overdrive as well as irregular beat.
I was transferred to a ward for the rest of the morning before it was decided I would be sent down to the Coronary Care Unit to have my heart "bounced" back into rhythym. This entailed being put to sleep before the procedure was carried out but thankfully they only needed to do it once and a low level whereas I was told it could take several goes on some patients and at a higher level of shock. Again here the nursing staff were superb, in fact one nurse only lives the other side of the main road from me in the aptly named Trafford Park.
Then back home but then more troubles as I had started to suffer from constipation and the pressure was up against my bladder and preventing me from peeing. After phone calls with my chemo nurse I went the following day to my GP for products to relieve it and although things are better I still need a good clear out!!
(3 pairs of PJ bottoms washed on the line confirming this! mind you my record was 5 last time round when I reacted to penicillin).
On a lighter note Margaret had a go at shaving my head but after wondering why not much was coming off we realised my son had sent his beard clippers instead of head ones (!) so another job to do. Last time I didn't bother and my hair came off in lumps on the sleeping pillow at night which was a bit depressing so change of plan this time.
Obviously not had much time for garden birds, but did manage to watch a wren scurrying around plant pots near the back conservatory door bringing total to 21. Up to 5 chaffinches have joined the greenfinch flock.

Top twenty

Only four and a half sleep last night but with no steroids to take again today hopefully might get some better kip tonight. Managed another trip to the shops for a while and enjoyed the sunshine. Stomach still churning over but sickness tablets keeping things at bay. Recorded another new garden year tick with chaffinch, can't keep getting one a day surely! Up to 20 species now with 11 recorded today including showy dunnocks inspecting the garden for potential nesting sites.
No stargazing last night and no moths again, too wet most of the night.

Green recruits

Stomach feeling a bit off today with all tablets been taking and although managed 20 minutes at shops feeling a bit groggy and went to try and get a kip this afto. Nice addition to the garden list was greenfinch with half a dozen hanging around the gardens. Must remember to give feeders a regular clean so as not to pass on any disease for this declining species. Total of 11 species today with greenies bringing garden total up to 19.
Too cloudy for stargazing last night and nothing in moth trap.

Sick Notes extra

Only got 4 hours kip last night but at least today was last session of steroids for 3 days and they didn't effect me too badly. Went by ambulance to Bangor and my blog title lived up to its name with one poor old dear in a stretcher puking up all over the place and forcing the ambulance to pull up on the hard drive on the A470. Quite proud of myself that I didn't gag as well! Everything ok so far at hospital apart from keeping an eye on kidney function. Managed 14 species in garden before hospital which was highest day total and included a new record of flyover pied wagtail bringing total to 18.
No stargazing last night as it was too cloudy and no moths caught.

Shooting star

After this morning's steroids felt out of it for a few hours but eventually came round. Managed 6 hours sleep last night. Otherwise still ok and managed to get out to library and shop for more variety of bird food to try and attract few more species. Need a blackcap to match R&R's female garden bird! New record today were 2 overflying ravens plus pair collared doves inspecting tree in garden (nest site?), jackdaw, herring gull, blackbird, wood pigeon, dunnock, house sparrow, feral pigeon and robin. Total 17 species so far. No moths last night but will keep trap out while it's still relatively mild.
Margaret sat in conservatory late last night after not sleeping well and gripped me off with a shooting star! It had gone when I got there but got sky app out and found jupiter behind the moon during cloud breaks. Got scope set up for tonight.

24 hours from Bangor

Passed the 24-hour mark since chemo and so far no bad signs, even managed 5 hours sleep last night. New garden year ticks with flyover crow and magpie. Birds seen house sparrow, herring gull, crow, jackdaw, magpie, wood pigeon, feral pigeon, blue tit, blackbird, dunnock. It was warm enough for a wasp to appear in conservatory so decided to set up moth trap for tonight.