Valentine Day

I received this little valentine cake from my dear hubby - it's a fruit cake with icing that tastes incredibly sweet and the red is so vivid in colour, covered with candy hearts and edible glitter!
I wasn't expecting that!

I made my hubby a valentine wash cloth and 3 small heart shapes and gave them to him with a bar of posh chocolate. Forgot to photograph the knitting this time, I'll try and remember to do that later.

I took part in a Valentine Knitting Swap and made a red knitted heart cloth and a small heart shape with white chocolate to my swap buddy, and my other swap buddy sent me a wonderful little heart shape made with felt, beads, knitting and ribbon with a purple theme - absolutely adorable! I also received some french lavender and chocolate (I think there's lavender in the heart shape too). (Photos attached)

I needed a quick knit fix, and made a pair of small childs socks from a pattern and free yarn in Let's Knit March 2010 issue. I think I prefer making socks in the round rather than 2 needles, but it did give me chance to brush up my short row shaping and wrapping stitches. (photo attached)

I'm taking part in a 365Project, where you take a photo everyday for a year. You can follow a suggested weekly theme, you can take part in a weekly photo competition just for fun, or just choose your own ideas and please yourself. I'm doing a mixture but my aim is not to miss a single day. It will record a year in my life and the things that surround me, and hopefully improve my photography. It's great seeing what other peoples photos are like, from the snaps and amateurs to the folks that really do take photography seriously with their DSLR cameras.

On the health front, I'm healing well post op, and enjoying being able to breathe! The ME/CFS is challenging me at every turn but I'm keeping up the 'fight' for want of a better word, and at least I'm not bedridden!
I've been housebound with it pretty much all week, but with the bitterly cold weather out there, at least I can take comfort in that I'm in the warm.

That's enough now, TTFN

Getting there, and a few photos more

7th, 8th & 9th January 2010 photos





First photo is my effort whilst in hospital! Followed by 2 pics of Grandmas Fave & Basket weave cloths.

I feel I am making good progress, I sense that my breathing is getting better in between times of stuffiness and my lungs feel improved - not so achey, so I'm really very optimistic :) I'm getting nerve pain and aches around my teeth, gum, jaw and nose - I guess that's where the nerves have been jangled by the operation and stitches. The stitches have started to dissolve and feeling more comfortable in that respect. My nose aches across the top, and grinning and laughing makes my face ache!

I have managed to knit 2 more cloths whilst in bed, adding to the cloth collection, one using the grandmas favourite and the other one I think is basket weave pattern. I used Peaches & Creme Cotton yarn.
Looking forward to really being able to get into the swing of knitting and spinning again, and perhaps a little crocheting.

Just adding a few more wintry photos onto my blog - the view from my bedroom window. I am still using the spare box bedroom as hubby is still full of cold and coughs, plus as I'm not sleeping well I'm not disturbing his sleep either. I need a really good nights sleep soon - I can feel the increased tiredness catching up with me.

I love the wintry scenery - but I do hope that the weather gets warmer soon so that once my second week of having to stay in is done - I can go out and get some real fresh air through my newly mended airways! I need to get myself fitter and lose a couple of stone too! I really want to see how high I can get my energy levels to improve! I must remember to pace and not go mad!

That's about it for now - Keep warm everyone, and keep safe.

From my little room..

From the top of the house/ rear and then front (road)

Getting ready to knit



Snow dusted Fir Tree back garden

View from my bed - brrr....
As you may know, having just had an op - I'm here in the little box bedroom recovering and keeping away from family cold germs and the risk of accidental bumps on the nose!

Last night boredom was beginning to take hold, as I struggled to get comfy in this different and single bed, having to sleep propped up for yet another night, and the itchiness of the stitches driving me bonkers! The anaesthetic has obviously worn off completely by now, and easing up on the painkillers combination left me achy and a tad ratty!
I haven't been able to knit, as it's a bit awkward and puts uncomfortable pressure over my nose :( so instead I listened to an audio book of Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - At Knits End which made me smile and lifted my spirits.

Dozing and then waking up to snow and ice was a bit of excitement, along with a feeling of relief that I wouldn't have to go out in it, or that I managed to get my op done and out the way before this snowy weather returned! Felt concern for our family members that had to travel to work in this weather, which as I speak is getting progressively worse.

I thought I'd take the chance to take some photos from our windows - they're a little fuzzy, but a little glimpse of the wintry scene before me.

I've found the red yarn and Zoe Mellor book that I want to use patterns from to make our granddaughters winter set and updated my Ravelry log with some details.

I think a nice warming cup of tea will help me to get started on this cold winters morning.

Cheers!

How I saw in the New Year..

I saw the new year in, in a very unusual way..

31st December was my Septoplasty op day - to hopefully improve my breathing and more (fingers very crossed..)

I hardly slept at all on the Wednesday night/Thursday morning. Having not had any operations before, my mind was on hyperdrive - second guessing this or that, have we prepared the spare bedroom enough? Had I forgotten anything..?

We were all prepared the evening before - I wasn't allowed to eat so that was one less thought to think about. My dear hubby drove us there to the hospital, and he stayed with me all day (apart from the op bit of course.) We found our way to Ansty Ward - and I was shown to my bed and then slowly other people started to arrive for their operations.

I settled myself down with my knitting - I could barely concentrate and gave up after getting perhaps a sixth of the way through a dishcloth! No - I hadn't taken anything too taxing! Each patient in turn was seen for the pre op checks from the nurses, anaesthetist, and ward doctors.
Happily mine were all fine for the go ahead. I found I was 3rd on the list - making mine due about 11 o'clock.

Time took a life of it's own, sort of drifted slow motion - but fast at the same time? No, it doesn't make sense to me either!

At quarter to eleven, wearing my elegant blue gown and anti dvt white stocking socks with peeka boo toes - I daintily heaved myself onto the surgical bed ready for 'the unknown-ish'.
I'd seen one lady return from her op after coming round and being wheeled back to our ward, and the second sent off on her way for anaesthetic. So I was getting a good picture forming.

We agreed to kiss and say ttfn to each other before they wheeled me off, so that done I was sitting on my own for barely 2 minutes and there the guys were - ready to wheel me for anaesthetic too!

Now this was an experience I'd not had before - very quick and proffesional! The slapping my hand furiously to encourage a vein I was not prepared for!! "Ouch!' I exclaimed - and I think I got some sort of comment along the lines of - 'this isn't even the op yet!!' LOL! My veins only have to hear the word 'needle' and they hibernate very deeply!
Well, to my left the line and anaesthetic were being dealt with, to my right all the monitoring stuff being stuck and clipped to me. I could vaguely see the sleepy stuff going in - and the lady to my right asking if I'd had anything planned later today, I answered 'No, nothing planned' - The liquid into the tube was gone - and I remember a wierd floaty sensation and a taste - I could hear myself saying "Taste, Taste.. Taste" and that was the last I remember.

Next thing I remember is waking in the recovery room with an oxygen mask over my face. I remember thinking - 'that was quick', and 'whoa, nice drugs..!' and a feeling of imobile heaviness I'd not experienced before. I don't know quite how long I was in the recovery room, I drifted in and out of concious and a feeling that there was monitoring stuff still attached to me. Eventually I was wheeled back to the ward, where a few moments later my hubby appeared with a huge smile on his face.

The next few hours was spent slowly coming back to the real world, drinking water, drinking tea and eating a cake hubby had bought me (because I didn't fancy the thought of an nhs sandwhich) feeling and being sick, attempting to re find my legs, feet and balance and show them I was ok to go home later.
I was really struggling to get up and for a while thought I might end up in over night.
Still, after some great anti sickness drug and some determination - I was given the ok to go.
The staff there were great!

My hubby drove us very carefully home, as I sat in the car with what I can only describe as a 'hammock' type dressing tied around my head and under my nose and a hospital disposable sicky bowl and a small box of tissues. My nose as you can guess was a bit drippy with the *red wine stuff! (*reworded for the squeamish). I barely remember the journey home, only that I was aware hubby was really gentle going round corners and over bumps.

When we got home, our daughter made us a lovely cup of tea - and I went up to bed. I had arranged my bed the day before, so nothing to do but rest - what a relief. I have 3 V Pillows and an ordinary pillow, so that I can sleep safely upright which will be better for healing my nose and breathing. Barely any sleep that night - 5 minutes, 10 minutes here and there - a continuous drippy weeping nose - but then what my poor nose had been through that was to be expected.

So New Years Eve into New Years Day was spent dozing and listening to everyones fireworks from my bed! This is a long post - thank you for reading if you've got this far!

I'm doing well recovering from the op - I'm pleased to say.
Happy New Year!

Nearly 2010!!

Nearly another year gone by and I'm wondering what next year will bring?

Not able to sleep, usual things and bit of insomnia - it's also dawning on me how close my operation is, just a few days away now. Think I'm beginning to get nervous now..

The past few weeks have flown by! I'll add some photos to tell the story of Family Christmas and birthday get togethers. It's been tiring but good fun :)

Wishing you all a healthy 2010 and may you have all you need to be happy xx

Time flies!

Life has been rather full of news lately! I will not attempt to try and remember it all!

The best news lately is the arrival of our 2nd grandchild last week, mother and baby fit and well :)
Baby Kai has given his mum and dad no end of false alarms and worries before his birth by c section - and we are all relieved both mum and son are well.

My baby knitting is completed for Kai's arrival and ready to give to them this week.

My health status: Tired, foggy, happy ;)

A Headline of Hope..

The front page news on todays The Independent newspaper brings fresh hope for a lot of us..

Have they found the cause of M.E / CFS?