January 25th 2025

I started writing this blog post on 25th January.  

Warning:  Not the most cheerful of posts. 

Well not such good news with my latest blood tests...my thyroid levels have gone up again.  This is really disappointing as I was making good progress, hopefully it is just a 'blip'.  But looking at the positives, my liver levels have continued to reduce which is good news. 

Another bad news front is I had a Dexa scan and I was shocked to get the results that showed I had severe osteoporosis.  This feels like a real kick in the teeth.  I walk 3 - 5 miles everyday and have done for years, and the last five years has been mixed terrain through the woods, up and down hills hiking etc...  I also garden (although admittedly haven't done much in a year due to hurting myself last year) and it is not easy gardening either as we have a steep property.  It involves much of what I thought was weight bearing type exercise.  So I will have to work on trying to get my bones to strengthen up again. 

After doing some research it seems all the different drugs I was given for the chronic neuropathic pain from 2009 - 2013 when I stopped them can damage the bones.  I was never told that they can cause osteoporosis.  

We are addressing this with collagen, calcium, the Vitamin D3 and K2 that I have been taking for years, special exercises and I now walk with a weighted vest.

As a bit of 'retail therapy', not something I am usually into doing, we went out yesterday and I came back with some lovely books, two novels, two art sketch books and a journal.  I also got some lovely boots (dress boots, not walking boots).  I needed the distraction after getting bad news.

Two really beautiful books.  My Dad and Mum took my sister and I to see Tess of the D'urbervilles in 1979, so when I saw this book I just had to get it.

Sometimes though I just feel like giving up.  I try so hard to be positive but at times it is very difficult to remain so. I can't sleep yet are constantly tired. I hurt all the time while I walk.  I have no energy.  Peter still pulls constantly and it seems that no amount of training him not to pull and walk to heel works.  He is also still extremely reactive at other dogs.  Today I came home and he had pulled my sleeveless jacket off the chair and chew holes in the pocket.  My fault I guess, I shouldn't have left it in the kitchen.  

Yesterday I went walking with my old walking group I used to belong to which was lovely.  It was nice to catch up with them all.  I try to meet up every time we have to go up to the mainland for tests etc... Back in November and December I was strong enough to walk with them, so this is an achievement and progress. 

As you can see the weather wasn't the best and it was very muddy, but still fun.

A lovely sun day at my son's place.

And lastly a lovely sunrise on 16th January

1st April!

The 1st of the month photo.

and two days earlier...

on 30th March, a beautiful sunny day.  It was nice today but we didn't have the lovely blue sky unfortunately.

Hubby has come down for Easter which is lovely, arriving in the early hours this morning. 

This afternoon we went for a walk around Shanklin and the beach front and had an ice cream which was very nice.

I took a few photos on our walk.

Someone has obviously had enough!

It always makes me giggle when I see gorse over here and remember back to my Dad's constant battles with it on our property in New Zealand.

A beautiful magnolia in one of the parks.

An amazing camellia 

The photo doesn't do it justice.

Couldn't get a shot like this in summer!

Newly thatched teapot and cup and saucer.

 

Sunday afternoon Walk (posted on Wednesday!)

 The day after my birthday my husband and I went for a lovely walk along the cliff and then coastal paths.  He hadn't been that way before, so it was lovely to share one of my regular walks with him.

As we came out of our gate I spied a butterfly on the bank and was able to capture a photo of it.  I have been seeing butterflies for a few weeks now which is lovely.  Really feels like spring when you start to see the butterflies out and about.

Walking along the cliff path.

Container ships out at sea.

A dilapidated barn that I walk past.

My husband

He looks happy!

The view from the seat.

A picture of me. 

It was really lovely to have someone to walk with and chat to.   

(I also enjoyed the walks I did with my son and daughter in law the previous days but didn't take my camera on those walks).

This photo was taken from our deck later in the afternoon.

My husband goes home this evening.  It has been a lovely week of having first my son and daughter in law here for a few days before my husband arrived, then having all three, and then just hubby after my son and his wife left Saturday night.  It has gone way too quickly though.  Much has been achieved which is good as it was nice to have some help with jobs that weren't so easy to do on my own. We even managed to fill up the wood store today with wood from a neighbour that we went and collected by filling up the boot of the car a couple of times.  I will post another update of what has been done hopefully tomorrow.

Monday Walk

 A few photos from my Monday walk along the beach from with my son (we didn't go Sunday as I wasn't feeling the best and the weather wasn't great).  It works out well going for a walk after I have cleaned his flat as I am already over there.

Under the pier.

Waves crashing over the boardwalk.

Shanklin Beach

Looking back towards Sandown.

Female Oil Beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus)

Tuesday Morning Gardening and Afternoon Walk.

I spent some in the garden again this morning as the weather looks like it is going to change significantly.  I strimmed the long grass in the orchard and behind the glasshouse.  Cleaned out the glasshouse and weeded and then 'faffed' with the area that is going to be a feature garden.

I'm not sure exactly yet what I am going to do, but have some ideas

I dug in an old fern stump, and laid a couple of rocks and a 'chunk of wood' down 

Lovely to see these hyacinths about to flower.

After lunch I went for a lovely long walk along the cliff path, down through the woods, to the coastal path and then home.

Such a beautiful day and warm enough to walk in my t shirt, although once down by the coast I put my jacket back on as there was a cool sea breeze.

I walked down to the coast - just left of the pond.

Zooming in...

Some lovely mosses on the tree branches.

More mosses on a tree stump.

Down the steps

Along through the woods

Admiring the daffodils.

Little stream

The Old St Lawrence Well

Fascinating history, especially to read that the main road used to go past the front of it which makes sense.  The road is now behind and above it.

Down by the coast looking down at the beach - the tide is out.

Looking back 

Some pretty flowers on the way home.

I got home and then got a message from my son to say he is going to hospital with breathing problems after choking so will be waiting on tenterhooks now to find out what is happening. I'm guessing I will probably have to go and pick him up, but am hoping they will take him home again.