Second Time Lucky

debtfreeoneday

Sorry this is still rumbling on at School. That's rubbish that the Teacher wasn't there to support you!

amycool

Meeting with the school went well - got a few things off my chest and they've agreed to put more in place. They've evidently spoken to the class teacher too as he actually said hello this morning!

In bad news - you might remember that last year I had a bad bug and I thought I would need IV antibiotics. Well, I had thought it was gone but it isn't. Probably in the next few weeks I will have to start the IVs. My doctor is doing his best to arrange home IVs but warned me it might not be possible.

So I'm on oral antibiotics whilst I wait, which is rubbish as I have to eat with them! I had got used to no breakfast and no evening snacks. So I'll be fat soon too. I'm constantly knackered. Half term coming up...oh dear.

debtfreeoneday

Glad the meeting went well and hope the improvement continues.

Sorry to hear you still aren't well, hope they sort home anti-bios!

amycool

Quick half term update - I feel like death on these tablets so struggling! No word from the hospital yet - trying not to get down about it. DD coping fairly well with me being a grumpy tired harridan.

Off to a free event this afternoon and getting a lift so no spends. Weather not looking great so got people visiting each day. Hoping I can sneak up for a nap!

amycool

Not had time to post recently so an update:

Hospital wrote to say the latest sample wasn't showing Sten. Malt. Initially very happy to not have to have IVs, but realistically, it's about a million to one that I have somehow overcome the bug on my own so I know the next sample will show it. I'm supposed to be contacting the hospital to ask whether I should send another sample...haven't done it yet though as I am a wimp.

Took my last antibiotic this morning. After a while of feeling pretty well (apart from the side effects) my lungs seem to have got worse again, which is a bit depressing. At least the side effects should have gone in a few days. Then I need to start getting out a bit more.

DD back in school today. The week went quite well considering. Managed to get out a bit and she got to watch loads of TV and play. Tried to do a bit of homework but it causes untold misery all round so limited it. I'm feeling at a loss today!

My only good pair of jeans have a hole in. :mad: I hate shopping for jeans as they never fit me right. Must do something about it at some point...

I've realised I have androgenetic alopecia, because the diagnoses I already have aren't annoying enough. I noticed it years ago and generally cope by not looking too hard in the mirror (or just take my glasses off) but it's getting more noticeable now. I really don't want to have to spend a fortune on products that may or may not work. I've pondered shaving it all off but I don't have a pretty face so would probably just look like a man (I already look like my brother!). The other option is a wig but where to start? And they're not cheap. Hmmm...I have a while yet before I need to do anything as luckily I'm taller than most of my friends so they can't see it. I'm not particularly vain but it is starting to bother me a bit.

OH got paid today. Starting in March I'm going to give him cash to hopefully reduce his spending, but I'm not hopeful! I had intended to open a FD account in his name but haven't had the energy.

I have a mountain of paperwork unsorted out.

The rats need cleaning.

This weather is not helping my already dejected mood! I shall endeavour to avoid reading the news today - feeling very much like the UK is becoming a very hostile insular country run by the rich and privileged. I guess the latter has always been true but at least they cared a bit about the less well off.

in_need_of_direction

My niece has been using coconut oil to good effect on post pregnancy hair loss. It may be worth a try.

amycool

It's been ages since I wrote. I've been ill. Not gravely ill, just moderately ill but for ages and I've been filling most days sat in bed reading books or watching videos.

It's also been a grief-filled month for DD so I've spent lots of time researching and trying to get her the support she needs. I think normally I'd feel guilty about how little housework I've been doing but I really have needed to just have a break.

Anyway, money! Not much to report really on that front. OH is still driving me mad by using the joint account for coffees and treats, even though he has cash (habit I guess). I've made a few large charitable donations this month, which have dented the account a little but also assuaged my guilt a little so that evens itself out. No big rat expenses this month so far - just food. I've spent a fair bit on gifts of late but everyone has their birthday in the same 3 months in our family, or at least it feels that way.

One big thing that might have a negative affect on the budget but a positive affect on the world, is that we have decided to stop buying dairy. We have been vegetarian for a long time (DD eats meat) and I have known for a long time how horrific the dairy and egg industries are but had been putting my head in the sand as...well...I really like dairy products. But we watched Simon Amstell's "Carnage" and by the end of the show we both said, "I think we should stop buying milk". We don't buy eggs. We're not going as far as honey.

The good news for me is that alternative milks are actually much nicer in taste than cows milk. The only real hardship will be cheese but thankfully for me I was never fussed about it (OH will struggle more). Over the next few months I'm sure we will get more savvy about which foods contain animal products. The downside is of course that "vegan" products tend to be twice the price, but there are also lots of normal products that happen to be vegan, so it shouldn't be too hard.

We just need to finish off all the existing milky products in the house, which is proving difficult as we both feel a but queasy about eating them now. I might have to donate some to family members.

One more school week for us, then 2 weeks off. I have planned precisely nothing for the holidays! I am relying on the weather being nice.

Darpett

Have you had any further indication what is causing the problem? I hesitate to ask, as I know how much you love them, but I had pet rats and they caused me to develop cold/flu like symptoms that developed into asthma that went on for months, it took a while for the docs to work out the connection and it turns out quite a lot of people get this issue with them. I ended up having to re-home them

Of course the chances are it's not related but possibly worth considering if there is a link, especially if you already have lung problems? My condition was unusually severe and even now I struggle around pet mice/hamsters/guinea pigs as well if people have them in a room I am in for more that an hour or so.

This caused of lot of annoyance to my kids when they were younger as they desperately wanted a hamster!!

amycool

Darpett wrote: »

Have you had any further indication what is causing the problem? I hesitate to ask, as I know how much you love them, but I had pet rats and they caused me to develop cold/flu like symptoms that developed into asthma that went on for months, it took a while for the docs to work out the connection and it turns out quite a lot of people get this issue with them. I ended up having to re-home them

Of course the chances are it's not related but possibly worth considering if there is a link, especially if you already have lung problems? My condition was unusually severe and even now I struggle around pet mice/hamsters/guinea pigs as well if people have them in a room I am in for more that an hour or so.

This caused of lot of annoyance to my kids when they were younger as they desperately wanted a hamster!!

Hi, I have had allergy tests done on a few occasions and the only one that really shows up is dust mites. My health has been really bad since I was 18. The only time I felt well was the first year of taking daily antibiotics but the effect has fizzled out now.

I think the main issue is children! My daughter rarely gets ill thankfully but my niece and nephew seem to have constant colds, which I then catch. There's also the small issue of me growing an antibiotic-resistant bug in my lungs right now!

But certainly there has been no noticeable change since the rats came home - if only that was the problem!

In other news, the council tax has gone up by 5%!!!! Not a surprise really but when you look at the numbers it's a bit depressing, especially when all of the local services have been cut.

The first vegan shop came in at less than we normally spend - OH thinks it's probably the absence of mature cheddar. We still have tons of dairy to get through before we're actually eating a vegan diet but we're definitely not buying any more. I am coming to terms with the reality of no more Mr Whippys.

I can't get excited about the end of the month now I can't overpay. I'm expecting a measly £300 to be knocked off the total this month, which means by May my mortgage will start with a 3! That's something I guess. I know I should be focussing on the savings and the fact that we are £4000 away from being mortgage neutral.

I should be in the garden right now mowing the lawn but I'm not. The garden is a bit jungly and I can't face it. I will force myself out tomorrow when it's a bit less sunny. Sunny days are for reading books.

Muser1

Wow that's so close to mn!