Do you remember?

 

A while ago I asked what you peeps you thought this might be.

It has taken me a quite a few weeks, but here it is. A flat bottomed knitting bag.

It should have some crochet flowers with the lace trim, but I have packed my spare wool so that will have to wait!

I quite like it as it is, it's fully lined, which I had to hand sew as I couldn't manage to use the sewing machine, although I think I could now.

I am using my arm a lot more but not fully, it is still painful. I am booked for a CT and MRI scan middle of February, so things are happening albeit slowly.

Anyway hope you like my new knitting bag.

XX

A hospital visit.

Today I have been to The London Orthopaedic Hospital to see a consultant who specialises in shoulders and upper arm trauma. She was very nice and quite a young Dr, probably middle thirties.. she wants me to have an MRI scan plus CT scan, then she will see me again.. however she said I will never have 100% use of my arm again, but I already knew that, because I know someone who broke her arm 18 months ago and still can't lift her arm up to her head to style her hair.. This Dr said I might only have use of my arm at waist level and it will be shorter, so I guess I 'll never be able to play the piano again. And probably not drive again,  so not fantastic news, but I could possibly be pain free, which would be good. So I am trying to be positive and I don't have to have the surgery,  but the non invasive treatment is what I am having now, a sling and possibly a brace again, which would mean I will always be like this. I did say I was trying to use my arm as much as possible and she said, yes to do that.
So after the tests I am to see her again in 6 weeks time.

She sounded Welsh so I asked her where she was from and she was from Neath which is just 12 miles from Porthcawl! I was with her for 35 mins and I had x-rays, but much quieter than Basildon Hospital and no long waiting. We arrived an hour early,  because we didn't really know how long it would take to cross London,  so we had a coffee and I had an almond raspberry slice in Pret A Manger and it was very nice!!!
Anyway I do have choices now, but I am not making up my mind about it until I have had these tests. I can't believe such a simple fall can leave me like this, unfortunately I am white and middle 70s so a classic case of non healing bones!!
So I am determined I will do at least stitching and sewing and gentle gardening.. I WILL If you believe in God I need more prayers.
A very positive outcome of today, my Fitbit registered 5421 steps and the day isn't over yet!

XX

My Greatest Pleasure

I managed to read 87 books in 2016.. and I really liked these:-

Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty.
Stone Cradle by Louise Doughty.
When Breath becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi,
Circling the Sun by Paula McLain.
A Thousand Blue by Stuart Finne.
Not Without my Daughter by Betty Mamoody.
Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman.
In Falling Snow by Mary Rose MacColl.
A Tree Grew in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
My Real Children by Jo Walton.

Although I liked them all; I rarely read a book I don't like, but sometimes I persevere if it's the choice of my reading group.
Reading is my greatest pleasure and thank God my duff arm has allowed me to read, even if I couldn't do much else.
I am looking forward to new books in 2017, I don't often read a book twice although I have by mistake, that's why I keep a record of books read. Do you have a favourite author or book?

XX

Happy New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my blogging friends and thank you for your comments and support through the last one and a half years. I hope 2017 will be healthy and full of love and happiness for us all.

Keeping warm

I finished the socks, but it was a struggle so much to prepare for the big day,

 

 and then I made this.. I don't usually use a hottie bottie but I saw this crochet cover and wanted to make one, so had to buy it!!

We had a really lovely Christmas altho' I found it all a struggle and I had a cold which DH caught as well.  I helped with all the cooking and I can unload and load the dishwasher one handed, but it is difficult for me. Because I don't go on about my arm, people assume it is ok, but it isn't,  far from it. But my appointment has come for the London Orthopaedic Hospital for January 11th, which in a way I am dreading and it's only an out patients app. but what if she says she can't do anything to help me?

DH's present of a Fitbit is great and so I am walking to try to do the 10,000 steps a day, which you can do if you wear it around the house too. DH set my target low to start off as I hate exercise including walking! So when I reach it, fireworks go off.  If I sit still for too long it buzzes me and says.. 'fancy a stroll!' LOL.
I love it. So far the highest number of steps I 've done is 6517 which I thought pretty good for me.  Today we haven't been for a walk as we needed a small shop, we had run out of dishwasher tabs, one day we filled the dishwasher 3 times! We'll have to leave it here, when we move, as it is build into  the kitchen,  but we'll  buy one asap once we are in Suffolk, as hand washing is ok for one or two days,  but the novelty soon wears off!

Happy New Year Everyone, and I hope it is a Healthy one and full of love.

XX

 

Christmas card but who are you?

Who are you???
I have received several cards from bloggers that I know and had cards ready to send for them.. but today I have received one from Jenny and David... I am sorry but for the life of me I can't place who you are.
Come forward and reveal yourself please!

Chris xx

PS... The mystery is solved. It was the parents of one of DH's daughter's boyfriend's parents!! And DH had written them a card but had forgotten their names!!

Progress and a different sort of news.

Life goes on slowly here although I feel I am making progress as I have dressed myself twice!! Bra and pop socks, albeit with some discomfort (discomfort is Dr's talk, really it's painful!) I am now waiting for a letter from The London Orthopaedic Hospital for further surgery.. just another wait and wait and wait time!
 I have  nearly finished that second pair of socks but I haven't done anything else, except I have walked most days and lost some weight. Only 10 pounds and so I still am not the weight I was before I broke my arm, but I am not giving up, I will carry on and not be dismayed when I don't lose 7 pounds over night!LOL
But our biggest news is we are moving to Suffolk. We saw a house that we fell in love with and ours sold in three days, so great excitement, we've been on a cloud all afternoon..
Our Christmas cakes are made and a huge pudding as DH's two DDs and one hubby and a partner are coming for Christmas. It will be lovely to have a great family Christmas.
Happy Happy days!

XX

Further progress...

....albeit small. This morning I was able to put on my own pop socks( still can't manage tights) hurrah!! DH said he was already beginning to feel redundant, but within a minute of him saying that I had to have help to put on my bra! And I still can't manage a cardi, jumper or jacket, so he still has his job as chief dressing helper!
But each little act of progress gives me such a happy feeling. My next hospital appointment is Nov 2nd, so I wonder what the x-ray will show? I am ever hopeful...

Around here the leaves are changing colour, autumn is truly here. I was remembering the excitement one year of my year 6 class in a school in Basildon, when I showed them how we could use the fallen leaves for printing and making patterns. Some of the children did some very pretty and attractive pictures, I wonder where those children are now? It was over 20 years ago, they'd all be 30 something now? Happy times for me! Do any of you reminisce about times past?

XX

Still knitting and good news...

 .... well good news to me. Today I have for the first time eaten a yogurt using  my right arm!! First time for 18months, does this mean my arm is healing? 4 weeks ago, because of various life threatening side effects notified to me by my own Dr, I stopped taking a high dose of dichlofenic, an anti-inflammatory drug. I thought I wouldn't be able to go without them; I have been taking them for years. It was suggested by the rep. of the Exergen treatment  (Ultra sonic treatment that I had last year, that failed),  that NSAIDS hinder healing..(Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( are a drug class that groups together drugs that provide analgesic (pain-killing) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) effects, and, in higher doses, anti-inflammatory effects.) At first I noticed my shoulder pain was worse,  but my knees for which I was taking them were no worse! And suddenly other things were good, no headaches and no constipation (I know you wanted to know  that, sorry !!)  So all in all it was a good thing to give them up. I just have two paracetamol at bed time. And today lifting up my arm to eat was a real air punching fist moment.. YEH!! (with my left arm!)

 

And life goes on.. into my 18th month..

I have tried to keep busy, a pair of socks for me..

And another pair on the go for a friend...

Being able to lift my right arm means I can use my machine, so it's a date for next week!

I am singing and almost back to my old polly-anna happy self.. I say nearly because today I jammed my finger in the door and burst into tears.. just a small hitch I said to DH but I had a kiss better and a wonderful hug.

XX

 

 

 

Arm news....

Not good news at the hospital, there is no change in my arm, none what so ever! I burst into tears and as it was only the registrar, I asked to see the consultant,  so he got Mr Ray. He has suggested an op in a couple of months time with him and another surgeon and at the same time have a complete shoulder replacement, it will be a big long op he said.. I asked could I wait till after Christmas so at least I can use my arm Christmas time,  as I am now, because with the other ops I was back to square one each time and not able to use my arm and of course a lot of pain.  It will at the  Middlesex hospital. So I am to have an appointment in 5 weeks time with both surgeons to discuss the op. and what are the complications etc.. so I haven't got a choice unless I want to stay as I am. We came home and I had a quick drink of water, grabbed the dog and went to the park as it is a glorious day here and I walked and walked, we had a coffee in the café, which was very good, never had one there before and then home and the sun shone the whole time! 
But I was miserable and very red eyed!!

One thing I discussed with DH is my attitude to exercise.. I don't like it but a lot of my problems is my mind set, I don't get up in the mornings thinking 'a walk.' I think what craft can I manage with my arm today?.. so if I want to lose  a substantial amount of weight, I need to move myself. I am well into the Slimming World food plan and liking it, and more importantly I am losing weight regularly, so walking it is.. tomorrow we have planned a visit to my favourite place.. Southend. The promenade is flat and easy to walk on although Sunday we did take a detour, so I walked a little way up the side that rises through the grassed area and beautifully maintained flower beds to the top that over looks the prom. There is an amazing round flower bed there, which is a clock! So watch this space.. 14 weeks till Christmas a chance to lose at least a stone, and I will, I am determined!!!

xx