It's been about a month or so since my last post. Lots has happened in my world although I am still waiting for a decision on knee replacements which will hopefully be at my appointment on 7th June, please keep your fingers crossed for me!
I have good days and bad days.....today is a particularly bad day for pain and I have had to take the day off work. The manager I support is lovely and very understanding. If I had brought my laptop home last night I would have been able to work from home but as it is I didn't and today is a sick day. I'm snuggled in my pj's with a beautiful patchwork quilt made by the brilliantly talented Liz Draper letting the tramadol and co-codamol do their stuff.
I have recently had an x-ray of my right hip due to the increasing pain in it and my lower back. I struggle to lift my foot and sleeping at night is not happening due to discomfort. I have another week or so before my GP receives the results of the x-ray. He says he wants to check the stage the OA is at in my right hip. Over the past few weeks my tramadol has been increased to 100mg slow release tablets, then increased again to 150mg slow release tablets. I take one in the morning and one in the evening. I am also still taking up to 8 co-codamol 30/500mg. The GP tried me on Baclofen for muscle spasms. Well....I couldn't function on them. I like to be awake when I am awake if you know what I mean! :-) So the Baclofen has been stopped.....and I am glad to say I am more awake.
My wheelchair assessment form went missing somewhere in the hospital internal post. Cheryl, the secretary for Mr Kumar, my ortho surgeon was amazing. She chased it up and couldn't find it, she wrote another letter and saw the surgeon to sign and send the letter again. She phoned me 3 times in one day and twice the following day to make sure I was OK and to confirm that she had personally sent the letter. Cheryl went above and beyond and her genuine care really touched me. I will be sending a thank you card to her at the hospital as I feel it is important she is thanked and recognised for the help she gave me. I'm currently waiting for the wheelchair assessment, I've had the initial questionnaire and just need the appointment now. As much as I don't want to have to have a wheelchair the reality is that it will help me getting out and about with the family. When I am bad I will be able to get to work without having to struggle on my sticks and risk falling or being pushed over on the busy commute into central London.
On the employment front I am still working although some days are more of a struggle than others. My line manager has completed a DSE assessment and I had a workplace adjustment assessment. Work have given me a new lightweight keyboard, a fancy footstool, a raiser for my monitor, the desk has been raised as it was too low, and a fancy new chair to help with back and hip pain. The chair is being delivered and fitted tomorrow. I would recommend anyone who is working and has arthritis or any illness or challenge to get their employer to do a workplace adjustment assessment. It makes working a bit easier and more comfortable. My employer has been fantastic and the adjustments made to my working environment have helped a lot.
Enough of the miserable stuff! We have also had some nice times over the past few weeks. We are very lucky to have the use of beautiful Ravenswood in Tring. On bank holiday Monday we took the family and invited some of their school friends and their families. It was a warm, dry day and the sun was shining. A new fire pit was dug in a new less boggy location. People cooked sausages and burgers on the open fire and the kids had a wonderful time playing and exploring. The forest was filled with the sound of children's laughter and friends catching up.
The forest is stunning and changing all the time. The trees are just getting their green leaves and everything is fresh and green
Being in the woodland poses challenges too. The ground was dry and firm under foot which was helpful. I didn't do anything! Paul and our friends did the fire and set up. we took tables and chairs and I was helped in and out of the camping chairs! I was SO nice to be able to relax in beautiful surroundings with friends. A couple of our friends camped over night the night before and we arrived early so we could catch up before everyone arrived. I don't have a picture of them but the memorable part of the day was Paul and Roger cutting down a dead tree...it took a while and Penny supervised the men with their saws and axes!!
Its our Harry Monsters 6th Birthday on 19th May. I couldn't tell you where the last 6 years have gone but my little fella is growing up! He had a small party with 3 friends on Saturday. They went bowling then on to Pizza Hut for dinner. He had a great time. It was good to see the boys having a fun time. Paul was great too helping them with the bowling balls and me and the other mums sat on the side lines cheering them on. Next week we are going to a caravan with the friends in the picture and their families. We are there over Harry's birthday and another little girl will be celebrating her birthday too so we are having a joint birthday party for them both on the Saturday. If the weather is good then it might be BBQ time! I'm hoping my pain eases off on Friday as I have a days holiday and I am going to be making Harry's birthday cake.....he wants a Spider Man cake! Watch this space for pictures!! LOL!
My lovely hubby makes gorgeous bespoke handmade jewellery. He has been a talented gold and silversmith for over 20 years. We were contacted by an old work colleague who is setting up a bridal business wanting to borrow pieces for a photo shoot. It was agreed that she could have the ivy leaf collection which Paul made with love for me on our wedding day and she would be in touch with the details of the shoot. We waited and didn't hear from her but later found out she had already had the photo shoot without letting us know she no longer wanted the pieces of jewellery. Paul wasn't impressed as he prides himself in his work and common courtesy is to let people know one way or another. Anyhooo Paul has made some beautiful pieces. There are more pictures to go up onto his Facebook page of a sapphire and diamond eternity ring set in 18ct gold, it's stunning! Please have a wander over to his page PMR Creations and have a look through the photos of his work. We do need to update the page. Please click like on his page! https://www.facebook.com/pages/PMR-Creations/116260918440896
Thank you for taking the time to read this longer than normal edition of my blog. I hope those of you who are battling with any form of arthritis are having a good day and not letting it beat you.
Until next time, keep safe and keep well xxxx
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