Under The Weather....

Just to let everyone know that I'm still alive and kicking but feeling pretty miserable and under the weather at the moment.
As quite a few of you already know, after I had the Angiogram's on the 28th October, I was in quite a lot of pain in my arm and ended up being taken into Hospital on Sunday. They put me on a drip and put my arm up in the air. They thought that I'd had a bleed in the arm that had got into my muscles, causing compartment syndrome. Well what ever it is, its the Pain from Hell. I came home late on Tuesday, dosed up with Morphine and enough Painkillers to down an Elephant. It's still bad but it is easing.
Thank you to everyone that has sent Get Well Wishes, emails, cards, and telephoned. I'm finding it too painful to sit on the Computer for long, and seem to have got up this morning with a temperature, so might not be around for a few more days... Hopefully catch up with you all soon.. xxx

Scan Today & Cute Fur Babies...

I had a phone on Friday from the X-Ray department at Carmarthen Hospital. They had managed to book me in, for a Scan on my legs this afternoon. They rang to let me know, in case the letter didn't get here on time. How about that for service. So that's where, I am heading off to this afternoon. Doubt I'll know anything today, unless they find something!.

Yesterday we popped over to see our friend Tash aka The Boot Sale Queen. She has quite a few Cats living feral, where she lives and they keep having Kittens!. The first Cat she caught was heavily pregnant, and ended up having 6 kittens under the wardrobe in one of her bedrooms.
Tash managed to re-home all the Kittens, have the Mum spayed and gave her a home. But unfortunately a few months later, the Mum Millie was killed on the Road, outside her house.
Next another Mum brought her Kittens around and Tash managed to Catch one really fluffy Black and White Kitten, which is now called Lily and lives with Tash's Mum and Dad.
Then along came another Mum with her four kittens which Tash managed to bring indoors. Her four beautiful Kittens have been re homed and Tash has still got Mum at the moment. She's booked into be Neutered. Not sure whether Tash is keeping her or re-homing her. I fell in Love, with the little Grey,White and Cream one. She was beautiful, but we can't have any more, not with our six.
Then over the Weekend, yet another Cat, brought her Kittens around for a visit and some food and Tash managed to catch two of them. They are shown in the last two pictures. Which went off to a new home last night. But Tash is determined to catch the other's and get the Mother's . She's been on to a Cat Charity, so that they can lend her a special cage, then they will Neuter/Spay the Mum's.

The Frustration....

I went to the Hospital on Tuesday to see my Cardiologist.
First off, they couldn't get a Blood Pressure reading. Could get the top one, but not the bottom! Took about eight attempts and then Yeah, they finally got it. (it's all the fluid in my body causing the problem).
My Cardiologist, is totally baffled by all my water retention. She said she could understand it in my leg, where the vein had been compromised. But had no reason why its spreading all over my body! She is arranging for me to have another scan this time on my leg. She wants to rule out any clots! She's also referring me back to the Cardiothoracic Surgeon's at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, for a second opinion. To try and relieve some of the fluid, she also prescribed another water tablet, which I only take half of one, one day a week, with my other water tablets. Its really strong, so after taking it, I have to have a blood test to check my Potassium levels. Well I took it yesterday, and lets say I didn't wander very far from the Loo!. The dreaded Blood Test is tomorrow morning. I'm also going back to Physiotherapy to see if that helps at all. Then back to see her again in four months!!!!...

The frustration for me, is that my Miniature making is not happening. Its the case of the Fat Fingers. My hands are OK first thing, but as soon as I start to do anything, my hands swell and boy do they hurt.
I haven't forgotten about the "Give Away" and will be sorting something very, very shortly. Please bear with me.
The only good thing is that my notebook is over flowing with ideas, so will have plenty to do, once I'm sorted out.


Talking of Making, have you seen my friend Debie's new sculpt, over on her blog?. He is totally wonderfully Wicked.. I think Debie's work, is just getting better and better. I'm very lucky to have a few of Debie's, wonderful creations in my collection. Don't you just love his face...LOL

I'm Home.....

Well I'm home from the Hospital, Mick didn't leave me there.
I ended up seeing the Consultant I saw, when I first got rushed into Hospital last year.
He told me that the CT Scan, had come back clear and they cannot see anything wrong with the heart. Which was great news.
He gave me a thorough examination and my lungs are also completely clear, which again is great news, which also confirms the heart is pumping as it should. My blood pressure is a bit low, but then I've always had low blood pressure.
I told him how fed up I am with all the swelling, and I think he was surprised just how much fluid I'm carrying around. Especially on my legs, he gave them a good old poke.
He checked all the medication I'm taking and has told me to stop one immediately, as I do not need it. Its normally given to people when they've had stent's fitted, which I have not.
He thinks that I am having a reaction to one of the tablets I'm on. (Now can you remember when this first started?, my Rehab Nurse thought it could be a reaction to my Med's). So it is now going to be a process of elimination. He has gone down the list and marked them off, in the order I need to stop them. I have to stay off each tablet for 2 weeks and see if it makes any difference. Then if nothing happens, go back on the tablet. There are a couple that I cannot stop taking, so just hope its not one of them causing all the problems. He gave the impression that it could be the Statin's, I'm on for cholesterol. If it is, they will have to stop them and treat my Cholesterol some other way. They also checked for Protein's in my water, as it could be my Kidneys, but that came back fine. If its not the medication then they will instigate more tests, when I go back in eight weeks.
So the elimination process begins.....!!!!!!!!!!

Hospital Today... Answers????

Well I'm finally off to the Hospital today, to see my Cardiologist for the results of my CT Scan. I should have seen her on the 16th April, but she got caught abroad in the Icelandic Volcano Fiasco. We then got a new appointment for 22nd June, but we complained and have now been given an earlier appointment.
I'm hoping that I will get some answers today, to this ongoing saga of all this water retention.
As I said before, I started off on 2mg of a water tablet and I'm now on 80mg.Which is not doing my Kidneys any favours and it means regular Blood Tests, my least favourite thing. I am so totally fed up with it and I really need to get back into shape as I can't get any of my clothes on. I'm living in Track Suit bottoms.
Mick has threatened to leave me at the Hospital, if they can't give us any answers. So if you don't hear from me, you know he has carried out his treat..LOL

We are still awaiting the arrival of this years Foals. The expectant Mum's are fit to burst and it could be any time now, so we are on full Foal alert. What's the betting, it will all happen while we are at the Hospital today. We also have a Sick Pony at the moment, who is getting round the clock care. I called the Vet out last week, as I was really worried that we were going to lose her. She's currently being dosed with antibiotics and a supplement to help with her appetite, as she'd gone right off her food. Which has to be given by Syringe. I'm pleased to say that she ate three large buckets of freshly picked Grass yesterday. Yes, I went and picked it for her. Her blood tests showed that she had, had an infection but she is now getting over it. Hopefully, she has now turned the corner. So has you can imagine, I'm keeping everything crossed, which is a good thing on these water tablets...LOL

Have You Heard The News ???

I was supposed to be going to the Hospital to see my Consultant tomorrow, for the results of my CT Scan. But this afternoon I had a telephone call from the Hospital, saying that due to the Volcano erupting in Iceland, my Consultant can't get back into the UK. All flights have been grounded! The truth is often stranger then fiction.
To read the full story click here. News Report..
So now I'm going to have to wait for another appointment to come through and just hope it won't be another six weeks...

A Traumatic Day..

I've had a very traumatic day today.
For those of you that don't know I had to go to the Hospital today for a CT Scan.
Now I got to the Hospital was taken to the changing rooms, put on a gown and within a few minutes, a nurse came and got me.
She helped me onto the scanner, put pillows under my head and a wedge under my knees to make me comfortable. All great so far, then the fun began or not in my case. I've told you before how I absolutely abhor needles. Well to have the Scan, they wanted to set up a drip of contrast dye which is pumped into you while your having the Scan. I warned this poor Nurse how bad my veins are and she tried to be gentle, but lets say after numerous attempts I ended up in tears. She said she'd stop if I asked, but as the dye makes the scan more detailed I let her have one more go. Thankfully, she got a vein in the back of my hand on that last attempt, which they flushed with Saline first, as they didn't want to start the dye and the vein collapse, I felt the Saline going in, so they then attached the drip. Then the Scan began, the Nurse came back in about Half way through and said that they were about to start pumping the contrast dye through and I would get a hot feeling first in my head, then throat, then through my body. It actually feels like you've wet yourself. Its the same feeling you get when you have an Angiogram done.Anyway all went well Scan was completed and again the Nurse was so kind, helping me sit up and making wait before getting up. She then took me back in the waiting room, where Mick was waiting and he knew by my face something was wrong and of course he knew and said "Needles", where I nodded and promptly burst into tears. What the poor people in the waiting room thought I have no idea. We left the Hospital and Mick took me into a local Supermarket for a cup of Tea, can you imagine me sitting in the Cafe, drinking Tea with tears pouring down my face. When we got home, Sandra one of the Cardiac team rang to say she was going to pop into see me this afternoon, which promptly set the flood gates open again, so we decided that it would be better if she didn't come today. Mick has since rung her back and explained exactly what had gone on today.
I am not normally like this, it's normally the stiff upper lip, but I think I've been worried by what is happening, I'm not sleeping very well and I just don't feel right and I certainly don't look right. I just want an answer one way or another..
Sorry to be full of gloom, but just wanted to get it all off my chest.
On a lighter note, I took these pictures of my big baby Merlin this afternoon having a snooze. Notice all the dirt on his nose?. He's given me lots of wet slobbery kisses today.
I did manage to sort out a tiny box of miniatures late this afternoon, I'll be back later with some pictures...

Update On Hospital Appointment...

Well as you all know I had my appointment with the Cardiologist on Thursday.
Got to the Hospital had another ECG, then waited to see the Doctor.
Doctor is a Lady and I felt really comfortable with her. Very like me, no beating about the bush, direct and to the point, with a great sense of humour. She gave me a proper going over and actually said she was surprised having spoken to Paul my Cardiac Nurse, that I wasn't more swollen. She'd been expecting me to be rolled through the Door. See told you, she had a sense of humour. They calculate, that I am carrying approximately, three stone extra in fluid all over my body. To say I'm uncomfortable is putting it mildly.
While I was in her office, she said I want you to have a Heart Echo Scan, told her that I'd already had one last week. So she said wait here, I'm going to check it. Which she did. She said that she couldn't see anything untoward on it. The symptoms I'm showing, can be down to the right side of the Heart failing, but its not the case with me.
She now wants me to have a CT Scan so that she can get a more detailed 3D image of my Heart.
She did say that there could be a small blood clot behind the Heart, which could cause these symptoms or it could be the bag around the Heart has tightened up restricting the Heart. She wants this scan done to rule these things out. She has also upped the dosage of the water tablets to try and get rid of some of the fluid. Well I'm peeing more, so hopefully I will start seeing a difference in a few days.
So now its a case of waiting for the Scan and then once that's done going back to see her and hopefully get a diagnosis.
To keep me busy, I think I'm going to start sorting out the caravan and turning it in to my work room...

Heart Scan...

Firstly Thank you everyone that left such lovely comments yesterday on my blog and on my face book page.
As you can imagine I was quite worried about having the Heart Scan today.
I have to say the Lady that did the Scan was lovely and so gentle. She advised us that she couldn't really make any comment about the Scan, as she is not a Consultant Cardiologist.
I was in there for about half an hour and she did let me know that she couldn't find anything nasty. Which I have to say was such a relief.
She also said that she would write up the report today, which will then be passed over to the Cardiologist. I should then get an appointment.
So Good and Bad news really, as we are still no nearer to knowing why I am swelling up and retaining so much fluid. I expect I'll now have to have a battery of tests to find out the what and why fores!
When we got home there had been a phone call from the School, but no message. So I rang the School. Turns out Harry had been playing Rugby today and injured his Ribs in a Scrum. Fortunately our friend went to the School and picked him up, so looks like he will be off now for a couple of days. His Music teacher said he can do his audition for the School production,when he goes back. I blame Mick, he told him to break a leg at the audition today, instead he nearly broke his ribs..LOL

Update on Harry's Accident.

For those of you that have just started reading my blog. My youngest Son Harry had quite a nasty accident at School last Thursday. (See previous posts).
Today I went to the School for a meeting with the Deputy Head Teacher. Who I must say took all my concerns on board, re the safety issues etc and we agreed that after he had looked into, all the matter's I had raised, that he would get back to me on Thursday. He did however ask me to put my concerns in writing to the Head Master. We parted with a handshake and off home I came.
About an hour later I get a phone call from reception saying that the Head P.E Teacher was on the line and they were putting him through. Well let me tell you it was not the call I was expecting, you know the one with an apology etc, etc. No what I got was a Raging Nut Case, telling me HOW DARE I QUESTION HIS CARE OF THE PUPIL'S!. I was pretty taken aback, but kept my cool and told him as a concerned parent I had every right. He then went off on a tangent about a completely different matter and I had to bring him back to the issue. I then gave him the what if scenario and he's answer was NOW YOUR COMPLETELY GOING OVER THE TOP. I had my friend here at the time and Mick who couldn't quite believe what they were hearing. Mick wanted to get on the phone to him. but I wouldn't let him, cause I knew what would have happened. The teacher was like a raving lunatic, now if that's how he speaks to an adult, how does he speak to the kid's.
I got straight back on the phone to the Deputy Head, and told him what had happened, and told him in no uncertain terms that I was not a Happy Bunny and if that teacher had been in front of me, talking as he was I would have punched him straight in the gob.. The Deputy Head, then tells me that he'd had a row with him over it this morning. Obviously the P.E. Teacher knows that he is in the wrong and just having had a row with the Deputy Head, got on the phone to me to vent his rage. Well he picked the wrong one to start on cause I've written to the Head and lets put it this way, I think the proverbial Shit is now going to hit the fan...

Update On The Offending Article..

I took some photo's of Mick's thumb tonight, to give you an update on the offending article.. Well I have to say, its healed beautifully. Its still very sore and tender around the tip, but I can't quite believe that the thumb as healed as it has. The Doctors said that the nail bed would not grow back, but it looks like it has... Isn't the human body a wonderful thing..... Can you believe the difference. The bottom two photo's were taken tonight..

Another Trip To Accident & Emergancy..

Oh what an afternoon..
Harry my youngest had an accident at school this afternoon. We got a phone call from the school to say he'd hurt his Knee, while doing cross country. (Let me describe the weather, it was absolutely tripping it down with rain and howling wind). And yes they make the kids go out in it.. Harry was out in front and slowed down, when he got to a small footbridge, that crosses a stream, by this time some of the others have caught up, Harry gets pushed, slips in his studs and goes over the handrail, dropping approx 5ft onto rocks. No one stopped to help him, he managed to drag himself out and hobble back towards the school, where he meets one of the teachers, who reaction was "Oh what have you done now Harry", so Harry tells him. Did the teacher help him back to school, oh no, got one of Harry's friends to help him to the Nurse's office.
The Nurse puts an ice pack on his knee, compression bandage and gave him a pair of crutches to help him get to the office. Then we get the phone call. I only find out all this when I get to the school. So take Harry straight round to our Doctor's, who has a look and wasn't happy, so told us to get him to casualty for X-ray's.
So off to A & E, where X-Ray's are taken, thankfully no broken bones, he has however, torn the ligaments around the knee. So he now has to rest with his leg in an elevated position, but try and walk on it tomorrow, without crutches and no sport at all till the ligaments are healed. Which now means he can't go riding either.
Now call me an over protective mother, but I am absolutely fuming. I can't bear to think of the what ifs.. Like if when he fell he'd hit his head and fallen face down in the water..
I'll be taking this up with the school tomorrow, as Harry could have been seriously hurt or worse.
I feel better for getting that of my chest.. Phew.......

Update On Mick's Thumb..

Took these photo's this morning, just before Mick went to the Doctor's to have the offending article checked and redressed. It's healing nicely, and you can actually see some nice new pink skin growing under the scab..

The Offending Article...

When I took Mick to have his dressing changed on Friday, the Nurse was worried that the scab on Mick's thumb was a bit too granulated. So told him to soak it in water tonight and tomorrow morning, to soften it. Well he had the offending article in soak for about 1/2 hour this evening. Its softened up a lot and I managed to give it a good clean, before I redressed it.

Update On Mick.. Gross Post..

Went to the Hospital today, so that Mick could have his dressing changed. He ended up taking the dressing off himself, as it had stuck.. How he never passed out, I'll never know. He went a horrible shade of grey and the sweat was dripping off him. The Consultant was happy with the wound and the good thing is, he doesn't need Plastic Surgery. He needs the dressing changed every three days until it has scabbed over and then the dressing's can stop. They think it will take approx one month, to heal over.. Took some more pictures on my mobile, as the boys wanted to see what it looked like. The photo's are a bit blurred, but maybe that's a good thing. Their reaction when they saw them, was that's Gross... If your have a weak stomach, then I would skip this post..

Emergency..

I've spent this afternoon at Accident & Emergency with Mick... He managed to chop the top of his thumb off with a table saw... Good job I know First Aid.. Lucky for him it had a new blade in so the cut was clean, although the bit that got chopped off was no good as it was completely mangled..
They were brilliant at A & E, he got seen straight away. First off they injected his thumb with a nerve block. They took X-Rays and said that it had chipped some small bits of bone off the top, but as it was such a clean cut, it should eventually grow back itself. They washed it out with gallons of Saline and then cut of all the loose bits of skin. Then they dressed it, with a compression bandage, so it's looks like something out of a comic book. He's got to go back to the Hospital on Tuesday to have all the dressing changed. But he still may have to have plastic surgery.

Healed Bones But Broken Car...

Took Harry to the Hospital yesterday for his check up. Consultant was happy, that Harry's collar bone is healed. So discharged him from the outpatients department. Took Harry over to his friend Paul's after, but the car started playing up, lights coming up on the dashboard. managed to get home and rang Roy at the garage. Car went in at 9am this morning! Christ knows whats wrong with it, but it was making a very dodgy noise this morning. Said he would ring me later and let me know the diagnosis. I can see another big bill looming. Oh Joy, not...
Ben & Katie have gone off to Carmarthen for the day, to meet up with Ben's friends, so have no idea what time they will be back this evening. Harry's over Paul's and will be brought back later this evening. So what am I doing, working outside cause the weather today is wonderful.
Had a letter this week, to say that our water supply is being turned off from 9am in the morning until approx 4pm. There is a major leak somewhere in the village and that's what their hoping to fix. So have made sure that all the outside water buckets are full to the brim, don't want any of the animals going thirsty. I'll top them all up again tonight, as its really hot today.

Hospital

Well it was back to the hospital again this morning to the fracture clinic. Saw the consultant who advised us that it could take up to three months for Harry's bone to heal fully. They have put him in a brace to keep his back straight, this also pulls the bones back into the right position. He has also been fitted with an adjustable sling, that fastens over his opposite shoulder but gives full support to his arm. We have to go back next week so that they can re x-ray the brake and adjust the brace. He has to wear both constantly, unless he has a shower.
Ben came home from school with a letter of apology from the boy at school who caused Harry's injury. I really haven't got my head round it all yet, and am undecided whether to take the matter further.
Water board also came back today, we have definitely cured the water leak that we had, all been tested and all OK now. Which is another weight of my mind. Also managed to get some more fencing up this afternoon. Big Mick has been a really big help.

Hospital & Broken Bones..

Been really busy here since Thursday, digger went back this morning.. Managed to get everything done that we wanted.
Today we went to this hospital to see Mick's Neuro Surgeon, the upshot of it all is that they won't operate, in case they cause anymore damage. Got home got a few bits done that I wanted, and then out of the blue got a call from the school. Could I go and get Harry, he'd had an accident and they were quite concerned that he'd injured his shoulder. So off to the hospital again for the second time today. Harry had his x-ray and he's broken his collar bone. He is in so much pain that I really don't know what to do for him. Back to the hospital in the morning, to the fracture clinic and see the consultant. Got this image from the Internet, to give you some idea what he's done. But he's broken his right collar bone.

So Busy.....

Saturday we spent most of the day outside working around the garden and getting loads more concrete out!
Sunday Mick's parents were due to come up, but unfortunately due to illness they were unable to make it.
Boy's went back to school Monday, same that their holidays don't match the English school holidays, it makes it so difficult when our other friends want to come up.
Today, I popped down to Diane's to get some shavings for the stables and pick up some horse feed and the wormers Di had ordered in bulk.
Mick has been for his MRI scan tonight, just got to wait now for the report to go back to the consultant and our Doctors. Nothing much else to tell you. Still unable to add pictures to this blog and yet I can on my other blog. Makes no sense to me at all....