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Day 344. Nine Lives!

2/10/2016

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A cat has never been my favourite animal.  I don't dislike them, I just don't see them as a good pet. Let's just say I'm a dog person.  This week however I have been feeling like I have more in common with a cat then I previously thought. 
They say a cat has nine lives. Here's what Google says.
"Some people believe the nine lives myth is related to cats' ability to always land on their feet. Cats are also known for their dexterity and agility. Over time, people witnessed cats survive in situations that surely would have severely injured other animals."
As many of you know from reading this blog I have fallen too many times to count, mostly without injury.  I get up and save for a few scratches, sore muscles and the like I am on my way. 
I have had four neurosurgeries which have had me in the ICU in touch and go situations for about a total of 20 days.  In one such case, I was very close to death and even had a near death experience. My husband was called to the hospital in the middle of the night and so on.  Yet here I am.  I have an angel or two looking out for me, and I think I know who they may be. 
This weekend my nine lives theory came about while Barry was away for his annual boys weekend. I was alone for the first time in ages.  I looked forward to it but at the same time felt a little vulnerable being alone for the first time.  All normal stuff, but highly unusual for me to not really want to be alone.  I had made some social plans and was disappointed when on Thursday I came down with what I thought was a migraine. It lingered all day Friday and I chose to go out to a friends anyway.  Surprisingly, I felt better as the night went on. The next morning I felt badly again.  I wasn't enjoying the weekend much with this on and off headache. Saturday night we went out to the movies and I went to bed shortly after getting home.  I woke a few hours later with a headache and awful feeling in my stomach. I rolled over and went back to sleep only to wake again later.  This time I felt much worse. I was dizzy, had a headache and felt sick. I made my way to the bathroom and threw up.
I went back to bed and slept for a long time.  I put it down to a flu of some kind or a long lasting migraine.  That was until the furnace repair person came into our house yesterday and shut down our malfunctioning furnace. 
What we thought was a problem with programming turned out to be a very serious problem which could cause carbon monoxide to come into the house.  When he asked if anyone in the house had had headaches or felt sick I stopped in my tracks.  When I told him my experience his eyes widened.  Saturday night in particular I was in danger and didn't know it, and was home alone, sleeping. 
He had a protocol to follow and had to turn the furnace off completely just as the weather is getting colder every day. The  cost of a new furnace was not what we needed right now but both Barry and I didn't blink at it.  Put it in.
 I'm sitting waiting for them to arrive to install the new furnace and grateful to be here to do it.
To answer what you're all probably thinking,  yes we have a carbon monoxide alarm and no it didn't go off.  It would be at higher levels for it to go off apparently. This experience however motivated me to write about it because it is so dangerous.  If you don't have a detector I suggest you get one.
My Physio said I was the luckiest, unlucky person he knew.  A lot happens to me but I always land on my feet.  I like cats a little better today.
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    Maureen Clout

    I'm going in for a 4th neurosurgery; this time it's a repair to my lumbar fusion. Here, I will post my daily updates on dealing with diagnosis, surgery and recovery. Join me on my journey.

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