A gorgeous day today, quite cold, but one of those clear blue Autumn skies that just make the day look lovely. The birds were busy in the garden.
I haven't seen a Dunnock for ages, so it was lovely to see one busy outside the patio door this morning.
The cheeky robin, was quick to check out the lawn after it was mowed.
The honeysuckle is still flowering.
Green and yellow and blue
Steven got to fly in a helicopter today and was seen circling over our house.
We waved, but I don't think he saw us!
Yesterday after I'd seen the specialist Mark and I had dinner in Garfunkel's. It is getting to be a bit of ritual now when we go up to London for an appointment, although I think the last time we went was Christmas time last year.
Outwardly I may have been smiling, but inside I was all a turmoil.
My dinner was Irish Stew and Mark had steak and chips.
For both dinner and desert I totally blew the Raw Foodism that I've been following with this!
Very nice it was indeed. Back to the usual diet on Sunday.
I have a lot to digest at the moment, information to read and preparation to do.
I have been diagnosed with having Chiari I Malformation which will require major surgery. I have to have another series of three tests next Friday; CSF Flow Studies, MRI Venus Channel/venogram and an MRI of the Thoracic/Lumber Spin. I also have to make an appointment to see a neurologist for him to confirm that it is the Chiari Malformation that is causing all my problems. The Neurosurgeon is pretty confident it is and he was able to show me what the problem was from the MRI images I had the other week. He was also able to compare it to the MRI/MRA images I had taken straight after my TOS surgery in December 2008 when I had a numbness/paralysis down my left side which fortunately went. It turns out I actually had a slight indication of it then, but it has since progressed significantly. Why oh why wasn't it checked before? Why didn't my TOS surgeon take scans etc...BEFORE the TOS surgery, which may have been unnecessary? Well there are so many WHY's I could ask, but need to look forward and hopefully to the ultimate end of pain so I can get on and enjoy life to its fullest.
As a result of this news and the upcoming surgery and recuperation time I am going to have to re-home yet more of my geriatric guinea pigs as it really won't be fair on Mark to have to look after not only me, the boys, dogs, house but also the guinea pigs as they take a lot of time. I will keep four probably (I'd like to keep four boars and four sows actually) but we will have to see what he thinks he will be able to cope with. This is hard, I've already had to do this to get down to the current numbers I have when I sold all my breeding and showing stock and just kept the retired piggies. I want to stamp my feet and say it is not fair, surely I have had my fair share of major operations? But then things could be worse and fortunately it looks like they have caught it in time before a syringomyelia has formed.
I am sure I will be mentioning things again, but for now that is it.
Phew, that's a bombshell. I'm sure this new information is still sinking in, you must feel like you're in shock. Maybe it won't seem real until confirmed by the neurologist.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope that finally something will be done to make your life physically bearable. But I understand you've got a long way to go before you get to that stage.
I do hope you find caring homes for your piggies so that's one less thing for you to worry about.
xxx
Lovely pictures as always.... it must be a bit of a relief to have a diagnosis and to be able to more on that.... sounds serious.. thinking of you and all you need to prepare.. just be kind to yourself hey??
ReplyDeleteHugz
I think you have said it best yourself-about looking forward and hopefully an end to the pain.
ReplyDeletesending you positive thoughts and cyber hugs.
I echo the above comments, def be kind to yourself, know that we will be sending positive loving thoughts to you. You are in great health with the raw foods, so you will breeze through.
ReplyDeletex Sandi
Good luck. The sun is smiling on you. x
ReplyDeleteI think you were definitely allowed a day off your diet after receiving such news. Hopefully this time it will all be sorted out, and you can get back to a 'normal' life! Thinking of you, Anne x
ReplyDeleteThat lunch looks yummy! Hope things are becoming a bit clearer now. Best to get all the information and then proceed. Looks like Steven had fun in the helicopter, was that with scouts or is it one of his rich friends!!!
ReplyDeleteLorraine - I just googled to get an understanding. What a shock but at last you have your answer so hopefully now efforts can be made to treat you and set you on your path to recovery :)
ReplyDeleteOh Lorraine you do seem to have had your " fair share " Keep positive like you were when I last saw you.
ReplyDeleteSorry you can't join us on Thursday but there will be lots of other Blog dates for you to look forward to in the future xx