I'm off to see the Wizard.... and other stories

Howdy folks. Crackpot lil here.

I am going to blog what I have been up to and what I am about to do.

For kickers... I have just had a bit of a poohy week. I ran out of Folic acid and anti-depressant tablets last Wednesday. ordered them from docs should have picked them up Friday. Thursday I felt so sick and achy and painy that I stayed in bed. Got up Friday to accompany daughter to doctors she seems to have some sort of urinary/kidney problem. (Second visit after anti-biotics)

Before I knew it Saturday dawned, (I think), felt sicky, had forgotten to get tabs from docs so by then been without folic acid (which I take daily except metho day) and the old happy pills, for 3 days.

Sunday came and went in a bit of a blur, by now my hands were puffy and all my joints ached. Just co-incidence or was this side affect of Metho because I hadn't taken the FA? But why the puffiness. I give up I have no idea. As far as I know all my bloods are normal.

I am really envious of those people who have only been diagnosed for a short time but seem so much more clued up and in tune with what their body is telling them. I think my body must be talking a different blooming language!

Decided by Monday that I was going into semi-retirement, told His Right Honourable Leader of the farm, so he was sent into a depression. He misses me? Hmmm well I miss me too... so we had lots of heart to hearts over the

next couple of days.

Emerged this morning, like a butterfly from a caterpillar (yeah right, more like an elephant moth from a grub!). Feeling better, back on full quota of tabs since Monday... glitch over I hope, but knees def unstable and elbows and shoulder pains have returned. Wrist and fingers painful too..

I am, this afternoon attending a Rheumatoid Education course, being run by the OT in conjunction with the RA department of my Hospital and hoping to learn lots more. It will be interesting to see whether I have learnt more from you lovely people than they tell me. It runs for the next 7 weeks, so am hoping to take RH next week as it is helpful for partners, carers or anyone else interested in your immediate family/peer group. I think this is brilliant and wished I knew about it sooner... but that's another story.

RH son and heir and I are in the throes of re-structuring (gosh sounds awfully industrial) as I have now effectively given up working on the farm. I want to be able to enjoy the times when I am well, doing things I want to do, like housework (ha ha ha). I know am very lucky to have the choice, but it does mean tightening belts and eating gruel for the next goodness knows how many years.....

Alls well on the farm, lambs are frolicking in the rain! we have two new calves (I don't know how they got into the back of the livestock trailer, but they were there when we got home from market - says RH and son and heir) Peculiar that. We have just decided we can't afford a new grass machine, so the knackered old one will have to do the job this season. We are all geared up now to make lots and lots of hay and haylage to sell to horsey people up country.

Bill the charolais bull is back out with the ladies enjoying himself. Hopefully.

So, as I am supposed to be getting the VAT done (again!) I will leave it there..

Wishing everyone a happy peaceful and restful time (we can hope

Take care me buddies (that's devonshire for my beauties, which is self explanatory - apparently!)

Love Julie xxx

[LavendarLady]

Hi Julie, What a time you've had. Glad you are now feeling a bit better. Clearly a lot going on down on the farm but I think you are wise to give up doing so much work on the farm. I know it can be very hard work as my Uncle farmed 600 acres in the North of England and going up there in the school holidays to help was quite backbreaking. I got very good at chucking stooks around and heaving hay up into the barn! I was diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago but still feel as if I am getting to grips with the RA. On MTX and Enbrel + assorted other medication (I have Angina, no thyroid, blood pressure which fluctuates up and down so take tablets every other day, statins, etc etc - very boring.) In Norfolk we say "bootiful" - shades of Bernard Matthews - the turkey king. Glad to see Bill is enjoying himself with his ladies. We had an Aberdeen Angus although I can't now recall his name who once booted me over the fence and into the midden as I had the effrontery to wander across his field when he was with his ladies. I was about 8 at the time! I stank to high heaven and my Aunt had to undress me outside and hose me down! Take Care of yourself. LavendarLady

[Hidden in reply to LavendarLady]

Hi, thanks for the encouragement. It can be hard work, I gave up helping with the cows and sheep last year because of my dodgy knees and hips, long before my diagnosis (I was told I had OA) So the chicks were the last thing to go really. Now I am strictly office only, when i feel able. I don't fancy being butted by our bull... he is enormous but makes us laugh because he is quite docile, and watching him rounding up his gals when you walk into a field, he thinks he's in charge they ignore him and you can see him getting his dander up with them because they won't stand still.

take care too Julie xx

[Gina_K]

Lovely blog Julie more like your old self. Glad you going to back off farm work and give yourself some time, the course sounds like a great idea, especially if you can get some family to go as well.

xx Gina

[Hidden in reply to Gina_K]

Hi Gina. The course session yesterday was really really good. RH couldn't come, although he was going to but things didn;t turn out that way. it was only the introduction, but he is going to come for the rest of the weeks I am going to make sure of that! He wanted to know all about it and seemed genuinely interested, and promised to attend with me, which will be good. It is going to absolutely brilliant, because it will cover every aspect of RA and I really felt it was bringing everything together for me, and I can could see the whole, and put a lot of perspective on my life. It's a lot like the support on here, but the feedback is a lot quicker and it was really good to listen to everyone's "story" and, to be honest, to "see" someone with RA. So I have high hopes for it. It has alreadygot me goal setting and feeling a bit more positive, and will be great for self-management. Fingers crossed.

Julie xx

[Hidden]

lots of calvies? from bull?, please try a repeat prescription service some pharmacies other this service so you dont run out not easy when ou are poorly xx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ali. Yes you get calves from bulls mating with cows Alison hopefully lots, but we only have 14 breeding cows at the moment. A token amount because they generally don't make much money, but RH is loathe to get rid of them all, because for him they have been part of the farm for generations.

I have also joint (wait for it) Lloyds Express Prescription service. I know what you told me, but I think in a small town we have, it will be easier for me and in theory I shouldn't run out! I feel like I am getting back to normal, but I am definitely flaring. I have a sore throat and keep sneezing too. My hands have swollen up and I've got the Fizz!!

So I am at home, looking after myself, and busy goal setting and trying o stay positive.

Speak to you soon and hope they are looking after Dad ok

Julie xxx

[Tricia-P in reply to Hidden]

Hi my redundent Chicken Chaser, lady of the warwickshire manor here, I'm envious of these talks, can you take a secret video camera in and film then put on unblocked for us. I'm really pleased for you it seems you have made a descision to do no manual work and that has released this Karma, i can almost feel it from your writing. Now I have an idea do you have a local paper or mag. Can you write a column for them humour from the farm but also promoting local goods to sell, you can organise others do the heavy work and have a table at a local market.

I have a visit at home today from the OT so i'm off to polish the loo etc..

I will let you know how I get on.

Love

xTx

[Tiasteph]

Sorry to hear you've had a bad time Julie, glad your feeling a little better. It's still very early days for you to read you body, so don't beat yourself up hun. Plus RA constantly changes anyway.

Good new on your work decision, for now you can concentrate on you! It will be good to have no pressure.

The course will be of great help I'm sure

Keep well xxx

[Hidden in reply to Tiasteph]

Hi Steph, thank you. It is early days isn't it, and I have no energy to beat myself up any more. I have chucked the guilt out of the window and yes the RA does keep changing. I feel so much better for make a final decision an not feeling bad about it. Just waiting for RH to catch up with me. He just keeps thinking about the money, understandably, but we shall find a way I am sure.

The course is going to be a great support.

You take care too love Julie xxx

P.S. I have been doing my utmost to keep to the lifestyle change and although I have succumbed to comfort eating a couple of time, I am getting back on track. Not lost any more but not put it on either and I am just realising how good the re-bounding is having not done for those couple of days I was in bed.. :-))

[Hidden]

Hi Julie

I'm glad to see that you're feeling like you have options - and are making choices:-}

Those courses are a really good thing and it's a shame that they often don't run because of lack of funding - seems like things are all coming together at the right time

Your beloved will come around and adjust to the changes, it's a big adjustment for him too and he probably feels helpless so attending the course together, even if he can't get to all of them. will help.

I always enjoy hearing your tales of rural farming life!

Cece x

ps get a pup - research has found that when we stroke a warm blooded mammal, like a dog or cat, there is an exchange of infra-red rays that is healing for both the human and the animal :-}

[Hidden]

i did understand the biology of cows and bulls lol .. love baby calves.. watching them struggling to stand after birth.. get well for end of june hope you get all the tabs ordered and sorted.. sending best wishes c