General Chat

Hello to all my friends. I have had a busy few days. I visited Phil on Sunday, then on Monday I had to go to the Super Clinic to get my eyes looked at. They dilated the pupils so I had to wait for 4 or 5 hours afterwards before I could drive home. Then yesterday (Tuesday) I went to Pukekohe to see some old photos that the historic society had on display, and had a look at the shops. That evening a headache which I have had for quite some time was rather bad so I took a couple of panadol at 10.30, before bed. I woke just after 2 a.m. and my head was as bad as ever and I didnt feel particularly well. I took another couple of panadol and when I got up this morning the sun was so bright I had to close the dining room curtains as it was quite painful, so later on I made an appointment to see the doc, instead of going to visit Phil again. I was going to have a shower before I went to the doc but the way I felt I decided it might not be a good idea, being on my own, so just had a bit of a wash. The doc did various tests on me and said my brain seemed ok. She sent me for a lot of blood tests. Now I am home and feeling thoroughly drained of blood. Last night I had been imagining all sorts of things, brain tumor, bleeding on the brain, and things like that, but this morning I decided it was probably just a sinus infection, since my immune system is probably not working at the moment. I certainly hope it is nothing serious. In the meantime while I wait for the results of the blood tests I will have to get on with enjoying my life on the computer. I will visit Phil tomorrow unless I feel rotten again.

Huia.

Hello everyone.
Huia,I hope you are feeling better now. Could it be a migraine headache,
that you have been suffering with.
Please take care off yourself love. It's awful when the brain goes into overdrive,and we think off all the things that may be wrong with ourselves.
Did you manage to get to see Phil after all.
Oh Liz,I do hope you start to feel better soon.
You are so lucky to be able to grow violets. I am never sucessful with them. My mum used to grow them in pots,in the house. She gave me so many,but after a while I managed to kill them all off. And yet when she used to go on holiday,I used to water them for her,AND they survived.
I hope all our friends are well. Love to all. Mo xxx

I am just back from visiting Phil. He was awake and reasonably alert but didnt look at me. I held his hand and after a while he started to lift it towards his mouth. I was rather surprised as I thought he was going to kiss it, but I was wrong. He started to dribble out some thick pink liquid, presumably the drink he had had for morning tea. He must have thought my hand was a paper towel or cloth. Luckily I keep paper tissues in my bag so was able to mop it all up.

A vintage vehicle club is going to visit on Sunday so I hope it will stir memories for Phil and the others.

Huia.

Oh Huia, you aren't having a very good time at the mo are you, love? I am sorry you are feeling poorly, I think it's your body telling you it's fed up with everything you have had to cope with lately. Do take care and let's hope the blood tests show all is basically ok. Glad your brain is alright lol, seriously, it's very scary especially when you are living alone, and you start to think all sorts. I was worried after I had that fall at Christmas and then felt so odd when I was out and about, as if I wasn't quite with it some of the time. Thankfully I feel lots better now.
O.h. had to have a similar eye test and I had to go along to drive him back or he would have had to wait as you did. I wonder if your headache is a stress one where you are maybe not relaxing so the tension is going up your neck and over your head, I have had those as I have arthritis in my neck and shoulders and the headache it causes is sometimes quite debilitating.

Hope Phil enjoys the vintage vehicles and it jogs his memory a little. Shame about the 'kiss' you didn't get, you sound just like me, always well prepared with tissues etc.
Do take care of yourself , ((hugs)) for you,

Lizxx

Mo, you are thinking of African violets I think, my Mum was good with those, and also a neighbour of mine, but I couldn't do very well with them as my heating didn't work and they like the warmth.
The violets I mean outside are like tiny violas, little pansy type faces as well as the more traditional type of violet, like parma violet sweets.

xx

Morning all, it looks as though we are in for some nice weather, makes you feel better ... Huia, hope and pray things will get better for you...I agree with Liz, stress can be a b****r. I find I tense up especially shoulders and neck.
I am off to the Glaucoma clinic this afternoon, always glad when that is over...
then I think we will see if we can grab a few days away.....
Good to see the planes are flying again, so our Ann can go on her hols,
our noisy neighbour is being a good girl at the moment, such a contrast to our other young couple on the other side, they came running in yesterday with a photo of their baby scan, they are lovely young folk...we never have any problems with them....
Mo, you are very quiet are you o. k.
Off to have a shower I will chat later.

love to everyone. Jean xx

Jean, does your glaucoma clinic dilate your pupils? That is what I had done on Monday. He also put in some contact lenses, something that I havent had done before. I wasnt aware of him removing them. Do they have lenses that dissolve? I wondered if that was what caused my severe headache, an allergy to whatever the lenses were made of. Anyway my head is back to being just a dull ache most of the time. The doc gave me a prescription for 50 paracetamol tabs, so that saves me about $10 or $12. I have been buying quite a few over the last 12 months.

Huia.

Huia, I have drops put in by the doctor when I am in the clinic, but have no side effects, I had laser treatment about a couple of years ago at the clinic, for ducts blocked, and up to now all is well.I wear glasses al lthe time.hope you get some help with the headaches, I had vertigo many years ago, and still get a flash now and then, but have tabs which do sort it...maybe glasses would be the answer for you ....take care ....

Love Jean xx

Just got back from the clinic we were waiting nearly two hours... and I was in to see the doc 5 mins... pressure is o.k. but I have the begining of a cateract, so we will see what happens in six months or if it gets a trouble .....


Jean xx

Hello all.
Oh Huia,I so wish that Phil has kissed your hand. It would have been wonderful for you,to know that the old Phil is still in there somewhere.
But as Liz has said,maybe the vintage cars will stir his memory a little.
I hope that your headache has now cleared up,and that you are feeling a bit brighter.
Stupid me Liz,you are right,it was African violets that mum had. I mistook
viola's for violets. I like the viola's as well as pansies.
Jean,so pleased that all went well at the clinic. Have you had cateracts removed before Jean.
Roly's took over a year to ripen up enough for them to remove them. Mind you he has always been slow with some things,but not with others. lol
Nudge Nudge Wink Wink, naughty naughty Mo.
I will be late getting on here tommorrow,as we are helping our son to move again.
I am beggining to feel like steptoe and wife,not steptoe and son. I think I will end up with muscles like popeye at this rate.
I just hope he manages to stay in this house,and not have to move again in the near future.
Well girls,I hope to speak to you all tommorrow,if not it will be saturday.
Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hi All,

Huia, glad to hear that your very bad headache is much better than it was. Just take things easy and try not to rush about too much. I hope Phil will enjoy himself on Sunday and that it will help to stir memories for him and the others. Take care of yourself!

Jean, I'm sure that you're glad that your visit to the eye clinic is over. Let's hope that the cateract won't give you any or little trouble before you have to go again in six months time. Where are you and J hoping to go for a break? I hope you have some nice weather where and when ever you choose to go.

Ann, glad to hear that your Shingles are nearly gone and that you feel better. Hope there will be no delay on your flight to Tenerife.

Mo, where are you tonight? I hope that everything's alright with you.
Richard's here for a few days, he's got one or two things to sort out. It's lovely to see him, it's a pity that Christie couldn't have a few days holiday, so that she could have come as well.

I'll speak to you tomorrow.

Love, Sallie xxx

Cooeee Sallie,I am here,you missed me some how. Now that a miracle isn't it. lol

Hi Mo,

Good to know that both you and Roly are okay. When are starting up your removal business? Ha! Ha! Anyway, hope all goes well tomorrow! Good luck to your son.

Love, Sallie xxx

Jean, I have worn glasses for quite a few years now.

Last year when I was tested for new glasses I was told I had the beginnings of a cataract. My specialist had also detected a haemorrhage (sp?) in one eye. I do use eyedrops each day for the glaucoma.

I think my doc wondered about a migraine as she asked if had had flashing lights or spots before the eyes. I used to have migraines years ago but didnt have the flashing lights with the headache, but on a couple of occasions I felt a bit strange (more so than I normally am!) and then had the visual disturbance. I got a book from the library on migraines and there was a drawing of what I had had. It is an elliptical thing with zigzags and spots, but it does not go all the way round. I wish I could draw it on here. It seemed strange that I didnt have it with the headaches or the headaches with it. I got over those migraines (I called them a sick headache as I usually finished up 'frowing up' which eased it considerably. My sister has what she calls 5 day headaches. Mine usually lasted 5-7 days. Perhaps they are back with a vengeance, making up for the years that I have missed them!

If this dull ache goes on for another week or 2 I might go back to the doc and see if she can send me to an ENT specialist to see if it is the sinuses. The doc did get me to sniff something and asked if I could smell it. I said yes although I didnt mention that it wasnt a strong smell in one nostril and even fainter in the other.

Old age, who would have it? Or rather the problems that go with it.

Huia.

Hi all,

Mo, I did say violets to begin with but they were the outdoor ones I meant, I have loads of those as well as all these little violas, have some pink violets too in one pot, now they are pretty. Haven't had African violets with the fuzzy leaves for a long time.

Huia, I wonder if being asked about flashing lights and dark spots was the same as my optician spoke to me about, the beginning of a detached retina.

I told him that sometimes, especially when going upstairs in the dark, which I have to do when o.h. is already asleep - don't ask - I see a bright flash at the left hand side of me, as if the side of my specs is reflecting a light somewhere. I mentioned this last year at my eye test and he looked carefully and said I had a slight tear in my retina and if I ever found it got worse or I got lots of floaters or anything that worried me, I was to go to a and e or an optician or doctor as quickly as possible and tell them about my retina, he said it was the start of a detached retina but would probably be ok and wouldn't get any worse. I was really worried when I had that fall in case the hard knock had done any damage but the nurse at the walk in centre who checked me out said altho I had a few floaters in both eyes, she thought they were normal for me and not a problem. This time when I saw the optician I told him about the fall etc and he checked things but didn't say anything was worse and I can't recall if he even said anything about the retina. I keep meaning to phone and double check, but he is retiring soon so I might have missed him, I knew it was my last visit to him. He has been checking my family's eyes for years now and was the one who noticed my Dad was blind in one eye, Dad hadn't noticed till the optician asked How long haven't you been able to see out of that eye, and Dad said he didn't know he couldn't lol Turns out he had had a bleed behind the eye where a blood vessel had burst but he hadn't noticed and so it had dried and was irreversible. That has always made me cautious so I am constantly winking to check that both eyes work!

Hope the headaches ease soon or that you can see the doc and get your sinuses checked out.
As you say old age is a real bugbear, bits going wrong and such, oh to be young and fit again lol

take care Huia, and all

love
Lizxxx

My throat is now burning a bit, I think I must have a cold coming on. I have been innoculated against the various flu types, but in view of the fact that my immune system was compromised when I (unknowingly) overdid the dermol ointment I am now wondering if it might have ruined the effects of the jabs. I hope not. Anyway I will be keeping warm and rested today and tomorrow and hopefully it will pass.

Huia.

Hi Ladies, oh Huia, you do seem to be going through the mill at the moment don't you? When I go to the optician he drops some orange coloured liquid in my eyes and then that allows him to see right inside them, like an x-ray type thing. He does also take pictures sometimes. Apparently they can see loads of things with this technique and would pick up the start of something which may not actually mainfest itself outwardly for some time.

Or it could just be stress??? I know what you mean about "sick" headaches though, as I occasionally get them and they only start to get better once I have actually been sick. Awful when it happens though.

Good luck with it all.

Well, it is a glorious day here and I am doing some serious cleaning out. The children have been attacking the bedrooms and the church down the road are having a jumble sale tomorrow, so we are able to just leave jumble outside the doors of the church hall and it is just taken in and sorted. I like doing that then nobody sees that it was me who left some of the things that I get rid of!!!! nothing too serious, I just don't like to be seen sometimes, so would prefer not to have things collected from the house - strange woman that I am.

The children are all back at school again, and those who have been caught up with travel problems are beginning to filter back to the Island. There are still a few teachers off, but not too many. All the holiday things are now sorted and packed away. We were lucky enough to have a washing machine where we stayed so I did a wash every other day to stop things piling up and it meant that I didn't come home with bags of dirty laundry. Never had that luxury before and as we weren't paying the electric or gas separately I made the most of the facilities in the house.

Daniel is off to North London tomorrow (to Barnet Copthall Stadium) for an Athletics Meeting. Nothing too competitive, just a pre-season event to get him in the right frame of mind. There are 5 Athletes and a couple of parents/coaches going. So he leaves here at 6am and won't be back till 9pm, so a long day, but he should enjoy himself.

Sophie has a big Brownies event all afternoon tomorro at a local Manor house & gardens, which she is looking forward to. We always went to that same place when I was in the Brownies - no imagination !!!!! It should be fun as it is an Island wide event and she will meet loads of new people there.

Sophie came home from school yesterday with an application form to start learning to play the Violin, and Luke brough one home to start playing the Clarinet. The Jersey Instrumental Service provides free lessons in all of the schools, on the understanding that the children commit themselves to practicing, exams, recitals and eventually (providing they still play the instrument), joining one othe many Island orchestras or bands/groups. I'm not sure Luke & Sophie appreciate what iit all means so I will have to explain to them before we make any firm moves. Sophie already has recorder lessons at school, but none of the others are musical at all. I used to play the cornet and belonged to various orchestra/bands and jazz groups in my younger days. I can still get a reasonable tune out of the instrument, but no longer play it with any seriousness.

Anyway, nearly used all my allotted words, so you are probably bored to tears by now - sorry:-(((

Just to say that, Anne, the Hotel here is gearing up for your arrival later on this year - the decorators are in, so I will ensure they make a special effort with your room. LOL.

Gotta go now, but will be back.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine.

Debbie xx

Hello my lovelies.
It's unbelievable how many different types off migraine there are Huia isn't it. I always thought there was only one,until I worked in the pharmacy,and had to read up on the differences between each one.
We had a new medication for it,and were only allowed to sell it,if the pharmacist gave his permission. And customers had to have a card,signed by the pharmacist,when sold to them.
You were brave smelling something the doctor asked you to smell. My lord it could have been anything,even his smelly socks in disguise. LOL
Liz,I must be a strange person,as when I go to bed,I never turn the stair lights on. If I do,they seem to dazzle me. I have always found it easier in the dark,to go upstairs. It must have been all those carrots I ate as a child. LOL Or I was a burglar in a former life.
Ah so Debbie,you are the phantom dumper are you. We call it fly tipping here. lol
But seriously, I bet the church is very grateful for your donations.
You were so lucky having the washing machine,in your holiday home.
When you have children,the washing soon mounts up.
Please wish Daniel all the best for tommorrow. The poor thing will probably spend all Sunday in bed to get over the day.
Oooh Sophie will thoroughly enjoy herself at Brownies. Even if it has been done so many times in the past,it will be a new experience for her,
bless her little heart.
My word it's going to be noisy in your house,if Sophie and Luke do take up
playing instruments. I wonder if they realise how much time and practise
they are going to need.
Mind you if they do decide to do it,you could always start your own musical trio. I will offer to be your agent. Mind you I am tone deaf,so it might be a bad idea.
Please give all the children my best wishes,for which looks like a nice weekend, and I hope they all enjoy themselves.
I wonder if Sylvia is home yet.
A big hug for Jean,Sallie,Ann,speak to you soon I hope.
I have spent most off my day,helping to clean my sons new home. The worst job was cleaning the cooker. I don't think the previous tenants,had cleaned it ever. But it's sparkling clean now,and so is the kitchen.
When I was cleaning,I wondered where all the water on the kitchen floor was coming from. When I looked under the sink,the previous tenants had
taken the washing machine out,and had not bothered to put a blanking cap,into the u-pipe for the sink,and all the water was running out into the sink unit. Roly had to go and get the blanking cap,whilst I had to mop all the water up. So the floor got a double wash.lol
In the time it took me to do the kitchen,my sons girlfriend cleaned all the bathroom. And my son,painted the two bedrooms,and then the bathroom.
He was lucky as his friend,who is a painter by trade was helping him.
Their next task is to paint the hall,stairs and landing, then they intend to tackle the living area. With the kitchen,being left to the last.
Well enough off my gassing.
Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hi Girls,

Debbie, you were lucky to have the washing machine, it's so much easier to do it bit by bit. I think the worse part of going on holiday, is the pile of washing and ironing when I get home.

Mo, I don't know how some people can be so dirty. Jennie's cooker was really mucky, and had to be cleaned before they could use it. We took Richard to a N.H.S Walk in centre this afternoon, he's been suffering from toothache all the week. The dentist there, gave him antibiotics to take as he's got a small abscess under one of his teeth, she also took out an old filling and put in a temporary one. His tooth was one of the reasons why he came up on Wednesday.

Love to everyone, speak to you later.

Sallie xxx

Debbie, please check that the hotel are using nice colours in our room Lol!! Nice to know they are sprucing it up for us.
Mo, sounds as though you have been busy and the young people will have a lovely flat to move into.

Poor Richard, Sallie he must have been in agony. Does he not have a dentist locally to him. I know that in some areas people are having problems finding an NHS dentist.
I have been with the same practise for quite a few years now,but only got in with her because she was treating my daughter and her family.
Ann our son was very lucky,he managed to get a two bedroomed house
for £450 per calendar month. And that is good value for this area. He does need two bedrooms,for when he has his two children stay at weekends.
Well my friends,I must go to bed now,I am shattered.
Night Night,god bless you. Mo xxx