What a difference a month makes.

Back in April I decided that instead of growing a few chillies, tomatoes and courgettes in pots I would make myself a little vegetable patch up a corner in the garden. I hadn't realised at that point that I'd be unable to tend it for weeks during what appears to have been a very vigorous period of growth. In four weeks my peas have grown from this:

To this: I'm not sure that the photos give a true picture, the tallest pea plant is now nearly 7 foot tall! (The back of the seed packet said they grew to 70 cm!!!!)

So I now have sugar snap peas:

Tomatoes:

Courgettes:









The poor carrots, beetroots, potatoes, chillies, leeks and sweetcorn have yet to produce anything worth a photo, but fingers crossed by the Autumn they too will have done their bit for healthy eating. I'm not sure they could officially be called organic (if you compost non-organic food is the compost also non-organic?) but the fact is that other than home-made compost, there has been nothing else used on them.

Out of the mouths of babes.

As Paula put it, I feel blah. The almost permanent nausea is starting to get boring now, no-one told me that without a womb it would be impossible to even think about coffee, never mind drink it.

Any way this is meant to be a Myeloma blog, so I'll get back onto topic. Mike finally had his kidney biopsy yesterday. A day late, but it did mean he got two lovely units of blood on Monday instead. Mike was telling me during visiting yesterday that two medical students had been present for his biopsy. They asked him various questions about why he was in hospital and his medical history, standard stuff really. After a while though the first year student suddenly said "Can I ask you a question? What is Multiple Myeloma?" closely followed by the third year saying, "Yes I wondered that.". Mike of course obliged them, he can talk the hind legs off a donkey 99% of the time. He had just finished explaining when the doctor who was going to do the procedure reappeared. She told the students that if they wanted to be renal specialists then they really must go to the library and read up on the dreaded MM. (Now I'm not normally a squeamish person, but when Mike decided to try and relate the whole kidney biopsy procedure during visiting time yesterday I nearly parted company with my lunch. )

Football, Fu Yung and feathers.

It would seem that Fabio Capello didn't get much of a birthday present yesterday, in fact as birthdays go I reckon it was probably one of those best forgotten. I have to say that all things considered it wasn't my best birthday ever either. Despite being staple free I'm still struggling with those unexpected coughs and sneezes, although the nausea seems to have subsided thank goodness. All in all I guess yesterday wasn't my best birthday, but I've had worse, at least despite not being my usual sparkling self, I have the love of a good man, and then of course there is Mike. Talking of Mike, we were just making plans on what to order from the Chinese take-away when Mike got a call from the hospital asking him to come in on Sunday evening ready for a kidney biopsy on Monday, so it looks like I'll be having the bed to myself for at least a couple of nights again!

So that covers the football and Fu Yung part of the title, so what about the feathers I hear you all cry. Well anyone of a delicate disposition might want to stop reading at this point.




Toni doing her very best "Don't be mad at me face."

Well we'd finished eating our Chinese and Number 2 son had been off to buy candles (even though I said I didn't want any) so we were all waiting for cake and Toni then decided she needed to pop outside for a quick call of nature. Unfortunately she found a bit too much nature and before we could stop her, she found a fledgling blackbird on the floor which she tried playing with as she would any other toy. Sadly there was nothing we could do, by the time she'd been told to leave it, (and she dropped it immediately,) it was too late.

Ouch

Things I have learnt over the last few days:

1) I am a complete and utter wimp.
2) Laughing is difficult but possible.
3) No matter how much you hold your stitches, a cough hurts.
4) Sneezing is 10 times worse than coughing.
5) Holding your stitches while being sick doesn't help one bit it just spoils your aim. It's agony pure and simple.
6) I now know how ill Mike will be feeling during SCT.

Breakdowns as a child

Was in the garage last night trying to find the jigsaw to cut out the sink hole in the new kitchen surface, when I found an old diary that i'd been awarded by my junior school at christmas of 1966. Nostalgia took over at this point, as I fondly remember this diary was a prize for baking and icing the best christmas cake in my class. You are probably confused about the post title at this point, but all is about to become clear.
I was reminded as I perused the first few pages, that apart from the reminders for swimming, scouts and that the school broadcasts were to commence on Monday 17th January with "Singing Together", that my father's car was always breaking down or he was helping someone who had. Wednesday 19th January 1966, "Towed a car to Kinson Motors with dad and his friend Paul". Later that week......" Got late for schoo-l(the L went onto the next line)becose I was helping dad push the car but it still didn't start". So you see, my life as a child was one breakdown after another. Most of the kids today don't know they've lived in comparison, and all of this because I need a new sink.
Oh, and Lorna is being released from hospital today.....Toni wonders if mommy will want me to take her a loose skirt and some socks to come home in.....

Little op, BIG OP.

Lonely after one morning, silly I know, but missing my Lorna while she has her "little" massive operation.
We've been through a lot recently there is no denying, so as extras go, this one was not the most welcome, although necessary addition to the health itinerary.
Lorna's Doc promised her a "new woman" tag...... I I already love the old one, but hey, this is progress, maybe the new one will be able to spell as well as add up....lol.
Making my way to the hospital in the disabled car that has it's own space, although maybe it is supposed to be because I'M disabled and not because the clutch has gone, to take my visiting rights. Makes a change from the other way around. Must sort out the grapes from the fridge, got to have something to munch while i'm sat there.
I do hope Lorna is ok. Not had to worry like this in a long time. I'm sure she will be.
Mike.

Samuel Langhorn Clemens

'The report of my death is an exaggeration." Mark Twain.

Yes folks we are both still alive and well. Things have just been, shall we say chaotic? Mike was given home leave on Thursday, which worked out well, as the sink decided to finally part company with the work surface on Friday, oops! So off to the local DIY store we went to browse sinks, taps, kitchens and tiles. It was at this point that the hospital called to check on how Mike was feeling, (actually they just wanted to give his bed away!) We also learnt that when they say "home leave" they really mean "be a prisoner at home."

So on Saturday, with a lot of help with lifting, we drove our new sink and kitchen home....... and the clutch went on the car. Mike managed to get us home, nearly 40 years in the motor trade has given him plenty of practise it seems.

Sunday was spent taking out some of the old units. All was fine until Mike came to sweeping up and the central heating pipe fell to pieces! It seems that the previous owner had a rather strange way of doing things, I'm sure he didn't say his name was Heath Robinson, but I may be wrong.

So at this moment in time I have no sink, just an outside tap, a cooker, a small piece of work surface and all my pots and pans etc. in boxes. The microwave has gone to live in the garage. Oh and tomorrow at 7 a.m. I go in for my "little" op.

Dear Auntie Paula

Dear Auntie Paula,

I was so excited when the post lady called on Saturday, actually I'm always excited to see anyone who comes up the path. I might be small, but I usually jump high enough to scare them! Mom let me unwrap my present by myself, I was so excited. Wow, a new ball, I was so excited. Mom and Dad played "goalkeeper" with me for a while, I was so excited. Then I sat on the sofa while Dad opened the other parcel, I was so excited. Dad muttered something under his breath, he didn't seem very excited. In the parcel was two myeloma buddies who looked good enough to chew, I was really excited at that thought.

Mom decided they should be called Mr. Mint and Ms. Bumble (Dad was starting to foam at the mouth until she made this suggestion.) Mom said your Auntie would understand, something about the other team?

I loved the card too, I was really excited to see that JRT with a bone. I got even more excited when Mom and Dad went out a bought me one of my own.

While Mom made lunch Dad gave me my ball to play with again, I was really really excited this time. Dad doesn't keep such a close eye on me though, and when Mom found me I'd done this:

Mom says I can't have it back until she's sewn it. She was going to do it, but Dad got sick again and she hasn't had chance to buy any white cotton.

I'm so sorry Auntie Paula.

Love Toni. x