Well, the on-going saga of medical issues keeps trundling on - I seem to have spent far too much time at the doctor's, A&E, X-ray dept and pathology just recently. As a result I know that my blood pressure is elevated and I have an infection in my finger - strangely, those are exactly the things I told all the 12 various health bods I have seen over the last 12 weeks were wrong with me. So, other than confirming what I already knew, we are no further forward. Great!
But, on another aspect of life....I traded in my Zafira for a new silver Peugeot Partner van, and it has been measured up for proper caging fitting in the back. It's lovely to drive and very comfortable. I was looking at the VW caddy, but trying out both at the same garage I was surprised to find that the Peugeot was the one I liked better. So, there we are!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Weekend Fun
Gosh! It's been a long gap!! I've been dragged screaming and kicking onto FaceBook, and most stuff goes there now rather than here.
Anyway, I just wanted to record the fabulous weekend I have just had with my darling Mum - she'll be 91 later this month, and though she has a lot of pain from an arthritic spine, she is still so lively and sprightly and such fun to be with. The weather has been kind this weekend so we have lunched out at Coughton Court and walked in the gardens and shopped in the gift shop...but didn't find anything to buy. We also enjoyed the Royal Wedding on TV together then enjoyed the spoof RW that was put on by the staff of the residential home my mum lives in now - especially the canapes, cakes and champagne!!! We went on a shopping spree at Evesham Garden Centre and lunched there too, before going back to mum's house to look through old photos from my childhood and before. Dad was never far from our thoughts and we lit candles for him and all the family when we went to church. Then we finished the weekend with a relaxing day and an excellent omelette at mum's residential home, completing the Telegraph and the Mail crosswords between us.
Thanks Mum!! You made the weekend so much fun!
Anyway, I just wanted to record the fabulous weekend I have just had with my darling Mum - she'll be 91 later this month, and though she has a lot of pain from an arthritic spine, she is still so lively and sprightly and such fun to be with. The weather has been kind this weekend so we have lunched out at Coughton Court and walked in the gardens and shopped in the gift shop...but didn't find anything to buy. We also enjoyed the Royal Wedding on TV together then enjoyed the spoof RW that was put on by the staff of the residential home my mum lives in now - especially the canapes, cakes and champagne!!! We went on a shopping spree at Evesham Garden Centre and lunched there too, before going back to mum's house to look through old photos from my childhood and before. Dad was never far from our thoughts and we lit candles for him and all the family when we went to church. Then we finished the weekend with a relaxing day and an excellent omelette at mum's residential home, completing the Telegraph and the Mail crosswords between us.
Thanks Mum!! You made the weekend so much fun!
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Bless him!
Corker tries so hard to be helpful. But eating Amber's latest vet bill (over £2K) is not the solution unfortunately. Wish it was that simple!! Bless him!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Amber update
Amber spent all day yesterday at the vets, having a general anaesthetic then having an MRI scan, X-Ray, more blood tests, but not the follow up ultrascan we had also hoped for. I think they just ran out of time with all they were doing!!
The good news - she does not have any tumours and there is no sign of cancer (No guarantee of anything, of course)
The less good news - the whole of her spine from T12 to S1 has severe spondylosis, with at least 6 protruding discs. The L7/S1 disc is pressing onto the spinal cord, which could account for some of the slight loss of reflex nerve action. At L1 the spine has a bone infection, possibly already into the blood stream, though the blood tests showed nothing as yet. This area is close to the intestines, and the infection could have spread there, causing the weight loss and vomiting. The entire length of her intestines is inflamed - should be about 0.4cm but actually is about 0.8 at the worst parts. She has Irritable Bowel Disease as a result of the intestinal infection, and is not utilising what food manages to make its way through the system, which again is why she is vomiting and why she has lost about 1.4Kg in weight. She also has a cyst near her liver which is about 5cm in diameter.
So, what happens now? She continues to take the 2 stomach medications and antibiotics and sensitivity diet in order to get the intestinal inflammation under control. She also has stronger antibiotics to take for the next 6 weeks to bring the spinal infection under control, as well as Tramadol to relieve the pain of the protruding disc(s). Meal times are fun, making sure that the ones to be given on an empty stomach are taken first, then making sure she takes all the rest and doesn't miss any!!!
She's a bit subdued still, but rallying fast. She is physically weaker than in the past as she is losing muscle tone with the weight loss. If/when the infections are under control the vet and I can begin to discuss what surgery might be appropriate. I'm hoping that, as my vet is a top key-hole orthopaedic specialist at our local vet hospital, any surgery will be as un-intrusive as possible.
The best news? My vet says that none of the conditions are lif-threatening providing they are treated - which is what we are doing.
Just love my little, feisty, red girl.
The good news - she does not have any tumours and there is no sign of cancer (No guarantee of anything, of course)
The less good news - the whole of her spine from T12 to S1 has severe spondylosis, with at least 6 protruding discs. The L7/S1 disc is pressing onto the spinal cord, which could account for some of the slight loss of reflex nerve action. At L1 the spine has a bone infection, possibly already into the blood stream, though the blood tests showed nothing as yet. This area is close to the intestines, and the infection could have spread there, causing the weight loss and vomiting. The entire length of her intestines is inflamed - should be about 0.4cm but actually is about 0.8 at the worst parts. She has Irritable Bowel Disease as a result of the intestinal infection, and is not utilising what food manages to make its way through the system, which again is why she is vomiting and why she has lost about 1.4Kg in weight. She also has a cyst near her liver which is about 5cm in diameter.
So, what happens now? She continues to take the 2 stomach medications and antibiotics and sensitivity diet in order to get the intestinal inflammation under control. She also has stronger antibiotics to take for the next 6 weeks to bring the spinal infection under control, as well as Tramadol to relieve the pain of the protruding disc(s). Meal times are fun, making sure that the ones to be given on an empty stomach are taken first, then making sure she takes all the rest and doesn't miss any!!!
She's a bit subdued still, but rallying fast. She is physically weaker than in the past as she is losing muscle tone with the weight loss. If/when the infections are under control the vet and I can begin to discuss what surgery might be appropriate. I'm hoping that, as my vet is a top key-hole orthopaedic specialist at our local vet hospital, any surgery will be as un-intrusive as possible.
The best news? My vet says that none of the conditions are lif-threatening providing they are treated - which is what we are doing.
Just love my little, feisty, red girl.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Poorly
Why do things always seem to happen at the same time, making it impossible to deal with them effectively?
Amber has started bringing up her food about 7 to 9 hours after a meal. I have done all the usual things over the weekend - starvation, withdrawing all meds etc but it is still happening. So she really needs a trip to the vet.
BUT the car is poorly too and in the garage being diagnosed. It lost all power while I was driving home on the M62 yesterday, and is making a funny whirring sound.
So the problem is: what to do? Amber seems happy enough in herself, so I guess I have to wait for the garage to tell me how long they are going to need to keep the car before I know that I can a) attend the evening vet surgery tonight, or b) book a pet taxi to get there in the morning....
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
On Sunday 23 January 2011 my dad died. I was holding his hand as it happened, but it still came as a big shock.He had been fighting against all sorts of health problems for some time - he was never one to accept the unpalatable and just give in, but this fight was finally too hard. He was my friend, my hero, my dad, and I can't imagine life without his silly songs and vigorous debates and sense of humour and quiet patience and constant courtesy and indomitable will and LOVE.
Miss you dad, more than you can ever know.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Get it sorted!!
As with all new vehicles, there have been a few glitches on the new camper since I picked it up at the beginning of June. I organised for it to go into service in December, but the Great Ice Age struck and all the plans went on hold.....until yesterday when they came to collect it.
So, when I get it back the front blind should stay in place (the screws had fallen out); the toilet door should shut and reopen without trapping anyone inside; the panel under the bed should stay in place instead of falling out; the overflow pipe to the clean water tank shouldn't be dripping all the time; and most importantly of all - the batteries should be working so that I can at least get in and out of the camper!!
This latter is caused by a Peugeot fault, apparently. The on-board computer is draining the batteries when the vehicle isn't used for any length of time (apparently at about 5 days of no re-charge this becomes noticeable) I think this is scandalous, and apparently Autocruise are 'in discussions' with Peugeot about this. Watch this space.... In the meantime the only easy solution is to connect a solar trickle charger to the battery all the time it is standing, so this is what I am going to do....let's see if it works, shall we??
So, when I get it back the front blind should stay in place (the screws had fallen out); the toilet door should shut and reopen without trapping anyone inside; the panel under the bed should stay in place instead of falling out; the overflow pipe to the clean water tank shouldn't be dripping all the time; and most importantly of all - the batteries should be working so that I can at least get in and out of the camper!!
This latter is caused by a Peugeot fault, apparently. The on-board computer is draining the batteries when the vehicle isn't used for any length of time (apparently at about 5 days of no re-charge this becomes noticeable) I think this is scandalous, and apparently Autocruise are 'in discussions' with Peugeot about this. Watch this space.... In the meantime the only easy solution is to connect a solar trickle charger to the battery all the time it is standing, so this is what I am going to do....let's see if it works, shall we??
Sunday, January 02, 2011
The Car Game
Corker has always been a wannabe car chaser. Even in a head collar, he can lunge and turn complete cartwheels in his attempt to get at the cars - not nice, not safe, but pretty spectacular to watch!
So, I decided to have yet another go at teaching him the Car Game. Corker is a reflective chap, so I reckoned that by now - nearly 9 years old - he might have sussed out the rules of the game.....and he has.
So what happens is: Corker sees/hears car; Corker sits squarely in front of me gazing into my eyes as car goes past (I would rather he was to the side but I'll settle for this as an improvement on cartwheels); Corker gets treat! Having a long Christmas break, with far fewer cars than usual on the roads, has helped a lot.
Corker has learned the game so well that he has now tried to add in another rule - Corker sees parked car; Corker sits in front of me so I can't walk past; Corker hopes he might get a treat! As the road is residential with lots of cars parked outside the houses, Corker has plenty of opportunity to try to teach me this extension of the Car Game....
Nice try Corks - but it won't work!
Happy new Year to everyone!
So, I decided to have yet another go at teaching him the Car Game. Corker is a reflective chap, so I reckoned that by now - nearly 9 years old - he might have sussed out the rules of the game.....and he has.
So what happens is: Corker sees/hears car; Corker sits squarely in front of me gazing into my eyes as car goes past (I would rather he was to the side but I'll settle for this as an improvement on cartwheels); Corker gets treat! Having a long Christmas break, with far fewer cars than usual on the roads, has helped a lot.
Corker has learned the game so well that he has now tried to add in another rule - Corker sees parked car; Corker sits in front of me so I can't walk past; Corker hopes he might get a treat! As the road is residential with lots of cars parked outside the houses, Corker has plenty of opportunity to try to teach me this extension of the Car Game....
Nice try Corks - but it won't work!
Happy new Year to everyone!
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