Music Day 2

Another 10 minutes practice completed, just scales and finger exercises.

Embouchure still finding it tough which is understandable.

Thumb a bit sore and started to feel it in the wrist, but otherwise all okay.

No discernible after effects from yesterday I am pleased to report.

A bit of fun:  Today's photo from the 365 Toy Project (A photo a day)

The book I started reading last night...A Hidden Affair.  Will report back once I have read it.

Enough is enough!

This was me performing in 2007

The one below is my last performance I played in pre-TOS decompression surgery, December 2008.  I had thought the pain was bad then, hence the surgery, little did I know that nearly four years later I still wouldn't be playing.  Not only that look how slim I was!  Now I feel dumpy and frumpy!

I was so sure I would be playing again that I had a couple of concerts booked for the April 2009.  I had to cancel.  I also got offered a permanent position in an orchestra which I had to turn down.  I had been working towards getting one since coming to the UK in 1995!

Well enough is enough!  No more!

First 10 minutes practice done this evening.

Embouchure ached - will need a lot of practice to get that in shape again.

Surprisingly I didn't think my sound was too bad.

Right thumb felt the weight a bit.

Time will tell what other effects these 10 minutes will have, but I will do the same tomorrow, and next day and the next.  I am determined to fight.

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I picked up a couple of books on the 50p stall at Sainsburys Supermarket this afternoon.

The one below slipped into my grocery basket by accident ;-) the other day.

Now which one shall I start reading tonight I wonder?

An update

So how am I doing at reducing my debt and selling my dolls you may be wondering?

(Part of this post is a direct copy from my Sewing For Sasha Blog)

I have managed to sell 7 of my beloved Sasha/Gregor dolls, but am happy to report they have gone to some really lovely homes.  It has been really hard and a couple of dolls in particular I really miss.  I have sold almost all of my Tressy collection as well as various other dolls, amounting to about 45 dolls in total, (oh I wish they brought in the sort of prices Sasha dolls do!)  including the Sasha dolls.  Sadly some I made the mistake of starting the listing at 99p thinking that I would get more than one bid, only to have to sell a gorgeous Crissy family member in her original clothes at that price - heartbreaking!  On a whole most buyers have been really lovely, but I did strike one pretty horrible buyer unfortunately.  Then of course there are the dreaded evilbay and paypal fees, that seems to reduce the amount brought in significantly as well!

I have managed to reduce a significant part of my debt, (will feel so much better when the dreaded credit card has been cleared) but do have a bit further to go so will have to do some more hard thinking and reducing.  I am finding it easier to resist, although it is still difficult at times!  Especially hard was going to the Sasha fun day and looking at all the wonderful items available and having to say no.  I am learning what I really like and making do with things I already have.

I have started doing a 'Doll Inventory' going through all the dolls I have collected and gathered over the years and accessing the what, whys and wherefores...  quite an interesting process.

I am making reasonable progress at the sorting and tidying, but it has to be done in stages, depending on how I feel physically.  I have volunteered to do the Christmas dinner this year, so I have a deadline to get things really sorted and cleared for now.  Usually my MIL has Christmas round her place, but she found it really difficult coping with it all last year, so I said come round here instead.  I better start planning!

As usual I have fallen behind on some things and need to catch up, but I am hopeful I will get those things done this week.  I have so many things and ideas I want to do and put into action, but just don't seem to get to do many of them, is it time?  Is it organisational problems?  Or quite what?  I really don't know.


Latest health update:

I went to see a different person today who has a completely different approach to the general medical profession and he came up with a completely different reason for many of my problems and as such I received a treatment for the problem today.  I go back and see him again on Thursday to see if there are any changes.  I am hopeful, but then I always am!

We had a lovely weekend with our older son who came home for a couple of days.  It was so nice to see him again and we all went out for a meal on Saturday night which was good.  All is quiet again now.

Oops, forgot I've put the dinner on...must dash!

Coil Pot Making

Something a little different at Thursday Girls quilting group today. Coil pot making, which was great fun.

Almost finished the base

Working round the sides

Finished!

Very pleased with this, it was fun to make and relatively easy.  Have a few more project ideas to work on now.

A wonderful recital

I went to a fabulous recital last night.  My friend from Uni took me, we haven't seen each other for such a long time...since the Martin Frost concert if I am remembering rightly.

My clarinet teacher from Uni was playing.  It was the first time I had had the opportunity to see him perform, and he was fantastic!

The concert opened with the clarinet and 'cello playing a Duo in C WoO27 by Beethoven

This was followed by a piano and 'cello duo 'Variations on a theme of Rossini (1942) by Bohuslav Martinu.

The first half ended with a Trio by Nino Rota which was good fun.  

The only criticism I really have is that the piano drowned out the other instruments in places, which they always insist on having a grand open at full stick in such a situation is beyond me.  I also felt the 'cello could have put a bit more into it which would have helped the blance.

As usual the amount of people attending this live concert was disappointing and something that seems to plague a lot of live classical concerts nowadays, which is such a shame as they really are missing out.

The concert finished with them playing one of my favourite composers; Brahms, his Trio in A minor Op 114

It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and we all popped into the local pub after the concert (I had an orange juice) and spent some time chatting.

I came home all inspired and enthusiastic about things and even thought I would try giving the playing a go again.

Unfortunately payback time hit during the night with the worst headache ever and I have had to spend all day in bed, tried getting up twice, but it was just too bad.  Headache eased slightly now, but pain in the right side has hit with a vengeance. So nothing got done today, still there is always tomorrow.

A letter to the Head.

I have to admire my just turned 16 year old son who wrote this letter to the head after being suspended from his afternoon lessons.  He wrote while sitting outside the Head teachers office, with just pen and paper, nothing else!

Dear Head,

Since you have informed me that I am not to talk to you until "I do so properly" which you define as giving you optional honorific, regardless of my opinions on them, I am resorting to written form to present my case.

Firstly, although it is the usual thing to do, it is not a rule, or law, and you are neither an NCO or above, nor have you been Knighted, meaning said honorific IS voluntary.

I am not opposed to calling you sir, and I have many times, so this is not a personal slight, but a matter of principles. My opposition stems from being told/ordered to call you sir

I am a great believer in freedom of expression in all its forms, one of which is speech. Attempting to control and limit others speech through demanding titles, which skews a whole conversation in your favour is a restriction of my freedom of speech.

If, for expressing myself in a way which isn't even rude, I am to be suspended, the system we function in needs to be changed. For example, I "have to" refer to male teachers as sir, but no such equivalent exists for female teachers, who I must refer to by their marital status, as opposed to the female version of sir, which is Dame. This shows our school is patriarchal and even the rules on student-teacher relations are sexist.

I propose a middle ground. I will, if you deem it an acceptable alternative instead refer to you as Headmaster, in place of sir.


The head agreed, and lifted the suspension.

Autumn colours

Our maple is starting to loose its leaves - fabulous colours!

Neurologist Appointment Today

I saw the neurologist today having been referred to him by the Pain Specialist doctor I have been seeing.  I last saw this NL in November last year privately.  This time I saw him on the NHS so I thought it would be interesting to see if there was any difference.  There wasn't.  He listened to my current symptoms, of which there are many and those that were already there have got worse.  He straight away said that he would request some more MRI's to be done.  Brain, cervical, brachial plexus and thoracic spine.  Of course I won't have them immediately like I would privately and as such I am waiting to get my appointment through, however I saw him input it all onto the computer.  I next see him in January, so at least will get Christmas out of the way before I get my results.  He said to keep taking the medication, and to also go ahead with the Ketamine infusion in December so I will.

My current symptoms are:, burning pain/sensation down my right arm to my fingers, pain in shoulder region, right trunk/ribs/breast area and up the side of my face to the top of my ear and just below the eye, although sometimes including the eye.  The right side of my face often swells.  Usually accompanying  this pain when it is at is worst is a headache/migraine.  I also have heavy shoulders and neck plus pain across that area and back pain.  When I walk up stairs my legs start to feel like lead and my fingers tingle - definitely not normal! Very disconcerting as well.  It hurts to lie flat on my back and I find it very difficult to get comfortable in bed at night and as a result don't sleep well.  I get pins and needles in my right hand when I am doing my hair and when I use a computer mouse my hand goes icy stone cold.  Sometimes I find it hard to think of sentences when I am talking and if distracted find it hard to follow a train of thought.  Brain fog I think it is called. That will do for starters!

The scans are to see if the herniation of the Chiari Malformation has progressed and if a syrinx has formed.  I am really hoping that that isn't the case, as I most certainly don't want the brain surgery for this problem.  From what I have read it often leads to just more problems, however if a syrinx has formed then I really would have no choice.  Still I will continue to try and think positive and hope and pray that there is no progression.  He is also checking the Brachial Plexus region for compression as that is the area that was originally giving me the arm problems in 2008 and for which I had the Thoracic Outlet Decompression surgery for.  

So there we go, the continuing and frustrating ongoing saga of my health.  I know that I am so much better off than some people, but it still doesn't stop me from wishing that I was fit and well as at times it really gets me down feeling like I do as there never seems to be any complete relief from it.  I even dream about being in pain!

Sunday Summary

Things have been moseying along very slowly...  Tomorrow I will really have to make a serious effort as I have most definitely been procrastinating, although it was both DS2's 16th birthday and quilting day yesterday so I kind of have an excuse for not doing a lot at home yesterday.  I've not really been feeling the best either, a bit sick/nauseas in the mornings and generally lethargic and tired.  

I am going to have to take poor Pickles (one of my guinea pigs) to the vet tomorrow as he can't use his back legs all of a sudden, so I am worried about him as he is a real cutie.

The roses in the garden are looking good, shame about the rest of the garden really!  The lawns could really do with a mow, but DH has been so very busy and hasn't been well either.  Hopefully next week they will get done.

It dawned beautifully bright and sunny this morning, but sadly it didn't last and came over all grey, foggy and dreary and is ever so cold, well I think it is anyway!  The leaves are starting to turn on the Maple, so will have to get some photos of them tomorrow.

Not much more to report, so exciting (Not) I'm afraid.

Cheerio, have a good week, and enjoy the roses!

Butterflies in the Garden?

A beautiful crisp clear morning yesterday and the sun shone all day which was nice.  I managed to put a load of washing on the line before heading off to my quilting group and it was nice and dry when I came home.  

I actually worked on my butterfly quilt yesterday.  I had cut the piece out quite some time ago, but hadn't gotten round to putting it together.  Just need to embroider the antennae on now, put the wadding and backing fabric on and quilt it.  It is wall hanging size, so I am not really sure what I am going to do with it yet.  Will have to see if I have enough wall space in my sewing studio I think.

It poured with rain last night and although this morning dawned bright, it is becoming overcast so not sure what the weather will be like today.  I have quite a few loads of washing to do so hoping it stays dry!

Need to get on with some serious tidying up today as I have been procrastinating the last week, although have managed to both sell and list some more dolls, which is good.  I might report back later with what I have achieved!  Just think how exciting that will be ;-)

Have a good Friday everyone.  My baby boy turns 16 tomorrow, how scary is that?  Not that he would appreciate being called that one little bit.  I said he would have to give me a big hug when he went to school today as when he gets home he will that much closer to being older.  He informed me he doesn't give hugs on request or demand.  I should have guessed...

1st October 2012

 1st of October!  My how time flies.  This year seems to be going by so quickly, it is quite frightening at times.  

This month I will no longer have a 15 years old son, but rather one who is soon to be 16!  How is that possible?

I will continue to plug away at decluttering, sorting, tidying, selling and giving away items.  Today I took 11 items to the post office that sold on Evilbay in the weekend, so that is another 11 items less to take up room. 10 of those were dolls, and the other a piece of china.  I have a trolley bag full of 'goodies' to drop off at the charity shop, which I'm hoping to do sometime this week.  Anything of lesser value, that doesn't sell on Evilbay the first time is going straight to charity so there is no mucking around.  If I was a braver person I would do a carboot (Indoor carboot) sale, but I'm not, so I won't.

I've got a few unexpected deadlines to meet now, so the pressure is on!  The lounge and kitchen need to be completely sorted by 10th October ready for the meeting with the DLA inquisitors on the 11th October.  At the moment due to all the sorting of dolls and their clothing and various other china crockery items, my lounge is much much worse than it was!  I've got a day to myself tomorrow so hoping to make a bit of headway with that. 

There are various other rooms in the house that need to be gone through as well, but I'm not going to put any more pressure on myself than I already have, as I know I will just feel bad if I don't achieve those other goals, so I will just work towards the first one for now.

My head/neck and arm pain has been giving me quite a few problems and some days I'm really not able to do anything, which holds up the process somewhat/  Yesterday was one of those days disappointingly where the burning/prickling sensations was driving to the point of complete distraction and I ended up having to go to bed with some pain killers.  On a whole better today, although my head has felt very heavy and painful.

I'm hoping to post some more crafting and interesting things this month to liven the blog up a bit as it seems to be a bit doom and gloom at the moment.  I am still enjoying my quilting group when I can go and have several items at various stages 'on the go', which ideally I'd like to finish.

Our only successful vegetable this year is still producing beans which is nice as the rest of the vegetable garden was a complete disaster due to the lack of summer!