Hi Sue, I think if I had cancer Norman would have fitted it around his golf!  I haven't spoken to any friends as they all think I'm away enjoying myself,  if only.  I've just had my first meal since Wednesday,  the tai curry Lisa sent, it was tasty but I forced it down as the antibiotics upset my tummy.  He's just popped for a pint, shouting as he went, if I can get parked,  like I give a toss!  He's lived on toast since I've been ill because he's too lazy to stick a ready meal in the microwave .  I've tried very hard to live a normal life but many times given up my time for him, unfortunately if you do it all the time you lose contact with people.   My new cleaner arrives tomorrow , she's got her work cut out, my house is like a tip!  Take care Sue, I know you're in a worse situation than me so I appreciate your lovely thoughts and kindness.  Xx

Hi girls. Oh Carol you sound so poorly and down. Not like you at all. Norman needs a kick up the ***, sorry for language. You have probably been overdoing it for quite a while and that’s when these bugs strike you. Look after yourself a little bit more, not easy I know. Hoping you feel better soon. I feel for all you girls . I nursed my lovely husband Dennis with Cancer and lost him 12 years ago. I remember all the hard times and fears and tears and how tired you get. It’s a big strain on yourself as well as him. Still miss him like mad though. I’m all in limbo. In remission now. Wonderful. Just one appt for checkup on the 3rd Dec tomorrow. Now new lump appeared on the 4 th Nov. Rang and told hospital within a few days. I’ve waited and waited and reminded them and in the meantime of course the lump goes to an open sore and. Weeps and bleeds. I’m dressing it every day. At last an appt comes through for the biopsy for the 27th Nov at 11 am exactly the same time , same day as my altered check up. I rang and cancelled check up as biopsy needs to be first. Biopsy couldent be performed as lump had grown bigger and needed more time to be seen to. They said I would have it done within two weeks. Had letter yesterday for biopsy Dec 24 th 3 40 pm. That’s another three weeks wait and then told no appts to be had for my check up until after Christmas, all this through their alterations and delays. I just sat and sobbed . Felt so worried and let down. Anyhow my youngest Sally is ringing them tomorrow to see what can be done. The lump itself is now healing very well but they don’t know that or if it is the cancer or a second benign one. I am hoping and praying it is benign of course. Now the last few days had to ring Gp. Got Cystitis so on few days antibiotics. Immune systems low they say. One blooming thing after another. Lovely day today though. Met up with a bunch of girls who have all lost their other half and we went to our beautiful St Chads Cathedral in Shrewsbury for Lights of love Christmas service for the Hospice. We have kept in touch for over 12 years now. We sang we cried and we laughed together and then went out for lunch. We do this every year and to me this is the start of my Christmas. Sending love and hugs to you all . Gloria xxx

Hello everyone.  Carol, is your throat getting better - you have been taking the antibiotics for a couple of days now.  I just cannot believe how crass your hubby is being towards you; what on earth is going through his mind.  How would he react if you treated him in this way?   Poor Gloria, you have been having a rough time as well; why does everything get so muddled with NHS appointments so often?  Very stressful for  you I imagine.It is lovely that you have kept up with the people wfrom the hospice whom you got to know.  I don't really know Shrewsbury very well although I spent a week just outside there a few years ago.  Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many people.  Paul has been in bed all day coughing and spluttering; he is not too much bother; I just renew his warm brandy and honey every now and again and take him soup or something that he can swallow without too much grief.  Muffin has been stretched out on the settee when we haven't been out for walkies so it's been quite a quiet day.  Between Paul coughing and groaning from the next room and Muffin who gets disturbed by all the noise and wanders around the bed to find a new place to settle down I have been having little sleeps on the settee during the day.  I must get my Christmas shopping completed in the next couple of days and as for Christmas cards I haven't even started.  Must get going with these.  Take care of yourselves and I hope your throat stops hurting so much Carol.  Annie

Dear Carol, I can relate to a lot of what you are saying, And yes we did draw the short straw, but somehow when we feel a little better and our men are doing a little more to help us, we push those dark thoughts to the back of our mind and do what we have to and cope.  Don't overdo it today, sorting out bedding and the like.

Gloria, what a horrible time for your biopsy.  Goodness knows how long you will wait for the results with Christmas and New Year just after,  Hoping Sally can convinve them into giving you an earlier time so it can all be sorted quickly, and lessen your stress and worry,

Annie, Hope Paul's illness is improving and he is coughing less so you can get a solid stretch of sleep instead ot catnaps.  I was thinking I may go Friday and do some Christmas shopping>  Was thinking today I should get the wreath out so I can put it on the front door.  At least make a little effort for Christmas, 

I received a sympathy card today from Neil's work mates.  A note inside explained the reason for it being sent now.  Thy wanted to get a large one so they could all write in it, but as they couldn't find one, one of the guys made it himself.  The sentiments inside were lovely, I had to stop a couple of times reading it, as I couldn't see through the tears.

Take care all, and get well soon Carol.  Love Sue xx

 

Carol, you should perhaps do a Tracey Emin and auction your bed to the highest bidder.  Or maybe it has not got quite that bad yet?!?

Yes it was, I just climbed out of it this morning and abandoned it!  How people sleep in unmade beds is beyond me .  So the new girl turned up, told her what to do, said I wasn't well so stayed downstairs,  I should have known when she turned up in wellies that she's not a house person!   So the bed has been made minus it's sheet (still hanging on the bannister with the clean bottom pillow cases ) so I have had to strip it and start again great when you're already breathless.   Buttons the wrong way , six inches of empty space at the top of the duvet cover  so no warmth.   I'm fuming as this is costing  £27 for two hours !  So a com -plaint is sent to the Company,  who have just rang, no charge today and oh, the girls only 23 years old, I was married,  working full time and pregnant with Faye at that age and new how to make a BED!  I'm not good when poorly, as you have  gathered,  I told the owner that I probably sounded like the wicked witch of the West but she was very polite and said NO!  Mind the money that Tracey Emin made would come in handy,  didn't one of the cleaner's at the gallery tidy it up?  Maybe I should get her number! !

Hi Ladies,
You're not having much luck Carol.  Hopefully when she comes next time she does a better job.  Makes you wonder how her bed is made at home.  If you're paying for a service you excpect it will be done properly.  The cleaner from the gallery mightn't be such a bad idea.  Hopefully you are starting to feel a little better by now.  

I did put the wreath on the front door.  No lights or anything yet, hoping Nick might do those for me if he has a spare weekend.  I did order a Twig Christmas tree though.  It's not as big as the one Tree I have.. I can barely reach the top of it.  The new one is only five feet tall and just twigs with lights in the twigs.  The cats may not even bother with it much, so that will be a bonus.  Last year the tree got a beating from Cookie.  The tree had been dismantled by the time we got Mr. Higgins.  But I think he would be even worse and more destructive than Cookie was last year.  So no glass baubles again.

Hope you have all had a good day.

Take care and lots of love.  Sue xx

Dear Sue, I am feeling a little better today. Anyway you took me back with Xmas trees , we always had a real one and when Lisa got married they went to Scotland for New Years eve and left Barney the kitty with us, not allowed out as a house cat!  So every time someone went out we had to shout "don't let the kitten out!"  Two days later Barney disappeared,  panic stations,  we looked everywhere even outside,  ask neighbours if they had seen him, no one could find him.  I was thinking keep calm, he'll turn up, don't let Lisa know.   By the time it was dark I had given up hope,  switched the tree lights on the real six foot Christmas tree,  sat with a glass of wine and awaited my fate of being called a kitten killer!  I couldn't understand why my baubles kept moving thinking the heat from the lights must be doing it, but it kept happening and I was worried they may cause a fire with the sap on the branches,  so I took a closer look and this little paw sprung out and attacked me on my nose.  The little blighter had been hiding in it all day having stretched out on the thick branches making itself a comfy bed, so I ended up with  scratch right down the middle of my nose for New Year but didn't get murdered by my new son in law and daughter!   All my cards written today,  last present wrapped, feeling less stressed and not keeping myself awake with the rumble breathing, thank goodness for penicillin .  Love Carol xx 

I'm still very hurt and upset over hubby's treatment of me whilst I could hardly stand up, so yesterday morning no sign of him again so I made my tea and left him alone, he surfaced at late mid morn and never said a word, the day was tense because when I'm in this frame of mind I stand my ground.  He went for a drink at 5 pm, came back at 6.15 and I put a ready made meal in for him and left him to it.  I stayed in bed this morning as the weather is dark and pouring down, made myself a cup of tea drank it in bed,  had a shower and still he stayed in bed, it's now 11.30 and he has only just surfaced, at this rate he might as well not get up at all!  The sweat is pouring off of me and my tooth hurts as I can't wear my tooth guard because then I can't breathe,  maybe that's the answer,  suffocate myself !! So Gloria how are you doing please be aware we will always listen in this lovely little group of ladies, it's weird really as I've just realised that two of us are fighting to save husbands ans two of us have lost that  battle .  I'm not a nasty person I never fall out with anyone but this husband of mine pushes me to the limit.   Harry is a little wary of him and Norman has noticed that and tried hard last time to be more approachable but Harry is sensitive and sweet like his Mummy so knows when people are being unkind,  I think hubby is jealous of our relationship as we adore each other and Harry shows that.  Sue the tree sounds more manageable than a real one, two years ago we bought an imitation one because I was struggling to drag the five foot real one out the car,  into the house and crawl underneath to pot it, then reverse that after New years! ! Hope you are doing as well as you can all of you . Love and hugs,  Carol xx