Wild food finds, an apology and my dad

Well blimey - I hadn't realised it had been over a month since my last post but it was all the way back on the 1st May!  I've missed several blog challenges and cooked others but never posted them and generally probably come across as a bit slack.
I seem to have found it hard over May to shake the malaise that accompanies a bout of 'teetering on the brink of' depression.  [I also found it very hard to write that 'D' word then too.]
However, I am here now, albeit with a fairly brief post.  (I realised I was missing posting stuff as I can get so het up in these massively long and wordy missives laden with fairly dull photographs that they take so long to write they never get completed.)
So - that's the 'apology/explanation' bit done - now I have a question or two for us.

This is Rosy Garlic.  The Chap and I first came across this on Scilly last year but I recently was massively excited to spot a patch just minutes from the house!  Win!  I had been under the misapprehension that it didn't grow here on 'the mainland' as it likes it warm.
I am coming up fairly short on recipes for same on t'internet though so wondered if anyone else had any ideas?  The Plants For A Future page seems to have the most handy information I've seen so far - just from a very small amount of googling this morning.  Interestingly it also includes cultivation info - may just be worth a try.  I might recommend it to my Ma as well as several other sites suggested that it works to deter deer from your garden.  She suffers from the deer that live in the woods opposite coming and eating all her pansy flowers in the front window boxes each year - they very neatly just take the flowers which understandably does vex her rather!

This image I'm not so sure of - it looks a lot like Navelwort to me but the leaves seem very large.  That's the chaps hand there too - not mine.  (Although there's not that much difference in size between our hands tbh...)  Navelwort can be eaten raw or cooked and I'd imagine would add a lovely crunch to salads but as ever with foraging - you must must be 500% sure what a wild plant is before you think of eating it.  So - a bit more research needed on this one I guess.  In fact I am leaning more and more towards it not being Navelwort - the leaves of Navelwort are apparently generally the size of a human navel so these are deffo way too big.  Hmm - wonder what it is then?

Lastly I gathered some 'Jack by the Hedge' (garlic mustard) a couple of day back and made a vaguely Greek style pie with it in.  I shall endeavour to post that later or in the next day or so but - I will not treat it as a 'fail' if I don't.









Today (here in the UK) it's Father's Day.  Dad was 'got' by cancer in 2005 and I think of him every single day.  Often that is what gets me moving when that malaise tries to descend; the sense of not wanting to let him down and still to show I can do my best.  Anyway, I thought I'd share this picture of my parents getting married back in 1969.  It's not the best pic but it sits on my mantelshelf alongside one of my mother at 21 and I love it.  Look at Ma's hemline!!!

We never know how long we may be here for so love your important people and hold them tight as they could get snatched away without warning nor quarter given.  x

& the storms continue unabated...

Ok, ok, that isn't technically correct as we did have a day off (mostly) from the rain on Friday.  The river fell so you could nigh on see the paths, if not actually pass along them without dipping your toes in but yesterday was a return to form with heavy rains battering us along with some high winds and up went the water again.  Here's a daytime shot from about the same viewpoint as the night shot in the last post. 

The water's actually slightly higher this time. 

Anyone for a nice relaxing bike ride on a Sunday?  No??!  (Look at the size of that log!  If only we had a wood burner.  I'd be out after every flood scavenging the river banks for free fuel.)
'Welcome to soggy Exeter' that should perhaps read. 
I think this little chap is wondering where his home's gone.  Along with a lot of unfortunate people in these floods.  Sadly a woman also lost her life locally when a tree fell which in turn took a wall down on top of where she was living in a tent.  Another example that if we as a society could take better care of all members rather than worrying about sh-t like what we'll be sitting on come crapmas day we'd perhaps all be a little bit richer human beings.  (What is it with this pressure of supposedly needing a new sofa for chrimble?  Will my old one spontaneously give up the ghost in shame at it's non-newness?  I somehow doubt it - it's managed to tough it out each year so far.  Piss off ad-men.)
I didn't intend this to be a ranty post so excuse the slight tangent; though I am asking no excuses at all for the content.
Anyway - a whistle round blog-land this morning has appraised me of 2 things.  Firstly, in a slightly suspicious coincidental way Blogger has apparently told several of the blogs I perused that they've run out of space and would they like to pay for the privilege of uploading photos?  It just gave me this message too.  Now, I know that the finite space they give you will fill up but the fact that they've all gone at the same time makes me think it's a ploy.  Plus someone had put a comment somewhere saying it's Blogger wanting to shift us all to another provider or something.  :-(  Anyway, no, I do not want to pay, especially to an online company that can't tell I'm in the UK and would therefore use a corresponding unit of currency so I am using Flickr instead from now on and uploading from there.  Or at least I am if there are images in this post.  If it's a bit lacking on the image front then I evidently failed to get it to work!  Hmm - you seem to have to add it as html code otherwise if you use the 'share' to blogger option it makes it a new post.  Slightly more longwinded but I'll cope with it.

The second fact I quickly caught on to is that it's 'stir-up Sunday' - traditionally the day when chrimble puddings are made.  (Having just skim read the wiki article I've linked there it actually appears to be a religous thing that has become associated and overtaken by the pudding thing.  Shows how much of a heathen I am that I had no idea of that I guess!)  Now, being somewhat lackadaisical in some areas I have yet to make our chrimble cake (having been inspired to by both Being Penny Wise and Frugal Living UK's frugal based versions) so I figured that with a month to go perhaps I'd better worry about that first.  Although when I think about it I probably prefer a very small pud rather than cake.  Never made pud though and it strikes me as something one ought to have at least a little forward planning for so it shall have to wait for next year, or the year after, or...you get the picture.  I'm slightly alarmed by the reminder that both those blog authors soaked their fruit for a week - mine shall have overnight and be grateful for it I think. 

Given that I'm stealing some of the dying-from-man-flu (that I gave him) Chap's medicinal brandy to soak the fruit in, along with a mix of some in which he steeped spiced baked apple, a freebie single malt whisky and possibly some of this chrimble mead (though I'm not sure that at 13% it's up to the job.  Anyone?) I don't think I can really nick enough off him to last a full week! 

Anyway, in keeping with their Frugal theme but with a slightly different bent I decided to make my cake only utilising what is in the cupboards already.  IE no new purchases.  Hence the theft of the Chap's brandy and slightly idiosyncratic line up of ingredients / booze that will be utilised.  That's another post though - right now I really must get the fruit and brandy in the bowl before he finishes drinking it all.  If that comes to pass I'll have to sacrifice some of the sloe gin instead.....  Noooooooo.........  :-D

Shitey day, pretty sky

This is a pretty sky.  A pretty sky to try and ameliorate the effects of a less than pretty day.  There's been a witch hunt atmosphere at work today and thoroughly unpleasant it's been too.  I've felt on edge and frankly; close to tears, for much of the day.  A couple of us feel we can't trust anyone other than each other and the office has been much subdued and quiet.  It isn't nice.  However, I realise that it has re-affirmed my belief in the need to get myself a different job and given me the impetus I needed to get looking again after recovering from my leg accident.  That is what I will choose to see as the silver lining here.  Onward and upward, as my mother would say!

Stolen Saturday...

Well I didn't get to post my sandwich for this months No Croutons Required yesterday which was the last day for entries.  :-( 
Having made the bread on Friday - a variation on my beer bread with added linseed and black pepper, I had then planned to griddle the halloumi for the filling yesterday morning then submit my post. 
First however the dressing on my leg was due for a change.
I'd noticed a little redness on my skin showing out from under the edge of the tape on the friday evening so I was extra cautious peeling the tape off.  Hmmm - not looking too good.  The area of redness had grown to a couple of inches in diameter overnight, it had been oozing a little and worst of all, a small amount of the top edge of the wound where my leg is still knitting together (4 weeks after the inital trauma) looked like it was breaking down again.  Eeeek!!!!  Having been through this before I shouted the Chap out of bed in a panic and we went *straight to the walk in centre.
(*After he had showered and breakfasted and generally faffed about for ages - or that's what it felt like to the slightly panicking me!)

Luckily enough the wonderful Kathleen the tissue viability specialist who had seen me before was in residence and after a surprisingly short wait, compared to the hour and 15 minutes we were quoted, she was ushering me into her room. After an inspection of the wound she agreed with my intial assessment that the infection was returning but due to the extensive nature of the problems I'd had with it decided to phone the plastics team at the hospital that had done my operations and consult with them.  They requested that I be sent to see them so we duly drove across town and booked in at the reception.  After an hour there I got taken through to a cubicle and issued with wristbands.  'It doesn't mean you're staying in' they attempted to reassure me as they fitted them.  They like to get them on me as I am allergic to a certain drug so the red band warns everyone to ask what it is that I can't be given. 

Another 30 minutes ticked by then a specialist appeared and explained they would do blood tests on me to see if my white cell count was up, which it should be if it was fighting infection, and if some other marker was also affected - I forget what it was called now.  He took the blood, uncharacteristically* gave me an idea of what was happening next by telling me it takes about 45 minutes for the results and vanished off again.  (*I am in no way belittling our wonderful hard working health professionals at all but what I found far and away the most frustrating thing during my recent stay in hospital was the lack of information when you were waiting for things, especially when I was getting admitted.  If you have some sort of end time / goal in sight it makes sitting there doing nowt for 2 hours rather more bearable.)

After nearly an hour I enquired gently as to my results and the lovely staff said they'd chase them for me.  Duly the same guy reappeared and told me that according to their blood test my leg isn't infected and he thinks the redness and accompanying 'icky' bits were just due to general healing processes and I was free to leave.  Which should have reassured me but I'm afraid to say, it hasn't.

I'm one of those people that as a general rule has the utmost faith in our health professionals and what they tell me.  Only this time...I think they're wrong.  Now I have no idea how long it takes your white blood cell count to go up in case of infection but as this only started coming on the previous evening I'm wondering if it would show up on a blood test the very next day.  Both Kathleen and the triage nurse who admitted me had taken one look and been convinced it was infected and after I got home from the hospital there was a definite few degrees temperature difference to that area of my leg compared to the rest of it.  Which is still the case today.  Anyway, I shall keep a very close eye on it today.  I am also taking the antibiotics I had left from the first time I

went into the hospital and they put me on IV ones instead.  It can't do me any harm and perhaps will keep this at bay until I can tell whether I need to go and see anyone further about it, or if it really is just the healing process.  Fingers crossed!

All this kerfuffle meant that I didn't get to make my proposed 'Griddled Halloumi on Black Pepper Seeded Bread – with lime and fresh coriander leaves' sandwich for the aforementioned NCR comp.  Tsk!  I did get the bread made though and used my dinky little mini loaf tins for the first time - aren't they great?!  I'm a sucker for miniaturised versions of stuff for some reason and purchased these in TKMax some time ago so was glad to have finally justified them.  So we had bread but not the final sandwich; and I had a Saturday but not the one planned.  Unfinished weekend - oh were did you go?

View from a bed

To be precise; a hospital bed. Yep - that's right - my leg got progressively nastier with first the cut itself becoming infected followed by a haematoma developing that got itself to the size of a grapefruit then also became infected.  Eek!

The long and short of it is that I went for a dressing change on Wednesday, the 'tissue viability specialist' was none too happy with the state of my leg and called the hospital. They agreed I should be sent in and I was told they'd need to operate to get rid of the haematoma; which at this point we didn't realise was also infected.  I'd get done either weds evening or thurs morning, either way I'd be home thursday; having spent my first night since I was born in hospital and had my first ever operation.  My state of calm (or lack thereof) wasn't helped by the knowledge that the Chap was working away so would not be on hand for morale boosting hugs but at least it was just one night and I'd be home by the next day.

So we must ask ourselves why I'm writing this on an annoying touch screen pay as you go contraption hanging from the wall above my bed in the RD&E hospital on a sunny sunday morning?  Welllllllll... 

It took some time to get me admitted, even with them expecting me.  I got assigned my bed at 10pm weds having arrived at 4.30pm.  So no op weds. This was when they first concluded that the grapefruit sized lump in my leg was infected too and swiftly got a cannula - the thing in your hand for drips to attach to; fitted to my left hand and shunted some antibiotics straight into my system.

Thursday morning brought the news that although I was scheduled to be the final procedure of 4 booked in for that afternoon, there was a chance I'd be done in the morning as there was only 1 person booked in then, and of the afternoon's batch; I was the only person already physically on site.  Oh false hope thy crusher of the spirit - it was not to be. After being 'nil by mouth' (which includes water to my surprise - remember I never had an op before) since 7 thursday morning; so in effect since the 2 bits of toast I scrounged on getting to my bed at 10pm the night before, I was taken to theatre at 5.40pm and knocked out at 6.10.  Op went fine but on awakening I found I had a vacuum pump drain thing attached to my leg. It transpires that when the sugeon went in they found the damage was deeper and more extensive than anticipated so had to fit the drain. 
This had 2 knock on effects for me; firstly came the news that I'd have to have a second operation in 3 days time to remove it and close the wound. Secondly, although I was hopeful both friday and saturday mornings of being let home, the extent of the damage and the drain in my leg put the kibosh on that.
So, here I still am and I've just received the news that they have me on the list for theatre today at 12 noon.  Barring any emergency cases coming in hopefully this means I may be able to go home tomorrow.  I am crossing my fingers because no matter how lovely all the staff are that have been looking after me, it's not the same as being in your own home. I miss the Chap and Zeke and I'm looking forward to big hugs with them both.
(I'd also quite like a meal with a texture other than easily-masticated-with-no-teeth sludge but that's another post.)
So, all being well, I'll next post after op #2.
Oh - latest news is it could be earlier; 10/10.30 possibly.  Fingers firmly crossed now blog buddies!

Older, certainly no wiser though!

I've just turned another birthday older.  [36 - shhh!!]  Mixed feelings - really still don't feel like 'an adult' whatever that means.  Still enjoy celebrating my birthday with my friends; and this coming weekend I shall see my family too.  Not massively taken by the 36 thing - no longer in my mid thirties then!  Hey ho.  Anyway, due to my work I had to spend the morning until 2.15pm sitting in our accommodation blocks booking new students in and repeating the same info over and over again.  Truly joyous when it's sunny and lovely outside!!  [I'm well aware that sounds whingey but having done over 7 years in retail I've done my time working weekends and when the only weekend day of the entire year I have to work is my birthday...well frankly that's just insulting really.]  After this however we took a wee bike ride down to The Double Locks, a picturesque pub on the canal about 3ish miles down river from us.  We had a few bevvies, more people came, some left and soon enough it was time to head back up river to the second designated meeting spot of The Prospect on the quay.  Which is the point it went a little bit pear shaped for me.  I totally admit that this was entirely my own fault as well.  I will also at this juncture warn you that if you are a nervous disposition, or dislike the sight of blood scroll no further, or avert your eyes from the pictures.  This picture here i (it's ok it's safe!) is your last line if you like, with my injury-appropriate mug and sunny (and messy) back garden this morning it's your barrier between here and what lies beneath.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Being newly aged [in my head the difference between 35 and 36 is fairly vast due to the aforementioned perceived leave taking of my mid-thirties] I guess maybe I was having a mini crisis moment, or possibly (and more likely if I'm honest) it was my natural 'why not try that' compulsion coupled with a couple of pints that led me to think as we left the 'Locks that it would be a good idea to pedal until I was going as fast as poss on the flat then pull a massive skid on the gravel. I think there was a certain amount of 'I never did this as a kid so why not do it now' going on as well.  What I missed out on by not doing it as a kid however is the small but vital piece of information that you don't suddenly jam both brakes on, oh no - just the back one as The Chap later informed me.  Oops!!  Bike and I came to an abrupt halt and fell over in as undignified way as possible with me ending up on the floor intimately entwined with said bike and covered in gravel dust and pine tree needles.  Hey ho - get up and dust yourself down, no worries.  As I turned to that chap I said to him 'That's gonna bruise' simultaneously patting my leg where the handlebars had clipped it a beauty.  Er - thinks I, that's wet - bring hand to level with face - my fingers are red.  Hmmmm....  that wasn't really the plan!!  Quick investigation reveals (remember my warning - I'm gonna make these pics small though) that I appear to have smacked into the handle bar with such force I've  ripped a big gash in my leg.  Which now has the underlying subcutaneous layer of fat coming out of it.  (Sorry - I really did warn you though.)  Also it's bleeding somewhat. 

Luckily one of our party is a trained nurse so she got the pub's first aid kit and stuck me back together with plasters and bandaged me up with strict instructions to get it sticky stripped back together properly in the morning.   Another friend took my bike back up the river path and we got a cab and all was ok.  Met further friends at The Prospect and took it easy until the fatal moment another friend (who shall remain nameless) forgot my injury and launched herself onto my lap.  Seconds after which I thought to myself - I can feel blood dripping down my leg now.  Quietly let The Chap know and skeddaddled into the ladies to check it out.  Yep - blood now dripped off me onto the floor all over the place; somewhat less clever than earlier.  The Chap had at this juncture unbeknownst to me dispatched another friend after me who in turn got the second qualified nurse in our party to come and have a look.  Long story short (though tbh this won't really cut the entire post by much at all) against my wishes (and without my knowledge) an ambulance was called and I was bundled off to A&E in it.  Tsk - pesky friends eh??!  [I don't mean that - they were great!!]

The ambulance peeps were fab, and suitably impressed at the amount of damge done considering my jeans hadn't even ripped.  They patched me up and got me safely delivered to the hospital where the staff there inspected me, cleaned me, left us sitting for so long I had to wrap myself in a blanket and stumble bare foot across the ward to use the toilet and could also take a pic much to the Chap's disapproval, then eventually got me seen by a doctor who injected the entire area inside and out with local anaesthetic and sewed me up.  Firstly 2 internal stitches then 8 external ones.  Which I found fascinating though the chap less so I feel - he kept telling me not to look away anyway!

So - I've now been signed off from work for the week and I can hardly stumble about the place (stairs are particularly troublesome).  I've been for the dressing to be changed yesterday and will be going again later today, then again on Thursday then in theory all being well to get the stitches removed on Saturday.  For now though I'm just entertaining myself by checking what colour my gargantuan bruised and swollen leg has got to so far. 

Moral of the story - it's the BACK brake only when you want to pull an impressive skid.  Must remember that for next year...

Edit: Went for the wound to be rederessed and this is what it now looks like.  Hmmm - did it good and proper didn't I?  'Proper job' as they say this end of the country!!!

PS - I will make this the last pic (probably) of this I share and try and return to more interesting, useful, informative and hopefully recipe / frugal/ upcycling based posts soon.  :-)

The flag stayed home

Today the Olympic torch left Exeter at 7.25 this morning to continue it's journey round the UK before this years Olympic games in London.  Although I had previously planned to pop along before work to cast an eye over the proceedings (incidentally it's very hard to maintain the pre-requisite level of world wearied jaundiced coolness whilst simultaneously waving a flag, jumping up and down and going 'squee') my ongoing illness prevented this so, as mentioned, the flag and myself stayed home. 
I am attempting to work from home today which would normally be totally do-able.  Unfortunately sitting at my pc at home is not comfortable at the moment so I am struggling somewhat.  Also; having notified my boss this morning I wouldn't be in she started discussing what she wanted me to do today 45 minutes before my normal work start time!  I had hoped to inform her that I would work from home as well as I could and then be able to get a little sleep in after taking this mornings painkillers, before then starting work as I spent nearly all of last night trying to find a comfortable position in which to snatch a few moments of rest.  Tsk...

Anyway - the bit of positive news is that apparently it isn't pleurisy, which can be pretty nasty.  It appears that I have instead damaged my intercostal muscles that are between and around the ribs whilst having at the same time pulled the muscles in my back.  Apparently this can take some time to heal as well as being pretty painful and awkward with your breathing (I can certainly attest to that!) so I have to keep taking the painkillers and rest it to let it heal itself.  We know this as I went to the walk-in centre in town yesterday being sick of still being in pain without knowing what was wrong with me.  The nurse there listened to my chest and sent me to the hospital.  After being seen by the doctor there she called through to check on my x-ray and they reported that it was clear so we finally knew that it wasn't pleurisy.  About time!  She prescribed me codeine to be taken in conjunction with paracetamol and the Voltarol (diclofenac) I've been buying over the counter.  Apparently these 3 in conjunction should give me some relief.  Hmmm - not totally convinced yet I must say.  Hey ho - at least we know what we're dealing with.  I'll just have to wait for the next Olympics to get the flag out again...

Health - it's a worry isn't it?

Recently it came up during a routine check that I had slightly high blood pressure. It had apparently been this way often enough over the preceding 12 months to flag up as needful of further investigation. Whilst it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to those who know me that my blood pressure should be high it caused me some worry – exactly what you don’t really want if your blood pressure is already high! Anyway – they tasked me with keeping track of it (I borrowed a monitor from my boss of all people) and getting it checked again in 1-2 weeks, then another 2 weeks after that if it was high again, then a referral to my doctor if it should still be reading high then. I went and researched food and drinks that can help lower blood pressure and found celery, broccoli (calabrese), low fat dairy, pomegranate juice, cold water fish, beetroot juice and oats amongst others have all been shown to help in various ways.
Well to cut a long story short all my efforts seemed to do little to affect my blood pressure at the clinic although at least some of my home readings were well within the ideal range. There is something called ‘white coat syndrome’ – because you’re stressing about having your bp taken at the docs this very stress causes it to go higher. Whatever the cause may be I ended up in the position this Wednesday of having to see my actual doctor for my bp to be checked as a result of this process. Now I’d managed by this point to get myself in a wee bit of a tizzy over this so as I crossed through the park on the way to the clinic I felt more like I was going to have judgment pronounced upon me for some nameless heinous crime rather than see what she said about that days bp reading. (I know – seems silly and totally out of proportion but as someone who has never been seriously ill, nor broken any bones nor even stayed overnight in a hospital except for when I entered the world I have a vast untapped lake of drama to draw upon in such matters.)  I went through the park and in the morning sun decided to cut across the grass in my flip flops. The grass was wet and as I felt the dewy blades swoop over my feet a smile inched onto my face. It probably helped that this was what seemed like the first sunny not-raining morning we’ve had in what feels like at least 2 months! In fact cutting over the grass made me slightly late as I lost a flip flop 4 different times due to my feet getting so wet but this small thing calmed me immeasurably and made me feel alive in a way that the coldest/wettest April and May on record here in the UK hasn’t done so far this year.
Anyway – the doc seemed a lot less concerned about my bp than the nurses I’d seen for the previous checkups had been and I left feeling much buoyed up. Whilst there I had also mentioned the evil cough I’ve been suffering from for 4 weeks now which has caused me to pull a muscle in my back the previous week then once that had healed something in my ribs was hurting rather. She listened to my lungs and said she thought this could be ‘a small bit of pleurisy’ which I have to admit to being ignorant of at that point. Anyway – back I came through the park snatching a few moments to admire these fresh faced flowers and off I went to work.

At the end of the day I had yet another coughing fit and suddenly felt the pain in my chest worsen sharply and at the same time I felt the muscle in my back go again. Ow ow ow!!!! After an intensely uncomfortable night which garnered a bare 2 hours of sleep and that with the help of varied pain killers, I steeled myself and went into work. This was a very bad idea as even though I was sparing my right side – where both the chest and back pains were sited opposite to each other on my body, it was getting jolted with every step I took. By the time I attained my office I really was in a lot of pain and was instructed by my boss after one look at me to call the docs and NHS direct for advice. I ended up talking to nhs direct first having filled out their on line diagnosis tool. After a lot of questions designed to allow them to rule things in or out she advised me to see my docs or a walk in centre again even though I’d seen my doctor only the previous morning. Her opinion was that it was either pleurisy or the inter-costal muscles (that are inbetween your ribs) and that I could have pulled these in tandem with the muscle in my back. ‘Ace’ think I in an unnecessarily sarcastic manner probably, but I was a bit grouchy and thoroughly regretting going into work by this point.

I called my doctors to be told there were no appointments but that the emergency doctor would call me as he always preferred to triage people over the phone before booking them in. He duly called and did a very good job of appearing pretty disinterested and dismissive. He scoffed at the idea of me having developed pleurisy 'overnight' though I did try and point out that this was what my own doctor had mentioned to me the previous morning. End result was – I was sent to the local hospital for a chest x-ray. Feeling somewhat shunted about now I caught the bus up there, stumbled painfully along the endless warren of corridors and eventually got x-rayed in a truly fetching gown thing. Pah. I was then told ‘that’s it – your doctor will get the results in 5 days.’ Oh – thinks I – so the point of me coming here today was what precisely??? What a waste of time, expense and resources. The dismissive doctor called me back later to see what they had said and I didn’t bother hiding the unimpressed-ness in my voice when I told him they had said nothing to me other than that the results would be with my doctor in 5 days. ‘Ah’ – he reassures me – ‘if there had been anything serious to worry about they’d have had a conflab then talked to you.’ So the upshot is A) I still don’t know whether I have pleurisy – an infection that could be treated with antibiotics and save me all this pain and as of today; time off work or just damage to my muscles in which case keep taking the painkillers and B) I have had a totally unnecessary x-ray at needless cost and rendered useless by dint of the timescale involved needed to get any results. Also C) I am still in considerable pain – even when not moving it hurts constantly and it hurts to breathe and I am unable to determine the best course of action as I don’t bloody know what’s wrong with me! Considering the nhs direct woman told me they could tell if it was pleurisy or the muscles just by listening to my chest and lungs I’m pretty peeved off with the dismissive doctor for not taking this course of action. So – I now have to wait and see. Although the weather has once again gone grey I will continue trying to find some small joy in the little things like these spotted at the hospital and in the park.














 I am also well aware that there’s a massive proportion of the population of the planet that is worse off than me in all sorts of ways and that this post is essentially one long whinge. Sorry – but hey, don’t forget –it’s my blog eh?! Lol. Just bear with me and hopefully normal breathing service will resume shortly. :-)

The rule of thirds - as in trouble comes in 3s

I mentioned the probs we had with the cooker being condemned in the annual gas safety check.  This was immediately before I left for Dorset for the Shakespeare.  On our return on Sunday, having explained the situation to the landlord we bought another one then discovered we needed a power supply as well as the gas.  That being the cause of the floor coming up.  Then the knob on the shower broke - again - this makes it the 4th set it's on.  Crap design flaw in that all the pressure when it's being turned goes onto the thinnest part of the spindle.  Grr - I did not need this right before chap's family arrived to stay!
And the third thing?
Tuesday evening I open the freezer to show the chap the exciting goodies I'd got from the CFC (2 half legs lamb and 3kg spicy chicken bits) for our forthcoming BBQ.  'Hmm - where's all the ice and frost?' thinks I in a rising dread kind of way.  Eeek - knew I shouldn't have mentioned that it'd been getting very loud recently.  Yes - the fridge/freezer combo had passed on.   Bugger.  Quick phone call saw most of the food safely stashed in my friend's freezer round the corner - luckily it was still frozen; and Wednesday evening saw us trailing round the electrical shops in search of a decent item that met our requirements and was preferably in stock.  No joy.  Today we go to pick up our ordered fridge combo and tomorrow we have the BBQ.  It's all fun.  If I wasn't an aetheist I'd think someone out there didn't like me but I'll just assume the rule of 3 (why that should be any less spurious than assigning it to some greater power I'm not sure).  Anyway - I'm sincerely hoping that's it now.  Mind you the weather forecast for tomorrow is pretty dire...

Offski!

Well I'm despetrately trying to get myself up to date with posts only to find I am out of time.  I'm off for the week next week as we have the Chap's son down, and his brother for a few days so it's all systems go.  Hopefully I'll have a working cooker by then as well - the gas man condemned the old one just before I went away to Dorset last Friday...it's a bit of a saga!

At least the floor's back down now!
Have a good week all and fingers crossed for sun for us - we're spending at least one day fishing on a boat so I'm hoping it's not too rough - unlike the very windy conditions on Chesil Beach last Saturday night.  it seemed like a good idea at the time...

Occular Errors Part Deux

The next 'thrilling' installment in an increasingly longwinded and irritating post attempt.  :-/

2 days later I was back at the hospital; after being shunted around for 4 hours they decide to do corneal scrapes - anaesthetic drops in your eyes followed by scraping with a mini scalpel blade (or what looked like one) from the surface of your eye - fun.  They also upped the drops to every 2 hours and gave me an additional stronger one to tke every 2 hours as well.  Needless to say I was quite concerned by all this but toddled off and managed to get the right bus back into town.  At which point the amaesthetic drops wore off and I was in muchos pain for the rest of the night where they'd scraped my eyes.  :-(
The following Monday I returned once more for another check and the results of the scrapings.  Nada - they had grown nothing.  As I understand it keratitis is normally caused by an infection of some kind but they thought that perhaps as I was already on the antibiotic drops possibly this had succeeded in stopping it.  Either way they were very pleased with my progress and the ulcers had lessened in size.  Phew!  I'm now back to the ranks of the bespectacled; for 6 weeks at least, and finished the course of antibiotics.  I am very very relieved that they're getting better.  I was painfully aware that you only get one set of the ol' baby blues [ok - bluey-greyish-greens] so should anything hideous happen to them that's your lot.  They must be looked after, a lesson I'll be well aware of in future.
Well - what with one thing and another I'm now mightily behind on the posts.  I will endeavour to catch up to the present day but bear in mind it's another 3 day week...  :-)

Hope you all had a nice easter break.

Unexpected break in transmission

I'm still having trouble posting this so will do it in parts. Here then is the first 'thrilling installment'. lol

Well - I certainly didn't mean to suddenly abandon posting like that. Unfortunately my eye was decidedly dodgy so I ended up in the Walk-in centre on the Monday. "No lenses[contact] for 48 hours" I was told sternly - making me effectively useless as I can focus less than a foot from my face before it all goes blurry. If it didn't clear up by the end of that time I was to go to the hospital eye centre.
Wednesday at the hospital - Keratitis - ulcers/abcesses on your cornea. Not clever and they made it very clear they were glad I was there. This is something which if untreated can have serious ramifications for your sight so I was very glad I was there as well. There is an infection you can easily get in conjunction with Keratitis that is particularly nasty and can destroy your cornea in 2 days flat. Scary stuff. I was told I can't even think about wearing contacts for 6 weeks. They gave me antibiotic eye drops and told me to use them 4 times a day and and return in 2 days to check on my progress. Meanwhile to go to the opticians and get glasses - something I didn't have an up to date pair of. [My last pair is 18 years old!]

Return for your next exciting update - well, when I get the effing thing to work. Had quite enough tussling with it now! I'm off to enjoy the easter-time sunshine. Enjoy!