NST January 2024: This is Sparta!

Flying_By

Idee2111 My goodness, thought I was starting a horror story when I began reading your post!  Well done for keeping your composure and well done to your DH for attempting to round up your garden bits and bobs

Starlight_at_Sea

Sending love DawnW, I'm glad you have the next appt so promptly, and also that you had a window of normality with colleagues, a lot to process, be gentle with yourself x

ldee I have been chuckling at your evenings antics but appreciate it can't have been a nice way to wake up! I hope DH was greatful that you a) noticed his absence and b) were prepared to act, regardless of the aliens!

grandmanerd, happy birthday! if a girl can't order in chocolate cake on her birthday, then when can she. I hope you get to put all of your plans about layouts and furniture into practice soon, and DS3 finds his way. Sounds like the bin misplacement worked well for you. 

Well....today very much a day of swings and roundabouts, snakes and ladders. Most importantly, all health related appts occurred and everyone is ok, sore but ok.

 In car news, I still don't have a rear windscreen despite appts at 2 garages and now have info that my particular windscreen is very rare, a dealers part only, and the windscreen people can only locate one screen in the country. Spoke to the dealership about 11am and they were going to ring straight back once located one... Methinks this car might be heading for the end of the road. But am going to look into scrapyards (for a windscreen) first. Urghh. 

Am about 60% through transferring everything to my new (reconditioned) phone after the old one got damaged earlier this month. I simultaneously hate this process and marvel at the way smartphones do it. I got all the data, photos, apps etc over, I just have the tedium of logging into them all to sort out. Have done most urgent ones.

I did make it to the charity shop, and also decluttered the medicine cupboard at my house of out of date medicines etc, as we used the house as a post-hospital base for a few hours rest and recovery. The food I prepped yesterday worked well for a poorly mouth and was well recieved by all the people I delivered it too. 

clicked and collected at the sweeeedish store, nothing too extravagant but sorted out the bits I noticed I was short of when cooking at the flat this week - colander, potato masher, spatula, and also a few trays for storing outdoor shoes as I noticed that is a gap when the house was full last week. Plus two more shower caddies - that's all bathrooms done, or will be once I put them up.  Not a NSD but only spent on this and £2 for the bus.

Started the holiday app listing for the room, but had to pivot to the phone marathon to track thr windscreen down, so it's not live. Friends agree the photos look good though, for an ameteur and at the decorating stage we are at - they are honest, anyway! 🛏️

Back to work fir me tomorrow. Stay safe all! 

beanielou

Oh thrifty. Positive vibes that the CMV has not returned xx

Toni'sfriend

Best wishes to Mr Thrifty. Fingers crossed that the CMV has not returned, xx.

Dawn - Even though they can't cure your brother's cancer there are still lots of treatments available to help control it. And getting an appointment with an oncologist so soon probably means they can get something in place right away. I'll be thinking of you both today and hoping for a good meeting. xx

DawnW

Thanks for the good wishes everyone. We saw the oncologist today and I feel a bit more encouraged now, and so does my brother I think. He actually went into the shop and bought himself some milk on the way home today, so starting to think for himself a bit more. His treatment will start quite soon. Firstly another scan, then an iron infusion as he is a bit anaemic, then 3 months of chemotherapy and immunotherapy at 3 weekly intervals, then review, but potentially regular immunotherapy every 3-6 weeks after that. I was having horrible visions of having to drive him to the city every day, but luckily it will be much less frequent. It took me almost two hours to drive to the hospital this morning for 9.30. The worst time to have to go, but all done now. Everyone was lovely, but our area isn't well served for hospitals. The one we attended today has to serve the city and its surrounding area (ie the county it is in) plus this county as well. We are no longer rural either, as so much housebuilding has / is taking place.

Thrifty I hope your husband's CMV hasn't returned, and he doesn't need to go to hospital.

Happy belated birthday Grandmanerd. I hope you can move your son and his gf on soon, so that you can get your home how you want it. They really need to stand on their own two feet for their own good, as well as yours. They will enjoy having their own space once they get used to the idea I am sure.

We took my brother back to his flat this afternoon along with an old armchair from the spare room that he had admired. I asked him if he would like it for his flat, and he was very pleased. He thinks it is comfier than his sofa. OH helped me wrangle it. Good to get it out of the house, as we will be having some work done in the loft conversion soon, and it would really help if it weren't full of old furniture. We then did the supermarket shopping. Not much needed this week, and I had a voucher to use.

Grateful today that my brother's cancer can be treated, if not cured, that the treatment won't involve as much driving as I had feared (I am 70 now, have never enjoyed it, and really find it stressful now apart from just very locally. OH is also apprehensive about it now, and he used to enjoy it), and for getting rid of the old chair and freeing up a bit of space.

beanielou

Oh thrifty. Positive vibes that the CMV has not returned xx

beanielou

Glad you got some positive-ish news today @DawnW. 

Toni'sfriend

That's all very positive, Dawn. My neighbour has been having a very similar treatment and it's all working out well. I still wish you could find someone to help with the transport. Is there no organisation at the hospital who could help you out a wee bit? Still, it's not as bad as having to drive very day. Does he have any other help ie housework, etc. xxx

I had a really lovely lunch with my cousin today. Restaurant closed a bit earlier than normal because the waitress had some childcare issues and had to pick her wee one up from nursery. Not a problem. It's family run and they do go out of their way on a regular basis for their customers so it works both ways. All about compromise and fitting in with people. 

Cousin said I was looking really well and we had a right giggle about the things that we did when we were teenagers (long, long time ago). She hasn't half cheered me up.

My project for tomorrow is to make gin fudge. Never made fudge or anything remotely like it in my life. But nothing ventured. xxxxx

DawnW

@Toni'sfriend my daughter will drive occasionally when work allows. He isn't entitled to NHS transport, as he can walk a bit. The rules are very strict, and the distance is such that taxis would be very expensive. With the housework etc there is only me really, but at least he only has a 1 bed flat! Having said that, he is perfectly capable physically of doing a bit of light cleaning himself. He rarely chooses to, but then he never has

DawnW

And I am intrigued by the idea of gin fudge?