A Logistical Nightmare

Things are going well. I currently have four or five hospitals/medical establishments which are issuing prescriptions to me. I've completely lost track of who has issued what and what my medication actually is. 

So my days are phoning the GP, hospital, other hospital and so on to try and work out what is going on. 

Some of my prescriptions are different dosages so I need to make sure I have the correct dose handy as well so I don't run out. Uuuhh.

Too much to think about!! 

The Teen

My teen is growing up. Yesterday she was fitted with braces on her top and bottom teeth, the metal clunky 'these are not making me happy' ones. So far she has celebrated by eating soup and ice cream (not together, that would be weird) and the aches she's been having are becoming more tolerable. 

Interestingly, her orthodontist said she may need some teeth extracting - just like her old mum did. I have six teeth on each side which isn't a huge amount. 

I remember having a brace. It was a nasty plastic thing which stuck in the roof of my mouth and kept the molars straight - not that I remember a lot about my teeth at the time though. Other than they'll have been wonky. 

The teen's teeth definitely need help and they're getting it now which is good. 

The total treatment time is two years. 

Monthly Donation

One thing I've noticed more than anything in this year I've been off work and life is that there appears to be a huge market for charities convincing you to give them money. 

For example, there are a lot of "we know you don't like funerals, so when your loved one dies they can organise it all so you can do something nice to remember them afterwards" which kind of makes sense.

Within this group of adverts there is one where a (quite clearly not) 50 year old lady is playing hide and seek with her granddaughter. "I'm 50 and a non-smoker" she tells the people down the phone. Now, I've been teaching myself to be kinder these last few... well, I'm not sure how long, but long enough. She is quite clearly not 50, more like at least another 10-15 years older. It isn't even dubbed so you can't blame that route either. For a parallel, I dislike this advert as much as the 'On the beach' one that was on every single ad break in the summer. 

Cars. Lots of "you won't lose your no claims with us" sort of ads. 

Then there are the next lot of adverts. Free wills with cancer charities. Possibly a bit close to home right now but something that needs looking into. Mainly as Shaun won't have a clue what to do with all my rubbish. Another thing is a Power of Attorney - having used ours with mum a lot I can see this is very important. 

Then, there are the animals that need help charities. Donkeys, horses, cats, dogs, rabbits,  oh just name them, they will be covered somewhere. I've noticed these charities encourage you to donate £5 - I'm assuming a month, but I don't actually know. All I know is the animals look like they need lots of love and I hope someone is able to do it. 

Finally, there are the children in poorer countries who can't afford doctors/hospital treatment, encouraging us to donate. I can't remember how much, just how sad the children seem. I'd donate money to most of these but right now we need every penny we can get. So instead I'll watch and wish. 

Bleh.

Well I can't type up anything about my hospital visit. Mainly because I need to email a lot of people first. I can see views on the posts on here now, only small numbers but they could be anyone - including people I know. 

But yeah, things are moving again. 

Not Using the F-word

So we're all more than aware how little my head retains. It's irritating, especially when the teen and husband tell me about a conversation we've had the previous day and I have zero recollection. 

At first I wondered if there was a parallel universe where these had happened with another me, which would explain why I don't remember. But that feels way too complex. 

Nope, it's happening, I don't retain it and then I feel like my life is confusing. 

So if I then accept the conversation happened, do we move on? Nope. We talk more about it until I get tired.

Side Effects Update (3)

Shall we?

Skin - generally okay, though I can see where new hairs are growing how it pushes a kind of small spot-like bit of skin out, giving me the appearance of an oddly dandruffed woman. MooGoo cream seems to fix that thankfully.

Hair - no flakes. I'm sure they'll be back, but I now have a scalp massager so I'm hopeful I can keep it away.  No hairloss either. 

Diabetes - I'm still sitting in that middle range blood sugar reading place where I'm not concerned if they're a bit higher, though I need to watch myself in case I eat something I shouldn't.

Eyelashes - oh they're beautifully curly in a way they have never been before, and don't seem to have straightened in any way. With the adverts on tv and the kids who are now blind because of an eye thing they've picked up I guess I probably should have minor alarm bells ringing.... in a 'just in case' way.

Leg muscles - they're getting heavier feeling again, a common steroids side effect. There isn't much I can do about it other than keep moving around. 

Sleep - I'm sleeping. However, I do wake up early every morning (sometimes even around 2am in need of the loo). The bonus with this is I get snuggles with the teen while her dad makes her some breakfast - assuming this is after 7.30am of course! 

Appetite - it's back at the moment, we'll see if it sticks around or whether I stop eating again.... 

Stick - I'm still using a stick when I am out walking, often I need it to help get me moving, other times it's there as a support. It's used every day anyway. I did go through a short phase of forgetting to take it out, but always remembered in time. 

Blood Thinner

Oh the joys. I took my two plasters off last night after the cannula fitting I'd had earlier in the day. 

I was greeted by these beauties. My photos do not do them justice. 

The nurse who tried to put in the cannula said "oh I think I felt it pop?" which wasn't at all worrying. Okay, it was. 

Cough

Had my MRI. I had a cough brewing as I lay down to start the scan, and let the radiographer know.

"It's okay, just cough in a quiet bit" she helpfully advised. I wasn't convinced.

They injected me with dye mid-way through as usual, and back under I went.

To then do a fairly good cough as the MRI was going. I pointed it out to the radiographer afterwards, thinking we may have to do that bit again.

"Oh it'll be okay" she said. 

SIGH. 

There's Tiredness and There's Laziness

The teen helped at Brownie camp this weekend so husband and I had the house to ourselves from late on Friday. It was a bit weird, the quietness - though I was used to it with madam always taking herself off upstairs to do whatever it is she has planned (which is hopefully homework....)

It was like the old days - we could keep the tv volume up, we didn't need to close doors to keep it quiet for the teen and generally we had a different kind of freedom. This wasn't then helped by us both falling asleep in front of the tv though. 

I set aside a time to go and have a shower, but it wasn't to be. Strictly started and I wasn't going to miss Angela Rippon doing a routine to 'Do-Re-Mi' from The Sound of Music. Marvellous it was too. 

So I was left in a happy place in my pyjamas (and new Oodie) while feeling a bit lazy with it all. I was tired too, but this was definitely more on the lazy side. To make up for it I had an early shower today. I'm not sure if the gods of cleanliness will care though. 

Yesterday was also a year since I first went to A&E. That was a weird milestone to pass. 

Wednesday Thoughts

Ha, see, if I call each post the actual day it's published, maybe that will help me. 

Though right now my biggest problem is that I think of something I want to post here, I log on, create a new post and oh, guess what? The time it took me to do that and stop thinking about what to post, the actual post has now left my brain. Gone. Forgotten. 

The last time I remembered the post was in the middle of the night, not the most practical time. 

It's more than a bit annoying - this is low level memory stuff which is being forgotten (thanks head). 

So the question is, if I wake up at 2am and remember, should I make myself post it? 

Oh, I think I might have remembered something. For the last couple of weeks I've been trying to find the husband's nasal hair trimmer. Yesterday I found it. My long nasal hairs have been trimmed! This has led to me having a runnier nose than usual (not sure why), but it has also led to my nose no longer being itchy. Thus, it's a huge great big R E S U L T as runny noses are a bit irritating. 

Anyway....

 "GASP! Will we get to use your Blue Badge?!" excitedly asked the teen. I told her it was unlikely as there were plenty of parking spaces and we weren't going to take very long. The disappointment.... 

My brain is jumping around trying to work out what day it is. Yesterday (Monday) my head thought it was Thursday - and I ended up quite disappointed it wasn't (Taskmaster, yay) - today it's confused and not bothering. Although on saying that, I'm due at the hospital this afternoon for an appointment we're confused as to what it's about. 

(extra sidenote, our nurse had no idea she had an appointment with me so she was elsewhere for a while as well)

Anyway, everything seems to be done that needs to be. I need to have two blood clot blood tests every year to check everything is working and I need to get (one of my many) prescriptions switched from the hospital to my GP. 

So now we move onto prep for next week's appointments....

Then There's Other Stuff

I am not about to mouth off about my family, though by starting this that way I'm directing you there. Don't listen to me, ok?

ANYWAY.

The teen asked if she could be dropped off at the park when we were driving home this afternoon. I pointed out she had homework that needed doing and I wasn't happy with her priorities. She pointed out the homework wasn't due in school for a few days. 

Which then left me in the position of being quiet and hoping the husband would decide instead of me.

The teen promised she would be home by 5.30 (it was more like 5.45) and would do her homework when she got in - which is mostly done but there's still some bits that are outstanding.

We've hit that 'wants to be with her friends' phase which is fine - they all hang out in the local parks. Two days of it is quite a lot although it wasn't denied. 

I guess I'm not used to how quickly the change happened!