Whose the expert?

Well I went to the doctors and I told him I wasn't any better than Sunday his response was "well if you are no better we'll admit you". I then tried to explain to him how I was feeling but he waved his hand dismissively and said he would sound my chest.

He informed me that "it didn't sound too bad" and "or particularly tight". He seemed to ignore my obvious shortness of breath, failed to check or even enquire about my peak flow which had been running 45% down through the night or even carry out any other tests.

He handed me another course of prednisolone, a sick note and sent me on my way so all in all not a very satisfactory conclusion. Yes its lovely to be in my own home, but I feel rather disappointed with my GPs attitude as he is normally very good.

So I am still at home sitting it out and hoping I turn the corner soon. I am using my nebuliser regularly something which my GP suggested though he said that the way my chest sounded he wasn't convinced I needed it. I know that the way I am feeling I need it and it is helping the alleviate the level of breathlessness I am experiencing. To be honest I am treating my asthma as I know best from personal experience and taking little notice of my GPs advice.

At the end of the day who is the expert on my illness?

Things not looking too good

I am not doing well, I am not responding that well to my medication and not feeling much better all. I am heading back to the doctors tomorrow but I wouldn't be too suprised if I get admitted. My friend K is sitting with me for a couple of hours and will be looking after the lads and will bring my overnight bag in if I go in.

My friend B is on "nightwatch" on case things get worse and I need to call an ambulance through the night and has various peoples numbers so she can contact the appropriate people, my friends, minister and sisters.

My parents may not bother much with me but I am so blessed to have amazing friends.

Breathing my way through 24 hours

Many peoples perception is asthma is that of a relatively minor illness that needs a couple of puffs of an inhaler and everything will be fine. I wish it was really like that, my asthma is pretty severe and my situation will not apply to everyone but here's a brief summary of the past 24 hours in my life.

2am Monday morning I awake coughing get up, check my peakflow and nebulise, ventolin and atrovent. I alert my tutor to my predicament, she tells me not to worry. In case you are wondering she wasn't up at 2am as well she lives in Canada so it was probably a perfectly social hour there.

5.30am Unable to settle because of the cough and breathlessness and getting concerned as neb isn't really lasting. Decide to have a ventolin neb and if that doesn't work I am dialing 999.

6am Neb has worked and I feeling better. Still can't sleep feeling exhausted and lonely.

8.30am Neb atrovent and ventolin again as starting to feel uncomfy again.

9.00am Finally feel more comfy and stable and at last around 9.30am I settle off to sleep.

1.15pm I awake, ring sick and then get up. Feeling very breathless and wheezy, back on the neb again atrovent and ventolin. Take my oral steroids, regular inhaler and tablet.

1.45pm Start getting dressed and ready for the day as rough as I feel making an appearance at the chemist in my PJs is not going to go down well. I have enough to deal with right now without adding getting arrested to my tally of lives little challenges.

2pm As my head is banging and my side is hurting were I have the infection I take some codeine and some paracetamol. Also ring the garage to tell them that I won't be bringing the car in today.

3.30pm Finally feel ready to face the world and walk out to my car (thank goodness I can drive) and head to Sainsburies. Breathless on getting to the car have a couple of puffs of my ventolin inhaler. Hand my script in and take a ssslllllooooowwww walk round the store while clutching on to a trolley. Turns out this episode of poorliness produces some advantages a reduce price ready meal for me and some reduced price veggies for the boys. Curly Kale 50 per cent extra free and 30p off. It take 5 bags and 2 bags of reduced price spinach. I will have happy pigs when I get home. Get my anti biotics, crikes they're like horse pills! Go to the till an elderly gentleman is behind me with two walking sticks in his trolley, he too is using his trolley as a walking aid. His informs me that he has just noticed his mince pies are buy one get one free. I offer to get him another box, there is always someone worse than me and I am willing to help. I totter off to get his mince pies, I hope he enjoys them, he was such a lovely man.

4.30pm Arrive back home, knackered. Take anti biotic.

5pm Mouth feels like something furry has died in it, the anti biotics are repeating and they taste foul and I am so dry.

6pm Time for some more nebs this time as well as using atrovent and ventolin I add a couple of saline to try and loosen the pond life in my lungs. It works but its exhausting to shift even the smallest amount. Then I wash up even that presents a slight challenge but if I washed up more frequently then maybe I wouldn't have as many pots to wash in the first place.

8pm head over to friends to care for her gorgeous nutty cat Z

8.10pm Potter round B's house do a bit of housework, its hard work even though I have done only a small amount but I enjoy it, it makes me feel useful. Make the bed while avoiding Z s paws waving in the air. He wants attention and a cuddle.

8.45pm Sit down and Z sits down on me, ensuring I stay put.

9pm Get told off by B for doing her housework while I am poorly. I don't like people fussing or worrying over me. I rest. My joints hurt a lot as well.

10.15pm Head home

10.30pm Sit, chill watch a DVD Casualty 1909. Put some ice cubes in the fridge to suck on as my mouth feels like the bottom of a budgies cage.

11pm Make some supper, high calorie easy to make, easy to eat. The noise of chopping onions send boys in to a tizwaz, I giggle as I listen to them squeaking and rampaging around their cages demanding more food even though they have only been fed a 3 hours early. I treat them to some spinach.

12pm time for another neb atrovent, ventolin and 2 saline

1am time for bed utterly exhausted, I have a hospital appointment in the morning at 9.30am I need to be up early so that I can take my morning meds and get pulled round in time. Then I have to battle through early morning traffic. Pants

2am Just settling down and I am disturbed by a bad coughing fit, PF isn't to bad so I have a few puffs of my inhaler via a spacer which helps a little.

2.45am Still coughing I concede defeat and take 2.5mg of ventolin. Bring up loads of gunk. Amuse my self by listening to "Bob the Builder" on my phone I no idea how that got on there but I will be singing "Big fish, little fish cardboard box, we are all having fun" for several days now. Except I am not, well not right now anyway.

3.30am I am still up totally wiped out now. Off to try for bed again. Night all

An update

I am not very sure how many people read my blog my stats don't move much.

Anyway its time for an update. I managed to get caught up with a little of my studying and received really good feedback from my mentor for the practice portfolio that I carried out for unit 1. Each unit has a practice portfolio which has to be successfully completed so I can prove my professional development throughout my course. This is because the course is deemed as such and at the end of it I shall be awarded (that is if I pass) Graduate Diploma in Professional Development (Counselling Skills).

At the moment I am not terribly well a minor cold had landed on my lungs and turned into a left sided chest infection as a result I am really quite breathless and needing my nebuliser every 2 and half to 4 hours which isn't good. Reluctantly I have rang sick, the doctor looked at me incredulous when I asked him if I could work, his response was something along the lines of no way could I cope given my level of breathlessness. I am also on the usual steroids and anti biotics.

This has lead to a debate breaking out on an online forum I am a member of, should or should you not have the "swine flu jab"? Not for healthy people one person decried. I chose to put the cat among the pigeons and ask "well does the fact that I have asthma make me unhealthy?" "Well no" came the reply "but, I don't see the point of filling yourself with junk and having the swine flue shot if you don't need it" fair point. However my counter argument is "if this is what a cold can do to me what can swine flu do?" It would also mean filling myself up with far more junk than I currently am in order to get over it and filling up a hospital bed.

Tomorrow I have a rheumotolgy appointment, which reminds me I need to find the letter before I go, hopefully I will find out what is really wrong with my joints and maybe get some answers and better pain relief. I'll keep you updated. After that its off to the garage to get my cars damage assessed, peoples estimates are rising higher all the time. Oops.

Rats

On Friday the 13th as a result of a split second distraction and loss of concentration I pranged my car waving goodbye to 3 and half years no claims bonus. The other car appears undamaged mine is scratched and dented from end to end. At first I thought it was only minor and I wouldn't need to contact my insurance company but a further inspection of the damage in the daylight revealed that it was more extensive than I first thought.

I am also full of cold, my lungs have caught up but so far I am coping. I am really hoping that I don't need to ring sick.

On a much better note I was asked to share how I became I Christian with the Children's and Youth groups at my church, it went very well and I thank God for that some people described it as very powerful and having a profound impact on them. My minister was so amazed at what he heard he asked me to share it with the whole church, after some deliberation I said yes I know it will be very difficult but a story has no power and impact without its telling.

Manic madness

My apologies for not post for so long its been manic here and both physically and mental I am rather tired. There is not much in the way of exciting news to tell you here, just the usual stuff but I am trying to deal with a couple "psychological challenges" but all my efforts result it all leaking out my ears.

My studying is miles behind but as I am off this week I am making a concerted effort to get caught up. My tutor has sent me several e mail expressing his concern over my behindness.

One piece of good news is the fact that despite it now being November and rather cold I am staying very well at the minute.

Not the most enthralling subject

I have finally got cracking with my studying, only to ground to a halt again. Why?

Because I have the most delightful "activity" to do.

Compare and contrast the work of the 10 key couple and family therapists.

Wish I was back in Somerset

Reflections and questions

My current predicament has got me thinking. In society we are pretty good at supporting those who for reason of illness, infirmity or age need some level of support to successfully continue with their day-to-life.

However, I can't help but think that there is a large group of people who are falling in some way through the net. Among those people are those who like myself are living with a chronic health condition/s but for most of the time are able to get through life with little need of regular community care support until they become unwell and it is then that they could benefit from some level of support.

I live on my own and it would be lovely to have someone to call upon when things go wrong so that I am not faced with struggling through my daily chores and so forth. Yes I have some truly amazing wonderful friends but its not fair to expect them to do everything for me as they have their own life's to live. Even when ill I like to wear clean clothes, have my hair washed, have a bath and a clean and tidy house. I also insist of ensuring my piggies continue to receive the same level of care. There is also the emotional aspects of coping with a long term chronic illness which is frequently not addressed by GPs, specialist and so forth but often raise their ugly head when things go wrong.

My own experiences raise the question of whether or not that those with long term health problems should be consulted and their needs considered when planning community care services?

Sliding ever further behind

Although things are definitely not at crisis point with regards to my studying the last two days has seen my arthritis flair up to the point that it has rendered it necessary for me, for the first time in 3 years call in sick with my arthritis.

Unfortunately it is my upper spine where the flair up has occurred, the result of which is that a) it becomes uncomfortable to remain lying/sitting in the same position for more than a 15-20 minutes b) the painkillers are slowly turning me into a zombie. However I am not to be defeated and will find a way round this latest problem. I have got through worse in the past and I will get through this.

On completely separate note I am struggling to register for this academic year.

Thomas the guinea pig, chose to chew through my modems electricity cable the other night. Luckily it was switched off, otherwise he may well of ended up experiencing DIY guinea pig ECT. Though the piggy that might most benefit from it is Sparky (appropriate name really). Not that he is depressed. quite the opposite. To use a very un PC description he's off his rocker, out of his tree and wired to the moon but a quick blast of ECT might calm him down, probably for all off 5 minutes, though the RSPCA may not look upon me too kindly if I electrocuted Sparky. Not that I have any intention what so ever of doing so anyway. ECT would not be appropriate for Harry-he's long haired and it might make for a very scary hair style.

Anyway I have digressed somewhat and rather bizarrely, I blame the concoction of pills that I am shoving down my throat. I am now relying on mobile Internet while I await my new modem. I used the "my modem is broken", you don't honestly think I would fez that the guinea pig had chewed through the cable, that would leave me feeling like a right plonker. Mobile broadband is good but for some strange reason my mobile broadband is somewhat temperamental and refuses to allow me to get onto the Universities registration area. I am sure a few more days won't matter but without the registration it doesn't feel like the year has properly started yet.

New semester-behind already

The new semester has commenced and I am already behind. My assumption was that I started back at university on the 28th September. I was wrong, it was the 21st September. On the 21st September I was roaming around the Somerset countryside, as in deed I was the whole of that week. Since the semester has started I have completely lacked motivation to get going and have done only a tiny amount of study. This is not good.

By my calculation I should have completed 24 hours of study, I have done possibly 2.

My days off are Wednesday and Thursday, except they will not be days off. They will be days spent at my desk catching up. In my defense though I have been working "silly hours" totalling nearly 65 hours spent at work in the past week.

An appeal-one breath (or a few quid) makes all the difference.

Becky is an amazing person, kind caring and funny and a fantastic friend to me.

Life for Becky is not easy, she has severe chronic brittle asthma which requires multiple and high doses of medication. The severe and chaotic nature of her asthma means that she often ends up in hospital suffering from life threatening asthma attacks. Despite this Becky is a very determined person with a "can do" attitude.

She is aiming (breathing ability permitting) to carry out a gym marathon on the 30th October to raise funds for Ward 29, Freeman Hospital-Newcastle. This is the ward that she is normally cared for when she has an attack after she has left HDU/ITU. The staff are a great bunch of people. I feel very proud that Becky is going to do this as I know that its going to present a challenge to her.

I would like to appeal now to you, my readers for you to please sponsor Becky.

Here's her Just Giving page.

Many Thanks

Explantion of silence

I haven't blogged for a while, that is not because I have given up blogging again but rather because I have been away. I was going to write a post about it before I went away but never got round to it.

Very briefly, I will post more about it later we went to Somerset, by "we" I referring to my amazing and wonderful friend B who I went with. B has a brilliant sense of humour and being in her company made the holiday so special, we laughed so much and together we visited some lovely places and saw some fantastic (and funny) sights.

Timewarp

Since my pain post, I have published another post however because its one I have been working on a while it appears to have been published before not after my pain post.

Every body now, in true seventies style.

And please take a look at the post if you wish (after dancing, if you so choose to the time warp)

Investigating pain

For many years, at least the past 10 I have suffered from joint pain and stiffness. Initially it was confined to my left knee over a period of time it has spread to affect other joints including my left hip, upper spine, ankles, wrists and right shoulder. In 2008 I had surgery on right shoulder during which my AC joint was removed. Over the past 3 years I have been backwards and forwards to my GP practice in an attempt to manage the pain. Currently I am taking 19 painkillers a day and 7 doses of other medication for the side effects of the painkillers. This is not good.

I went back again today because I am going through a flair up which is causing me severe pain and impacting negatively on my day to day life. I am tired and feel washed out, frequently I am not sleeping well owing to the fact that I find it hard to get comfortable once in bed this is in turn is having a further impact on my quality of life and it causing my asthma to play up as well.

I came away with more painkillers in addition my GP decided it was time to take further action and carry out further tests, he is particularly concerned that during flair ups more than one joint is affected. He taken a rack of bloods and being referred over to a specialist clinic at a local hospital.

I am nervous about this however, hope is that at long last I will know what is going on and come away with a painkiller regime that both suits me and works.

Time to say goodbye and welcome in the new

A couple of days ago, with a lump in my throat and a few tears I said goodbye to a loyal and trusted companion, Isabella. Isabella and I have been together for nearly four years and together we have journeyed far, nearly 20,000 miles.

She has enabled to do things and go places I never dreamt possible prior to her entering into my life. She has helped me in getting help when I have been unwell, given me independence where once I would of been stuck in the house for days on end when I am poorly, aided me to aid others when they were sick and enabled me to me see many places that I would never of been able to see with out her. She has kept me safe and protected on cold, dark winters nights and often provided my friends and colleagues with the same.She has been reliable, dependable and has always when in her company, she has kept me safe, dry and warm.

My decision to part company with her was difficult, something I had hoped I wouldn't have to do for more several years. But she was becoming ragged around the edges, she was getting old and it was showing. She had let me down for the first time a few weeks ago and I was beginning to feel that she was no longer reliable as she once was. One night she came close to leaving me stranded at midnight, only after much persuasion did she choose comply with assisting me in getting me home.

After a conversation in July in which I was advised that it was time that she and I should part company I was forced to face facts and make the difficult decision that it was time to move on and obtain something newer and more reliable. It was hard.

Isabella was my first car. A base model Ford Ka, she was 6 and half when I bought her and just gone 10 when I let her go, covered in rust patches, a few dints and scrapes (including one from were I reversed into a grit bin, a bright yellow grit bin!). It was obvious after talking to the mechanic at the garage and taking a number of other factors into account she was going to cost me over £1000 in the next year to keep her on the road, completely uneconomical. Added to this was the fact that she was becoming unreliable, winter is drawing in leaving me somewhat concerned that Isabella would leave me stranded one dark winters night, though I knew I wouldn't be stranded for too long thanks to the AA breakdown service I didn't relish the thought. As difficult a decision it was, I knew it was time to let her go. It wasn't the car that bothered me, it was what she stood for Isabella was my first car, the car my late much loved and greatly missed Grandma helped me purchase, its body work was her favourite colour and she shared my grans name.

But in parting with her she performed one final service for me. She helped me in buying my new car. I had seen the car I wanted. The problem it was £800 over my budget. I went to the dealership explained that I liked the car, what my budget was and that I had a vehicle to part exchange. Isabella was worth only around £300 according to my garage. The dealership offered me £800 for her, I agreed and in doing so both Isabella and my grandma helped me to purchase my new car. I view what I was given as part exchange as being given back what my grandma gave me towards my Ford Ka.

I collected my new car the other day and sadly left Isabella behind, to be sent off to be auction and most likely to be broken down for parts and scrap. In a few months time my baked beans might even come in a can made from recycled Isabella. I hate the idea of her being broken down for scrap though, knowing that someone with the right skills could keep Isabella on the road for a few more years, it feels like a waste of a car that though her body was was battered and she needed attention to a few other bits and pieces her heart (the engine) was still going strong. She had less than 57000 miles on the clock.

The following photos are of Isabella and Victoria my new car. Victoria got her name from the fact that she was collected on my sisters wedding anniversary, she got married on the island Gozo, the capital of which is Victoria-hence her name.

It does amuse me slightly the rather appropriate sign above Isabella

Victoria, the space age car (referring to the strange pod they use for speedo etc)

A last

I have at last finished my horrendous 10 day stint declaring never again. I am shattered but looking forward to 2 much needed days off.

It leaves me wondering how people coped a 100 years ago working from dawn to dusk and only having 1 day off a fortnight? As Probationer Ethel Bennet commented in Casualty 1906 "For 13 days you shall labour and then have one days rest" In a later edition I think Casualty 1909 a potential probationer is interviewed and is informed that a nurses day commences at 5.30am and does not end till 10pm. How did they do it? That one day of rest must surely of been spent in bed?

September and the start of Autumn

Firstly may I apologise for yesterdays little rant.

Tomorrow is the 1st September, the beginning of the end of summer and the start of Autumn. Thoughts turn to darker nights, already by half eight its dark and cooler weather. Not that we have had much of a summer.

I love the early autumn months and plan a visit to the top of Sutton Bank to witness the many beautiful colours of the trees from one of my favourite vantage points and take a few photos as well. I may well ask a friend to join me.

Its also the start of the new university year, I head into the second year of my graduate diploma, despite the advice of my tutor I am still sorely tempted to study for the remaining 2 modules in one year despite knowing that its really not a good plan given the struggles I faced last year.

I also have something fantastic to look forward to this month, something that will be very exciting and great fun. I am going on holiday. On the 19th September me and a very good friend B will be heading off to Somerset for a week of sightseeing and silliness. Can't wait.

I thought this was supposed to be fun

Is a concept that I am beginning to wonder exists.

The need of a new motor continues but, I was led to believe that it would be fun, exciting.

Its not, or rather it was at first but it doesn't feel it anymore.

I have chosen my car (or rather the car I wish to purchase) that's were the fun ended and the stress started. I have a budget based on the fact that I have a mortgage and bills to pay and food to buy. The car budget seems to keep going up and up. It scares me, or rather the thought of borrowing that much money scares me. It feels like its spiralling out of control. I could of gone under the scrappage deal but the concept of borrowing £5000 scares the hell out of me yet my budget is now heading that way. And it still scares the hell out of me.

On top of that I keep receiving a variety of advice. Or rather advice from two separate camps, one camp saying put it in under the scrappage scheme, others saying don't put it in under the scrappage scheme. Either way when I eventually purchase my new car there will be one party going "why didn't you, you should of done this, your daft doing that, I would of done this, etc. You get the picture. The only thing that is not an option is keeping my car on the road, its old and falling apart.

If it wasn't for the fact that managing without a car isn't an option I would get rid of my present car and manage without because I am beginning to feel that its simply not worth the stress that I am putting myself under through it. Nor is it fair on my friends who hear me harping on about it morning, noon and night.

Tired

I is tired, very tired. Owing to holidays, staff sickness and compassionate leave we are a bit short staffed at the minute resulting in me working a mixture of day shifts (one of which was over 13 hours long) and night shifts.

I worked out from last Saturday to this Saturday I will of worked 66 and half hours, aquiring over 17 hours over overtime. I also will be going 10 days without a day off, though my staffing declares a day off on Saturday it can hardly be classed as such given that I don't finish work that day till 8 in the morning. And then I am back in the next day, all over the bank holiday weekend working day shifts. My next day off isn't till the Thursday, another week to go.

Its going to be a long week.

A new nickname

I have been handed a new nickname at work.

Dr Dolittle.

I wonder why?

Exam results day (there is light at the end of the tunnel)

This was one of the best days of my life, it was the day I graduated from the Open University with BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care lower second class. I achieved it while working full time in combination with studying upwards of 2o hours a week. It was really hard work but worth every minute.

Six years on and I am working towards a graduate diploma again while working full time and through distant learning with Glasgow Caledonian University. I was hoping to complete it in two years however, my tutor has advised that I take it over three years instead for reasons of my health. My second year starts next month.

Today A-level results come out and next week it is the turn of GCSE students, while many will be celebrating there will also be those who do not achieve the grades they need and may well be left feeling their life is over, or that their dreams are now impossible dreams. Let me stop you there, they are not. If you really want something badly, hold on to your dream and keep going. It may take you longer, it may even take you down paths you never considered. You may even look back on this in 5 years time and feel life has turned out better because of your failure.

Success is failure turned inside out, its for you to work out how to turn it the right way round. Given the nature of this blog I feel that it is important to dedicate a post to this subject. I was written off at school but from 10 years old dreamed of going to university. I had little support and encouragement from my school and the same from my parents. My GCSE results were 2 Ds, 4 Es, F, G and a U.

It took a further 5 years to get the grades I needed to get in to university I re took 3 GCSEs achieving 2 Cs and a D and sat two more achieving, interestingly grade Bs for both on the first sitting along with a host of other qualifications eventually achieving the equivalent of 3 A levels. I I passed a Diploma in Higher Education in 1998. In 2001 I commenced topping up my Diploma in Higher Education to a degree, which as you can see I passed and now I am moving up to a graduate diploma. My achievement is made all the more greater because I what I had to do and go through in order to get there.

For those that achieved the grades they required congratulations, for those that didn't its not the end of the world. Stop, think and remember your goal is not an impossible one. Go for it and good luck.

Procrastination

I said I was going to start my studies a couple of days ago, well I didn't.

I ended up finding lots of other things to do, I had a lay till 1pm, then two men turned up to do my loft insulation (they arranged it back in March but gave me no date and time, just turning up unannounced yesterday). This led to a great deal of amusement as 6 piggies joined in unison squeaking at the sound of loft insulation been unwrapped from its polythene wrapper thinking it was tea time. Then I had the housework to do because my friend was coming round, at least we did get some studying some for his course.

Today, I never really got round to it because the I was coming close to finishing the fourth Harry Potter and I really, really wanted to finish it. Now I have. Then I had to go over to visit my friends cat whose mummy is on holiday, a job I love, I also have her garden gnome to keep an eye on. He's guarding her watering can that comes complete with holes. Wilfreds role is a very important one as someone attempted to steal the watering can earlier in the year, the court case is still on going. The guy responsible is on the run having failed to turn up in court for his hearing. And now I am updating my blog.

Next week, maybe but I have my car loan to organise....

New year, let the stress begin

My new academic year doesn't start for at least another month but, tomorrow I plan to take the plunge and start this years study, family and couple counselling.

First of all I have a few loose ends to tie up from last year, then its on to this years study. I am reluctant to start due to the fact that I have got too used to having my days off to myself but, now its time to start again. I am choosing to start early for reasons of my health. I already have this years course notes as I undertook the statutory residential week a year early to avoid it clashing with my sisters wedding next year. A month later my university reviewed the course and declared the residential week to be optional rather than statutory, but it was a very useful week and I am really pleased I undertook it as without it I would not have grasped the key principles of couple and family counselling.

Last year I started the day the university term started and struggled in keeping up, resulting in a real crisis when it was time for my essays to be handed in January. In October I went down with a throat infection followed shortly by a cold which developed into both a chest infection and pleurisy, leading to me having to take time off work threatened with hospital. Three weeks later my asthma again played up resulting with another hospital threat and another week off work. At Christmas I was floored by a heavy cold, this along with the demands of day to to day life lead to me falling heavily behind and a huge amount of stress which lead me to seriously consider giving up my place on the course, I am determined not to go through that again.

So tomorrow I start again.

And tomorrow evening my friend P shall land, he too is planning to start a degree and has just commenced his access module, tomorrow evening will be dedicated to supporting him as he commences his studies.

A pet is for life not just while its trendy

There is a new film out G-force which is bound to be a hit this summer amongst children, sadly this film and many others lead to people deciding to take the animal concerned on as a pet only to abandon the pet once the novelty wears off.

Guinea pigs make great pets but to take them on as pets as a result of watching a film at the cinema may result in disappointment as they are nothing like what the film portrays.

If you are considering taking a pet on please give it very careful consideration, do you understand fully what their needs and are willing to care for your pet for the whole length of their life? Its also advisable that before you take a pet on that you consider who will provide it with the love and care it requires should you happen to go away.

Animal guest house

Let me first of all introduce one of my piggies, this is Sparky.

I love this time of year not just the weather (or rather the odd day were the sun comes out and it doesn't rain) but the fact that my friends all go on holiday. Let me reassure you I am not happy that my friends are on holiday, I miss them while they are away. I am pleased for them that they are able to get away and enjoy their breaks away. I am pleased because they leave their pets behind and in my care.

Today three more piggies will be arriving, its gets a bit squashed with an extra cage but we manage. Sparky and Harry, who is currently enjoying a Handel CD are in the living room. Tommy remains in the hallway, whinging and an empty cage stands next to it ready to receive the guests.

Next week my friend B heads off on her hols and for a week I will be cat sitting in addition to guinea pig sitting. He's such a gorgeous lad, though a tad spiky at times so I have the joy of caring for him as well.

Small taste of victory

A few weeks ago a close friend was in hospital very poorly. Each day visited her, and each day I was charged to park my car. I would estimate that parking my car cost me around £25-30 over a period of 10 days. It annoyed me greatly, not so much having to pay but rather the principle of it, having to pay to visit my sick friend.

In Scotland the charges have been abolished. The hospital I was visiting makes close on a million pounds per year through car parking charges. On the other hand (I can't find the link) the government refused to charge people to park in prison car parks as they are deemed as too far out the way. I appreciate that hospital car parking is a contentious issue with arguments for and against. Personally I feel that it's unnecessary tax forced on those who have loved ones in hospital.

Anyway I sent the hospital concerned an e mail expressing my opinions regarding the cost of their car parking charges but on hearing nothing back I forgot about it. This afternoon I received an e mail informing me that if I would forward my address they would reimburse me the parking charges. I responded immediately and I await the arrival of a cheque in the post. Then we are off out for a meal courtesy of our local NHS trust.

New car = Stress

I need a new car as a matter of urgency. My current motor is 10 years old and showing it. Patches of rust seem to grow over its body work on a daily basis and each day I go outside expecting to find my car sitting there minus its body.

On the advise of my local garage I am now looking for a new car, there is an added sense of urgency to my search for a new car. Based on an assessment of the external presentation of my car, it will definitely fail its MOT and its going to cost a lot of money to get it through its MOT so therefore its simply not economical to put it through its MOT. The MOT is due in 3 weeks.

Being without a car is not an option as my grandma lives over a 100 miles away and she is not in good health, my friend B has very kindly offered to give me a lift should I need it. I also need to have a car as a very close friend (B) is often admitted to hospital as an emergency and while I am aware that she has many other friends who are there to support her I like to be available if she needs me.

It all sounds very exciting but in reality I am finding it stressful, I am one of those people who like to research things very carefully. It is particularly important when committing to buy something which will cost several thousand pounds. I had made my choice but now that has all been thrown into turmoil as I have read several bad reports reporting the poor reliability of the car I have chosen. Now I am at the point were I want someone to organise it all for me, the removal of my old car (I have no idea what I will do with it) and the provision of a new one. How nice it would be to go outside one morning and find a nice new shiny motor sitting in the drive.......

Harry Potter

Ok, admission time now. I am one of the few people that did not get swept along with the Harry Potter craze, I failed to stand in queues outside of Waterstones at midnight awaiting the release of the next book. I did not bother going to the cinema to watch each film as they were released, though I did see the first film.

That, now has all changed. My friend B asked if I would like to go and see the latest film, to which I answered in the positive, admitting though that I was yet to read any of the books. As a gift B very kindly bought me a beautiful box set of all 7 books and I admit I am now addicted, I have read the Philosephers Stone I am now working my way throught The Chamber of Secrets. I am so pleased that I hadn't followed them from the start as I simply couldn't wait for the next one to be released, I would be one of those waitng outside Waterstones at midnight, first in the queue.

All this has rather an unfortunate side effect, my plans were to recommence studying in August in order tie up some loose ends from last year and commence this years study a few weeks early, I like to do this as I often suffer from chest infections and colds in the winter meaning that it is then all too easy to slip behind. The pain from my arthritis also adds to the difficulties making it harder to concentrate, harder to get out of bed, making me more irratable and therefore more prone to stress and the pain killers often add to the difficulities, by making me drowsy. These plans have now gone by the wayside and time with Harry Potter has taken its place.

Hello

Hello,

This must be my zillionth (well that's exaggerating things a bit) attempt at blogging. I have started several blogs and then got bored and deleated them. Or I have simply forgotten about them.

I started a new one back in June but, a visit to it today to update it led to the discovery that its manifesting in webdings. For those a little unsure what that is, its this webdings. Which I am sure you will appreciate is pretty difficult to understand in any language.

So here's my challenge, the continue this blog until I graduate in 2011.