Painkillers.....

I'm feeling a bit happier today because I'm anticipating a night of managing to getting some sleep. I had a doctor's appointment and finally got painkillers put on repeat prescription..so no more having to go every couple of weeks for them. The doctor has also given me some very strong ones to be taken at night..this is the time when I am most in pain. It was either these or sleeping tablets which she said that she isn't really happy for me to go down that road. Although I am relieved that I have got painkillers I am a little worried that they can become addictive if used for a long period of time. What is classed as a long period of time.....1 month....2...6?

Britain had an earthquake this week....nothing too remarkable in that apparently...we get little ones that go almost un-noticed. It was enough to be felt over most of the country and thankfully not too much damage. The wintry winds are back with us again and forecasts are for another spell of cold wintry conditions.....roll on the summer....if we get one that is.

I've had to phone the benefits again.....still haven't received the form for housing benefit....royal mail are not living up to their claims of improving their delivery.

Looking at the site counter on here I'm very pleased that the number has now gone over the 500 mark..nice to know that someone out there is coming on here. It would be nice if some of you could say Hi. I'll look forward to that.

Still waiting....

I'm still waiting for the housing benefit claim form which was supposed to be sent out to me last Thursday. The longer it takes the more arrears show on my rent account.
The last few days have been spent doing very little except trying to sleep. I say trying because sleep is evading me..and it is very trying. I went for a short walk today, I haven't been out of the house since last Thursday. The background pain is still there..it's always there....I call it that because having had it for nearly 3 years I have just got used to it and have learnt to tolerate it to some degree. The other pains are the ones I have not learnt to tolerate. The pain and swelling in my hands, feet and knees..the migraine like eye and head pain. It's very draining and makes the brain fog worse than usual. Most days I can cope to some degree with the brain fog....forgetting what I've done..or just read....forgetting peoples names..even family member's. When the brain fog really sets in it's so hard to concentrate on anything. I forget what day it is..what time it is...it's like being temporarily being suspended in time, but knowing that time is still passing. The frustration gets to me then...not being able to think clearly or do anything....and inside my head everything is whirling.

Shopping..and red tape....

I'm really fed up today. The shopping trip didn't go too well...I hate shopping at the best of times...except shopping for craft goodies. Since I have has to stop my Omeprazole I have been feeling the effects. I really suffered yesterday with it. Got home from shopping and made a real effort to make the phone calls to the housing association and the medical services. Housing association told me that they have no record of my benefit application for housing and council tax..so I rang benefit office...same story....my application is floating around somewhere in the murky depths of royal mail sorting office. They said they were going to send me another form first class..hasn't arrived yet. The medical services sent me a letter telling me to ring to make an appointment for a IB medical. I duly rang them and was told that an appointment has already been made. What is the point of them sending me a letter threatening to stop my benefit if I don't ring to make an appointment within 2 days when one has already been made!!!! I ask you....red tape madness!!!!!! No wonder the government are threatening to clamp down on fraudulent claimants because of what it is costing. They need to address the time and money wasting practises like this. The appointment letter was supposed to have reached me by now but it hasn't..surprise surprise! Well the appointment wasn't convenient..it was for the day after I go for my gastrointestinal endoscopy so I've changed it....I now go on the Saturday after.
I was supposed to go and meet my friend in town today for a "ladies wot lunch day." Suffice to say I didn't make it....I was feeling so rotten this morning that I text her. Will have to arrange another day. I've run out of painkillers again and when I phoned the surgery to ask if a doctor would authorise a prescription I was told I would have to make an appointment.....you ready for this?...Friday the 29th. Now I will have to buy some and hope I can get by on the lower strength.
I AM NOT HAPPY...GGGGGRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Getting warmer...

I finally managed to get some sleep last night....thankfully....and the temperature is set to rise a little. I'm in a lot of pain today from my jaunt into town yesterday and carrying 2 litres of milk. Doesn't sound much, but carrying that sort of weight really causes a lot of pain in my shoulders and arms. It feels as if I have weights strapped to my arms.
The rent management officer came today...but left before I had a chance to answer the door!! She did post a card asking me to ring her and informing me that I have no housing benefit claim on record. It's beginning to get farcical now. I'll ring her tomorrow.....just haven't been in the mood for her today. I'm shopping tomorrow with son and DIL although I really don't feel up to it. Needs must; we have to eat.

Another sleepless night

Last night was another freezing, almost sleepless night. I'm determined to get some sleep tonight though. I'm sat here with 4 jumpers on.....son's cast offs are so handy.....the gas fire and the central heating on. It will be left on low overnight...hang the bill...I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Had my assessment with the "condition management" advisor today and I've been accepted for the course. Don't know when it will start but shouldn't be too long.
I've had a response from the DLA about my asking for them to look again at their decision, advising me that it could take up to 11weeks!!! They certainly don't rush these things do they? Also in the post was a letter from the DWP asking me to phone to make an appointment for another incapacity benefit medical. The reason for this? They need more information so that I can continue to claim. More information....what information do they need that they haven't already got?....and here's the good bit.....I have to make this appointment within the next 2 days or my benefit could be stopped. Hell's bells!!!! To top all this I have a rent management officer coming to see me tomorrow about the arrears on my rent. My rent is showing arrears because a change of circumstances in my son's income which means that my housing benefit has been suspended and I had to fill in yet another claim form. The company that handles housing and council tax is notorious for the speed which they deal with claims.....dead slow!
I'm p****d off now. My brain is going into shut down mode.

It's freezing....!!

I didn't get much sleep last night. It was so cold...minus 11. Warm pyjamas, socks, dressing gown, duvet, fleece blanket and 2 hot water bottles and I still couldn't get warm. The last time I looked at the clock it was 10 minutes to 6....must have been shortly after that I fell asleep. Was up and about by lunch time though....but the brain fog hasn't lifted much. It was actually warmer outside in the sunshine than it was in my house. The forecast is for another cold night with freezing fog. I really need to try and get a decent nights sleep. It's "bin"day tomorrow...need to be up for that or the bin doesn't get emptied.... and I have a 2 hour interview with the recommendation officer about the course I am hoping to get on..I need to be a bit more coherent than I am now for that.
I've finaly got my printer working again......I think the problem is the colour cartridge....it's a bit temperamental. I've been printing stuff off just in case it goes again.

I'm moaning.....

The last 2 weeks have been a bit up and down.....mostly down. The glorious spring like weather has for the time being left us. Still got the sunshine during the day but the nights are bitterly cold. This has caused me worse sleeping problems. I just haven't been able to get warm at night. This hasn't helped the painful joints and muscles either.

My card making mojo has left me this week. All was going fine. My DIL had asked me to do a Valentine card for her, for my son. No problem I thought. Got all my ideas together to make 2 so she would have a choice, and she would be picking it up on Wednesday morning. Then disaster...Tuesday my printer decided it wasn't going to play nicely...so I had to rack my brains and think of something else. I managed to make 2 cards with a bit of imagination with what I had got..which was not a lot of the romantic stuff. Luckily DIL was happy with both and chose the first that I had made. I now have a spare..which will put me ahead for next year!! (my excuse and I'm sticking to it)
Hope to have started on 2 cards I need for next month..but just don't seem to able to get going. Will have to make an effort though as I will find myself at the last minute again and panicking.
I really will have to try and save for a new printer. This one is costing me a lot in ink..and it has served me well for the last few years. I won't get rid of it all together though beacause it is an all in one...it scans and copies as well as prints.

I've been doing my son and daughter-in-laws washing for the last 2 weeks. I don't mind helping out but I am more exhausted than ever. Their council house has had the kitchen and bathrom modernized. It is finished now except for the decorators...and they are 2 weeks behind ..so it means that the washer cannot be plumbed in until this is done.
What perturbs me more is that the contractors doing the work have just won the contract for the estate where I live. Having seen the problems that they have caused to my son's home I am not looking forward to them doing a bodge job on this house. Hopefully the housing association will realize this and will not acccept the standard of work that they have already produced!!
OK..moan over for now....hoping the next few days will be better.

Woohoo....I did it!!!!!

I am so chuffed with myself. I've managed to figure out how to get a slide show of some of my cards on here...was almost ready to give up. The problem was my computer. It was running so slow that it timed out before I could upload them.
The ones showing are just a few that I have made for family and friends. I have never considered myself to be very artistic or creative, but I needed something to do with myself when I became unable to work. The boredom was driving me to distraction. Making cards is something I can do when I am having reasonably good days mentally and is not physically demanding. Since starting to craft I have learnt so many new things and made some new friends as well. The crafting community is a very caring one...so if you need a new hobby or just want to try something different...give it a go. It doesn't have to be card making...anything creative....it keeps the brain cells active and can become very addictive!!!
I must say that the quality of some of the pictures isn't very good. I scan most of them but some are photographed and I am not very good with a camera...even the supposedly idiot proof digital ones. Ah well.....practise makes perfect. I might mange to take a good picture one day.

I've noticed that the slideshow doesn't always start first time....refreshing the page seems to do the trick though.

Slideshow...

Ok...there is a slideshow on here now.....but they are not my pictures that are showing. When...and if.... I figure this out I will try and put some pics of my cards on here. I'm not at all "computer technical" so this may take some time...lol. In the meantime you have some lovely photo's to look at while you are listening to my music.

I need more memory....

The last 2 days have been so frustrating. Why?.....because at last I have started to try and organize my pictures into some sort of order. Everything was going OK. Took most of my pictures off my computer..to save some space..... into a hosting programme and have been sorting into albums and editing. My computer is so slow, that I have given up for the moment. I really will have to see about getting some more memory.
Health wise I'm feeling a little better mentally if not too hot physically. Yesterday I had my second appointment with my "focus into work advisor," Paula. She has referred me to a condition management programme. I have an assessment appointment in a couple of weeks and then will start a 6 to 8 week course. The course consists of a small group of people with health problems meeting for 1 session a week, to explore different ways to manage our health issues with the aim to make our lives easier. It is run locally and all expenses are covered. I don't have to go but I'm going to give it a go....after all I have nothing to lose and the experience could be invaluable.

Some of my music.....

I've added a player to my blog. You don't have to listen of course. My tastes are very varied and you may..or may not...like some of them. Sometimes the music I listen to depends on my mood or just because it brings back memories...mostly happy, some sad, but all good. Enjoy.

Tired ..and no hot water

I am sooo tired today. Yesterday I managed to get so much done in the way of errands but now I am paying the price. I got my presciption filled (had to wait 20 minutes for it...standing), called in to my local CAB to set the wheels in motion about an appeal for DLA, did a small amount of shopping, called in the bank and then popped into son and daughter-in-laws. All this took me about 3 hours and was so drained when I got home. A long soak in the bath and an early night should have seen me OK.....not so. I didn't get up until 3.30 this afternoon and am ready for bed again.
I received my appointment for the endocosopy today. 4th of March and I have to stop my medication for 2 weeks before..that's going to be fun..NOT!!
The weather here is bitterly cold. No snow for our region yet but there's still time. As it has turned so cold I put the central heating on, and guess what?....no hot water! This was supposed to have been rectified a couple of weeks ago but as I haven't had the need to have the heating on I didn't realize. Will have to report this to housing association repair department again.

Some of you may have noticed a new link in the link list. It sends you to a site specifically set up for a template for an evelope card which has been designed by 2 very talented members of the Imag-e-nation craft site. All the proceeeds go to charity...so all you crafters out there...check it out, you wont be disappointed!