thank you...

...for the get well wishes. Progress is of course a little slower than I hoped for *pfft* but I am doing well. I have to keep reminding myself that although it is fairly minor on the outside, the inside has indeed had major surgery! This is mostly for me to refer to- feel free to skip it!

So, I can bend a very little bit, but things like feeding the cat are impossible (don't worry, Mum is feeding her for me I'm not starving her!), can't lift much yet either, it feels like someone is trying to pull my insides apart when I try.

I am increasing things bit by bit, yesterdays task was to wipe the bars of the parrot cage, which was fine, can't do the trays at the bottom as I can't lift them, but that is todays task, with some help of course.

I can finally lie on my left side, which is the non-cut side, after sleeping on my back for a week (which I never do- always sleep on my right side typically) it is bliss. I have to wedge myself in a little nest of cushions to stop myself twisting and turning too much, that was mainly because when I got onto my side it felt like my organs were falling to the side (and I have to remember I have clips and stitches internally)! It's so bloody fun! *rolls eyes*

Cabin fever got the better of me by Wednesday, so I got Mum to take me over to asda, we had tea there (bonus- no cooking) and hoped to get some pressies...well £70 later and not much Christmas-ness to show for it, I felt so much better for the change of scenery!

My concentration is now much better...anaesthetic has a lot to answer for! So I am doing a bit of hand sewing, and can pootle about online now, I couldn't settle to do anything for quite a while-not even read!
I have just discovered that I now cannot tolerate cheese :( Not happy about that, maybe it will improve with time, I dunno.

Swelling is still ridiculous, my tummy is huge, although it has gone down a bit, my trousers that were huge on me before surgery, I still cannot do them up, so am living in pj bottoms in the house.

Split one of my wounds the other night too, it was a part of my bellybutton wound (typically, as I hate bellybuttons, freaks me out big time!) I think what happened was that I wasn't too careful at keeping it dry in the shower, and this part was glued together and the glue has disolved. Need to be really careful with that now, although it looks fine.

Simba has been a total angel- it must all be very strange for him, for the first time ever, someone else had been making his breakfast, his cage was cleaned differently, various people looking after his Mummy, and he has been wonderful love him. I am sure he knows something is wrong with me, as he has been so very very gentle with me, and listening to my commands first time every single time. *wubs*

Anyhoodle, enough boring waffling!

As I haven't been able to sit at my desk to scrap, I made a digi layout for this weeks ATF theme. It's a touch tongue in cheek, but at least I managed to join in, I haven't missed a single upload yet, and glad I didn't have to miss out on this one. The theme was 'stories'. I haven't done a digi layout for aaaaages, and really enjoyed it :)

This is from the upload before, and was altered art. So I made a photo necklace of my gorgeous wee man

Toodles!

I'm home :)

For those who don't already know (Jen, thanks so much for updating everyone) I am home.
Surgery went well. For a horrid moment I didn't think they were gonna operate when they were admitting me and discovered I had a high temp.
They gave me some paracetamol to help bring it down and the anaesthetist decided to go ahead. Just as well really as my gallbladder was rank apparently! My surgeon came to see me as soon as I came round from the anaesthetic in recovery (I came round really quickly apparently) and basically he said that because my stones were so huge the bile couldn't get in or out and was trapped there and the whole lot was rank and turned to pus (niiiiice!). So that could explain the temp, and meant if I hadn't had the sugery I would have had another very nasty and painful infection soon.
They let me come home the same evening, which was fantastic. Slept lots and lots, and had a wonderful night's sleep at home. Was incredibly sore yesterday, very painful but nowhere near as bad as the infection I had back in May.
Last night was rough, didn't sleep well, couldn't get comfy at all, but I am in much less pain today, much more comfy than yesterday. Can't bend at all, need help to sit up to get out of bed, but other than that it's all good, apart from looking about three years pregnant!
Mum is looking after me and my need for lots of tea, as well as looking after Simba which is a massively huge help, and Amy came to look after me yesterday morning as Mum's boss is a total and utter bitch, and wouldn't let her take the time off even though she knew about this as soon as it was booked, and I had to have someone with me for at least 24 hours.
I had four stones in the end, three whoppers and one slightly smaller one which was hiding when I had my scan. And Mum packed them in my suitcase to bring home- she thinks I should make a nice necklace *barf*
Got four holes in my tummy, and my bellybutton is the painful one (it is the biggest one apparently, I still have all my dressings on, and can't see that far as it is right inside and my tummy is still very swollen). One has been bleeding which I have to watch closely, but no sign of fresh blood today which is good.
Still tired, but getting there :)
Love n hugs xxxx

off I go...

Surgery in the morning, got to be up in a few hours, so will be MIA (though not so much 'in action' lol) for a while. Will blog when I am able :)

things that make me happy...

to avoid stressing too much about my op (although the nerves haven't really kicked in YET!), a couple of things that make me happy...

For the first time, my Mum's bird of paradise plant I bought her has flowered :D It is so darn pretty. I bought it as a thank you present when Simba had to stay at birdie hospital, and she drove me all the way to Swindon every single day to go and visit him :)

My new favest shop in the world. Frankie Doodle's. Man alive this is a total treasure trove. It's only just opened and I found it purely by accident (Amy and I were on the way to a kitchen shop lol) It is full of the prettiest, shabby chic-est, lovely, wonderfulness! As I went in and gasped, the owner told me I would find nothing useful in her shop, everything is for adornment, amusement and self-indulgence- ahhhh my kind of shop! And just how gorgeous is it when you come away with a pretty ribbon tied bag and everything wrapped in pink tissue paper :) I might have added a few more birds to my collection too (shhhhhh!)

stop I wanna gerroff!

A slightly late halloween update!
Life has been so hectic!
Halloween was fab as usual, more trick or treaters than last year- didn't think that was possible! We even had a dog dressed as a pumpkin which was lovely- they were collecting for the dog's trust which was nice :)
Pics-
First our annual trip to the pumpkin farm, major roadworks along their road and in true 'Over Farm humour' we arrived in all the traffic to this...



LMFAO! There was another pumpkin man at the entrance with his pumpkin like arse hanging out of his jeans too- couldn't grab a pic in time though!

Beautiful frosty pumpkins



This years theme was dinosaurs


Choosing our wares- or not, lots of manky trodden pumpkins!


My beautiful Rafiki, who was as gentle and loving as ever, and got kisses galore from me much to Jasmine's amusement, then both the girls joined in :D



And Valerie- as cheeky and hungry as ever!


Onto the big day...bear in mind this is the one and only time of year I 'do' tacky, and after what I have bought in the post-halloween sales, next year will be great ;)

My witches kitchen jars, these look so fab in the dark with a few candles behind, the colours they glow are amazing, and they were such fun to make (mostly left from year, with a couple of new additions like the hands and feet)



Now- I thought I was being a bit excessive making in the region of 50 biscuits (icing them with my naff piping set was a total mare) but they all got scoffed




My pumpkin shaped jellies, these were really cool, and the ones that didn't come out of the moulds properly were mushed up with red food colouring


My nails (heehee)



Uncle Vlad- this years pumpkin (I had some tiny ones from the farm which I put on the stairs too, didn't have time to carve them though)


Jas and Amelia- who were both ace as always :) Amelia kept everyone entertained with the hokey cokey, dingle dangle scarecrow, and five diggadiggares (aka chocolate eclairs, new song to me but so bloody funny to listen to her version)


Molly Cait and Willow


These two were so funny together. Willow was posting smarties into Amelia's mouth, and they kept cuddling- too too cute *wubs*


Other stuff- had my pre-op assessment, all ok for surgery to go ahead (this wednesday eeeeek). Off to the hosp tomorrow to have my blood transfusion levels taken and then it's a case of waiting. There has been so many annoying little things to get sorted. Amy is coming over to sit with Simba to give him a bit of company so that is a huge weight off my mind :)
see ya soon x