The snow finally appeared...

 

Well yes, actually I do...

The daughter dragged me out in the cold and snow to go to the hospital with her. She had to go for some laser treatment on her eyes. After visiting the eye clinic yesterday and the pressure in both eyes being above 30 she had to return this morning at 9 am and somebody had to go with her, so I was the lucky person. After taking over an hour to finally get a taxi and paying almost double the usual cost we reached the hospital only to have to wait long after 9 am because Lynsey was not on the list. I was not a happy bunny, I could have been at home warm and comfy in my pj's. After she had her laser done we had the pleasure of waiting for a taxi to return home again paying over the odds, which neither of us could understand because the roads were clear, for once the gritters had done their jobs. The excuse they were charging more because they were in such high demand, didn't that mean they were making more money so why charge more? 

Rant over...

Our neighbour flew back to Spain this morning, she always seems to manage to go out when the weather is bad here. I know she got there ok I checked to make sure her flight landed. She will probably be sitting drinking a Spanish brandy about now.

SNOW IN THE GARDEN.

Only the robin braved the elements this morning.

Tony has picked and paid for his new chair, it is a rise and recliner.

This is the chair except it is in Black Leather.

The chair has been measured and fitted for him and should be ready in 6 to 8 weeks. It means he can stand straight up from the chair and lay better in it to sleep.

He did ask if I wanted one but I declined, I think I would prefer a rocking chair if I can find one to suit me.

I found this the other day I think I might just put it on a T-shirt.

Until the next time...

Sneaky squirrels...

 

Well, here I am again, 

I hope everyone is well and warm. The Scottish part of the family has caught covid again hopefully they will have recovered by now or at least be well on the way to recovery.

Tony and I are both reasonably well, Tony is still having problems with his legs, he has a sore patch under his left heel which is making walking more of a problem at the moment, but these things are sent to try us. 

I saw this on the internet and it really appealed to me with my teeth problem,

FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABIES.

I know she's not a baby but you know what I mean.

I had another baking day on Thursday: 

blue cheese muffins, cheese & marmite scones, 

prune sponge and chocolate chip muffins.

They turned out alright this week.

We have a visit now and then from one of my grandchildren, she stays for an hour sometimes two. This time she brought a friend with her.

ALISON CAME TO VISIT.

ALONG WITH BUDDY.

The squirrels in the garden are getting very greedy and cannot always wait for me to put their monkey nuts out. They have started stealing the bird's peanuts.

CAUGHT IN ACTION.

It didn't take them long.

Until the next time...

The wind is getting up...

 

It's me again, I hope everybody is well and warm. The weather is very windy today apparently it is all down to storm Otto. We are only getting the tip of it, Scotland and further North from us are being hit really badly. I hope my brother and his wife are safely indoors with their cats. I am sure they will be, I hope Russell is not going out running in the strong winds I know he doesn't like the wind so I don't think he will.

Our neighbour Anne is due home from Spain today I hope her flight is able to land a lot of them are being diverted or just not taking off, maybe she will have to stay a few extra days.

Lynsey is back at work and finding plenty to complain about, however today she is working from home, and still finding plenty to complain about. She likes complaining. That's what it is. 

I have to go for a face-to-face consultation to prove I am entitled to my PIP on Tuesday at 9 am. I think it is ridiculous that when you have a health issue that is only going to get worse over time and never improve, some of your problems mean that having to talk to a complete stranger makes you anxious, stressed which then makes you feel more nervous, it makes me clam up and not want to speak. I never know if that goes in my favour or against me. I lost my mobility last time I am hoping to get it back this time because I really struggle sometimes just to go to the shop across the road takes me nearly half an hour. Right rant over, and moves on.

We put up a bird feeder today, just a small one with two hooks to hold one feeder on each it has a tray for seed and a water dish, we are hoping to attract a few small birds there are a couple of dunnocks and a robin come in regularly and we have seen a blue tit but it would be nice to get more to come in. I have also noticed a lack of starlings. Oh, we have had blackbirds in there was a family of them not long after we moved in.

The New Feeder.

We also have a few other things around the garden for the birds and squirrels.

The Sunflower Ladybird.

 The Suet Balls

and for the more sophisticated diner,

The Table & Chair.

The squirrels of course also have the nut box, they never have any problem knowing when it has been filled. I only filled it a couple of hours ago and it is empty already.

Hello.

Going in...

He's got a nut...

Thank you.

Tony is waiting for an appointment to go back to see the fracture clinic with his wrist, he is still having a lot of pain and still has no feeling in his thumb and forefinger. He is having trouble picking things up and keeps dropping things. It is not good having two of us like that, we will be taking turns throwing things on the floor and up the walls. I think maybe I will keep out of the kitchen when Tony is using knives from now on. He might just start dropping them on the floor, maybe he should find meals that don't need the use of sharp knives.

Well enough of my waffling.

Until the next time...

Unicorns and mangoes????

 

I wanted to let you know how things are going!

Lynsey has been back in the hospital and has been diagnosed with "Sarcoidosis", a rare condition that causes small patches of swollen tissue, called granulomas, to develop in the body's organs. Lynsey has them in her lungs and spleen. The doctors are not treating it at the moment just monitoring it. Lynsey has been discharged from the fracture clinic as her toe is deemed to be "straight enough". She has an appointment at Wharfedale Hospital in Otley to see the consultant about the spinal tumour, why somewhere so far out instead of the LGI I do not understand at all. The hospital doctor she saw in Pinderfields increased her morphine so she is spending a bit more time sleeping, however, she is returning to work next week, and I think she will be cutting the dose down by then.

Tony had his pot removed two weeks ago. His arm does not look very straight, and he is still suffering a great deal of pain. Tony has been to physio once and returns on Monday for his 2nd session, I don't think he is looking forward to it. 

We went for a ride to Aldi on the scooters this morning, it was very cold but it felt good to get out. I don't expect to be doing it again for a while, I think it was a bit too much for Tony. The next time we go out it will be by taxi to the hospital then a lift home by Mum. We would have been lost without her just lately all the running about she has done for us. I have felt really guilty asking and have tried not to unless I have been really stuck. However, with Emma going in for her op as well, things have been difficult.

Hopefully, things can get back to normal, if only Lynsey can keep out of the hospital, Emma gets better quickly and Tony's arm mends. 

Tony is happy at the moment he has the Six Nations Rugby Union to watch at the weekend, it would be even better if England could win. 

Willow one of my granddaughters has her 5th birthday coming up on Monday, Chris her dad told me she is into unicorns and mangoes, and I was slightly puzzled by the mangoes until he explained Willow couldn't say flamingoes so she called them mangoes. I am glad he explained she nearly got a unicorn with a mango on her birthday card.

Well, I don't think I have any more news at the moment so I shall love you and leave you.

until the next time...

 

Getting more like normal...

 Things are getting more like usual. Lynsey was discharged from the hospital on 14/01/2023. However, she only received some of the medication she was led to believe she would. She did not get a discharge letter, so she has spent all week fighting with the family GP to get a repeat prescription for the medication she needs to continue with until she returns to the hospital clinic as an outpatient. Lynsey has to attend one of the hospitals in Leeds for them to remove one of the swollen lymph nodes/glands from her chest to do some tests on it. The big C has been mentioned. However, Lynsey is not letting this phase her. She is very calm and takes it all in her stride. A lot better than I would be if it was me (or I am because she is my baby, after all). She was happy to be reunited with her cats, Pepper & Biscuit, even though they both seemed to ignore her and sulk for a while.

Biscuit hid in the safe place on the cat scratcher.

Pepper just turned his back & sulked.

Tony is still having problems, the feeling has not returned in his thumb and forefinger, and the pain is still causing him sleepless nights. He goes back to the fracture clinic on 27/01/2023. Hopefully, his wrist will heal enough for the pot to be removed. However, it may not be because another pot may replace the one he has. Tony's legs are looking better. The cream works slowly, but that is better than not working at all.

My gum is taking a long time to settle, where I had two teeth removed. I know it is because they were taken out while I had an abscess. I hope it is not becoming infected again. We are both over the sickness bug we picked up and are happy to say apart from our usual ailments, we are fine.

Looking through old photos again, I saw this one, taken in Albufeira in The Algarve in Portugal. We spotted this kennel on our first visit, but it was scarce to see an animal there. I am assuming that Ricky is the dog. 

Ricky's Pad in The Algarve Portugal

Then I found this very melancholy looking one of part of Wakefield.

Kirkgate in Wakefield

A very wet and dreary day made it look more downtrodden than usual.

Oh, I do miss my shed...

Until the next time...

The New Year continues...

 The New Year carries on in much the same way. Lynsey remains in the hospital. She is now in ward 32A and has been made as comfy as possible. The MRI showed that she has

 A Spinal Neurinoma is a benign, slow-growing tumour in the spine. 

The MRI also showed some endometriosis and a cyst. We knew Lynsey had endometriosis, so this came as no great surprise. It was possible that the cyst had ruptured and that fluid was leaking into the fallopian tubes. Mr Kremer, the gyno doctor, was not interested because it was a spinal MRI and not a gyno one. So he wasn't interested in treating her and said he would make an outpatient appointment.

Lynsey has a broken big toe on her right foot. 

Bit of an overkill for a big toe.

I was not too good myself yesterday. I was sick, sitting on the toilet with a bucket on my knee most of the day and night. I wondered if I had picked something up at the hospital. I did a covid test to rule that out first, and then I realised that the relatively large abscess on my lower jaw had disappeared. I rang the dentist, who made me an appointment for 3:15pm today. Mr Khan pulled out 2 teeth. It hurt like hell because of the abscess, but now the rest would drain, and I was closer to getting them all out. Only 3 to go.

Lynsey had a repeat MRI this time with dye, to see if it showed up any more than the last one. I am still waiting for the results. No doubt I will hear them tonight or tomorrow.

Lynsey has been prescribed Morphine, Gabapentin, Ondanatran (anti-sickness) and something to make her go to the loo.

I have been told to expect a call, as I am her next of kin. They will be calling me to arrange a delivery date for the frame for the bog to my house. ( she has such a way with words )

That is not the end of The Turner Family's luck. Last night, when Chris finished work, he went outside to get his bike, only his bike was not there.

Tony is still in quite a bit of pain with his broken wrist. He has lost some of the feelings in his thumb and forefinger. His legs are getting no better. We really are not having a lot of luck between us, are we?

 So it is a crap start to 2023.

Until the next time...

What a wonderful start to the New Year NOT...

 2023 What a wonderful start to the New Year.  Sunday 1st of January I went to Lynsey's, she had called me crying that she was in pain. Lynsey never shows when she is in pain so I knew something was terribly wrong.  I had to go to her, any mother who loves their child cannot refuse to go to them when they need them no matter how old they are. I jumped in a taxi and was soon with Lynsey, she looked shocking.  I could tell straight away this was no ordinary pain.  I  sat and talked to her for a while, she had been to A&E the day before with bad pains in her back & abdomen she had also lost control of her bowels which is not a good sign in a 34 year old.  The female doctor had in Lynsey words "pushed her finger up her bum" said everything looks fine go home and take some paracetamol. 

Lynsey was in much more pain now than she had been then. She had a small seizure then went upstairs to the bathroom,  the next thing. I heard was Lynsey tumbling down the stairs. I don't know if she had another seizure, passed out or just fell. I do know that when I got to her she was unconscious for a second or two. Lynsey has a very badly bruised big toe and had hurt her back even more to her dismay she had been carrying her cat Biscuit downstairs and was worried she might have hurt him. We ended the day by going to A&E again we arrived there about 9pm we were still there at 2pm today before we saw a doctor.   At least when we did he got things moving, Lynsey was sent for an MRI within less than an hour and arrangements for x rays on her toes. Lynsey was sent up to a ward for the night so I decided to go home.  Mum came to pick me up before we had reached home Lynsey called, she had the results from the MRI she has a tumour on the bottom of her spine. I just didn't know what to think.  Tomorrow we will find out more and if she has to go straight to Leeds to be treated.  Tonight she will stay in Pinderfields and be given copious amounts of morphine to numb the pain. Sometimes being a mum can feel really useless when there is nothing you can do to help your child no matter how old they are. 

Until the next time...