Greetings from Victoria, Australia .

[Islandgirl50]

Hello everyone , I know it's only November, but while I have the chance before it gets tooo busy, I want to wish everyone a Happy, peaceful Christmas. I know it's very hard for some ,being alone, or maybe this year there are empty seats at our table , but I wish you all peace and love, and a healthier year for 2018 . Hopefully "they" can kick GCA and PMR in the BUTT! Thank you all for your advice and help in what was initially such a scarey diagnoses. Angeline .. Australia 🎄🎄🎄🎄💐💐

[SheffieldJane]

Thank you Angeline. What a sweet thought, I am feeling really Christmassy this year and am already fending off the dark nights with fairy lights and candles. So I wish you a wonderful Christmas too!

That was uncanny though, my eldest daughter is called Angeline and she has lived in Australia for over 10 years, you are the first person I have met who shares her name. She lives in Coffs Harbour. My younger daughter is with her family in Australia for at least a year and lives in Sawtell. She says that it hard to feel "Christmassy" in the heat.

They have 2 children each, so there will be a lot of empty seats at my table this year. I fly out to Sydney in time for the New Year fireworks. We have rented an apartment overlooking the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Then we travel to see them all, especially our beloved grandchildren. ⛄️☃️

[Islandgirl50 in reply to SheffieldJane]

How wonderful for you to be able to come over ( down? ) to Sydney to visit your family . my son and his wife will be in Germany for Christmas . How we are conditioned to our environments , I was born and lived on an island , after Christmas dinner we packed up and went to the beach until after sunset , so Christmas here is beach and beautifully warm ( although sometimes we get a cold southerly blowing safe travelling ... greetings to your Angeline also, I've only met 2 others in my life .

[SheffieldJane in reply to Islandgirl50]

My Angeline has fully embraced the Australian way of life especially being at one with the natural environment. She will be having a barbie with all her mates on the beach I'm guessing.

What is your home Island?

[Hidden]

A nice post Islandgirl50, "empty seats at the table" yes I expect most of us are in that situation at some stage, but that's life I suppose 🙄 however on the good side my youngest son emigrated to Sydney just over 10 years ago so when we go over to see him we get to stay in his large house. We have also watched the Sydney fireworks on New Year 3 times. So I hope you too have a Happy Chrismas and a great new year. 🤗😀

Pete 😀

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi Angeline,

Thanks for thoughtful post. I’ll be sitting around a different table this year - my daughter’s in NZ. Since hubby died in 2013 it’s usually round my son’s in UK - so there has always been empty seats - just this year they will be different ones. Apart from one of course.

Enjoy your day

[Islandgirl50 in reply to DorsetLady]

It seams to me that grief rears its rawness at special times such as Christmas . , but then I tell myself it is because the love for ( in my case , my beloved sister) is so strong that nothing can destroy that love ! Pace and love 😘💐

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Islandgirl50]

No, nothing destroys love, and you love and miss that person every day, but it’s always more poignant at times like Christmas or holidays when the rest of the family get together, and there’s one missing.

Take care.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I, on the other hand, have not had a family Christmas for probably 18 years. We lived in Durham, one daughter in Scotland and the other for the last 10 years in Yorkshire. They have always worked at Christmas - one is a nurse and one a paramedic - so not long enough to make it worth it and they both had very small homes so there wasn't room anyway. But prior to that - our family Christmas was never at home, we went skiing!

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

What a great city Durham is. 4 weeks ago the OH and I had a short break there. Much smaller place than I imagined but lots to see. If you like architecture. The Cathedral being the highlight. Such an unusual building with really interesting history. Watched filming of a remembrance day service inside and later watched it on TV news time, only to see us sitting in the ordiance. Originally went in for a rest from walking up and down all the hills in wonderful Durham 😀

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

It is beautiful - but a bizarre place to live! Like all smallish towns/cities with a large student population.

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

Yes agree, it's a bit like Cambridge, 18 miles from my home.

[mega in reply to Hidden]

I agree PMRpro/Pastit. I used to work in an administrative capacity at Cambridge University. When the students were away the tourist hordes descended. Can't complain though, since I've often been one myself! I lived in a village 14 miles away and the nearer I got at the end of the day, the better it was.

Now I live on the S Coast among the aged, who sit on mobility devices rather than on bikes! They have my admiration for adapting to changing circumstances.

I also want to say that, after nearly seven years of GCA, I AM beginning to feel more like me. Have had 2 days now with more energy and just hope it will continue. I am 78, so if I can grit my teeth to the bitter end to get a result, so can you younger ones. My blood readings were "deranged" according to my GP at the beginning, and she had no answer as to why.

She was a lovely, sympathetic lady who, in the end cited a patient a bit older than me(!) who presented with similar symptoms about 5 years earlier but who had got better over a period of six months, without medical intervention. "Oh" I said " you could be talking about me". It turned out she was!

Most of you won't have to put up with this horrible condition for nearly seven years, although some do, for longer I know.

My best wishes and heartfelt sympathies go out to you all.

[tgca in reply to mega]

I'm a south coaster too and yes, so many aged people...grey hair (me too ops), mobility scooters etc but I do tend to feel my age when visiting Brighton as EVERYone seems so young...oh dear!

[Telian]

I too have a son in oz - he's in his 13th year and lives in Sippy Downs on the sunshine coast - just outside of Brisbane. We used to try to go every couple of years and found it strange at first experiencing a hot christmas but I do like it now, you get used to it. then this wretched illness took hold followed by cancer so have not been for 4 years. They did come over last year, have two granddaughters16 & 19, and they hope to come over next year but for this year ye old skype ho ho ho will have to suffice.

It is so nice to get away from talking about the illness, I mostly listen to you all - very interesting how you all cope- or not!

Wishing you all a very happy christmas and a healthier new year, cheers everybody and to absent friends, we all have them.

[Skyfall16]

Thank you for your greetings, I am in Melbourne baby sitting my sons cat and dog, they've gone on a belated honeymoon. Love it here and have been for Christmas very different to home, but super. This is my first post but can I say thank you to everyone as I haven't needed to ask anything as all my questions seem to be answered before I ask, I guess we all have similar problems, which in a way is comforting. Thanks again.😘

[Islandgirl50 in reply to Skyfall16]

Happy Aussie Christmas ! 🎄🎄

[marigoldb in reply to Skyfall16]

Hi everyone, I too have family in oz, Brisbane, and have had many visits there to our 2 daughters and their families. Last time was in 2010, when they had those terrible floods! Certainly Christmas is different there, with the turkey cooking outside! but great being out on the deck, until it gets too hot! Then it’s in and out of the pool , or inside to the air con.

Haven’t been back since, as my husbands health deteriorated and he died in 2013, as yours did I notice pmrpro. Yes that’s the empty chair missed most wherever I am.

However, my aim is to get back over there as soon as this pmr subsides a bit more, and also walking improves, still not good after spinal surgery last year. I will not give in!

I am fortunate to have a son and a daughter who live fairly near here who have been and are so supportive. They also miss their Dad.

I have 12 grandchildren in all! 6 in Brisbane, the others here, great following their growing up, with the ups and downs.

Love to everyone as you get Christmas preparations underway.

I am actually going to make my Christmas cake this year, can stand long enough now I think. My blue badge, I’m in UK, is such a help with parking, so can do short trips to the shops, though can’t carry much, yet!

Must stop rambling, bye for now x

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to marigoldb]

Hi,

Not PMRpro’s but mine. Quite right about the chair, but life goes on.

Am watching the Remembrance programme on the TV at the moment, and that’s something we always did after he retired from Army. Many a cold November morning spent on a windy military bases when he serving. So this weekend is another one of those difficult times - for all sorts of reasons.🌺

[HeronNS in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes, I quite understand although I haven't lost spouse have lost others close to me. The sudden gap when you think ____ would love that, and you realize you can't share with them any more. I happen not to think the parting of death is permanent, but it is hard for those left behind. ❤

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to HeronNS]

Quite right, they never go completely. I’m not a religious or spiritual person, but I know my hubby is by my side every day.

[mega in reply to DorsetLady]

Hello DL,

My late husband was a military man too DL, and I've watched both Saturday night's Festival of Remembrance and the Cenotaph Service today. Tears at different times but also happy memories - he died in 2004 having never visited a doctor except for ear-waxing!

The happy memories are many but how he critiscised the military TV productions.

Was it an RSM who had a 'swagger' stick? "Look at that," he'd say in derision on someone who had four fingers - or one on top, it was TWO fingers on top and the thumb underneath. "They're not the right buttons for that regiment", etc.

Lovely, mellow man day-to-day though and I still miss him, as I'm certain you do in similar circumstances.

I HOPE I am at last beginning to shrug off this ghastly condition of GCA and I'm glad there does seem to be more awareness of it in the research/medical sphere for future sufferers.

With very best wishes,

Maga

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to mega]

Hi,

Yes, so right. Plus when we watched the Trooping of the Colour he’d comment on the marching and dressing (you know what I mean) - he spent 6 months at Woolwich training the new recruits!

He did have the swagger stick later in life, but by then he’d swapped the parade ground for the instruction room.

Glad to hear your GCA is behaving itself.

Take care.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to marigoldb]

No, not mine as DL has said. Mine had cancer 23 years ago, and has had radiotherapy for prostate ca this autumn but he is very much still here!

[mega in reply to PMRpro]

I am very glad to hear it PMRpro - long may it be so.

[marigoldb in reply to PMRpro]

So sorry PMRpro for my mistake, so pleased your husband has had treatment for his prostate ca. Mine did as well and with various extra treatments when necessary lived 20 years with it, and that was not what he died from,

So my apologies again, and very best wishes hor a happy and peaceful Christmas x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to marigoldb]

There really isn't any need for you to apologise - but tahnk you anyway.