They couldn't do the epidural - boo !! hoo !!

Can you believe it -I've been waiting for another epidural in my lumber spine to help with the pain, for quite a while and although they are not nice I was looking forward to it in a strange sort of way as I knew the outcome would be good.



So there I am in my theatre gown and name tag on, in the day case unit waiting room surrounded my men who are also in theatre gowns with name tags on (do you get the picture !!!) when the doctor comes to me with the consent form and starts to explain the procedure. It's only then that I mention that the last lumber epidural I had was done in theatre and I was put to sleep.



The look of shock, horror on her face said it all!! They had nothing on the notes about my four previous spinal operations and nothing about the fact that I have a cage in the bottom of my back!! They decide I need an x.ray to see if it is possible to have the injection and after a great deal of thought about how dangerous it could be if the needle hit the cage and also the risk of an infection it was decided it was toooooo risky to take the chance.

I'm not sure whether I just felt relief that I had mentioned my previous epidural or upset that it could have gone ahead and something awful could have happened. Either way I am just glad I brought it up and although I'm a bit gutted I can't have one in my lumber, I am still pleased with how it has helped with the pain in my arms by previously having the one in my cervical spine.
However, I can't help but think "what if" ............................................................

The dreaded epidural !!

Well that time has come around again and I am off for another epidural in my lumber spine. I think my back knew it was coming as I was just shaking my pillow this morning and something went !!!! I've been in agony ever since so ready for anything this afternoon.

The blue skies are deep blue here this morning with the sun shining bright but there is a definite chill in the air and a feeling of Autumn drawing in. When I let the dogs out this morning they both came back with wet feet from the dew on the grass.

I'm looking after my friend's miniature poodle at the moment (mine is a toy - and yes, smaller than the miniature !!) and she is as mad as a hatter and jumps up to about 4ft to get your attention. She is only one year old and could really do with being sent to boot camp as she really needs to start learning the meaning of "no". We covered our small pond outside with trellis fencing but she has jumped on that and broken it (trying to catch a wasp) so we have to keep our eye on her all day. But they are such fun to have around and we are constantly giggling after she's got up to more trouble.

I know I will have to rest after the epidural this afternoon so I'm hoping she will behave later on !!

Cumbria Lakes, Barcelona and Eden Hall Health Spa

I've also had some other holidays this year. We went to Lake Windermere in Cumbria for a romantic valentine few days complete with snow and beautiful views over the lake.

The apartment we rented was really nice with flat screen tv and a beautiful modern kitchen and bathroom. I can give you all the details of this if you want them.

We also went on a Royal Caribbean Taster Cruise in May with some friends and stayed in Barcelona for two nights before joining the "Voyager of the Seas" cruise. We stayed on the cruise ship for four nights and called at Nice and Palma, Mallorca. We had a great trip and really enjoy the taster cruises as they are such good value for money and not too long. Unfortunately we booked to stay in Barcelona the weekend of the Grand Prix and so I really struggled to get us a Hotel which in the end wasn't much cop at all so not worth mentioning but we did find one we want to stay at next year which had been recommended to us so we booked a meal there and its was wicked. Hotel 1898 on La Rambla which is where everyone wants to stay http://www.nnhotels.es/ . We also had a terrific meal at one of the many fish restaurants in the port of Barcelona called Restaurant Emperador. You have to book to get a table at this one but it's worth it as the food is delicious and the atmosphere electric especially the weekend we went as I was full of personnel and celebrities who were to do with the Grand Prix. Its our second visit to Barcelona and we loved it just as much as the first with so many places you need to see that it's too many to mention but just ask if you want any info.

Finally Eden Hall is a Health Spa in Newark, Nottinghamshire and I usually go for my birthday with my daughter for a day at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro but decided on a change this year. The weather was glorious so we were able to lie outside in the pretty garden but I must admit had the weather been bad I would not have enjoyed it as much as I do at Ragdale which has more relaxation rooms and a much nicer swimming pool but all in all we had a lovely day. The websites for both those are http://www.edensoa.co.uk/ and http://www.ragdalehall.co.uk/ oh! and don't expect to lose any weight as the food at them both is out of this world. !!

Edinburgh 10K Marathon and Battersea 5K Marathon

I know I joined this blog after these two marathons but I just thought you might like to know about how good they were and where we stayed etc.

Our first marathon was the Edinburgh 10K which my son and his girlfriend decided to run on Sunday 6th May ( first May Bank Holiday) I decided right from the beginning that I wanted to stay in an apartment so that we had the freedom to come and go as we please and also so that my son and his girlfriend could come to after the race and have a shower and clean up before there flight home as they were only staying the one night and would have to vacate there room at the usual time.

The apartment was brilliant. I found it on http://www.the-edinburgh-apartment.com/ and Trudi Cueto looked after us on arrival. It was very comfy and minimalistic in style which suits a weekend away. We had a nice quiet night in the first night as it had taken us nearly 8 hours to get there and then we decided to hit the shops on the Saturday. The weather was dry and pleasant and I found Edinburgh city to be very pretty with plenty of different shops and a very good department store. My son and his girlfriend arrived after lunch and were staying at Le Monde Hotel right in the city centre. The Hotel has its bedrooms themed around different parts of the world from Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Milan, Dublin, Sydney, Barcelona, Shanghai, and Vienna and they both thought it was really different and terrific value for money. Take a look at there website and see for yourself http://www.lemondehotel.co.uk/

It was my son's girlfriend's first marathon and they both did it together in good time. The weather was kind although rather windy for the uphill climbs (which this marathon had plenty) and just as they finished the heavens opened but we were as proud as punch seeing them running it.

After getting the running bug our daughter then decided that she wanted to have a go but went for the 5K Marathon in Battersea Park in London on Monday 28th May (last May Bank Holiday). We stayed in London as we wanted to see a show with our daughter on her last night and then I was getting a train home on the Tuesday. We booked to see "We Will Rock You" which was absolutely terrific. I would highly recommend it, it was very entertaining and a truly brilliant show. The weather was no where near as kind for our daughter and her friend as it poured with rain the whole day ( and I mean poured) but I just get such a kick out of seeing my two doing these marathons ( London was the first we saw) and enjoy the atmosphere so much that I think we would always try to travel and see them. It was also my daughter's first marathon and although had no problem in finished it, she didn't enjoy it as much as our daughter did who has now got the bug and wants to enter a 10K next.

Diet and Hypnosis

As you know I have been away for the past two weeks in Spain and the Isle of Man and had just finished a course of hypnotherapy sessions to help me lose weight. Well the good news is that even though I've been eating out for the past two weeks I have still managed to lose a total of 16 lbs in 8 weeks. Isn't that amazing, it truly works. I have tried every diet in the book, joined every slimming club and been to most health farms and years ago even tried the diet pills but this is so different from all the others as you are not "on a diet" as such as it teaches your subconscious how to feel full on less.

I saw Margaret Turner who is the wife of Clem Turner www.clemturner.co.uk who are both fully qualified hypnotherapists but Margaret specialises in weight loss. After six sessions with her I came home with four cd's to listen to and listen to them I have, every day without fail. After listening to one for a couple of days I would change to 2, then 3, then 4 and always fell asleep while listening to them. The weight loss has dropped off with 2lbs a week which is what they want you to lose simply by my subconsious stopping me from thinking about food all the time. Whenever I went on a diet before, all I did was think about food, the points I'd used up and what points I had left etc but with this weight loss programme (not referred to as diet) you carry on as normal except that somehow I never think about food anymore and when I have a meal I am always full with half what I ate before. While I was away I never once managed to finish my main course and never managed a sweet simply because I felt full. I'm so excited about the whole concept of hypnosis that I am now going to read as much as I can on doing it for pain management with the help of CLT.

Ask me any questions you want about it as I'm sure I can answer them. It is definitely worth it, all I would say is that you really need to be in a mood to want to lose weight to be strict with the listening of the tapes for it to work properly and think of it as a long term commitment and if you stop listening to them you will probably need to go back to them in the future, especially if you have been a serial dieter like me !!

My back pain !!

Oh! forgot to tell you all how my back has been since my epidural before I went away. Well it was truly awesome as the first thing that went were my pins and needles in my fingers and then to my amazement which I'm still not sure how it happened, but my heel pain went almost immediately as well. That has made such a big difference in my day to day living in that I can now walk around without this terrible pain which is still there first thing but goes very quick and I honestly do not now know how on earth I managed to cope with it before.

I've not been able to reduce my painkillers yet as the arm pain is still there and I still need cushions to prop up my arms when I read but you know me I just get on with it.

My next epidural is in the lumber spine and is next week when I know it sounds weird but I am actually looking forward to as I am expecting miracles with this one so lets hope I am not disappointed.

Holidays and more holidays

Well my hair cut went sooooooooo well - I just love it and it has been so easy while on holiday in Spain. Just love it very short again.,

We had a lovely holiday in Marbella - we actually had the cheek to complain about the heat one day ( the cheek of it) well it was 35 degrees !!!!!! It was also lovely to catch up with the kids and take them all out for a meal etc. We came home with a lovely tan and left Marbella with 36 degrees and arrived to 12 degrees !!!!!! We stayed at the Hotel Melia Marbella Dinamar which has been refurbished last year and although only a 4* has the makings of a 5*. The rooms were beautiful and large with two double beds in them and we arrived to a chilled bottle of champagne in our room. The view (side) was terrific as we could see the Hotel pool and also the beach. It was about a 15 minute walk from our hotel to Puerto Banus which was great. We used to go to a different beach restaurant for our light lunch as the Hotel Buffet was to die for but just a little bit tooooooo much for me. We got a taxi into the Port every night as it was only 6 Euros and as I always wore a slight heel at night I knew I would be in a mess with my back if I walked in. We were celebrating our pearl wedding anniversary and had a week at the Hotel which was a real change as we normally self cater.

Now we are off to the Isle of Man tomorrow to see my sister (twin) and I just can't wait, can't wait as its months since we have seen each other. So until I sign in again soon bye for now folks ............

New Hair Style

Hi - not been here for a week as I've been busy with my daughter home and enjoying every minute of it ( I do miss her) but it's all back to normal again now and I only have a few days before we are off on our hols (brill)

What a change in the weather - too hot last night ( aren't I quick to complain) but you can't escape it at home like you can on holiday. Anyway my hair was cut a couple of weeks ago and for the second time running the sytlist has made a real mess of it and I mean a real mess - I just feel such a reck that I have been saving it until last minute to get it restyled.

Well, I'm off to Keith Hall's in West Bridgford tomorrow for a short back and sides(haven't got much for him to alter anyway) so I'll be back again to let you know how I went on. By the way the website is http://www.keithhallhairdressing.co.uk/ and they are at 14-18 Central Avenue, West Bridgeford, Notts.