White rabbits, white rabbits and more white rabbits. What an amazing couple of weeks I have had, we had the run up to the wedding which didnt turn out quite as planned. Groom came down with a bug which he kindly passed on to the remaining wedding party. I ended up with Flu A and complications, Maximos also got Flu A with a fever of 40 degrees and mum/bride to be was eft running around here there and everywhere on her own with very little sleep.
As the evening wore on, my leg, particularly my hip, began to grumble. After the drive home and a night in bed, that grumble turned into a full-blown protest. By Sunday morning I struggled to get out of bed or put any weight on my leg and by the afternoon I couldn’t walk at all.
Sleep on Saturday night was minimal and Sunday night didn’t happen at all, courtesy of the pain. By Monday it was clear something had to be done. The pain had intensified, spreading through my hip, back, and groin, and my knee joined the drama by becoming numb.Off we went to the emergency walk-in centre, where, despite explaining that I couldn’t walk or bear weight on my right leg, I was informed that the centre was only for people who could actually walk in and they couldn't let me use their wheel chair to get from the car? After some back and forth conversation with Paul inside the centre and me in the car, including an offer for the doctor to come and see me in the car, it was decided she would call an orthopaedic surgeon at a private hospital just across the road. So off we went again this time somewhere that welcomed both me and had a wheelchair I could use. What followed were excruciating X-rays and some fairly enthusiastic pulling and manipulating. The good news? Nothing was broken, fractured, or split. The less thrilling, but manageable, news is that the whole area has been “traumatised.” It’s very swollen and inflamed, with possible nerve involvement, but it will heal in time. I was sent home with instructions, and a shopping list. On the way back home we had to stop off and purchase a wheelchair and a Zimmer frame not exactly your average holiday purchases. My new wheelchair companion, Daisy, has since become an essential part of daily life, along with the Zimmer frame. Between them they’re keeping me mobile, upright(ish), and mildly entertained — which is no small feat. On the Monday I was given a three-in-one injection which kicked in after a few hours, taking the pain from intense down to simply painful, a definite improvement. Tuesday we returned again, only to find the doctor in surgery, but a very kind nurse administered another three-in-one injection and once more the worst of the pain eased. Back again on the Wednesday for another injection and the doctor has answered all the remaining questions we had.
For now, I can’t sit for long, stand for long, or get about without Daisy and the Zimmer frame. Sadly, this did mean Ithat I couldn't fly home as planed I have to wait 10 days for it all to heal a little more, tak cortisone tablets and other pain killers that wont interfere with my RA.
Add to that the paperwork, evidence, and proof needed to change flights and rebook train tickets (there’s still the Heathrow-to-Derby leg to consider), and it’s all feeling very administratively adventurous. But tickets have been changed and new flights sorted and I now have another 5 days to get myself as right as I can. Still, on a positive note, I’ve decided that all my ailments, ear infection, flu, chest infection, and now this hip saga, are getting themselves out of the way in January. Which means the next eleven months are going to be pain-free, healthy, and gloriously uneventful. Phew, thank goodness February arrived.
The actual wedding day was amazing (photos to follow).
And then I damaged my hip and all the surrounding area leaving me totally imobile, unable to walk, move, sit, stand nor lie down...phew and then 2 week passes in the blink of an eye.
The saga started at the wedding on Saturday, there was a photo booth housed inside a campervan, because of course there was. I was encouraged to join the fun, I climbed two steps into the van and perched myself on a rather low seat. I was then carefully helped back down again and, as the photos below clearly show, all seemed perfectly jolly at the time.
As the evening wore on, my leg, particularly my hip, began to grumble. After the drive home and a night in bed, that grumble turned into a full-blown protest. By Sunday morning I struggled to get out of bed or put any weight on my leg and by the afternoon I couldn’t walk at all.
I think I’ve almost managed to get all my little ducks lined up in a neat row — events rescheduled, dates shuffled, and everyone notified… although, knowing me, there’s every chance I’ve missed something along the way (which, of course, can’t be helped!).
So, here we are with a shiny new and revised list of the lovely get-togethers we’ll be enjoying throughout February — nicely spaced out to give me time to rest, recharge, and catch up in between.
That said, if anyone happens to have a little time to spare on Monday 9th February in the morning, I’d be hugely grateful for an extra pair of hands. Nothing too serious, just a bit of friendly help and I promise good company in return
It would be really lovely to see you on Tuesday 10th, whether you fancy popping in for a cuppa, having a gentle wander through what’s been happening in The Craft Room, Derby, or simply enjoying a friendly catch-up.
New faces are very welcome, and it would be just as wonderful to see familiar ones I haven’t seen for a while too.
Do get in touch if you’d like directions, want to know a bit more, or just fancy a chat before coming along.
At last, I finally get the chance to share a card with you, February is easing in with a wonderfully gentle start. I thought it was the perfect moment to share one of the cards I made for Sophia’s wedding. While the stamp set itself isn’t SU, the card, the colours and everything else very much are, a lovely little mix-and-match moment that I was rather pleased with. I hope it brings a little spark of inspiration your way. She loved it, phew...
Time for a move around now, get the hip working etc. Thank you so much for reading the saga, if you got to the end. Tracey x
