moving house

Moving house................................................................................................

I have been having real difficulty getting in to blogger the last few day I am not sure if its my server, blogger or both causing the problem so I am moving, here's the new address

www.wafflingabouttheworld.wordpress.com

Or click this link

See you there

I am not alone

Sat here watching something on BBC iplayer when, suddenly something caught my attention out the corner of my eye.

There is a bloody great spider on my living room wall.

aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhh. Nasty big black thing. Yuck. I am off to bed so it can have the living room to its self.

Continuing on an upward trend.

Today I continue to feel better, helped by enjoying some hilarity this morning. When questioned about how to deal with a burn a colleague replied "apply the cat"! Not aware of that particular method and not having a cat its not one I could try, though the guinea pig might make a fair substitute.

Pain is still very much there but, I am busy catching up on sleep. Unfortunately this means that I have missed the J.John event tonight, that I am saddened about because its a fantastic event.

The other day I was on a first aid course, one of these were you are shown how to do it and then practise on each other. It served as a reminder how fragile my shoulder is getting even before I got to the practicing/been practiced on stage I was concerned about the discomfort it was going to cause.

My friend made an interesting observation tonight my op takes place 4 weeks and one day after her poor dog has his balls removed. Good luck for tomorrow Fred!

One other note is that I have rang the hospital today and confirmed that I will be there on the 26th June.

Feeling better

I am pleased to report that I am feeling much better, the golden wedding celebrations were lovely and I have been able to catch up on sleep this afternoon.

One thing I did fail to mention in my earlier post is that my mood was a much to do with an incident that occured last night as much it was to do with tiredness and pain. Unfortunately as much as I want to share it on my blog I am unable to due to nature of the incident that occured.

One month to go!

This morning I feel like crap, I am a total wreck.

I had an horrendous night last night with constant stabbing pain and little relief from my painkillers, this may in part due to the fact that I kept throwing the buggers up! I am now very well aquainted with the inside of my toilet bowl. To add further to the pain I moved my arm at 6am and felt a crack as bones collided and pain shot through my arm like a bolt.

So now I am up, a weepy emotional wreck aware that one month today I will be on the ward and waiting to go to theatre, it's all getting too much at the minute. This is further compounded by peoples kind offers of help while a cetain close relative who lives up the road sits on a bar stool and doesn't give two hoots. Without my friends I would be lost, last night I was so touched when my friends collegue and friend offered me the use of her shower when ever I need it knowing that getting in and out the bath will be a near impossible task.

What I need to do now is get up and dressed and put on my best smiley face, I am getting adept at hiding behind a mask, a mask that hides my true feelings though this morning I feel that it will be a harder than normal task to hide my emotions but it is my friends Golden wedding anniversary and at 11am they are having a service of thanksgiving in the church they were married followed by a buffet in a local hotel and I don't want to be the one responsible for spoiling their very special day.

Sore shoulder blogging

When this blog was born I wanted it to be a place where I could spout off whatever I chose but, it seems that this have more and more evolved into "woman with painful shoulder blog".

In the coming weeks I know that my shoulder and the forthcoming op will be a bigger and bigger focus of my blog but, I want to talk about more than that so watch this space I have posts lined on other things including my jaunt to Barcelona.

What I do plan to do and I appreciate that it might be a bit boring for my readings so apologies in advance is for the next six months make an entry each day on how I feel with regards to my shoulder so that I have a day by day diary to look back on allowing me to chart my recovery and to remind me on bad post operative days why I had my op.

Todays entry simply reads "Ow!"

Another letter.

Another letter landed today, this one to inform me what time to turn up for my operation.

The time I need to be there is dependent on where I am on the list. When I had my eye done I was late on the list so I had to hang around the house until lunchtime which wasn't pleasant and I was hoping that I wouldn't have to go through a repeat of that.

Reading the letter it appears unlikely, the letter states that I have to be there at 7.45am, the day surgery centre opens at 7.30am so fingers crossed I am very early on the list and aren't left sitting around waiting to go down for surgery.

The letter stated that I am to stop eating at midnight and no fluids from 6am, same instructions as I had for my eye. I remember on that occasion drinking a litre of juice and immediately regretting it my stomach was agony.

All that is left to do now is to ring them to tell them I will be there.

As an after note they also inform me I will not be able to drive following surgery. That's stating the bleeding obvious!

Come on Hull

I am not a football fan, but I do like to watch the progress of certain teams.

Today, Hull is playing in the champoinship play offs. If they win they are in the Premier League.

Hull City was my nearest major football team, so I have everything crossed for them.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I was at work last night, on going on duty I was informed that more staffing was done.

I grabbed the big red book which tells me what I am working and when, the staffing is now done beyond the day of my op and it was strangely surreal to see next to my name, instead of the usual E/L/N or H if I am holiday a long row of SSSS's denoting that I am on the sick.

Officialy freaked out II

Thanks Suzie I needed that, I have calmed down a little and feeling less freaked out now.


As I said in my earlier post I discovered yesterday that the planned op on my shoulder is going to be bigger than first planned, as well as removing my AC joint for the arthritis that I already know I have I also need to have a decompression operation as well, obviously the x rays I had on the 8th of April have shown evidence of impingement syndrome. The details of both procedures and impingement syndrome can be found in this post.

They are also going to have a good look around my shoulder and carry out a diagnosis arthroscopic diagnostic procedure to make sure there is nothing else that needs surgical intervention, if there is they will carry out that as well at the same time.

There is still real hope to get me home that same day though so hopefully no over night stay.

Reality is sinking in now, I am going to need a lot of support in the weeks after my op. The physios have said even the most basic tasks such as hoovering will be out of the question for the first 6 weeks.

I mentioned tonight to my friend "how the heck am I going to manage?" his response was "don't worry the church is ready" it seems that people in my church are already planning ways in which they can help me through those first few weeks.

Its lovely of them but, I am fiercely independent, to much so sometimes and I hate accepting help, its not because of pride I just find it so hard to accept help because through much of my childhood I had to cope on my own because my parents were often too busy with leading their own lives to support their children (my grandparents were wonderful though) and now when I need help and the help is there I find it hard to accept the help that I need.

Officially freaked out I

Ok it's official, I am freaked out.

I saw the surgeon yesterday (but was unable to post about it till now, thanks to Tommy biting through the moden cables, incuding the one plugged into the mains) and found out excactly what they are planning to do.

I need a bigger op than first thought.

However I will blog about it later as my late lunch/early tea is nearly cooked. I can smell it burning now.

Guinea pigs moving house!

When I got Tommy as a baby he was very unhappy on his own so I placed a post on a guinea pig forum, a rescue contacted me and Sparky came into my life.

And so he moved in with Tommy and they got on like a house on fire.

Then Sweep came into my life a four year old hair ball who had been pretty horrendously neglected, sadly three weeks later he succumbed to kidney disease and I was forced to make that horrendous decision to have him put to sleep. The vet said he was probually more loved in the last three weeks than he had been in the past four years.

Somehow a few weeks later Prince Harry came into my life, another needy rescue. The rescue that Sparky and Sweep came from had Harry and they offered me him as "replacement" for Sweep. I was unsure but I was talked into it and I have never, ever regretted it. But, he has always lived on his own.

Until now.

Sparky and Tommy was getting on nicely until four months ago, when Tommy took it upon himself to start beating Sparky up and they had to be separated. Leaving all three on their own.

I have tried several times to bond Sparky with Harry. Sparky took to Harry like a duck to water, Harry wasn't so sure and got annoyed quite quickly at having his space invaded and quickly made it obvious that he should go back to his own gaff.

Last Wednesday I put Sparky in with Harry and this time he accepted him and Sparky has moved in. Sparky is delighted! And Harry is pretty pleased too.

The only problem is that Sparky has no fear and keeps leaping out of the front door of his cage when it left open and its two foot up! He also scared the pants of the vet today by jumping off the table, poor lads got a touch of conjunctivitis and needs some eye drops. Believe you and me putting eye drops in a guinea pigs eyes is less than easy!

Sparky is the short haired one and the ginger long haired chap!

Appointment with the surgeon

Tomorrow at just gone 11 I have an appointment with the surgeon doing my operation. I am a little unsure about it and feeling nervous for some strange reason.

To this end Suzie, I will go to bed earlier tonight. I think it was ads and plane crashes I was watching on you tube (??? :-~) Not sure why the heck I was watching plane crashes, strange landings and scary take offs. I am not some sort of psychopath that enjoys watching people dying in a white hot ball of fire and given that I am a nervous flyer it certainly won't increase my confidence in flying.

And in response to comments a link about my op can be found here.

Here

And here

Great British weather

I am about to head to bed, yes I know its late but I ended up on "You Tube" and you know how it is, one thing leads to another and another...........and another.

I have just popped into the bathroom and checked the thermometer which I have dangling out of the window and it is a mere 3c, or 37f, just above freezing.

Its May for crying out loud, its supposed to be nice, its supposed to be warm. Instead we are having colder nights than what we had in January! I am so hoping that this weather improves but, right now its seems that this summer will closely mirror last years in terms of temperatures!

A right barrel of laughs

I cam across this on the net looks like I am in for a tough few weeks post op (I am having the acromyoclaviclar joint removed as well)

At least I know what I am up against, but it makes scary reading all the same.

Tonight I had the "do you think I am doing the right thing?" convo with a friend (yet again) based on the new information I have gathered from above.

He answered in the affirmative and without any hesitation, "yes". I know that I am doing the right thing but, at the same time there is an element of doubt and I feel quite scared about the concept of going through with the surgery. It will be life changing and for the better but, it still a big step to take.

Silly me

Silly, silly me

I went to work today and was told I was doing office duties so that I can get my paper work upto day. So no heavy lifting, so no strain on my shoulder and so less pain at the end ot the day.

So why, why did I sit at my desk right elbow on desk and head on hand (I am left handed)? Result is that I have put a lot of strain on my shoulder and it hurts, hurts alot.

Silly me!

I hate earlies

Early shift tomorrow. I hate them.

Well, actually I don't much hate the shift its the getting up. The crawling out of bed groggy eyed, feeling like crap wishing like hell I could have another hour or 4 in bed.

I am sat here knowing that I should go to bed as the later I crawl into my bed the sooner I will have to crawl out of it. And the crappier I will feel.

But I simply can not be bothered to drag my carcass off the sofa and make tracks for bed.

But, I must, I really must. Really, really must.

Night all!

No red rags to this bull

It might not be a good idea to wave a red rag in front of this bull. Unless you have a death wish, that is.

Or you are very stupid.....................or you can run fast. Very, very fast!

Piggies as pets!

Suzie has left a lovely comment asking whether she is missing out by not having had a guinea piggy as a pet? Thanks for your message Suzie

My knee jerk reaction is to say yes In my opinion they are make wonderful pets, they are generally loving and affectionate and they love company. They can be vocal and have a range of noises that they make which, if they live indoors you soon get used to what each noise means. I love my three to bits. Many people are put off because they are rodents and are often seen as "children's pets" no pet should be ever be seen as a children's pet, a child under 16 can not take responsibility for a pet by law and the number of guinea pigs that end up in rescues because the child has got bored and parents can not be bothered also lays testament to this.

They do, however require a lot of care. They are best kept in doors, for 1, they don't cope well with cold weather and 2, they love company. My sisters believe that I should keep them outdoors but, if I wanted to get something to sit in the garden I would of got a gnome. These are living animals that need a lot of love and attention, but the more you give them the more they give back.

They generally do not smell as they are very clean animals and will get upset if dirty, they need fresh hay day along with fresh water. In addition they require dry food daily (complete mixes are best) and fresh fruit and veg daily, they can not store vitamin c but it is a vital nutrient for their survival.

Keeping one is not a option, they like company of another guinea pig, they also love and need time out their cage so owners will need to be able to deal with a few doddles on the carpet!

If you have a long haired piggy, he or she will need regular grooming and baths and if they fall poorly, its off the the vets!

The best place to get a piggy from is a local rescue, don't go for the prettiest or the cutest immediately but also assess their nature and character as well. Some of them can be real characters and some are noisier than others.

One think I can guarantee, if you decide a guinea pig is for you and you open your home to these delightful animals you will never regret it!

Back on line

I have just spent the weekend off line, thanks to Sparky.

He has a habit of chewing everything insight but, keeping him in his cage is not an option. He hates it. He loves to be out running and playing and I get nagged until he achieves his aims. Plus, I feel its rather cruel to not to allow an animal to run free and enjoy some time out of their cage.

Unfortunately, despite the use of "chew stoppa spray" he chewed through the modem wire which rendered me off line luckily the computer shop up the road had another one in stock so I am now back on line. For now anyway, Sparky has just had made a very valid attempt at destroying the new one, he has now turned his attention to the cactus, a plant he is learning bites back!

Better day

Thanks first of all Suzie for your message much appreciated.

I have had a better day today, pain still there but in a better mind frame to deal with it.

This morning I picked myself up, dusted myself off and started a new day and I have to say its been a pretty good day.

After work I came home and as the sun was shining, I set up the guinea pigs outdoor run and put Sparky and Harry in it, at first they skulked through the grass like they were on some sort of Royal Marine commandos exercise then they grew bolder, chilled out and started stuffing their faces with grass and dandelions. They both loved it, I get so much pleasure (and amusement) out of watching my boys enjoy themselves, particularly Harry who was the victim of pretty horrendous neglect and is still getting use to the idea that life can be fun and humans trusted. Mind I did notice today, he's in major need of a hair cut and bath.

Unfortunately Tommy missed out on all the fun and each time I popped into the house I noticed him at the front of the cage on his hind legs, nose through the bars crying pitifully, like a little boy that been grounded and can only watch his mates enjoy themselves through the bedroom window. Unfortunately that's what it pretty much amounts to, he's such a thug with other piggies I can not trust him not to take the opportunity to kick everybodies head in when he's in the company of other piggies. However, his time will come.

Then it was onto to attend no. 3 in the Just 10 mission series, amazing! I really enjoyed it there was about 8000 people attending in a very, very large tent. It served as timely reminder that in through difficult times God is holding us in His hands even if we are not fully aware of the fact.

Rough day

I know, I know and I am sorry I haven't posted about last weeks jaunt to Barcelona I will, I promise get round to it as soon as possible.

Secondly I apologise I know that some people are and do go through far greater than what I go through but, I am having a really crap day.

The arthritis in my shoulder is really playing me up. I feel that someone has encased my feet in concrete to keep me absolutely still and has proceeded to pull my right arm as hard as they can. My pain killers are having little positive effect and I am still left with a nagging toothache type pain in my shoulder despite them. The pain killers are making me feel listless and sick and my stomach has come to an absolute standstill putting additional pressure on my lungs making me feel breathless.

I hate days like this I am snappy and crotchety and no company at all, its days like this when I feel I am under a black cloud and just want to crawl under the duvet. I am trying to stay positive in the midst of it all but it's an uphill struggle.

Thanks Mate!

My mate A popped round tonight and we had a good natter about our recent jaunts me in Barcelona, he in London. Sounds like he had as good a time in London as I had in Barcelona.

We then some how got onto the subject of my medication or rather the amount I took.

I was telling him about someone I know who often, in their conversations with me presents an undercurrent of disapproval of the amount of medication I take. My list is ever increasing and I don't like it but I really have no choice, it both keeps me alive and gives me a quality of life.

However my chats with her contains within them pointed remarks about how they only take medication if really necessary or they only use paracetamol 5 or 6 a year and it's really not natural to keep shoving lots of pills down your neck and so forth to the point where they leave me feeling that I am taking a combination of Arsenic, strychnine, slug pellets, rat poison, cyanide and other horrendous things down my neck.

I was explaining all this to A who got quite indignant there attitude towards me, I explained to him that I wasn't expecting sympathy from the person above just understanding. I went onto say "I don't take this lot for the fun of it, I take it for genuine reasons"

His response was "Yes, of course you do, if you didn't you'd be a junkie!"

Geeee Thanks!

To fair though he has and is an amazing friend who has supported me through and continues to support me and stick by me despite my health problems and is a truly fantastic friend even when I whinge on about how much pain I am in or snap his head off because I am in pain or has, has happened on several occasions become so ill he needs to dial 999 to order an NHS bus!

Message for Gordon Brown

I don't normally do politics however, I think our current government is ruining our country, yes it's a fair enough point that the conservatives didn't do much for it either but, labour certainly hasn't improved things.

I think this should be a message to Gordon Brown and his governement, leave. Now!

Home

I am back home and have had a wonderful time.

I have dubbed my trip away "6 beds in 6 nights"! and I will post all about it tomorrow.

Night night

Shopping and all that!

The shopping jaunt did not turn out the be therapy I had hoped despite it been Friday afternoon the shops were very busy and I got pushed and shoved all over the place, which was less than pleasurable. I absolutely hate crowds and even more now, if I get banged on my right shoulder it is very painful so I gave up.

I managed to get a new pair of shoes reduce from forty quid to 20 and a pair of trousers reduced from fifteen quid to a fiver, I also bought my shelf a smaller rucksack, I nearly bought myself one for the sake of buying one in the local department store but after standing in a queue for ages I went elsewhere and got one for ten quid cheaper and much nicer.

I returned home rather late thanks to busy traffic driven and by a bus driver that alternated between singing and yelling.

Next on my agenda was sorting the piggies out to go on their holidays, they have headed to a friends and I know they will have a ball but my house is so quiet without them. Her child asked if Harry could stay in her room, something which I am happy with. There was more involved in getting the piggies ready than there is for me and that's saying something! Both of our cars were full with cages, toys, hay, bowls, bedding, and various other piggy requirements.

I got their cages set up and helped them to settle, before I left Sparky was busy playing with one of her male guinea pigs and he had gatecrashed his cage and ate his tea!

On the way back home I popped into her local garage, her local garage is a lot cheaper than mine so the car is topped up with motion potion and ready to go. I heard tonight that the motion potion refinery that serves my area is now shut thanks to a strike so I will have to top it up on the way home. My nana lives a short distance from a refinery so I guess there will be no problems getting petrol were she is.

I have started packing and the washing machine is on. Tomorrow morning I vision a mad pack before setting off at 1pm.

Oh and yes Suzie if you can fit in my case you are welcome to come.

Retail therapy

This afternoon I am heading out and hitting the shops.

As I am going soon going away for 5 days I plan to buy some new togs for my jollies.

I am rather looking forward to it, need to be back though by half 4 as I need to organise my boys before they go on their jollies to my friends house not sure what her hubby will think of my piggies invading their living room. Last time they were there Harry ate their Christmas Tree! Husband reported that Harry thought it was yummy but required more salt.

Find your perfect car

I found this on the net and wasted a few minutes undertaking it and thought I would add it to my blog as to allow my reader to do likewise.

Have fun!

Mr G.Raffe phonecall for you!

This caught my eye in the news before

It must be a nightmare for the zoo but I personally rolling around laughing at the thought of people falling for this prank!

More pills and potions

I headed off to see my chronic disease managment nurse today. She's a fantastic nurse and has helped me through some really bad patches.

I came away with even more medication to take some is for the side effects of my pain killers and the rest is for my hay fever.

I have just worked out that my meds come in now at upto 44 doses per day, more than many of my residents take.

My list now looks like this

Salmeterol/flixotide accuhaler twice daily
Atrovent inhaler 2 puffs twice dialy
Phylocontin tablets 1 twice daily
Codiene phosphate 1-2 upto 4 x daily
Ducosate sodium 2 twice daily
Sodium Chloride Eye drops 2 4xdaily
Flixonase Nasal spray 2 x 2 daily
Hydromol bath oil
Hydromol cream
Hydrocortisone cream
Prednisolone 30mg for 5 days of peak flow drops below 300
Nysatatin for 7 days as required
Salbutamol inhaler as required
Atrovent nebules as required
Salbutamol nebules as required
Ispagela Husk twice a day
Cetrizazine 1 a day
Paracetamol 1-2 tablets upto 4 times a day
Diclofenic 50mg as required upto 3 x day
Saline nebules as required

I think thats it, even I had problems remembering it all!! I know its not normal for a young person to be on so much but, now I so use to it I hardly notice it.

Hurrah!

I am holiday for a few days and not due back to work will the week after next!

My next holiday will be spent preparing to go into hospital so I am planning to take this oppurtunity to really enjoy this holiday. My plans are to visit family member and visit Barcelona.

But, first things first I have an appointment to see my "chronic disease management nurse"

Red and itchy

Last night, prior to going to work I noticed that my right shoulder was hot, red and blotchy. Hhhhmmmm nice I thought.

I went into work and commenced my shift a hour and a half later my colleague blurted out "we were wondering why your face is so red?" Is it? was my reply, a quick visit to the loo followed by peering in the mirror revealed that they were right, it was red. And itchy.

I realised that something allergic was going on, by midnight it had spread and was heading downwards, as it was busy spreading I was busy annoying the hell out of my staff by scratching. I quick search of my handbag revealed that I had no anti histamines on me but that I did have my steroid cream unfortunately it is only mild and made no difference.

By 1am my staff were threatening to switch the lights off because my face was glowing so much they felt they no longer needed to be switched on.

I have spent the night scratching like a cat with fleas and have come home feeling very sore, the redness has subsided a little but the blotchiness an itchiness remain. I am going to throw everything at it in the hope that it subsides by tonight as I feel very self conscious wandering around work closely resembling a swan vestas match!

Ooooppppsss

Next week I flying out to Barcelona. Hurrah!!

My sister is organising it all, unfortunately it appears a minor blooper has been made.

She has booked the flight out for Sunday and the return flight for Tuesday.

Unfortunately she has booked the hotel for Monday and Tuesday.

Thus meaning we will have nowhere to stay when we get there and somewhere to stay when in fact we will be back in the UK!

There mow follows a panic as my sister attempts to find us all some where to stay on Sunday night.

Home comforts

I decided that with my forth coming op I want to take my teddy with me, but not just any old teddy. No, I want a new teddy. But not just any old shop bought teddy.

No. It has to be one knitted by my nana.

Pre-assessment clinic

I rang the clinic this morning and it transpires that my appointment was in fact this for afternoon.

I crawled off to bed feeling somewhat poorly, and set every available alarm clock in the house in the hope I would awake in time. As it was to transpire there was no chance of a lie in. The world and his wife seem to want to get a hold of me today, first the post man came knocking at my door, bleary eyed and unable to find my dressing gown I staggered to the door. The the phone rang, then it rang again, and again. At 2pm I gave up and got up.

Due to the ridiculous car parking fees at my local hospital which I think are theft in its own right, what you have a loved on dying in that hospital? no one should be expected to pay to visit a dying or seriously ill loved one. Anyway I digress that is material for another post. I took the bus up to the hospital and discovered that were I will be having the op is in another part of the hospital, it's newly built and rather nice but such a trek to get to I eventually found where I was meant to be.

I took a seat in the waiting area, carefully noting after the events of last night were the loo is and waited. Shortly a nurse attired in a purple uniform, called for me.

I tootled in and she ran through a questionnaire checked my lung function and said that all would fine for the op, I was concerned that my severe asthma may prevent me but I appears not I was apparently the fittest patient she had seen that day despite my repeat script spanning three pages. She did, however say that while the intention is to do it as a day case because of my asthma there would be a ward bed available to me should I require it. I am sure my friends spare bed will be the much better option and there is a less likely chance that I will come home with pressure damage, there is a bet flying round work that I am bound to come home with pressure sores after been in the hospital given that most of the residents that we get back from the hospital come back with pressure damage.

Any way that's phase one over and done with, next phase is to see the surgeon next month, followed by the anesthetist in June and finally the op on the 26th of June its self.

Vomit-olympics

Opiate painkillers work well for me, unfortunately I seem to manage about 8 weeks on a painkiller then they start upsetting my stomach.

Last night I went into work and had my night painkillers with an hour my stomach began to feel like a washing machine and initially it felt like a normal cycle, then a slow spin, then a fast spin and then a very fast spin, this was then then followed by me legging it up the corridor very fast.

This set the tone for the night, I struggled my way through the shift with regular visits to empty my stomach contents down a porcelain bowl. I have just been on the phone to my doctors surgery and I have an appointment to see the nurse on the Thursday at 3pm for yet another painkiller review. Until then it will be paracetamol and deep heat, my staff will smell me before they see me!

Here's hoping my stomach forgives me before Wednesday, its our last night shift before we return back on to day shift and we're having a chinese and I am buying. They've been a great team to work with and I want to say thank you to my staff.

Here's hoping my stomach recovers before Wednesday

Daft creatures

Some one is wolf-whistling outside. Loudly.

So Thomas decides to reply.

He sets of squeaking. Loudly.

Loony pig!

Just realised..........

There is an error in my appointment date for next week, it stated that my appointment is Tuesday 21st April when in fact the 21st is the Monday so I have no idea when my appointment actually is.

I'll give the ward a bell tomorrow in the hope that someone can help me but, as its a day unit I would doubt anyone will be there, so I could be facing a bit of a problem. I am night shift Sunday, its my first shift back so by the Monday I will be shattered but I will have to sit up until half eight or nine o clock or whatever time it takes to get through to the ward and if it transpires that my appointment is actually on the Monday I will have to get back up after just five hours of sleep to attend my appointment as the appointment can take up to an hour I may not get home till 5pm so it will hardly be worth going back to bed.

Operation paperwork

This morning two letters dropped onto my doormat both bearing the local hospitals stamp.

The first one I opened contained a letter advising me that an appointment has been made for me in the pre operation clinic were I will see the surgeon doing the operation, the aim of this appointment is to inform me about the operation and to gain my consent to allow him to operate.

The second one is a letter that provides me with a provisional date for my operation and also to ask me to go to the ward next week for a pre admission appointment where I will undergo various test and they will also take my medical history and ensure that I am fit for surgery.

It now feels for the first time, real and at the moment I feel a little overwhelmed by it.

I am not even sure how best to prepare for surgery, I want to be as physically fit as I can but all my googling reveals is information about how to prepare your child for surgery or how to prepare for going into hospital to have a baby. I am guessing by this that that there is little info out there on preparing to go into hospital for surgery or I am simply looking in the wrong place.

Pain

I am having a pretty bad night tonight, I am struggling with the pain in my right shoulder.

I have had my pain killers and used my TENS machine but still it aches, that awful nagging toothache. I also generally lie on my right side, the affected side I find it hard to sleep on my left side or my back.

It doesn't help that I am already feeling very down with myself because I was I snapped at my friend because I was in pain, he was understanding but he deserves better in a friend that what I can offer him as a friend.

Oh and to top it off I think I am coming down with something.

Hopefully I will feel better in the morning.

Night all!

Blogging

I am fairly new to this blogging lark and was delighted tonight to get my first comment, thanks Suzie-there is a link for her blog on my blog titled "Suzies blog"

Although it is early days I am really enjoying it, it gives me an outlet, a place to share my thoughts, somewhere were I can vent and somewhere to share the many the many myriad of things whizzing around my brain.

Oh and thanks for popping by.

My special boys

I want to take this opportunity to introduce you to my very special boys, they live indoors and so are my constant companions. They are also give me the motivation I need on bad days, when my breathing is bad or I am in pain to get out of bed because without me they go hungry.

They greet me home from work, they are always up for a cuddle when I feel down and worn out they give their love unconditionally and without them my life would have a gap in it.

First up is Thomas, he's 9 months old and is sometimes known as ASBO pig or the "wheeking assassin"! This is because though he lives in the same cage as Sparky he has to have a cooling rack separating them as he kicks his head in at every available opportunity if he's able to get to him, yet when seperated into different cages he cries sadly and becomes very distressed. With humans he's very friendly and attaches his self like a limpet molding himself to you. He came from the local pet shop.

Next up is Sparky, he's loud, proud and in your face! He's has a number of methods of gaining your attention ranging from yelling loudly, chewing the bars to knocking his water bottle flying. He has a passion for bags and spending hours investigating their contents more than once I have spotted him dragging something that has taken his fancy out of my shopping bags along the hallway. Unfortunately it has also landed him in trouble when he has dived into rubbish bags.

He's a very loving and affectionate guinea pig both towards other piggies and humans and has a tendency to follow me all over the house. When in his cage he will stand on his hind legs for his belly to tickled and his nose scratched.
He came from a rescue, unwanted because his owners bought him as a girl and then discovered he was a bloke.

Finally Prince Harry, he's 2 years old and had a terrible start to his life. He came from a rescue his owners had neglected him he has very long fur and they had failed to groom him, subsequently his fur was was a mass of tats and had to be cut off on going into the rescue centre, he still hates being groomed as he associates it with pain, his owners in an attempt to groom him had been dragging a comb through his fur, tats and all. His owners rang the rescue saying they couldn't cope with him because of his long hair and that they wanted rid of him now, today. Interesting he also put on a lot of weight within a short while of been rescued. His fur has grown back and he now looks like a mop head on legs.

He's very quiet and was quite shy running off when cuddled he know enjoys a cuddle, he particularly loves to be tickled under his chin. He has a very odd habit of sitting with his nose stuck up in the air and loves classical music.

So this is my boys, all totally different characters but all three are so special.

The joys of volunteering

Tomorrow I am going out, I am volunteering to help on an old persons day trip.

Many may groan at the prospective, not willing to sacrifice their time off and use it for the benefit of others, particularly an old person who are so sadly written off by society and perceived as having nothing more to offer our society except than to be a burden.

The lady who I have been assigned to push in her wheelchair is great fun to be and I am really looking forward to spending the day with her however, it's nothing as much she is looking forward to going out. She's housebound and spends most of her day looking at the same 4 walls so going out for a day something to be greatly looked forward to with great anticipation.

Her carer popped by tonight and checked that she was still OK to go out. Her answer was obvious without her even speaking and was to found in the wheelchair sitting in the hallway all set up, the clothes carefully laid out and the coat sitting ready for it's wearer to put it on in the morning.

She can not wait for the morning, like a child waiting for Christmas she can not wait to go out.

And please, if you have the opportunity to carry out voluntary work, take it you will find it greatly rewarding and don't reject and write off our old people. Treasure is often found in old vessels.

Plugging an event

I going to use my blog to shamelessly plug an event, this event.

Even if you don't live nearby have a good look around the site and have a good think about it as a bloke in my church was commented "Christians aren't a bunch of weirdos that eat donuts" If you do live nearby please take the opportunity to go along.

Starting my my days off

While most people, this morning were crawling out their beds to face their second day of the week at work I was walking out of work with a smile on my face knowing that my working week is over.

The car was, yet again covered in ice despite it being the middle of April but nothing could put a downer on my morning, I was off home (eventually and thanks to Car Plan de-icer) to enjoy 4 days off.

I arrived home ten minutes later to be greeted by three boys, in possession of empty stomachs that required refilling shouting for their breakfasts, NOW! not when I had put my bag down, taken my coat off, put the kettle on and gone through the general motions of getting in the house, but now this minute.

3 minutes later the air was filled with the sound of contented munching and I was heading off to bed for few hours kip. I didn't want to sleep all day I always feel that, that is a complete waste of a day off but, I normally too knackered to anything really constructive with what remains of the day.

3 hours later I was awakened by the phone, my friend wanting some printing done and wanting to pick it up this evening.

This seemed a good point to get up, it was twelve o clock and I didn't want to waste a day off spending it in bed and I also needed to yet to the supermarket as my bread had turned to penicillin and the milk had turned to yogurt and the boys need more food.............

Oops!

I have been so busy titifating with my new blog I have lost track of time I have to leave for work in 30 minutes oops and I am still in my PJs oops!

Cold mornings, warm bed!

Crikes its cold this morning, middle of April and I am still coming out from work and having to stand in the freezing cold and de-ice my car! All I want to do after a busy night shift is go home not stand in the freezing cold, shivering and armed with an ice scraper. The Windows was so frozen they wouldn't even wind down.

After the short drive home, not even enough time to warm up it was in the house to be nagged by a man, well three men actually my gorgeous boys Thomas, Sparky and Prince Harry not that I actually live with royalty though they are treat as such the clue is in the name Sparky no self respecting human would ever be called Sparky they are in actual fact my three guinea pigs. Prince Harry is so named because of his bushy ginger hair and his strange habit of sitting with his nose in the air like some upper class toff. He also loves classical music.

Then it was into bed, my nice warm cozy bed to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz................................................


In two weeks time I will be in Barcelona! Not sat here in my PJs waiting to work, I intend to put some clothes on before I go to work incidently.

I am in a lot of pain today in my shoulder, it is really realy hurting I am particularly concerned with the fact that my hand feels cold and is tingling, my suspicion is that i have caught the nerve yet again. I still have over 13 weeks to wait for my operation and right now that seems a long way off.

The strange thing is the pain seems worse now than before, I am convincved that it is purely psychological because before I thought it was something I had to live with, put up with and get on with now I know something can be be done I no longer have to cope with it and so I more concious of it. Strange that!

Finally congratualtions to all runners who completed the London Marathon, I wonder how Buster Martin did?