Under The Weather

Just to let you know that I will be back when I am feeling better.

I am not quite sure what is going on at the moment.  It all started over a week ago with a sore throat and a bit of sneezing.  From there it has progressed to swollen glands, painful ears, painful sinuses,  cough - feeling generally quite unwell.

The thing I am worried about is that my blood sugars have gone soaring.  They should be around 7.  They are in the 13's!

I was not well enough to get to the doctor yesterday but Mike went down there instead with my sugar readings and saw the doctor himself and told him how I was.   The doctor feels that it could be the bug that is driving my sugars up and has prescribed a week of antibiotics (without even seeing me).  Trouble is they are not sure if it an infection or a virus.  If it is a virus then antibiotics will not touch it.

The doctor said he wants me to take the full course and see what happens to my blood sugars then, whether they come down or not.

They have made me an appointment to see the Diabetic Nurse on Friday, 7th December at 5.45 p.m.  A decision will then be made whether to increase my diabetic medication.

You can all imagine how I feel, after my cancer treatment this year and the worry over Daniel, I had hoped for a respite, a few months reasonably worry free before I have to go for my next mammogram and to see my oncologist again.  This is the last thing I needed.

So I have to wait for another whole week with very elevated blood sugars which I know are extremely bad for me.  I am now dreading taking my blood, hoping desperately the figures will be lower and bursting into tears when they are not.  We did request a home visit from the Diabetic nurse to discuss things but we are told this is not possible, she only does home visits for bed-ridden patients.

I am also angry. Months back when I was being visited by the district nurses, my sugars were higher than normal.  I was told not to worry, I had just had surgery etc. etc.  Time passed, I mentioned it to my hospital team, they just said not to worry.  Finally in July I mentioned it to my own doctor.  The reply I got was "now is not the right time to worry about that".  Had they listened to me then I might not be in this situation now.

So I feel like a rat in a trap and feel very worried not to say scared about the whole situation.  Tomorrow is December.  Normally we are putting our lights up by now, normally I have written my Christmas cards.  None of that is getting done, I am just not up to it. 

It was last December that I first found a lump on the outside of my breast and you all know what that led on to.   Now December again and more problems are presenting themselves.  As far as I am concerned right now, they can cancel Christmas altogether.

I just wanted to let you know the situation and why I am not commenting on journals or writing my own.  It has even been hard for me to sit and write this.

Please send me your good wishes and, above all,  your prayers.  I need all the help I can get.

 

Christmas Photos and Daniel Update

Last Saturday was the switch-on of our village Christmas lights.  Not that there are that many, just a couple of strands along the road, two trees festooned with them and a couple of small set pieces.  However, it is nice to have them when many councils are deciding to do away with Christmas lighting due to health and safety issues. People can be hurt it they fall and the insurance premiums are now getting so exhorbitant that some places are just not bothering.

This year they decided to turn it into a fair .  They had stalls all along the road where you could either win or buy items, the shops remained open, there were two fairground rides for adults and a smaller one for children.  Father Christmas was in his grotto (long queues).  Mike took some video but I have decided not to use it on here because there is lots of strobe lighting. 

I am going to post a couple of pictures.  It does not look as if there were many people but it was, in fact, packed.  It ended after four hours with a grand firework display.  Quite what fairground rides and fireworks have to do with Christmas defeats me but it is good that something was arranged for families to share in.  For such a small place it was something different and entertaining. 

It was nice of Mike to go and take photos and video so that I could share in it.  I remained at home nursing a bug I picked up from somewhere and also with the dogs as I knew the fireworks would terrify them.  I could not have coped with the crowds anyway.

A short time ago I had a phone call from Becky.  Daniel had his appointment at Great Ormond Street Childrens' Hospital today.  She told me they had a good trip to London and were seen almost as soon as they got there.  In fact, they were coming out just when his appointment was due - it was that quick.

The doctor read all his notes and examined him and thinks that surgery is going to be the answer.  However, because of Daniel's age, that will rest with the facial surgeon.  The doctor they saw will be in consultation with him very soon and it should not be long before they get an appointment to see the surgeon so that he can fully assess Daniel.  If the surgeon feels there is too much of a risk because of Daniel being only two years old,  then he will be put on special antibiotics instead.  However, this would not prevent a flare-up later on.  They might go straight ahead with surgery or they might decide to wait until he is older before he has that. 

Becky was very re-assured as she was told that Gt. Ormond Street deals with at least two cases like this per month.  They also told her they are treating two others from our area, at this very time.

So again, it is a waiting game but hopefully not for long.  Daniel loved the trains and was so excited, he was also very good at the hospital.

She said they were having a little walk around the area before getting something to eat and then heading home.  Daniel is fast asleep in his buggy,  it has been a big day for him.

Wishing you all a good week.

How Can We Treat Them Like This?

No graphics from me today, it would not be appropriate for what I am about to write.

I was horrified to read in the newspaper this morning that a group of our wounded troops had been treated in an appalling manner.

As part of their recovery - as part of a hydro-physiotherapy course, a group of wounded soldiers had been taken to a swimming pool in Leatherhead, Surrey.   Some had lost limbs and other had been very badly burned.  They had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Special swimming lanes had been  set aside for them.

They were abused and jeered by the regular users, told that they did not deserve to be there.  The men had to leave the pool.  Those other swimmers should hang their heads in shame.  Their behaviour was disgusting.

MP Patrick Mercer, a former infantry commander, said "It may well be  that these people had paid for the use of the pool and these men did not, but our soldiers have paid so much more for their country."

It beggars belief  that this could have happened and to be honest, today I feel ashamed that I live in a culture where servicemen can be abused like this, where any disabled person can be abused in such a fashion.

Last night on the t.v. news we heard of the plight of American veterans.  Apparently one quarter of the homeless in the U.S. are veterans.  I was shocked at that.  I thought through reading many American journals that the U.S. honoured their servicemen and treated them very well.  To see a group of Vietnam and Iraq veterans sitting in a shelter in Boston , a shelter they had to make and run for themselves, was very sobering.  Everyone else was celebrating Thanksgiving, but these men looked sad and broken.  One young man said he had contemplated suicide several times. 

Many in the UK have become increasingly concerned as to how our troops are treated.  Sent into combat zones with boots that melt in the heat, insufficient body armour, lack of ammunition.  Their families in married quarters are living in bad conditions.  These service homes are not being maintained.  Troops interviewed in both war zones have stated publicly that they do not feel they are appreciated "back home."

Then we are told that our armed forces are at an all time low.  Young men and women are just not enlisting anymore.  Well, is it any wonder?  Our troops are stretched to the limit and what does the government do - nothing as usual.  They are too busy giving money away elsewhere.

War is a terrible thing. War has always been a terrible thing.  Many thousands of people did not support the war in Iraq as many did not support the war in Vietnam.

But whatever people's views, this is no excuse to treat our servicemen in a shoddy and dishonourable fashion.  They did their duty to their country.  Many did not come back.  Many that did come back are permanently damaged in mind.  Many are damaged in body and will remain so for the rest of their lives.

Both England and the U.S. should honour their troops. Both of our governments should support the servicemen and women  and see that they do not fall into poverty or hardship.  That they have adequate housing and all the help they need. They are all heroes and should be treated as such.

As for me, if I had been swimming in that pool in Leatherhead, I would have got out and thanked each one of those men personally for making such a sacrifice.  I would be proud to know each and every one of them.

It is a pity that our governments do not feel the same.

For Our American Friends

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope that each of you has a lovely time with family and friends.

We do not have Thanksgiving here in England as you probably know but I am thinking of all my US friends today enjoying their Turkeys and Pumpkin Pies. 

Happy Diamond Wedding

On this gloomy November day, I would like to wish Her Majesty and Prince Philip a very happy Diamond wedding anniversary.

Sixty years is a wonderful achievement.  Her reign has seen many changes, the world is a very different place since Elizabeth came to the throne. She has seen the marriages of several of her children fall apart, not easy for any mother, royal or not.  She was slated on the death of Diana for being hard and uncaring, she has lost her sister Margaret and then our lovely Queen Mother.  But throughout she has remained steadfast and resolute in her duty.

There have always been rumours that Philip had "a wandering eye".  It is not for me to say whether he had or not. I only know they have stayed together and cared for each other.

I also know that the Queen has kept her pledge, made to us all those years ago that she would dedicate her life, be it long or short, to the service of her people.  She has done that admirably.

People will say they have great privileges and are extremely wealthy, and this is indeed true -  but it is not easy living your whole life under the gaze of the public where everything you do is talked about, even what clothes you wear or whether you smile or not.

Our Queen and her husband have shown that marriage can last, that couples can stay together through thick and thin no matter what life throws at them.

Today they become the longest married royal couple in history.   If I were a drinker I would raise a glass to them.  May they have many more years together.

Happy Diamond wedding Ma'am and Sir.

 

Important - Re: Chat Room

Thanks to Guido for posting this.  I am passing it on.

There will be an chatroom outage today - for details see journal below

AOL Journals: Magic Smoke

Shivery Sunday

It looks as if winter is really setting in now.  It is so dark today we have the lights on, there is a strong wind blowing and it is very cold.  Still, we are in November so it must be expected.

I have started getting some Christmas presents together but have not got really enthusiatic about it yet.  Probably because we had a rotten summer and , once again, since September the time has just flown past.

I have been visiting our new chat room quite a bit.  Often there is nobody there but I have also had some great chats and it is nice to see those with webcams actually appearing before you, and to talk to those with microphones.

Talking of webcams, we tried to install one yesterday and had endless problems.  Either the video would not work or the sound would not work or both.  A couple of times I did get it to work perfectly.  Then I was informed there was an "update" so naturally I did that.    Then the whole thing went to pot and stopped working entirely apart from taking snapshots.

Guido (Pharmolo) kindly sent me a trouble-shooting site for the make of our camera.  There were so many complaints it was unbelieveable.  Well, I scanned through some of the answers to the problems and it was way too technical for me!

This morning my beloved took it back to the place he purchased it and spoke to one of the technos there.  Guess what, in the returns pile, there were eight other cameras just like ours that people had returned. The shop said they had nothing but complaints about this make of webcam either.  Mostly the same complaints as ours, they could not get the video to work or got video but no sound.

Anyway we have exchanged it for a different model and sometime over the next couple of days will try to set that one up and hope for better things.

It is nice to be able to go into the chat room and actually see people and at least I can use my microphone and chat to them for the time being.

I hope it will become more popular because it is nice to have it there on our own journals, talk to other journallers and be able to make new friends.

Friday night was great.  We have five administrators in the room and were able to see them on their webcams.  It seemed so strange that it was daylight there and pitch black over here.  We even got serenaded by one of them who took out his guitar and sang to us. 

Please remember that this has been set up for we journallers.  If we do not use it then we could lose it and that would be a great shame.

Apart from that all is quiet with us.  Daniel has had his appointment come through for Great Ormond Street hospital - the 26th November.  We can only hope they can get things done quickly and Becky and Dean will not have to endure too much travelling backwards and forwards to London.  It would also be nice if everything was sorted out for him by then. 

Not much else to tell you at this time. Going to turn the heating up a bit now.  Brrrrrrrr.

Oh, we have a new journaller who has recently started and I am sure she would appreciate some readers.  So, I know that a lot of you will be happy to oblige, you never let me down.

Here is the link

seconds

Love

New Chat Facility

Just a quick entry to say I have been checking out the new chat facility on our journals for the last hour or so.  Pretty good.  I caught up with an old friend and made a new friend who has just started a journal.  Hope to meet up with some of you there from time to time.

All you have to do is click on the new Chat button at the top of your journal and it takes us all to the same room.  It has been quite busy this afternoon but do not be put off if nobody is in there, just keep checking.

KNEE-DEEP IN CATS!

No, we have not bought another cat and as Leo is no longer able to reproduce, we do not have kittens either.  Let me explain.

Many of you know that we set up an aquarium for tropical fish a couple of years back.   When I was many years younger I used to breed tropical fish in quite a big way - mainly Lake Malawi Cichlids.  I was able to sell the fry back to the fish retailers so apart from watching with joy the mothers carrying their babies around in their mouths, the glorious colours etc. etc. I also made a little money.

However, I had one fish kept purely because I loved it.  A Plec (Plecostomus).  People either love them or hate them.  I love them because they are like creatures from prehistoric times.   They are basically a mouth in a fish body that suck all the algae from the tank.  I named mine Dino because he reminded me of something from the age of Dinosaurs.  He grew to be a very large size and sadly I had to part with him when we moved here because we did not have room for his tank.  Believe me, they can get pretty big.

Well, not long after we set up our tank, algae formed.  That is natural.  I did not want to put chemicals in the water.  I thought of a Plec but knew that there would never be room for one like Dino.  Then I remembered a smaller version, one that never gets beyond five inches.  It is called Ancistrus or Bristle-nosed Catfish.

 

I sent him indoors out to get me one.  Well, the aquatic store only had babies and he brought one of those back.  No problem, I knew it would grow with a plentiful supply of food, so into the tank it went. That was the last we saw of it, or so we thought.  No matter how much we stared at the aquarium he (for it was a male)  was never to be seen, never hanging on the glass sucking away which seems to be their favourite occupation and the algae did not seem to diminish.  We assumed it had not survived.  After a few months Mike went and bought another, again a baby.  Into the tank that went.  Lo and behold the original one appeared.  I knew there was certainly room for two of them in there so that was not a problem.

Well, they grew and they grew.  A couple of weeks ago I was sitting at the computer and glanced across at the tank.  I was puzzled to see something like a leech hanging on the back of it.  I went across and.......................it was a baby Ancistrus.  Who would have thought that, months apart, buying two very young fish they would turn out to be a pair!

The conditions in our tank are not ones suitable for breeding catfish, bright lights, few hiding places but nobody bothered to tell Shaggy ( named for the character in Scooby Do who also sprouts bristles on his chin ) or Shaggrina that.  They carried on regardless. At the latest count we have over twenty baby Ancistrus in the tank.  They are so cute, too small to photograph but perfect replicas of their parents even to the white dots on them.  The aquatic retailer has told us when they are bigger and we catch them (no easy job) they will take them off our hands.

However, this left us with a big problem.  What has mated once will mate again and Shaggy was busy chasing his beloved around and around the tank.  They had to be split up or we would have hundreds of baby catfish.  I could not bear to get rid of him, I had grown so fond of his ugly face and his very long bristles.  I could not bear to get rid of her as she always seemed to stick with her babies and care for them.

So, what did we do.  Yes, we bought another tank.  Out went our old sideboard in the lounge.  In came a new tank.  It took us a couple of days to set it all up and then we let it in stand for a while with just the water.

Then came the job of catching Shaggy.  This meant emptying out our original aquarium.  Catching all the fish (who are also breeding like mad).  Eventually we saw Shaggy hiding behind the black plastic filter pipe  and we very carefully netted him.  He was placed in the new tank.

Boy did he sulk!  He went into a large ornamental pot and refused to come out.  We knew he was eating because the algae wafers we put into the tank always disappeared.  Then one day we saw him just sitting there, glaring at us, probably staring with longing at the tank on the other side of the room.  Shaggrina did not seemed bothered, after all she has her babies.

Well a few more days went by and we thought it was silly to run a tank for just one fish so - yes we bought some more.  You may ask why we did not just transfer some over from the other tank.  No, we did not want to give them any more excuse to breed believe me. Baby Guppies and Platys are being born there on an almost daily basis.

So I decided on fish that were very pretty but very unlikely to breed. I decided on Rainbowfish.  We have two varieties, Praecox which are blue with red edging to their dorsal fins and tails and Bosemani which are blue at the front and yellow farther down the body.  When the light catches them, they are stunning.  We also put in three Clown Loach which are orange with black stripes.

Remember how we had a breeding explosion in our garden pond, countless goldfish and koi?  In our original tank they are still "at it".  I have tried to ensure this does not happen in our new set-up.   To start with Rainbowfish need a much bigger tank if they are going to breed  successfully and they also need moss to lay eggs on so I have ensured that none of that has been included.  But time will tell, time will tell.

In the meantime they are giving us such pleasure, I spend more time watching them than I do the t.v. especially the Rainbowfish because they are like little jewels.

As for Shaggy, he has happily settled down with his new tank mates.  I think he is glad he is no longer alone.  He now sucks the glass of the tank just like he used to and has adopted the ornamental pot as his home. 

We are still knee-deep in catfish of course, and it will be several months before we can catch and re-home them.  Whatever we are doing with our fish, we are doing it right, they are certainly very happy.

Have a good day everyone.

***Please note, the ads now appearing at the top of this journal are NOT endorsed by me in any way.  They were foisted onto us with no warning and no chance to refuse them.  AOL strikes again!  I also do not like the new idea of allowing other people to add entries to our journals under the new "Manage Writers" button.  So much for the AOL slogan of "your thoughts: your blog".  What is the point of allowing other people to add entries to your journal?  It is then no longer your journal.  I have voiced my opinion on the Magic Smoke journal where the new changes were announced at 2 a.m. UK time this morning.***

"

The Eleventh Day

The Eleventh hour of the Eleventh day of the Eleventh month.  Armistice  Day, Remembrance Sunday.  We honour our fallen.  Not only the thousands that fell in the slaughter of World Wars One and Two but the thousands that have fallen in the many conflicts since then and those who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their Country.

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is a music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted:
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars thatshall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end they remain.

Laurence Binyon

There are scarcely any survivors from the First World War now and those who came through the second World War are themselves old men. Maybe there are those, especially among the younger generation, who wonder why we should remember, why we should continue to wear our Poppies, continue to hold services of remembrance -  maybe they think it is time it was all consigned to history.

Here are two examples, chosen by me at random from the BBC news website, that give us a reminder that even now we do not live in a peaceful world.  Troops are fighting at this very minute, some will not come home.

Leading Aircraftsman Beard,  aged 20, was taking part in a routine foot patrol in the Al Waki district north of the British base at Basra air station.

He sustained a gunshot wound when the patrol came under attack as it moved through Al Waki market, and was evacuated by helicopter to the field hospital where he died. 

LAC Beard, of Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, leaves a family and a fiancee.

His commanding officer Squadron Leader Jason Sutton, said: "Strong, fit and an exceptionally gifted infantryman, he had such a bright future and had already set his sights on selection for special forces.  

"I have no doubt whatsoever he would have succeeded in that as he did in all else.

"He was due to marry upon his return from Iraq and we all feel so deeply for his fiancee, Nic."

Defence Secretary Des Browne expressed his condolences to LAC Beard's family, friends and colleagues.

Corporal John Rigby, of the 4th Battalion The Rifles, from Rye in East Sussex, died from injuries sustained in a bomb blast. He died on his 24th Birthday. 

The blast hit a British forcespatrol, which was returning to base in Basra in a Bulldog vehicle, the MoD said.

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Sanders, Cpl Rigby's Commanding Officer said his battalion was "utterly heartbroken".

He said: "The death of any soldier is a tragedy and in death all are equal, but there are some whose loss is particularly hard to bear.

"The force of their personality, their personal and professional qualities and the love, respect and popularity they inspire set them apart. Corporal John Rigby was such a man.

"We are utterly heartbroken. But we are also unbowed, tough and determined: John would have it no other way."

Cpl Rigby's family issued a statement, in which they revealed his twin brother was at his side when he died.

"John was a cherished and devoted son and brother; a talented hardworking and successful soldier, popular with his peers and across all ranks alike."

"He was due to be promoted to Sergeant in September and had a very bright future ahead of him which included plans to undertake higher education."

His body was accompanied back to England by his twin brother William who is also serving in Iraq with the Rifles, and who was with him at his bedside at Basra military hospital when he died.

So we must always remember and honour our fallen and all those who have been left forever damaged in body and mind serving their country and all those families down through the years who have been bereaved and those still being bereaved.  God bless them all.  We can only pray that one day the world will know peace.

For our American friends it is Veterans Day. I would like to honour  all their troops as well and the sacrifices they made and continue to make. 

Today is a solemn day of reflection, a day to honour our war dead.  It is also a day to give thanks, thanks to them for fighting for freedom and democracy and for laying down their lives for all of us.

When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.

 

Happy Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night)

Wishing all in the UK a happy and safe Bonfire night.  I know many celebrated over the weekend, some will be doing so next weekend.  As for around here it seems like people are celebrating it every night for weeks before and after!

Let us pray that accidents are kept to a minimum or do not happen at all.  We know the fire service will be very busy as they always are every 5th November.

So I take this opportunity to voice my sorrow for the families of the four firemen who gave their lives in the huge fire at a vegetable processing factory in Warwickshire on Friday night.  They repeatedly went into the warehouse in the belief that migrant workers were sleeping inside.  Three of the bodies have not yet been recovered, the fourth was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

One was twenty-one years old and leaves a three month old son and a fiance, another was twenty-four and was married just one month ago.  These were part-time firemen. Another part-timer was a twenty-seven year old fitness instructor.  The last man was aged forty-four and was the only full time fire officer.

We tend to take the fire service for granted most of the time until terrible events happen.  Let us always hold them in high regard, remembering that they lay their lives on the line everytime they go out on a "shout".  May their souls rest in peace and may their families be comforted with the knowledge that they died heroically in the service of their fellow men.