Forum Participation

[Pauline]

I have to apologise for being missing from the forums the past few months. I check them every day and boot off the spammers, but I have not been participating.

As I mentioned in my Switzerland trip report from September, I have been unwell. This has come as a shock to me because I am usually in good health suffering only from back problems which I can deal with. The NHS hasn’t figured out what is going on, but they’ve had some alarming suggestions. I’ve had many tests done. My main symptom was a blinding headache for 3 weeks (after we returned from Switzerland but I was not well for 3 weeks on the trip), then reduced for 2 weeks, then stopped a couple of days ago. I am starting to feel better and get my energy back. Hoping this was a virus or something but still doing tests.

It will probably take me a bit more time to come out of this and then my interest in travel should revive. I plan a newsletter for the new year. We need to drag people off Facebook and back to these forums! And I will get back to work on publishing the old SlowTrav trip reports.

Thanks to all of you for keeping things going.

 

[Sharon J]

I have to apologise for being missing from the forums the past few months. I check them every day and boot off the spammers, but I have not been participating.

As I mentioned in my Switzerland trip report from September, I have been unwell. This has come as a shock to me because I am usually in good health suffering only from back problems which I can deal with. The NHS hasn’t figured out what is going on, but they’ve had some alarming suggestions. I’ve had many tests done. My main symptom was a blinding headache for 3 weeks (after we returned from Switzerland but I was not well for 3 weeks on the trip), then reduced for 2 weeks, then stopped a couple of days ago. I am starting to feel better and get my energy back. Hoping this was a virus or something but still doing tests.

It will probably take me a bit more time to come out of this and then my interest in travel should revive. I plan a newsletter for the new year. We need to drag people off Facebook and back to these forums! And I will get back to work on publishing the old SlowTrav trip reports.

Thanks to all of you for keeping things going.

So sorry to hear about your illness. Please just take good care of yourself.

 

[Valerie]

Yikes, I hoped you'd be feeling better by now.
I hope the docs can figure out the root and get you back to energetic soon.

 

[italian excursion]

Wow, that was a very long haul for you, Pauline. Very glad you're feeling better. It does sound like a virus, doesn't it? I wondered about the side effects of the Covid vaccinations I received that lingered a bit. Some odd rashes that I never experience and such. So, maybe something got re-activated in your system as it was adjusting to the new immunity??? Let's use SE more, yes!!! thank you! xo

 

[JMichael]

Oh, Pauline, I'm so sorry to hear you're hurting, but good to know you may be on the mend. I think you have accumulated more than enough sick leave to cover your absence. You've been helping me with travel for over 20 years (I think the first was recommending Nancy Grantham on Kauai). SlowTravel gave me the courage to plan our first trip to Italy all on our own, and we've been back several times since. As with ST, I still check the SlowEurope forum daily while having my morning coffee. Here's hoping for your speedy recovery and for you and Steve to get back on the road again.

 

[GailS]

So sorry to hear - hope you are truly on the mend. It's been great to see the increased activity here as folks are either traveling or thinking about it more.

 

[joe]

Here's to your health Pauline...hope you get back to your energetic self and the sickness melts away. Sounds indeed like a persistent virus, especially if the symptoms are finally receding - but better to do all relevant tests of course.
The forum has not lost its special character and nice sense of community, so don't fret over lost time. Enjoy the fact that those who come here usually keep returning - it's sort of like a lovely destination off the beaten track. A site like Trip Advisor is just virtual over-tourism, imo. Things will probably perk up again a bit, if and when travel goes back to normal, and there will be more experiences to share and advice needed.

 

[Shannon]

Pauline, I am so sorry to hear about your illness. But I am glad things seem to be getting better. I agree about facebook.. this is a much better place to post and answer travel questions and I will try to do better and check in more often than I have been.

 

[Ian Sutton]

wishing you a solid recovery Pauline

 

[SMJ]

I'm so sorry you have been ill, Pauline.
Don't apologise for not being here!
I hope you have excellent doctors who are giving you the best of care.

 

[phirhon]

I had noticed your absence and did wonder if you were unwell. You mentioned in your trip report you were not well and hoped it was not the dreaded Covid. Good to here you are feeling a bit better.

 

[PokeyMindy]

Pauline, I'm sorry to read that you've been feeling poorly for a while. I hope you continue to feel better and that there are no more "alarming" suggestions. Jeesh! How scary! Keep us posted.

Mindy

 

[ItalophileNJ]

So sorry you haven’t been well, I had thought you had just a few days of “ under the weather“. Here’s wishing you a quick and complete recovery.

 

[artnbarb]

Sending good thoughts. Here's hoping you're feeling better soon.

 

[Ann]

Pauline, I hope your recovery is swift and complete! All the best to both you and Steve. Aloha, Ann

 

[Pauline]

I am happy to say that I am officially getting better. My last blood tests were good. I had Temporal Arteritis, possibly caused by a virus. It took the doctor some trial and error to figure it out. I’ve been dealing with this since July. I think my tooth pain was related to this. I’ve not taken much medication in my life but for the next few months I will be, to keep this in check, and then he thinks it won’t come back. The headaches have been gone for two weeks and my energy is returning (because I am taking steroids!). I still have to take it easy and recover but we are both so happy that things are going well. I realise how lucky I’ve been with my health all these years.

I am even starting to think about where we might travel next year!

 

[JMichael]

Yay! So glad to read this. Now lots of sitting by the fire with a cuppa.

 

[Eleanor]

That is GOOD NEWS Pauline!

 

[jonathan]

Excellent news!

 

[susan]

Yay!!! Really happy to know you are on the road to recovery!