2013 |
|
| 1 JANUARY 2013 I'm back up and running. I just found out because the spammers have started already.... just received email notification that one is trying to register in the forum! He/she has buckleys!!!! I'm off to delete the application and put them on my BANNED list of IP addresses! Jason has been very sick today... he was in tears when I was through with him a little while ago. I think we may have hit on a solution for his cluster headaches (won't get rid of them ever but maybe we have a solution to control them).He's seeing his GP on Friday. I'm off to make dinner. |
|
| 2 JANUARY 2013 Never let it be said that prayers don't work! Jason told me yesterday that he was going to take himself up to the hospital around 4am today to get a hit of oxygen. He can time his cluster headaches... knows exactly how much relief time he has between them. I went to bed last night (this morning??) and prayed that he wouldn't get an Indian or foreign doctor. I have nothing against Indians, they are wonderful friendly, genuine people, but as doctors... they stink! I also begged the Lord to have someone who would help him and not just fix him temporarily and send him on his way. My prayers were answered!!!!! Jason just gave me the low down on his hospital visit.. he was in tears relating the events to me because he got a doctor (Aussie) and Nurse (Aussie) and Nurse's Assistant (Aussie) who ACTUALLY CARED. He had me in tears too. It wasn't enough that they gave him relief with the oxygen, the doctor disappeared and returned with literature on 'cluster headaches' and a list of medications that could help. He was crying ... because he couldn't believe the attention he was receiving.... someone cared!! He told her his situation re work... being a permanent casual for Leslie G Ross... an undertaker at night and an IT consultant during the day. If he doesn't work... no $$$$$ so he didn't know if he'd be able to afford the medications. The doctor discussed the medications with him and disappeared.... she came back with a supply of several meds to keep him going for 2 weeks (gratis) and hopefully they would carry him through so he could work make some $$$$ and have time to get to his GP with the info she gave him so they can work out a regime. She's doing a letter for his GP... Jason looked to see if she had a name tag but couldn't see one so he'll have to wait until he sees his GP before he can find out her name. I suggested (once his headaches are gone) that he write to the Patient Liaison Officer and praise her for what she did to help him..... excluding the details of the supply of meds she gave him. If he doesn't I WILL... I may do it anyway because even if I get crap service at the hospital this doctor deserves to be recognized for being a truly caring doctor. For those of you who don't know... Jason set up the Artistry Forum for me and sorted out all our teething problems years ago. He knows how much it means to me. I have my old Jason back.... let's just hope she's got him on the right track and they disappear again. Like I said ... never underestimate the power of prayer. ********************************* 10 hours and counting since Jason's last headache!!! Hasn't had a recurrance since his last one disappeared at 5am this morning at the hospital. Keeping fingers crossed. |
|
19 January 2013
I was totally fed up yesterday with the continual computer problems so I went on strike, shut it down and took a break. Even went to bed early without booting up to check mail. Then today I checked my web mail and my heart is in my throat. I've always known my members were special and their emails prove it. I can't believe their generosity and it humbles me. It only took one person to make a suggestion and they all followed suit..... they're all so special. I don't want to have to ask for $$$$ so let's wait and see what happens after I check with my host. I know many of you are on pensions or benefits and couldn't possibly afford to contribute, so I don't want to embarass anyone. Right now I only pay $70 a year for the site plus the cost of the 'Domain" which escapes me, but I think it's about $20. I pay for these from the fees from the class lessons so the Masters can be free of cost. OK.. I have to do grocery shopping today so won't be back online until tonight. It's 7:30am here right now. I'll contact my host and work things out from there. I found a new link but was waiting for Jason to double check it for me so I don't make a mistake and contact the wrong people. It's stinking hot here so I'm not looking forward to today. We've been having extreme temperatures all over this country. Our Aussie friends will agree... it's been horrendous. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for caring so much and I love you all for it. |
|
| 20 January 2013 OK.. here's the latest saga... Last Tuesday, when the rain finally stopped I decided to do the pile of washing that had built up since the previous Thursday. First load done... I noticed a coin in the machine once it was emptied. So I leaned in to remove it so it wouldn't cause problems by getting jammed in the workings of the machine. Not a good idea!!! It's a 'top loader' so as I leaned in I felt a double crunch under my lower ribs and I heard cracking at the same time. I let out a piercing scream but there was no-one around to hear me. Jason and Jared finally showed their faces and under advice from "Dr." Jason I sat down and rested while he took care of the rest of the washing. He had me cough.. and that was OK.. didn't hurt. He said I probably bruised some muscle around my ribs and with rest it would eventually heal. That's the last time I'll take HIS advice!!! I tried to go to bed Tuesday night... couldn't... lifting up my legs caused me extreme pain under my ribs. I persisted, but found I couldn't lie down either, the further back I went, the stronger the pain. So I got a pile of spare blankets, folded them to make a wall of 'pillows', edged my way on to the bed and went to sleep sitting up. Woke up Wednesday morning, lying down... getting out of bed was torture. Jason had gone to work, Jared wasn't around so I had no help. I put up with it all day and was terrified at the thought of going to bed when the time came. I sat up until 2:30am filling in time creating tutorials but couldn't keep my eyes open. So I grabbed a couple of pillows put them on my desk and tried to sleep with my head resting on the desk... that didn't last, wasn't working. So I tried the bed again.... and let out an unholy scream... Jason came running to help. He set up the wall of blankets for me, helped me into bed and again I slept sitting up. I told him I wanted to go to the hospital in the morning. I got no sleep, went through hell having a shower. The short drive to the hospital was hell too, every bump in the road caused me pain. The triage nurse gave me a pain killer, took all the details and suggested I sit and wait to be called. Couldn't sit... the seats were too low so again I was moaning loudly and crying from the pain. She got me a wheelchair and it was hell getting into that too, but she said I wouldn't have to get out of it until I went for an x-ray and I'd get a stronger pain killer before that. I had a 5 minute wait before a doctor called my name... I freaked... it was the idiot who prescribed penicillin when I saw him last year. I told Jason as he was wheeling me towards him.... he told me to stop freaking out. We got into the consult room and this idiot asked me what was wrong... went through the whole story. He said I'd have to get up on the bed so he could check my breathing and the pain area. I told him again there was no way I was getting on the bed (which was too high anyway) because I couldn't lie flat on my back. He insisted that if he couldn't check me there was nothing he could do for me. I was losing it quickly.... I told him the triage nurse said I wouldn't have to get out of the wheelchair until I got a stronger pain killer and had to get the x-ray and what part of "I can't lie flat on my back in bed" didn't he understand?????!!!!! He had me in tears!!! Jason interrupted and asked if he couldn't check me standing up????? Fortunately, he agreed to this. He went off to get me the pain killer... that took ages... and it took another 10 minutes before it started to work. While he was off getting the pain killer I got a lecture from Jason, telling me to calm down or I'd get nowhere with this fool. I took his advice, the idiot did the check with me standing, breathing OK... and he organised the x-ray. That done I was wheeled back to the consult room. He checked out the x-rays, couldn't see any fractures or breaks. Jason had gone home before I went for the x-rays to let Jared know what was happening. Dr Idiot was trying to decide on what kind of pain meds to prescribe for me. I asked if I could get the same one he had already given me... he wanted to give me Panadine Forte, which I've had before and never work for me. I sucked up to him like Jason suggested and finally got my own way. Since he said the damage would probably heal in about 5 days he'd give me enough 'Endone' to cover that time period. He also prescribed Mobic which I have to take for 5 days. Fine.... I thought..... I'm almost out of here... Went straight to the hospital Pharmacy. They didn't have a supply of either so I would have to go to my local pharmacy BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SCRIPTS. Dr. Idiot hadn't filled in the dosage or the quantity of either medication. They tried to contact him... he'd disappeared... wasn't answering his phone. I waited for 15 minutes while they kept trying. Called Jason and told him to come and collect me. In the meantime I went back to the Triage nurse, explained the problem, and asked if she could track him down for me. Within a minute or so she had him in tow.... I told him there was a problem with the scripts.. he couldn't or didn't want to understand. However I did convince him to go to the pharmacy. The problem finally got fixed. We left, Jason brought me home and went off to get the meds. Here's hoping Dr Idiot didn't miss anything in the x-rays and I manage to get some sleep. Life is never dull with me... everything's a drama!! Life used to be so simple... way back when... *S* Now it's like a soap opera!!! Well... that's all folks! (until the next drama) *S* |
|
| 21 January 2013 |
|
22 January 2013 First, a HUGE thank you to each and every one of you for your caring, your kindness and your prayers. The pains have gone, for good.. I hope. I got a mostly decent night's sleep last night. Was woken up by the phone ringing (I thought it was in a dream...LOL!) finally realised it was actually my phone... rolled out of bed... of course it stopped ringing! Went back to bed, some time later it rang again... this time I made it half way to the phone and far enough to see the time... 6am!!!! Of course it stopped before I could get to it! Went back to bed.... got up around 9am. Went through to get a coffee and Jason was home... asked him if he caught the phone call...yep... It was my cousin from Sydney! He told her the first time she rang that I was asleep and said he'd let me know she rang. She rang again 15 minutes later and when Jason answered again she said nothing.... just hung up... typical !! I would call her but I'd be on the phone forever, playing psychiatrist, she'd probably throw any advice back in my face as usual and don't want to pay for a long distance call that will cause me stress so... I emailed her. Who calls anyone at 6AM?????? I have an appointment with a Podiatrist tomorrow afternoon... goodbye corns I hope. I think they're caused by the fact my toes are twisted like my hands and create extra pressure on some areas. NOW.... I downloaded too many emails to answer individually, with offers of help to keep the Artistry site from crashing because of exceeded bandwidth. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart and I have to stop myself from being embarrassed, since I'm under orders from many of you to do so. *S* I will take up the offer for donations but I have to wait until Jason gets a chance to insert a link somewhere on the site... not smart enough to do it myself.... If this leg ulcer ever goes I will save money on dressings etc. and won't need $$$$ help. I am truly humbled by your support, caring and love..... I was in tears when I saw all the emails... I downloaded every one of them! I can't think of enough ways to thank you all. It has taken me a couple of days for all your generosity and caring to sink in. So I am sorry for not thanking you sooner. I'm just glad I'm still here and able to email all of you. You have no idea what thoughts were going through my head while I was in E.R. |
|
23 January 2013 |
|
| 25 January 2013 Went to the Podiatrist on Wednesday.... he was amazed I could walk at all. Because my toes are twisted (like me *S*) the pressure on my feet builds up in all the wrong places. I had a rather large corn on each foot under the middle toes. Because I had them for so long the corns had dug well into the flesh and ... the one on the left foot drew blood when it was removed and was a millimetre from ulcerating (is that a proper word?). The one on my right foot had become an ulcer but it was caught in time we hope. I freak every time I hear the word ULCER! I don't want to lose any toes!!!! That's not going to happen..... *S* I have to go back next Wednesday to have them checked and see if the medication he used is working to get them to heal. My feet feel better so hopefully whatever he did is working. He's really nice, about Jason's age and has a great sense of humour. I'm not allowed to get my right foot wet so I asked him if he had a gas mask ready for next week when he checks my stinky foot!!! He laughed. Hey you have to laugh... this is just another thing to add to my "What's wrong with you" list. It has been raining steadily here for the past couple of days...thank the Lord! We're expecting it to last until Monday and it's badly needed. North of us got the worst of it from the latest cyclone, roads are flooded and some areas cut off completely. Been an horrendous month with fires and now floods. The Carbon Tax we had to have hasn't helped the climate!!!!!!!!!!! Oh... I almost forgot... went to the blood suckers last week... got a full blood test for things that are not on my regular monthly tests. Looks like I have to tear myself away from the computer for a couple of hours a day and get out in the sun.... oops! My Vitamin D level is 16 and the doc told me it should be around 70!!!!!! Looks like that's going to have to wait until the rain stops. AND I have to cut down on the chocolate... that's not a problem..... I'm thinking maybe because I had a Mars Bar about an hour before I went for the test that didn't help with the sugar count... hmmm? I totally forgot not to eat anything like that. I can hear Kay (kayt) tut tutting at me.... sorry Kay :-( I promise I'll do as I've been told. OK... that's it from me. Thanks for listening. |
|
| 27 January 2013 Here in Hervey Bay the worst is over from the storm cell created by Cyclone Oswald. I am safe and we didn't suffer much damage... a few broken branches and the garden area around our pool is like a second swimming pool... no big deal... thank God! It was scary though... I couldn't go to bed last night, the gale force winds worried me. Went to bed late this morning and when I woke it was all over. It started here on Thursday and has taken until now Sunday to pass over the area. It's very slow moving and very destructive. Win and I live in the Wide Bay area and rainfall here in different areas has been between 200ml (8inches) to 480ml (20inches). Win lives in Bundaberg, about an hours drive north of me... I believe many homes have lost power and I do know that the area had 5 mini tornados that left a path of destruction. The Burnett river looks like it is going to flood the city again (as it did in 2011). It's heartbreaking. I tried to phone Win but got no answer.... she lives near the Burnett River but has told me in the past that her home is on a hill so here's hoping she is OK. Perhaps she has been one of those who have lost power so she may be unable to let us know her situation. I'll keep trying to contact her. I think Lana is the next of my members who is going to cop it, she lives on Bribie Island, just north of Brisbane. She will surely be cut off from the mainland. Further south I have more members living on the east coast of this country who are in for a battering if this storm cell doesn't weaken. Right now it looks like it has no intention doing so. In New South Wales Denise is one of those members who lives right on the coast, Molly another close to the coast, and Marion who is a little inland but if the cell stays the same size could also be in trouble. The winds have caused havoc already in Brisbane. 300 households in Bundaberg have been told to evacuate NOW because the Burnett River will break its banks within the next hour and a half. Townships all down the south east coast of Queensland have set up evacuation centres. At present there are 58,000 homes without power. Many areas in it's path north of here have been devastated... homes lost and rivers overflowing. I pray that it eventually weakens or changes direction and moves out to sea. This is so much worse than the 2011 floods. In the left image below the arrows show where it began... far north Queensland and is heading down the entire east coast. The right hand image is South East Queensland... a close up of the top section of the storm cell on the left.   I don't know how we have been so lucky to have minimal damage when others around us have lost everything. Keep those in the storm cell's path in your thoughts and prayers. |
|
28 January 2013 I have tried to contact Win with no success. This could be for 2 reasons... the land lines (phones) may be disconnected, or she may have had to evacuate her home. This is the latest news..... The Queensland town of Bundaberg is bracing for torrents rushing in at 40 knots and authorities ordered thousands of people to evacuate before the Burnett River hits a record high. Tornadoes and storms across the eastern seaboard have killed at least three people, isolated thousands of families and left 250,000 properties without power. "The velocity of the water and the rises in the water levels means that literally houses, particularly in north Bundaberg, and maybe other locations, could be swept away," said Queensland's premier, Campbell Newman. The mayor of Bundaberg, Mal Foreman, said the floods would be "far worse" than those of two years ago, which left 35 people dead across Queensland. "[The flooding has] already exceeded the 1942 flood and we are not far from the record flood of 1893 where it was 9 metres," he said. Bruce Grady, from Emergency Management Queensland, said 1,000 people had been airlifted to safety from the north of Bundaberg. "I understand that the last rescue was being undertaken there, but those choppers will continue to fly over just to make sure that nobody's been missed." I just hope and pray Win is safe and the people of Bundaberg survive this disaster. |
|
|
|