Syliva, I am so very sorry for your loss, I know how it feels, my husband passed away in October and I miss him so much, I too wish they could let us know they are ok.  There are lots of people on here going through the same terrible time who will offer support.  Sending love to you Debbie xxxxxx

Hi Debbie, how are you?  hope your ok , not been to good these last couple of days you seem to be ok ,then you seem to  take  steps back again. Went to a memorial service at the crem where my husbands service was every one that was there has lost a loved one in the last 12 month, it was very moving and sad at the same time . take care Syl x

Hi Syl

Think I would ring up to see why so long too as having the results hanging over your head must make you feel anxious and you may find it is because they do not see it as urgent (on the plus side).  This may also be a case of them seeing how the antibiotics help too.  My hubby had three lots of antibiotics before they moved forward to further discussions within the hospital group involved.

Sorry you were not well enough to meet your daughter for lunch but home made soup sounds just the answer to cheer you up so hope you feel up to it.   I have only just started making my own soups and it certainly helps you feel warm inside plus gives me something to do in the evenings rather than just over thinking this time of year in front of the tv. Glad the cough is showing signs of improving albeit slowly so hope the antibiotics are helping too.  My weakness when I have a rotten cold/cough is jelly and icecream  and hot honey drinks though hubby swore by hot toddies.

Was very naughty today as met up with my daughter to hand over grandson's birthday present for tomorrow and ended up enjoying hot chocolate. Was very warming for the chilly walk back home afterwards though. Looks as though I will need to wrap up warm to walk to see my Mum tomorrow.  Though once at the care home will need to peel the layers off as always too warm in there for me. Am going to sort out a few bits to take down for their Christmas Fair. Sadly cannot actually go to the event as am away that weekend visiting friends for pre Cchristmas meal. So manymixed emotions at this time.

Do take care and be kind to yourself. Sending hugs.  Jules xx 

Hi Jules, i managedto go my daughters for my soup it was very nice potato and leek but she put kale in as well  it is surpposed to be good for you, i feel a lot better than i did, cough not has bad , but im hoarse now i think it is with all the coughing .i have been haveing honey and lemon it does ease the  throat .mh hubby also enjoyed a hot toddy i have also tried them they are quite nice. i have rung the dr up my results show i have the start of CPOD they will discus my results with me in Jan all to do with smoking i surpose  wish i had never started  but you dont realise these things when your young.hope you enjoy your meal with your friends,i am out monday for a  xmas meal with my friendship group in a local pub, there is a artist on  a raffle and a game of bingo there called pensioners parties lol  i should  be ok by then , i hope so as im looking forward  to it . hope Debbie ok not heard off her in a while have a nice wk end  regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Been a busy few days so sorry did not get back to you earlier. How lovely that you were able to get to your daughter's place and enjoy homemade soup. Sounded lovely mix.  I have only just begun to make my own and find it quite satisfying.

It must be a relief that the cough is easing and hopefully that will lead to your  hoarseness lessening too giving time for your throat to recover.   It is also sometimes helpful once you actually know what the problem is as you can begin to process things better.  As your results tell you what the diagnosis is I am sure you will learn more when you visit your GP. We have a couple of ladies at our gym who have had COPD for some time and their exercise programmes have been helping with some of the symptons though it will not make it go away of course. They have regular check ups and advice.

I was a social smoker until I had the children when I gave up completely.  Hubby on the other hand smoked from about the age of 14 until the day he died and it was somewhat ironic that his Mesothelioma diagnosis was not a result of this and his consultant was quite amazed at his good oxygen levels until the cancer really took hold. Hopefully you will get plenty of guidance to help control your symptoms and early diagnosis apparently helps.

Hope you have had a lovely meal out with your friendship group; pub food is usually very good.  

I had a bad start to my weekend having found a damp patch on my newly decorated lounge ceiling on the Friday. Long and the short of it is that there has been a slow drip underneath my bath which has now made itself known grr.  Had plumber in and it's been assessed so just waiting for a 'slot' for him to come and repair it (my fault mainly as have a couple of busy weeks with social events/babysitting and appointments plus by two days at work). At least now I now I have been able to protect the floorboards under the bath until it's sorted.  Will have to wait for ceiling to dry out completely and then slap a bit of paint on it.

On Saturday I had my grandsons whilst daughter and son in law went Christmas shopping and then they came back with my Christmas tree which the boys helped to decorate as far as they could reach. They then went home to do their own so much fun in their house too.

Yesterday we took all the grandchildren to meet Father Christmas followed by a pub meal locally. So lovely to have them all together even in 6mth old Darcey was not impressed with the man in red bless her.

Sorry this has turned into a long ramble and really hope you are feeling a lot better and were able to enjoy your Christmas meal out.  Take care. Jules x

Hi  Jules ,its nice to rant sometimes it gets things off your chest .seems to put things in perspective .i had a nice meal with my friendship group there was a singer on he was very good i even managed to have a  dance, one of our group  won a bottle of wine on bingo then she won chocolates on the raffle, it was her lucky day ,i am out tuesday at my local HighSchool for xmas lunch the 6th form put  xmas lunch  on every year for the local community that to is  a lovely meal the 6 form do most of it with the dinner ladies help. hope you get your bathroom sorted its a good job you noticed it ,as it could have been a lot worse.ny cough is a lot better now my voice is nearly back to normal as well , i managed to take george out for a walk to day as well we both enjoyed it as i havnt had him out  for a week,i even managed to write some xmas cards out, even though my heart  wasnt in it  regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Glad you are feeling a little better and managing to get out and about, it's funny I still can't bring myself to go out socialising, the thought of going out without Sam is still too hard for me,maybe in a few months I will feel differently.  I am quite busy at work at the moment.  Take care Debbie xxxx

Hi Syl

Pleased that you are feeling better in yourself and that in turn has helped you enjoy your social events.  I have been kept busy with family events and am  going to my daughters shortly to look after youngest grandson whilst his parents go and watch eldest lad in his school Christmas play.  Should be back home around 9ish though so not a late one.

Am going to visit friends this weekend as a pre-Christmas get together though we just sit and natter and usually have a takeaway; its nice to have the company.  Know what you mean about the xmas card writing but though it always makes me think a lot as I do them, I try now to focus on what it means to those receiving them.  I am so grateful to still be remembered at this time of year too.

Lesss than a month now to when I lost hubby so Christmas is swiftly followed by yet another Anniversary but still trying to look forward and focus on my son's marriage in February (though that too will have mixed emotions I am sure).  Take care and hope you get to walk George again soon.  I do find it helps to be out for at least part of each day.  Jules x

Hi Debbie

Nice to see you posting and offering support to other forum users too.  The mutual understanding means a lot to them I am sure. 

When the time is right you will eventually feel able to accept social invitations.  The first time takes a lot of effort (and deep breathing!!) but once I had taken that initial step I found it a little easier.  It is also still pretty early days for you.  Possibly it was a little easier for me, as due to hubby travelling away for sometimes weeks at a time, I was already used to doing a few things on my own  but nonetheless always felt and sometimes still do get anxious before setting off.  The gym is my main social outlet now and am lucky to see my children/grandchildren once or twice a month (keeping in contact by text/facebook at other times).  Having said that becuase of various events have done a bit of babysitting (like tonight) and am still doing two shifts at work.  Approaching my second Christmas without hubby and the anniversary of  his death in January I do sometimes question where that time has gone and then on other days it all feels like yesterday.  Not sure those emotions will ever change to be honest but feel I owe it to him to keep going and am lucky to have friends and the forum to ramble too!!  Take care of yourself.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, it is nice to feel better  hope it lasts now .i know xmas will be sad for so many people ,you think your the only one  then you think about all the others sad and lonly at this time of year,im sure there are many worse than  us  so we have to try  and make the best of things. it sounds as if your grandchildren keep you happy and  busy , i would love  some but it dosnt seem to be happening  i live in hope lol. it will be nice to catch up with your friends over the week end  it does you good to have a natter  and nice food  as well, hope to see my son on Sunday as he is back from his holiday it seems ages since i saw him,even though i have spoke to him every day on -mail. am out tuesday for xmas dinner at my local high school ,should be nice havnt got any plans  for the week end  .enjoy ur week end with your friends Syl x

Hi Syl

Back from my couple of days catching up with friends though am back to see them again next weekend as we are attending a social gathering together.  The train journey is pretty quick and easy enough and we enjoyed a chinese takeaway on Friday evening as well as having a potter around the village.

Hope you were able to catch a meal with your son today.  I managed a trip to the gym first thing and then did my weekly shop along with some of the non perishable items for Boxing Day entertaining. The rest of the food shop will be on Christmas Eve when I will be on my own once I have popped to see Mum. No doubt that will be my more reflective moments.

Hope you have a good week and do take care.  Jules xx

Hi jules, glad you had a nice week end with your friends  and  had a   nice chinese , i like chinese as well i havnt had one since hubby died as the one we liked from the chippy are far to big for one. had a meal out on sunday with the kids my son enjoyed his holiday ,he is back at work now . enjoyed my xmas meal at my local school we had  the school choir singing carols  and a raffle i won a lovely box of body lotions i dont use them neither does my daughter , so i will donate them to  one of the charity shops . i have just taken george out as its a lovely day here  just going to make my self a coffee and put my feet up ,will go to bingo later as i havnt been for a while with not feeling well  .regards Syl X

Hi jules, glad you had a nice week end with your friends  and  had a   nice chinese , i like chinese as well i havnt had one since hubby died as the one we liked from the chippy are far to big for one. had a meal out on sunday with the kids my son enjoyed his holiday ,he is back at work now . enjoyed my xmas meal at my local school we had  the school choir singing carols  and a raffle i won a lovely box of body lotions i dont use them neither does my daughter , so i will donate them to  one of the charity shops . i have just taken george out as its a lovely day here  just going to make my self a coffee and put my feet up ,will go to bingo later as i havnt been for a while with not feeling well  .regards Syl X

Hi Syl

Good to read that you have been enjoying good days and social events now that you are feeling better.  I bet George was thrilled to being going walkies too and think this gives the day a purpose. When the weather is bright it makes such a difference to how we feel about the day.  Althpough I go out whatever the weather I really do not like this spell of mild damp and dismal weather and am hoping for some more bright, cold seasonal weather.  However, the bonus of not needing the heating on and thus saving money is a good side effect I suppose.

My daughter came round on Wednesday evening to wrap the boys Christmas gifts so we had time for a chat which is always good.  We are all out this evening as we take the boys into London to see the Christmas lights and visit both the new Lego shop and Hamleys as well as having a meal out and then I am away to my friends again for the weekend as we are attending a yearly social event on Saturday evening.

Hope you enjoyed your bingo night.  I used to go regularly before, first my friend moved out of the area and then the hall itself closed as the lease ran out and it was not renewed as they had another use for the space.  My nearest bingo hall now would be two buses away and not really worth doing on my own but I and my friend both miss  our weekly outings just like her husband misses having his weekly get-together over a drink with my hubby.  Am thankful for those good memories though and my friend was an amazing support during our journey with cancer.  She had complete understanding as her son in law has been through two journies with bone cancer and now thankfully is coming  up to 10 years clear.

Well, must get on and have to check how my Mum is doing with the Care home staff. She has been suffering from a very stubborn tummy upset and been isolated in her room and I have been unable to visit in the fear of picking it up or worse still passing it on to the grandchildren especially baby Darcey. If things have improved I will pop down later.

Hope you have a peaceful and pleasant weekend. Take care.  Jules x

Hi jules, hope you have a nice week end with friends again it is nice to get out  the weather here at the moment is quite sunny but its cold , went to a garden centre  for  a festive afternoon tea with my daughter , it was half price when we got there it was the wrong  garden centre so we ended up having  to pay  £10  for one  tea between us  we laughed about it  after, it was nice though. I bet London is nice this time of year , my daughter went the xmas markets in Manchester a few week ago they enjoyed  food and a couple of glasses of mulled wine. I am going to my daughters later were not having  a roast dinner today  were saving it  for xmas dinner  next Sunday at my sons. hope Debbie ok not heard off her in a while  speak to you soon regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Pleasant and relaxing weekend with my friends and a lovely meal at the social event on Saturday evening. On the Sunday we popped to the local golf club (her hubby plays) for their Christmas Raffle draw and drinks before I caught the train back home.  Glad you had a nice afternoon tea with your daughter even if you had to share one after arriving at the wrong garden centre to get a bargain.

We had a nice time up in London with my grandsons and I returned today to have a wander round on my own; lovely atmosphere around the pop up ice rink to enjoy a coffee and cake by.  Will be working tomorrow and Thursday and then enjoy my usual 5 day break with Christmas festivities and the family.

Hope you continue to feel better as am sure it helps with our coping mechanism.  Miss hubby greatly but bet he is keeping an eye on me to make sure I make the most of family time(just as he would have). Take care and wish you and your family a peaceful Christmas and 2017.  Hugs from Jules xx

Hi jules, glad you had a nice time with your friends ,  hope you have a nice christmas  with family  and friends  me and the kids just having a quite dinner just the three of us  my daughters partner might be joining us at the night time, i will be staying over at my sons xmas night, we usually go out boxing day but this year we coudnt face going out , so we are just going  to have  a  meal in  ,it his my hubbys birthday on the 27 dec if the weather is ok we might go for a walk to  a place called spike island, my hubby liked to walk there to see the river Mersey and the new bridge they are building over  the mersey,unfortunately he woundnt live to see it finished. regards have a lovely xmas with your family  Syl x