Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 21: Calmly through the day

[MissConductUS]

I've started a new one. Please join us and share the boring and mundane things happening in your world. It will be calming for all.

Here is the link to the prior thread:

Come and tell me your dull and unexciting news 20: Calmly through the day

Silkies you are a trouper. Do they offer valet parking at the hospital I wonder?

We have some kind of plague here. DS had an upset stomach (as did I last week along with sinus infection symptoms) and had to come home from the hospital where he's doing a rotation. I have now sprayed all doorknobs, etc, with Lysol.

Enjoying temps of about 21C here today. DD3 is on spring break and it looks as if she's going to spend it getting her belongings repaired - her boots need to be heeled and a necklace chain needs to be mended. She can walk to the cobbler and the jeweler. Tomorrow and the rest of the week will be far more seasonal.

I solved the wordle first thing in the morning.

Well done Silkie - and good luck.

Took DD for a hearing check up this afternoon, thankfully our lovely lovely doctor says she's fine, but has referred her to a consultant just in case.

My mundane life continues.

The dog is in the doghouse for waking DH up last night twice. The sweet boy does this occasionally because he wants up on the bed and jumping himself is a challenge at his age. He also refused his food which set DH off more.

Honestly, it's just dog food and he's old and fussy!

I do know the dog was on the bed because I woke up to a strange dream and realized the dog was licking my leg. Of course I had thrown off the covers in my ovary-less state so that my leg was probably salty and ripe for the licking. Thankfully such things do not gross me out.

I have bread dough on its first rise in my oven on proof. I usually use a bread machine but I decided some die hard hand made bread was the ticket today. Two loaves, very high fiber and lots of seeds, even chia. We will see. I love the proof setting on my oven.

I am also, at DH request, making a sort of Bolognese sauce. A bit of an eccentric version with lots of veggies, including carrots and a whole red pepper (capsicum). I use some spicy sausages I take out of the casing, and lots of sherry (the cooking kind). I think I should call it Vancouvernaise.

I am still trying to paint. I am not too bad at single flowers. DH has a big landmark birthday in April and I want to make a nice card. He loves and feeds hummingbirds so I was thinking that, with irises, which he chose for our wedding.l

I am trying some watercolour pencils which give more control. They go where you want and don't spread until you add water on a paint brush.

MissConduct, I am sorry you are missing DS. Me too. I am not looking forward to the travel and jetlag of our trip to England but I can't wait to see our son and family. I love having them all to cook for believe it or not. I guess to me cooking and baking is a way to express love.

We stay in an apartment nearby with room for us all at dinner etc., and only 2 minutes walk from their place. Close to the center of Cambridge which is nice. I like the market in the square and the big M&S for food shopping. Pricey but good and hey, we are on vacation.

Silkie I hope you aren't feeling too rough. Bempton Cliffs look amazing. I have never seen a puffin and would love too.

Champagne, I have had only two laundry baskets in my life, exactly the same. Rubbermaid, both.

Thanks for the good wishes. Normal car parking is 30 minutes walk away from chemo/radio and lots of heavy stuff and anxious plus we were running late. There's a bus from car parks but don't really want to use that with covid levels on chemo. I think next time DH may just need to drop me off and carry my icebox in and hopefully will get away with that though wanted him around outside and only just got allowed to have him in hospital with me (though not in chemo part). Though now been through first one at least know what happens. I have also just spent £220 buying lighter gel ice things so that will help with weight and easier as can reuse and does not leak.

I have been really exhausted today after chemo and could not stay awake but they think its the piriton as had equivalent of 2.5 by them and 1 normally sends me to sleep and they may swap for an alternative though think will be one day as normally is. Hopefully will wear off soon. Drinking a lot and eating little and often helps. Other than that burning dry mouth, no nausea, only mild stomach issues once, few pins and needles in feet briefly and some chest pains and now bit of a headache. At least one done. Phoned chemo line and drowiness was OK but they may need to change my meds. Were worried a bit about chest pains and said to call 999 if persist but they are not that bad and think its more something like indigestion / meds side effects / anxiety though don't normally get chest pain with that, comes and goes and no obvious sign of blood clots, pulse is low at 62ish and oxygen levels are normal. Will see how it goes tomorrow but glad one out the way and no really bad reaction, its only 1% chance of that on this one as its weekly but normally happens first two and I have had allergic reactions to meds before but fine for that.

I also tested negative for urine infection, Silkiecat tested positive though and had to take her to vet who gave her antibiotic injections. Thought was odd today when returned she was sitting on her litter tray for ages but initially thought another wierd 17 year old cat with dementia habit but nope. She is starting to perk up.

DD said she school refused as we woke up at 5am to prepare for my chemo and she lost 3 hours sleep. Her school starts at 8.30am and takes 40 mins to get to and I was sitting quietly in bed until 6am and DH was quiet then. DH told me he is getting up at 5am tomorrow as well so I told him he needs to prewarn DD so she does not need another day off school to recover from shock. Its her mocks and suspect we are a convenient excuse but she only missed 1 and only 1 to go.

The nurses at chemo had not heard about peripheral neuropathy being reduced a lot with ice on hands and ice on feet and ice helps the mouth too apart from one more experienced nurse who came in later. They were completely puzzled and kept asking if I was too hot and they needed to turn the heating down. Another thought I just had an ice obsession and said would you like tea or coffee then she replied to herself no everything is about the cold with you so tea and coffee won't work. I also tried to recreate a cold cap with a pack of frozen peas and rugby helmet on my head, two of them thought it was a cold cap but when I explained (I also think this will fail not least as the peas kept falling out) I got puzzled looks. I had 4 ice lollies which were nice but mouth isn't great. Think it worked on hands and feet and time will tell with hair, think its zero chance with that but have ordered a gel based one for next time.

My sessions are weekly every Monday Shoes, most people have 3 weekly but I opted for the weekly as the risks are less and success rate about the same.

I really want to see puffins too but we will see have to get through chemo first, May / June is best time here but that's chemo time and its normally boats to remote islands but Bempton they are on the cliffs. I'ld prefer the boat but I have to stay within an hour of hospital during chemo. They go to end of July so currently have a week booked by where boat trips go from which can cancel up to mid June for free if can't do. DH wants to go to France to see his relatives and friends in summer too if possible. It should be if chemo and radio don't get delayed.

Could you bring your ice packs in a wheelie suitcase, Silkie?

It has to go in the coolbox to stay cool and that is too big to go in a suitcase, things only stay frozen about 20 mins out touching skin so needed 5 lots of everything but the ice and frozen peas and frozen lollies altogether made it heavy, but the gel ones are light so once I swap to those will be much lighter. We would probably be OK just DH dropping me off and picking me up and taking me there as last time no ticket when 2 hours and this time was 3 hours before got a ticket. Though we got the ticket at 11.15am and that is exactly when need to arrive next Monday as its about a 10 minute walk inside hospital as well. We can try and appeal the ticket, the centre we go in is just outpatients so can be for minor things, they might be more sympathetic with chemo though the hospital makes around £1 million a year from parking / parking fines so not sure but they need the money just a bit harsh to be getting it from cancer patients by fining them. The complex has grown and all the near carparks became staff ones as needed more staff but there's lots of big roundabouts to cross as well. The only way round it is to get a Blue Badge but that needs a form filled in by the hospital of 3 pages and they are super busy and takes 3 weeks and is discretionary so no guarantee you will get it. Its supposed to only be for things lasting 3 years or more though will need to go monthly for years and you cannot get for just cancer even if terminal, it has to be cancer and cannot walk, or would attack someone or anxiety. I have 11 more visits for chemo then 15 for radio then monthly for hormones plus any A&E visits left.

@Silkierabbit you may get away with the parking fine if you appeal it due to circumstances glad first chemo went as ok as it can. Wales does not do many things right in terms of hospitals but all parking is free which is a relief. Hope your chemo schedule goes to plan.

Things continue here. I am extremely tired I think it’s stress and strain of work.

I’m so glad you are ok from the first chemo, Silkies. Although the parking ticket is a nasty sting in the tail but I hope you can successfully appeal it. Have you looked at websites that rent out people’s driveways for parking near the hospital?
I must admit that I pondered cleaning our windows a lot but have yet to actually clean them! I am queen procastinator.

I've got to get the bus to the vet's this morning (it's about 30 miles away and I don't drive)
I'm rather annoyed, as I took the dog for her health check last week (low thyroid) and they promised to post her medication so I didn't have to go back for it. I rang them yesterday evening and they said "oh yes, it's here waiting to be posted". So I told them I'd collect it today, as I've just run out and don't want to wait 2 or 3 days for it. I shall be super annoyed if I get there to find they've posted it anyway!

Well done @Silkierabbit, I am full of admiration. The parking situation sounds dire though.

The man came to look at the boiler yesterday, says we need a new one. He gave us a quote which didn't totally floor me, but we should get some others too.

Well done for getting through the first chemo Silkie.
No one else caught DH's covid and he was allowed out on Sunday.
I am going to bed before my night shift now, I have got all the washing on the line and it is a beautiful day here.

It's been glorious here today as well, spring is definitely on its way

DS's favourite guitar stopped working yesterday. Because I'm such a loving parent I offered to take it to the shop to get it looked at (the alternative is him playing either drums or bass guitar, my generosity is not completely one-sided!)

It cost £25 and is as good as new. The man who fixed it commented that it was "played hard"

Silkie, I think you're wise to go with the weekly treatments. Well done getting through the first one.

Champagne, I sypathize. DS played the trumpet for a while, but didn't really take to it and gave it up after the music course was over. Thank goodness. We had just rented the instrument from the school.

We've had enough warm weather here that some of my crocuses have popped up from the soil in the front garden.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. I am glad I chose weekly as then you get it split over 3 weeks rather than all in one which is higher on risks for same success and side effects are worse week 1 though better week 3. I feel not very well both yesterday and today so glad did not go for stronger one, its mainly just very sleepy, pains, sore mouth, chest pain but think that is indigestion maybe from sickness tablets, pain goes with pain killers, breathing sats are fine, pulse is fine, pain reduces on breathing in and getting air come up via throat and pain eases a bit then and flushed face. But thankfully no sickness or bad stomach and hair currently still intact. I managed one or two things today from bed, challenging parking fine online, arranging new counsellor who sounds much nicer and contacting the bank and DH also did a bit of sorting out the house as chemo line yesterday seemed keen on me calling 999 and so need to have house clean incase they send an ambulance. Its due to the chest pain but I don't think its anything serious and just want to rest.

Endocrinology also asked me to come in tomorrow at 9.30am but called them to cancel - am puzzled why as this was originally for blood tests but chemo did them so I got it cancelled and suddenly reappeared which I don't know if its an error or results show an issue or they want to do more bloods or they want to sign me off. But chemo said if they want more bloods they can do them on 4th April and I want not too many cannulas otherwise will need a picc, probably will anyway but want to keep going as long as possible.

Has your DB heard anymore Lemons At least the parking fines here help the care be a bit faster than Wales not that its saying much from what I have heard from Welsh patients though a lousy way to do it.

Silkiecat is feeling much better and has even been sunbathing, of course within 10cms of the door as the gardens are very dangerous places for Silkiecat, the most we have had in it is a mouse but you never can be too careful.

DH is just getting some dinner from the shop. I am hungry earlier due to steroids though trying not to eat too much but little and often. Fish pie and mixed veg for dinner. DD was stunned we were ordering so early. DD had mocks today, think they are over now but she may have one to catch up from yesterday when she was off. Thankfully she did not need another day off with DH getting up at 6am.

Only musicians here are DH and Silkiecat. DD did do piano lessons but not that into it. I think the neighbours are grateful for that.

I hung the first load this year out today. It’s lovely and also very windy where I am.
Been to visit my very elderly aunt (97years old) in her care home today. Due to covid and shielding I haven’t seen her in over 2years, it was quite sad but also lovely to see her. Sadly some dementia has set in so she was quite confused but recognised me in the end. She loves DH tho and can still remember how he adjusted her sofa for her when she was still in her house and was struggling to get out of it.
Hope you got the meds for the dog ok sue

Cross posted silkie , good that you’re not feeling sick and are up for eating. Hope get some success with the parking fine appeal. I find here that one dept often don’t keep up with another which may explain blood test confusion. Good the chemo guys are on it for you

Silkie I am glad you are feeling not too unwell.

I have seen a butterfly today and my DN set me this picture.

Yes miss, there are occasions when I bitterly regret the nagging about music practice I did over the years

Hope you got the meds for the dog ok sue
Yes, thanks. They've given me 2 months worth this time, instead of the 6 weeks supply previously issued; so I'll have to ring them to see when they want the next blood test done. It's been 6 weeks up to now.

30 miles by bus is quite the trip! Have made lunchboxes for DC for tomorrow, fed them dinner (apart from gymnast DC who is at training until 8) made flapjack with DC2 and now off to brave the bathroom clean…

Wow sue that’s a long way on the bus!

@Silkierabbit no not yet! He is waiting on scan results. Thing with Wales the biggest county in terms of area Powys doesn’t have a general hospital. You must go into England or another county for larger hospitals.

Had haircut today.

I am seeing the optometrist today for a full eye exam. I have not had my eyes looked at since before the pandemic. The doctor is very good and does pressures and visual fields.

I have glaucoma and need daily drops, which I have continued, but the ophthalmologist (specialist) is in a building with about a dozen eye specialists and a huge packed waiting room in the middle. I was too worried about covid to go there as I am CEV. And I have to wait ages for an appointment.

So I am feeling a bit stressed. The optometrist will renew my prescriptions and make the referral I need. I hope things are ok.

DH was there last week and she wore a mask which I am happy about. I will wear one too.

I know I am being a bit over the top but I get quite sick with flu etc. due to asthma and sadly both my parents died with flu the same week in 2013 so Covid makes me quite twitchy.

And the darn visual fields test winds me up badly. I am quite competitive with myself and having to press a button when you see little flashes makes me feel stressed. It seems to last forever. The ophthalmologist told me that my feelings are common and basically the test is designed to make you fail.

I know, it could be much worse. First world problems.

My bread turned out really well. Lovely texture. I over baked it a bit but will know for next time. I put lots of seeds in it.

allyoukneadisbread.com/fiber-packed-loaf/

Love That looks tasty. DH loves a seeded bread, I like to stick to the common or garden grey (rye/wheat mix) bread I grew up with.

And how are your eyes?