Monday 22 December 2014

Oops I did it again!

I need to apologise to any of my readers out there that took my last post to mean that Mike had been given a death sentence. I was merely expressing my thoughts, however Mike sees things very differently and has spent the whole weekend and this morning telling me how wrong I was to blog in no uncertain terms. 

I hope you can all forgive me, he certainly won't.

Thursday 18 December 2014

Merry Christmas!

With only a week to go I thought I would take the opportunity (while having a coffee break from the endless pre-Christmas cleaning) to wish all our blog readers a very happy, peaceful and healthy Christmas (I hope to do the New Year thing nearer the time).

Mike is okay at the moment. Very lethargic and about as much use as a chocolate teaspoon by afternoon. That said, until Dr S.B. says otherwise, Mike is still officially in remission. That may change on Monday. 

I've been busy filling my evenings with knitted projects, some of which (actually all of which) form part of Christmas presents. Money is tighter than ever and as such there is virtually nothing to spend.

So if you'll indulge me, I will share some photos with you all.

This project titled "Mittens for Kittens" (to hide its true purpose from prying offspring) seemed to take forever and at one stage I doubted it would be finished in time. 

Toni models a pair.

Three of the chosen colours
By the time I had knitted 12 pairs though I had sped up considerably and finished just in time for December 1st. Each of the mittens was filled with a special treat and the Advent calendar was given to my middle daughter who works so hard doing long shifts that can start at 5:30 a.m. or finish at 11:30 p.m. Sometimes you just need chocolate!



The finished Advent line.

I have already completed the knitting for a second calendar, no doubt the other 4 are going to say "where's mine?"

Once the Advent calendar was done I finished off the project I had started in October, a Christmas stocking for my granddaughter. 


Filled with a couple of small gifts and two friends who decided they didn't like being wrapped up!

It was then onto Toni's gift.
Pink Rabbit!
Inside the tummy is a squeaky tennis ball that will send her wild on Christmas day. The rabbit is currently residing in my cup cupboard in the kitchen as it seems to be the only place she can't sniff out!

So presents are made. The tree is decorated complete with the infamous "Monty" the penguin (who I just happened to have living in my Christmas decoration box for the last 20 years).
"I wonder if I will get a new friend?"
I've made my Christmas biscuits.

Pebernødder

Orange and cranberry shortbread thins
So all that remains is to say:

Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday 17 October 2014

What a week!



Panic not, the above vehicle does not contain Mike. He is fit and well. It does however contain me! This rather special taxi turned up last Saturday morning to whisk me off to A & E as I had been getting a tad overheated since Thursday evening culminating in the all time high of 40 C, (that's 104 F for those who use old money or who live elsewhere in the world) when Mike took my temperature Saturday morning.  I can report that I am now much better, the heavy duty antibiotics have done their thing, although I still haven't much energy. 


The kali cardi is finished. You will probably spot the upcycled buttons for one of Mike's old shirts. The resulting item feels lovely. 

Mike had a hospital appointment Monday. His Hb is now 12.8 and the pp is still hovering around 5, so nothing is planned just yet. Next appointment is December.

Did you know Christmas is now less than 10 weeks away?!? I do so festive plans are now under way.


A very subtle snowflake I think you'll agree!

Friday 19 September 2014

Nostalgia anyone?

I know it has been ages. I don't even know where the last few months have gone. We have been busy with one thing and another. We had one of Mike's oldest friends come to stay for a couple of weeks at the end of July while he was waiting to move into his flat. We helped my middle daughter move out, so now the nest is empty, along with a small piece of my heart. 

Those of you who are pals on FB will know I have been filling my time with baking and a small amount of knitting. The baking has mostly ended up in the bin as I have yet to get out of the habit of making muffins for five children when there is only two adults and one of those hasn't got a sweet tooth. I must have put on a stone. 

As for the knitting, well suddenly Myeloma UK announced on their FB page that they had run out of Buddies to sell and that they had got the pattern should anyone wish to knit some for them.


The Buddy family

So far I have three made, with another two awaiting stuffing. 

In true Lorna and Micky style, the whole process was not without the usual c*** ups. So keen was I to make a start that I ordered 10 balls of the prescribed colour and type on the usual auction site, only to find that I had ordered chunky by mistake. This resulted in the following being made by Mike:


Dexy Dan and friend
The above photo is actually Dexy Dan II as the first DD was sent to Wanda and Dan. Wanda took him to do a skydive for Myeloma UK, you can find her just giving page here.

Wanda and Dan are a wonderful couple who had to firstly cancel their wedding as Dan was in hospital, only to rearrange it and it took place in hospital at the end of August. Dan is at home now, I think his treatment is now purely palliative. Yet Dan is still raising funds for Myeloma UK and yesterday Wanda started another Just Giving page for Dan's Mamba for Myeloma. This is Wanda's FB post:








There is an awful sense of deja vu about it all. 

Apart from the Buddies I have started to knit a little something else. Whilst trying to find the wool for my production line I was seduced by a rainbow crystal kali.


Actually it wasn't actually kali as I never could stand the stuff, what I actually bought was this:



So I am knitting a kali cardi. 


I wasn't sure at first, but now I think it is perfect for a little girl's Christmas present. 

The final piece of nostalgia is the news that Mike's HB has dropped from 15.2 to 13.7 in a month. There is no denying the trend now, that sort of drop is simply not normal for Mike. 


Monday 7 July 2014

Veggie flowers.

For no good reason other than I feel like it, I give you photos of my vegetable flowers. 

Potato

Tomato

Sugar snap pea.

Male courgette /  zucchini.

Dwarf French bean.

Enjoy!

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Middle For Diddle*.

Social media is a wonderful thing, (well some of the time.) It connects us with other people from across the world, even if sometimes there is the time difference to cope with (I usually end up posting "Happy Birthday" wishes to Dave and Lynn when it is already the next day!) We've made some good friends and been able to share experiences of life with all our Myeloma Buddies. 

Some times it is a reminder though of one's luck, be it good or bad. There are those who have been off treatment for five, seven, even ten years or more. There are those who have been granted just a few months, or as is the case with Emma J. no drug free time at all. 

It is hard to feel sorry for yourself knowing that there are others far worse off, but still there is that little voice that says "no fair" when the consultant tells you the numbers are creeping back up. Less than 2, 3, now 5. Mike sees Dr. B. again on the 14th of this month. Until then we'll have to assume we're in the middle for the diddle.  

*Middle for diddle: The throw of a dart to decide who has first throw in a game darts, nearest the bullseye has first throw.

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Two years.

I still find it hard to believe that Paula is no longer around to poke fun at us, entertain us and comfort us. We still miss her terribly, but we have reached a stage where thoughts of Paula bring more smiles than tears, although writing this has got me all teared up. 

We often ask each other "I wonder what Paula would have to say" when we see something funny or think "I must tell Paula" only to realise we can't. Only a month ago I pointed out to Mike that despite three attempts, I could not get my courgette seeds to grow and that I reckoned Paula was interfering as she hated them. Since I pointed it out she obviously felt guilty and I now have several healthy plants. Thanks Paula.

I looked back at all the wonderful things that were said on Facebook and her blog as news of her death filtered through. The impact she had and I think still has, was tremendous. We are all better for having shared even a small part of her with Bernard and of course Buddy. Paula might have been small, but she had the heart of a lion and more compassion than there is water on Earth. 

We all miss you Paula. 

Photograph from the remembrance book at Paula's funeral  





Friday 2 May 2014

Secret squirrel





When I showed my eldest daughter my latest bit of crochet she promptly posted this on my Facebook wall:



She was wrong, wasn't she?


 Seriously, would I crochet a bowling pin for fun?




Would I then give it arms and a face?

Yesterday when I eventually finished it and posted a photo on Facebook I was asked if it was a zebra........





What do you think?

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Anneanne to Madisyn




















Yesterday morning at 3:12 I became anneanne (Turkish for maternal grandmother, my preferred title) to Madisyn Lillie, She wasn't due until 9th May, but my daughter developed pre-eclampsia and on Saturday morning they started the induction procedure. Eventually in the early hours of Monday morning she decided enough was enough and a c section was performed.

Madisyn was born weighing a very respectable 7lb 3oz, not bad for a baby nearly 3 weeks premature. I got to visit this afternoon, but I wasn't allowed to take photos. The atmosphere was chilly at best, my daughter and boyfriend having made it clear that they will not be bringing her to my house anytime soon. Today may have been the only chance I get to hold my granddaughter, I may not see her for months or even years, at least I have my other children to keep me posted and supply secret photos.


Tuesday 25 February 2014

Over my head be it!

Hi again everybody, long time no see. I have been away from the blog hoping to forget about Myeloma for a bit, and while I was away I even jumped off a bridge trying to get away from it.......... well trying to raise some funds for all of us to get away from it at least.....lol. x
While away I have had the pleasure of meeting and hopefully helping a couple of newbies, Ruby, and Jose and wife Salet to gain knowledge of this dreadful Myeloma. I say pleasure because they are lovely lovely people, not because I need the sport if you know what I mean. 

After having waxed lyrical for the last 3 years about how I am so lucky that my Myeloma is on hold and I can continue to live as a swashbuckling swashbuckler and save to travel to see friends, I am now in the rather dubious position where my Consultant Dr. B told my at 4.40 p.m.  on the 24th February 2014 (it would have been 4 p.m. but he was running late so I got a stay) that my paraproteins have popped up at 3 instead of where they were for the last 3 yrs, "less than 2 so undetectable". All  I can say is "shit", pardon the language.

Worse than this is the fact that Dr. B's words obviously went clean over my head, because when he asked me if I was happy to stick to my 3 monthly appointments, I inexplicably said YES and did not give it another thought until waking at 3 a.m. this morning and panicking that I ought have demanded daily  appointments as my right,,,in fact hourly ones or even minute by minute. 

No seriously, if my favourite consultant says 3 months then I will share his optimism.......gladly:-)

There, it's said!