Still waiting...

I'm still waiting for the phone call from the opticians to say that my reading glasses are ready. Having to use my old ones ..without nose pieces....is really beginning to annoy me. They are making my nose sore, so I can't wear them for long. I'm still trying to get used to having to change glasses as well...not sure if I will ever get used to it after having varifocals for over 4 years.
Thursday saw me at the CAB about my DLA appeal. I was starting to get worried about it as I hadn't been able to see anyone....but I needn't have worried.....they already have someone booked to represent me. Hopefully my friend will be going with me as well. I don't hold out much hope for winning the appeal though, it's a bit borderline. If not I will just have to start again. Not having a definite diagnosis from the rheumatology clinic has not helped.
Friday I was supposed to go to the Pain Management meeting. I didn't go as I have been so busy this week and having to get up early every morning I was so tired. I don't do mornings! I did enjoy the lie-in....and I needed it.

All Change....

Here I am , sat typing this with my old specs on. They couldn't be repaired. My prescription has changed quite a lot, so now I have 2 pairs...one for distance and one for close up. Well I've got the distance pair..and there is a big difference....but the lenses needed for close up were out of stock. I will have to wait for a phone call to tell me that they are ready. The optician strongly advised me to continue with varifocals.....and I did agree....they are a lot less hassle. I did think about going back to the cheaper option of bifocals, but the optician said that she would not advise that for me. Unfortunately funds wont allow for varifocals. Even with the NHS voucher that I'm entitled to, the price was too high for me at the moment. I could have had them on a payment plan but as my finances are not secure I do not want to commit to anything that I may later regret. I have made up my mind to start a "varifocal fund" so perhaps I will be able to afford them next year. As my mother had glaucoma and my eyesight has deteriorated more than expected, the optician says that I now need an eye test every year instead of every 3 years. Now the fun starts....remembering to change glasses depending on what I need to see!!

Broken specs...

I've spent the last 2 days gardening......and I'm absolutely shattered. The front garden was the worse, and I haven't done it to my usual standard. I'm just too tired. I've got blisters on my hands and bites on my arm from where I disturbed an ant's nest. They may be little but they can't half bite!! In the process I have managed to break my glasses. I was cleaning them yesterday and one of the nose pieces fell off. I saved it hoping to get it repaired.....then today the same thing happened with the other side. This time it went flying across the floor and I haven't been able to find that yet. No doubt the vacuum cleaner will pick it up. So I have made an appointment with the optician. I am due for an eye test but I have been putting it off. I wear varifocals and they cost me a tidy sum 4 years ago. Now if my prescription has changed that will mean I will have to have 2 pairs. As I am on benefit I get my eye test and glasses free within a certain price range, but I wont be able to have varifocals or even bi focals. It will take some getting used to having to swap and change between glasses.....it's such a hassle!!! By tomorrow lunch time I might be wearing different specs....and perhaps cursing because I haven't got the right pair on for what I want to do. If my prescription remains the same...which I very much doubt.....(old age creeping up a a rate of knots) I may be able to get these repaired.

Roundabout...

Today started sunny and warm. I went shopping with son and DIL and during this time the heavens opened with some extremely heavy showers. They didn't last too long but it has been very overcast with the odd light shower. No gardening done again this week.
Tuesday saw me at the hospital for my rheumatology clinic appointment. After a hour and a half travelling, due to road works and traffic diversions, the appointment lasted all of ten minutes. The outcome is that I'm once again on the medical roundabout. The doctor doesn't think that I do have rheumatoid arthritis... yet...but it may be osteoporosis...so he has referred me for a bone density scan at another hospital and I am to see him again in 4 months. If it turns out to be osteoporosis I will continue to attend his clinic but if not I will be referred back to my GP so that she can monitor my condition as he says "rheumatoid arthritis can creep up very quickly." In other words.....no one knows exactly what's going on. It's probably all down to the M.E. and they don't know what to do.
Tomorrow I'm off to the second of the Pain Management Programme course. I'm not very hopeful that it will do much good and I am seriously thinking about dropping out. I really think that I can find more productive things to do with my time.

A very sad post

Some of you may remember me asking for your help a while ago concerning Adrian Sudbury and his campaign. You can read all about Adrians campaign here. Sadly Adrian passed away last night. A book of remembrance has been set up here.
Adrian's story is one which is very close to my heart after losing my son Matty (Matthew) to leukaemia 18 years ago.
The campaign continues.

Not a good start

The weekend has seen me being very lazy and not doing very much at all. I still went to son and DIL's for lunch and it took me longer than normal to walk there. For the last few days my left knee has been giving me some real pain. It feels as if I have twisted it but I can't think how or when. This morning was up early to collect a parcel from the local sorting office that I didn't get to the door fast enough for on Saturday. Post people (see...I'm being PC there) don't hang about waiting for you to hobble to the door. Then I had to collect my prescription from the doctor's surgery and found that they had repeated one that I ordered and collected 2 weeks ago!..then to the post office to pay some bills and local shop for a few groceries....and all this in the pouring rain! Hey!... and guess what?....it stopped raining when I arrived home. Not a good start to the week. Tomorrow I have the rheumatology clinic so I may be able to find out what I've done to my knee....and the weather forecast is for more rain.

Blog candy alet!!!

Karen has some gorgeous paper pads up for grabs.....take a look here

I'm not impressed...

I went to the first Pain Management Course today and I am not at all impressed. After reading the paperwork we have been given I have come to the conclusion that it is, on the whole, a repeat of the condition management course. Most of the 4 hours were spent going over what generally the course is about, and a small exercise which involved standing in a circle and passing bean bags to each other. Apparently the aim of the course is to help us learn that a certain amount of exercise will help with pain management. Now I hope I have a reasonable amount of common sense, and realize that appropriate exercise can help in the management of pain...and therefore a feeling of well being. Do I really need to attend a 6 week course to tell me that? I don't think so. In my humble opinion, the day could have been far better spent in my front garden as the weather has been so nice. The only plus side is the taxi...there and back....and a lovely buffet lunch ....all paid for by the tax payers.

Rain, new shoes...and CBT!

After Saturday's efforts in the garden I was left feeling totally drained. The weather on Sunday was very changeable with bright sunshine then very heavy showers. Monday started out fine so again I was out in the garden.....this time cutting the hedges. I took my time...not much choice in the matter really...I was still in pain from Saturday. The weather turned again to heavy rain.....which I think was providential for me. If it had still been fine I might have been tempted to start on the front garden.....lawn, hedges and borders. I've still a bit to do in the back garden yet, but nothing that is desperately needing attention. I'm aching today with swollen hands and feet. Talking of feet..(weren't we?)...I bought some cheap slip on shoes last Thursday. I was so sick of only being able to wear my comfortable, sensible black shoes....with socks...I can't wear shoes without anything on my feet. Well I found some slip on elasticated shoes, two pairs actually...but I didn't want to have to wear socks....and I didn't want the blisters either. So I have now found a new use for funky foam. Cut a thin strip and glued it inside the back of the new shoes.....no blisters!! Ok the shoes are no good for wet days..but they are a bit stretchy so will allow for my feet swelling slightly. Who wants to wear black sensible shoes.....with socks....in the middle of summer when wearing light summer clothes! One pair are black and white with a couple of buckled straps....the other not quite lilac with a very subtle sheen..a bit like the old black or white plimsoles we had to wear for P.E. at shool but a bit updated and "girly."

I've got my first day at the pain management course on Friday....again I'm not sure about it. They have sent me a questionnaire which asks for you to fill in before Friday. Now I know my mind sometimes leaves me completely.....but I'm not stupid. All the questions ask me to tick a relevant box about my condition, and how it may be affected with physical exercise. CBT again.....(that is cognitive behaviour therapy.) Tell myself often enough that I am not in any pain....that's it's all in my mind... and I will make a miraculous recovery and no longer be dependant on benefits or be a burden on society....yeah...right....I wish!

Took my chance...

Yesterday started out wet..but by the afternoon it was dry and sunny. I took my chance.....got some gardening done. Only managed to do the back lawns...and it took me 4 hours! It didn't help much that the grass was getting rather long and it was wet from the last few days rain. At least it's done ...but for how long?.....and I'm paying for it now though. All I need now is a reasonably dry day to get the hedges cut. It's rained on and off for most of today and the forecast for the next few days is very unsettled.

This morning I received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my friend Anne..she sent them to cheer me up..and they certainly did that....even though she is not feeling too hot herself at the moment. Thank you Anne, you're a true friend.