Sunday 29 November 2015

Drifting into september

So for the rest of August we did not have the children to look after. I had to go back to my GP pronto, I didn't see the lady I normally see. This one took my BP, and put the tablets up. A day or so later my BP dropped very low, so I rang him. I was told to drop the dose again, and take in some readings, but when saw the original Dr later, as I was getting side effects she said my BP was high, made me sit on the waiting room till it went down. Then she said all the side effects were caused by anxiety, offered me prozac, which I refused, as I felt it was a slegehammer to crack a nut. So she raised the dose again, and offered me CBT.
Tom came to stay, his owners managed to get through the channel tunnel ok, despite the problems caused by the migrant crisis. We had Nathaniel's's Birthday, he said he wanted a pirate party. So his Mum booked an adventure playground, and set about finding piratey stuff, and making pirate cup cakes. She was having difficulty over fitting in his Birthday tea cake however, so as I had more time I volunteered to make one. I had a recipe I'd been longing to try for years, so got together the stuff and started making it.
His party on the Saturday went well, although Granddad and I gave it a wide berth. His Sunday tea party, with just us as special guests also went well, the pirate galleon cake was a hit, although we had to take off some sails to light the candles, as we don't think the local fire brigade would have been too pleased to be called to a cake conflagration.

The next day they set off for a week in Suffolk, and we had a quiet week with no bike rides, just walks and cuddles with Tom. I treated myself to a 'therapeutic' colouring book, and some coloured pencils, tried to get plenty of relaxation and more sleep, switching to camomile tea as my bedtime drink, as the Ovaltine was affecting my catarrh.
Our son and his wife and Ethan returned the following Sunday with their friend, and stayed 2 nights, and on the Bank Holiday Monday, the others returned. It was to be Ethan's second Birthday on the 2nd of September, so I had been busy making a cake for him too. We had had a trip to Lakeland in Watford for a half  orb pan, Then I began seeing them elsewhere. The cake was in the shape of a ball which is one of his favourite playthings.
We went to the local Harvester for lunch. although I cannot say I was impressed with their menu, never having been before, then back home where we had candles, then I cut a chunk of cake for anyone who wanted some, and parcelled some up for the others to take home then we waved them goodbye.
Ethan's cake

On 4th September we visited Waddesdon Manor. when we go in December for the lights, the main house is not open, so we thought we would like to have a day out. we went and had lunch in the stables cafe again, not so crowded this time, then we walked up to the house and marvelled at the priceless treasures which the Rothschilds bequeathed to the  nation
Ceiling

One of the drawing rooms

Porcelain traesures

Ornate cabinet
.
We had some quite warm weather around that time, on the 10th we went off to visit Mum in Law. We can now go during the week. We had our usual trip into Eastbourne, for shopping, stopping at the garden centre for some stuff for her and havoing lunch in their cafe for a change. Then the next day went into Bexhill, and had lunch there. Mum In Law had a bit of a problem in her kitchen, which led to me cleaning out 3 of her cupboards. It was a  chance to get rid of some out of date stuff. She has poor eyesight, and cannot see dates so well.
She is having more memory problems. still cannot recall what happened before she ended up in hospital. Whilst down there I got my hair cut, as I had kept forgetting to make an appointment what with all the Doctors appointments I had. We travelled home on the Friday, but the M25 was quite busy by the time we reached it.
We started watching the last series of Downton Abbey on i player we were also watching Doc Martin,and I was watching the last series of Lewis. Husband watches Dr Who, but it's not what I enjoy.
I decided it was time to get out the autumn and winter clothes, just as well as we had some rain and cold weather. I photographed the super moon, but didn't stay up to watch the eclipse, or 'blood moon' as some called it. There were people who class themselves as prophets who were predicting dire events for September, but none of these came to pass. Well if a prophet spoke in Old testament times, whatever was prophesied was certain, and came to pass, so the modern 'prophets' should be classed as false prophets, The bible has something to say about these in Deuteronomy 18 v 20-22, and 2 Corinthians 11 13-15, a sobering thought.
I even managed a bike ride but only 3.8 miles, must try to improve on that.
Sorry this is late, didn't get round to uploading pictures

Friday 6 November 2015

wildlife park pics

I had trouble fitting everything into the last post, so here are some wildlife park pics:
deer on wildlife trail

Granddad takes a picture of them playing on pirate ship
swingy bridge

together on the slide
wet white tiger

Bactrian camel
wallabies

sloth behind glass
sleepy lion

Angst in August


I forgot to mention that we went for a bike ride on the last day of July, only as far as Kings Langley as I was still having a problem with the new saddle and it needed adjusting.
I had some difficulties during August. We had told our Daughter that we wanted a break from child minding, as we had been doing it for getting on for 2 years. Unfortunately Lydia doesn't get her free child care till January, so it was going to cost them. However as things turned out it seemed I needed a break.
We took the children on a day out to Mead open farm.  They have been there before, but still enjoyed feeding the animals, going on a tractor ride, playing in the play area etc.
Nathaniel in play tower

Coming down the chute

Lydia looks at the ride on tractors
feeding the goats
fun in the sand pit

playing on the old tractor

It was our Daughter's Birthday that week and they were a bit disorganised, so we only made it to Leigh on Sea again. Her husband came this time, and once again the weather bucked up, and it was baking hot. The tea room garden was full, but we went to the Peter Boat and ate Later the children went on the little beach and used the padding pool, then we saw a cockle boat come in and unload there was a crowd watching,and it was fascinating to see how many bags they unloaded. Later we bought ice creams, then went up into the town, and had tea and coffee, then Daughter and Husband took the children into a play park, so we set of for home. We had the blowing out of the candles later.
lunch
unloading
cockle boat comes in
(in wrong order)

just been paddling

On the second Sunday in the month, as I was going into church, I started getting palpitations. I went out to try and control them, but they seemed to get worse. Someone fetched a Dr from the congregation, and he checked me over, and asked if I would like to be checked by paramedics. I wish now that I had said 'No I will recover in a few minutes'.  So I was checked over, ecg fine but even being in the ambulance was stressful, so my BP systolic was higher than it should be. So they said they were obliged to take me to the A&E. Husband followed in the car.
Of course on arrival I was so nervous that my systolic was up again. I was taken to a cubicle, given another ecg,and had blood tests taken. a cannula was inserted in my arm. I eventually saw a very junior Dr, who asked me loads of questions, then another who asked the same questions did lots of tests, and went away.
The Aussie nurse, who said she didn't believe in 'white coat syndrome', kept on checking my BP, but over the cannula, which meant that every time the cuff inflated, the needle dug into my arm and caused excruciating pain. Then when a registrar came to speak to me, he said I had recorded the highest systolic ever seen in the department. I was given a calcium channel blocker, which I hate taking, as they make my face flush and my heart pound. I was also offered a sandwich, husband had rung Daughter earlier and got her to turn our oven off. Eventually, after much waiting, a dose of a strong diuretic,and readings taken on the other arm, the A&E consultant arrived, said my BP was not ideal, but they couldn't keep me in for that, and discharged me. He also said that a busy A&E was not conducive to low BP. As we got in the car, I relaxed and all the tension dissipated. It was good to get home, albeit too late to attempt to go to the evening service.
The doctors in their wisdom, had decided that I should take a daily calcium channel blocker, despite me telling them that they did not agree with me.
The next day, we set off on a bike ride, only to be recalled by Daughter, who had a dental appointment and needed a babysitter. On the Wednesday, I booked online tickets for Paradise wildlife park. Husband checked the weather forecast,and said it didn't look too good. The satnav took us on a convoluted route then petered out. Eventually, we found the place, and walked round a wildlife trail. Then the children went in the play area for a time, then we went in for lunch whilst the cafe was still quiet. Suddenly husband said 'look outside'. It had started to rain. The cafe soon filled up, and we went out and started looking at the animals. The meerkats were all hiding, but we saw camel, zebra, tigers. white tigers, monkeys sloths and lions. Most of them were outside. At one point it thundered, and husband said, 'Oh yes that was forecast' We had a bit of respite, feeding some farm animals, and then as we were setting off to see the birds of paradise, a little voice piped up, 'I want to go home'.
I almost cheered! At home I changed their soggy clothing, then nipped up to their home for dry socks for Nathaniel, and wellies to take them home in.
On the Friday, I was due at the GP surgery, as the A&E had insisted I saw my GP for a BP check. I hadn't slept for 4 nights due to a pounding heart cause by the Amlopidine. My systolic hit the roof again, and the GP said she would have to send me into hospital to have it brought down.
I was in quite a state of anxiety, so she arranged for me to go to the ambulatory care unit instead of A&E. I had to phone husband, he drove me there, I had more blood tests, MRSA swabs,  ecg, was given a sandwich,and was eventually admitted to AAU, where the 'urgent' treatment was delayed till. 11.30 pm. Husband left at 8. I had a super nurse assigned to me, I was given a hospital nightie and toiletries. Then a technician had 3 goes at finding a vein, leaving me with some nasty bruises, and him having to wipe blood of the bedside chair.
A drip was set up, and I had my BP checked every hour. Someone else's drip kept beeping, and the heating was noisy, so another sleepless night. I had a bit of respite for an hour when it reached 'textbook', but had to go back on the drip as it rose again. My phone battery had died, but I had asked husband to bring stuff in at visiting. I was eventually told I could go home, my blood tests were fine, but the prescribed 'newer' beta blockers which are not supposed to affect the lungs, I had a lunch of chicken salad, and yoghurt. Husband was late for visiting, as there was a football match on, literally next door to the hospital. We had to wait for my drugs, then I dressed and came home, with instructions to learn to relax.
bruise from failed cannula insertion

I checked my BP about an hour after arriving home, it was quite normal, and proved that my problems were caused by anxiety.