My Time in Hospital (Day 2)

Continuing on from my last blog post takes us to Saturday 8th July. I weirdly woke up at like 5.30am and was content with that (that's how you know things aren't right, I'd normally be sleeping until the afternoon!) I didn't feel too in pain (thanks to all the meds) but I felt really sick, but I wasn't sick - which was actually super annoying because I'd rather just BE sick than feel it all day. So I spent the day clutching a sick bowl, just for in case.

I had breakfast, and then one of the ward staff came to help me have a wash, and I finally changed into my own nightie rather than the hospital gown. I got visited by physio, and they took me to have a go at walking on my crutches, and to have a go going up/down stairs as I'd told them I would have to when I got home. It all went well, but got cut short a little bit by me feeling quite unwell, so I went back to bed as my head went all fuzzy. But they gave me a zimmer frame with elbow rests to use, as it was similar to my crutches and would make life a bit easier. They also got me a proper leg rest, as my foot had been resting quite low down since the surgery.

Then I got a visit from Occupational Therapy (my OT had e-mailed ahead about me, to make sure I got good care, bless her!) just to check I had everything I needed to have some life when I returned home, and everything was fine there too, as my OT had been super prepared in getting me all the bits I need. 

Asides from that, and spending the day feeling sick, the only other eventful thing that happened was when it came to dinner time, and I'd accidentally ordered a bizarre dinner, as I didn't know how the menus worked!! There was like, a list split up with bold lines, and I thought I had to tick one per section... So I was set to be having like 3 different meal choices in one... But thankfully the lady bringing the food round let me know that it seemed a bit odd, and she let me re-adjust my menu when she'd let me know how it works... Silly me! Guess that's what happens when you give someone whose had anaesthetic a task to do! 

Simon visited me, and we played games and chilled out for a bit. But in the evening I started to get a weird pain in my heel, that wouldn't go even if I took pain relief. No one seemed to know what it was, and one of the ward staff got a doctor to come and see me to see if he could help and he said they would see how it was in the morning to see what they would do with it.... It was pretty agonising by this point, but I tried to just grin an bare it and get some sleep. 

And that was my Saturday, I was just grateful to not be sick (despite hating the fact that I felt sick) and felt pretty good everything else wise for the day. I ate all my meals (they were yummy!) But unfortunately ended the day on a bit of a downer. 

Tune in next time to hear about Sunday! 
TTFN, ta ta for now!

Let the Countdown Begin!

Hello folks! Sorry it's been so long, I lost my blogging head somewhere, but now I'm screwing it back on!

Nice pic of my feet for you!

So, we're officially 5 weeks and 1 day away until my planned surgery day!! (July 7th!) I'm a mixture of excited and nervous. I'm excited for the prospect of my foot being straight and being able to walk properly on it... But nervous about the whole... Surgery, potential infections, 6 weeks of being a cast... That stuff. But I'm trying to keep excited about it and not worry too much about it yet, as we're still a few weeks away. 

Basically, as you can see in this picture, my foot doesn't point the right way anymore, and it's impossible for me to move it, so walking on it is gradually destroying my ankle/ everything around my ankle joint, and it really hurts to walk on... So my lovely surgeon is going to clean up the inside of the joint and put a rod and some nails in there to fuse my ankle joint and my subtalar joint, so I won't be able to move it anymore, but it won't be stuck in a silly position, so it won't hurt any more (fingers crossed - assuming everything goes well!) 

Then I've got a wonderful long recovery to look forward to with approx. 6 weeks in a full cast (non weight-bearing) and approx. 6 more weeks in a 'moon boot' (weight-bearing) and then AT LEAST 3 months until a full recovery, walking etc. BUT, what that does mean (as I counted in my diary) is that I could potentially be walking properly before we hit 2018! Which is crazy, but it'd be awesome if that is the case! 

I'm seeing the anaesthetist on the 13th June to check everything's going to be okay for my general anaesthetic, so I'm readying myself to be prodded and poked. Hopefully that all goes well and then we've just got to prepare for the surgery!!! So, if anyone has any tips/advice, feel free to comment and share them with me! We've got some things planned/getting sorted to make life easier, but I am not looking forward to being stuck in a cast for 6 weeks!!

My first items on Etsy!

So that's all of that, now I know I promised I'd write shorter blogs from now on - I lied! Mwahaha! I will try to from now on though... But while we're here I thought I'd let you know I decided to start my own little business venture! I've opened up an Etsy store - which only has 3 necklaces in so far, but I will be improving/expanding it shortly! I plan on this being something I can do while I'm stuck in a cast, as I can pretty much cross stitch anywhere! Woo! Go visit me at: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GeronimoCraftsUK and like I say, there'll be more soon... I'm getting there! (did I plug that subtly enough?)

Right! I'm going to go, and I promise to try and follow up on my word of blogging more, and shorter blogs....

TTFN, ta ta for now!

Reading Back...

So, I decided to re-read my whole blog - everything I've ever written, from April 2014 to now... Wow, I never realised how much I'd actually wrote, and some of the things I've said. It took me over an hour, but it was a nice reminder of how things have been and how much has happened.

I realised I'm pretty good at saying things and contradicting myself a little bit, so I decided I'd do a little update on things I've said and things as they are now.

Find more of my crafts at:
https://www.facebook.com/GeronimoCrafts/

Firstly, 'Forever' - the business venture I took on for a whole 5 minutes. Haha! I said I would Blog about it at some point, and I never did, because I gave it up pretty fast... Turns out I'm not very good at motivating myself to do something I'm not really invested in. Which is a shame, but it was a lesson learnt. I am however attempting a new business venture (no promises yet though!) of being a crafter and selling the things I make - a much more doable business venture as it's actually something I enjoy!

Secondly, my sudden switch between "I'm going to do this all naturally from now on!"  to "GIVE ME ALL THE NHS PRESCRIPTIONS NOWWWWW!" - a few months ago I was preaching about how amazing it is to do everything naturally and using no nasty chemicals... Well, that was another lesson learnt, I went back to using medication because I realised that my Arthritis is never going to be cured naturally. It's about discovering the balance - yes nature can help, eating healthily and excersising is obviously very much suggested, but if diseases could be cured naturally, we'd all be walking around fit as fiddles. Don't get me wrong - if Aloe Vera and other natural things are what do it for you, then good for you - you do you! But the whole 'nature' thing didn't really do it for me, and it's probably a good thing I didn't stick to it seeing as I have an ankle which is fused in the wrong position - which would only have got far worse without medical intervention. So, big up the NHS! I'm sorry for briefly not loving you. (Although I still don't like medication and dream of not having to have it!)

Lastly, (I'm not sure if I forgot any, but I'm sure I'll blog about it if I did! - or you can just comment it mentioning it if I did miss anything that I've never cleared up!) I'm going to try and go back to my original state of blogging, where I wrote shorter blogs, more often. As I realised that my more recent posts are SOOO LONG, and I applaud you for bothering to read them fully (if you did!) But I personally found it more enjoyable reading my short, regular blogs than my essay long blogs... So look out for them! 

By the way, if you do regularly read these, or just fancy keeping in the know, you can actually subscribe to the blog, somewhere at the bottom of this page, I think.... Or you can follow by e-mail by putting your e-mail in at the side >>>>>>>
I don't know, I've been doing this for nearly 3 years now and I still have no idea what's going on with all this stuff at the side of the page, I'll have to have a gander!

Cheers for reading,
TTFN, ta ta for now! :)

I'm Having a Good Day...

Hey there! I hope you're well! Like I said in the title, I'm writing this because I'm having a good day. (Well, as good as a day with a blood test in it can be!)

I've been meaning to post a blog update for a little while because everything's been happening lately! But the side effects of all my medication have been a little poo, and I didn't want to write a moody blog, so I thought I'd wait! But it's finally time, and I'm going to format it like I did last time I think, because it made it a bit easier to read (in my opinion - but let me know if you disagree!)

Image from www.arthritisresearchuk.org

So, firstly... I've finally seen an Orthapedic about my silly immovable ankle and he's going to refer me to someone in Grantham hospital about doing an ankle athrodesis (a.k.a. ankle fusion) on me. Here's a picture of what an ankle fusion looks like... Basically they clean up the inside of your ankle joint and use screws to put it in a good position, that should no longer cause any pain... But you sacrifice most of your ankle joint movement... I don't have much of that anyway so that's all good with me. My ankle has actually already fused itself essentially - but because it's done it in a way that was "comfortable" for me it's not at a very good angle and makes it difficult for me to walk. Basically it'd be good because it'd hopefully get me walking without aid again (and my gosh, I would love that!) Walking with crutches is so darn tiring!

And on that note, I started Physio last week for my ankle and knee! I got set some exercises to strengthen my knees/hips so they're a bit more ready for if I have the surgery. I also got a pair of gutter crutches to test out as I was struggling with normal crutches due to my left elbow not straightening. They basically give you a bit to rest your whole forearm on, and straps it down with a handle at the end, so the pressure is more on your upper arms/shoulders instead of your elbows. So far they've been great! I can walk a lot further with them without having to stop for breaks as they're causing less pain, so it's less exhausting. They are a bit heavier than normal crutches though, and I can feel it in my upper arm muscles today! With a bit more practice I should be fine though!

I started back on Methotrexate a few weeks ago, so now I'm on.... Humira, Methotrexate, Prednisolone (steroids) and Folic Acid for the Arthritis, and the pill (because you have to be on some sort of contraceptive while on Methotrexate) and Cetirizine because I appear to be allergic to the red ink in my tattoo...All the pills! (It could be worse) But I'm getting plenty of horrible side effects - I've started making a list in my diary ready for when I see my nurse next. I had my first Migraine.... OUCH! I apologise if I've ever called your migraine a headache.... They're so painful! I've had headaches too, swollen/heavy eye lids, heartburn, and a whole lot of nausea. Booooooooo!! But I'm getting on with it like a good girl so I don't get told off by any rheumatolagists! 

Just so you all know, I've recently started blogging for Arthur's Place - a magazine and social network for young people with Arthritis. You can find my blog at: http://arthursplace.co.uk/the-life-of-a-spoonie/ but I would definitely suggest you give the other blogs a read too! And if you suffer with arthritis yourself join the group on Facebook - Arthur's Place Social, it's honestly been so useful to me and to many others to have someone to talk to whose in the same boat.


And that's all from me this blog I suppose... Oh yeah! Except news for anyone who doesn't already know - Simon and I got engaged! Which is all exciting and awesome! So my new aim is to get myself walking unaided ready for me to walk down the aisle! So it's all happy days for me! I'll be back again soon, but in the meantime, don't forget to check out my blog on Arthur's Place! (I manage to blog a little more often there as someone prods me to get it done! Haha!) But maybe that'll spread and I'll manage to blog here more often, who knows? 

Right, TTFN, Ta ta for now! :)