Lilie The #Westie And Logan The #Cavapoo Try Out A New Groomer - #Dogs

Hi everyone.  This is Lilie the Westie.

 

Me and Logan got groomed last week.

 

The groomer who used to come to the house to do us can’t any more, so he got us set up with one nearby, who we were meant to try out in July, but didn’t because of Mummy getting sick.  But we finally got to go see her last week.

 

We like her lots.  She’s real friendly, so we were happy to go with her – even Logan, though he was kind of sad when Mummy didn’t stay.  And we all agree she did a great job giving us the haircuts Mummy asked her to do.  She even took this picture after we were groomed, which she put up on Facebook where Mummy grabbed it from:

 

 

We’re definitely happy to see her again.  So Mummy says she’ll make us an appointment for a few months time.

 

Lots of licks,

Lilie

Of Weather Reports And Medical Mutterings

We’re back to our, “traditional Welsh weather,” as they say, which means the weather has been much cooler this past week, with plenty of rain.  That’s just fine with me, since I don’t like hot weather and I find rain soothing.

 

*~*

 

Since I don’t have a lot to say about this week, I thought I’d give you a bit of a medical update.  More than just the fact my spoon supply is at an all-time low, so my energy level is low and quickly depleted, I mean.

 

~

 

When I was in hospital back in July, I finally managed to get someone to look at my back and listen about the issue I’ve been having with it for ages.  And I do mean ages.  It’s been a problem on and off for years, but has gotten gradually worse.  I did try talking to doctors about it before, but they kept just blaming my weight without even listening or taking a look.  The only doctor who ever listened was my haematologist, who told me to do a self-referral for a physiotherapist so they could take a look for me.

 

The hospital had me see a physiotherapist for some reason (as far as I could tell, it was to see if the blind lady could be walked to the bathroom or not) so – since my self-referral still hadn’t come through - I figured I’d take advantage of having a physiotherapist checking me out and get her to look at my back.  She’s referred me for an MRI to take a look, because she agrees it’s not weight-related.  She suspects nerve damage, or something behaving like nerve-related issues.

 

Shortly after I got out of hospital the self-referral for a physiotherapist came through, and I still went for the appointment.  I saw him in mid August (August 16^th).  I did admit to him that I’d seen a physiotherapist at the hospital, and that she’d referred me for the MRI, but I never told him what she said.  Yet he gave a similar response; he also suspects nerve-related issues, or something behaving like nerve damage.

 

I’m glad they both agree I’m right that it’s not weight-related.  But I hope it’s not nerve-related, because something like that would be difficult for anyone to do anything about without risking making things much worse.  Either way, both of them gave me some exercises to try and help it, but they don’t seem to be doing anything.

 

Anyway, I was meant to have had the MRI by now, but the appointment they made me was too late in the day for the hospital transport to be able to take me, so I had to call to reschedule.  Unfortunately, they apparently do things differently if you’re a patient coming in with hospital transport, and the difference means needing to go to a different hospital, so I’m waiting for an appointment from the other hospital now.  If it follows the same kind of timeline as the first appointment did, I should get that appointment letter some time in the next couple of weeks.

 

I think it’s strange; I don’t see why it makes a difference.  I’m taking advantage of the hospital transport – or, “non emergency ambulance transport for the elderly and disabled” to give it its full name – because I qualify for it due to being blind, and my former rides to the hospital are no longer an option.  I don’t see how using that means they have to do things differently to how they would if I came in by car with a family member or friend or whatever.  But there you go.

 

In the meantime, one of the doctors at the hospital had referred me for a sleep study because they noticed my oxygen level drops when I’m sleeping, so I have an appointment for that this coming Monday (September 25^th).

 

*~*

 

I hope you’re as well as you can be, and that September is turning out to be a good month for you so far.

Of Blog Posts, Cards, Cuddly Toys, And The Clock

I’m sorry I’ve not been around the blogs lately.  Between struggling with energy levels, health issues being a constant thing I have to deal with, and dealing with the mental/emotional aspects of the past couple of months, I’ve not been very productive.  And our recent heatwave didn't help matters.  I’m trying to get back in to doing things – reading blogs being one of those things – but I’m having a rough time adjusting to how things are now.  I’ve popped by and read posts from time to time, but not commented, and I know I missed several posts.  So… Sorry.  And if there’s anything you spacifically hoped I wouldn’t miss, please tell me about it – or direct me to the post where I can read about it – in the comments section of this post.  Thanks.

 

*~*

 

I got a couple of nice cards from Deanna from Life WithDee.  One after she learned I’d been in hospital, and the other after she learned about my Mam’s death.  Here they are:

 

Thanks, Deanna.

 

*~*

 

Kelly got me a glittery pink unicorn cuddly toy as a get well present when I was in hospital.  Here I am holding it:

 

 

And my Mam brought me this bear holding a heart:

 

It turned out to be the last thing she ever brought any of us, since it was right after that she went in to hospital for the last time.  When we were sorting her stuff after she died, I grabbed the little pink teddy bear that was the last thing I ever brought her (which I got her during one of her recent hospital stays) and the two teddy bears are now sat together on one of the shelves that my cuddly toys are stored on.

 

*~*

 

 

Mam got this clock when I was really young – Maybe about five years old or so? She’s hung in my Mam’s home ever since.  I made it known years ago that when she died I wanted the clock, so now she’s mine.  I thought I’d share  her with you, and let you hear her chime the hour.

 

Yes, I did mean to say “she” and “her” in the previous paragraph.  Mam said she was a Grandmother clock, because she’s a small Grandfather clock, so she’s always been a “she” to us.

 

Anyway, here’s the video of her chiming the hour:

 

Artemis The #Tortoise Turns 4!

Hi everyone.  This is Artemis the tortoise.

This past Wednesday (September 6th) was my 4th hatchday.

 

The human caretakers gave me some rocket leaves and raspberries to celebrate.  No prizes for guessing which I was most excited about.

Mmmm! I love hatchday treats!

~Artemis

A Brief Post About Mam's Funeral

My Mam’s funeral was on August 22nd - three weeks to the day after she died.

 

It was a nice service, and – though there were some people who I wish had been able to come who weren’t able to – I’m pleased with who showed up, and some of those who couldn't make it sent flowers, which was nice.

 

The polebearers were my brothers, Wayne and Carl, my honorary cousin, Natalie, and a family friend who Mam was close to named Lee.  And I followed behind them with Mam’s Goddaughter, Shireen.

 

We had three songs played for Mam:

Elvis Presley – You Are Always On My Mind (because she loved Elvis Presley, and liked that song)

A version of Amazing Grace she’d particularly requested when she learned she was so sick

Dolly Parton – Shine Like The Sun (because she was particularly identifying with that song towards the end)

 

I’d planned on speaking, but in the end couldn’t do it, so had them share the following quote on my behalf:

 

It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.

~Lemony Snicket

 

Wayne couldn’t bring himself to speak either.  Carl did speak though, and used these two quotes in what he said:

 

Picture a wave in the ocean. You can see it, measure it — its height, the way the sunlight refracts when it passes through. It’s there and you can see it and you know what it is. It’s a wave. And then it crashes on the shore, and it’s gone. But the water is still there. The wave was just a different way for the water to be, for a little while. That’s one conception of death for a Buddhist. The wave returns to the ocean  — where it came from, and where it’s supposed to be.

~The Good Place

 

"If I die," he whispered in the dark, "dinna follow me. The bairns will need ye. Stay for them. I can wait."

~Outlander

 

 

Rest in peace, and goodbye, Mam.