August 21st 2015 - Frozen party

August 21st 2015 - Frozen party

The local food bank had a frozen party today, complete with Olaf and Elsa.  Lil man wanted to go (so we went) and he was dressed as Sven the reindeer.

He joined in the singing and dancing and playing games even though he was only boy joining in, there were 2 others there but they sat with parents.  He said he really enjoyed it.

August 20th 2015 - loom bands

August 20th 2015 - Loom bands

Lil man has had loom bands since christmas (because his brothers had them) but he hasn't really been interested in using them.  Yesterday evening he asked me if I would help him make  a loom bracelet and as it was near his bed time I said I would help today.

Well first thing we nipped to the library to change his books as part ofhis summer reading challenge - he has read 18 books so far this holiday and now has another 6 to read bless him.  He wants these read before next tuesday so he can change them for more before end of summer.

When we got back we set about making a loom band.  Once I showed him how to do it he went off on his own and only came back if he made a mistake, which was only once or twice and then he needed help to finish it.

Here is his bracelet:

August 19th 2015 - Wanted.....

August 19th 2015 - Wanted.....

.....Wanted

• New knees that don't tremble and ache
• A good nights sleep that eases my fatigue
• Medication that helps me and doesn't make me crazy
• Joints that move freely, without pain or stiffness
• Headaches that disappear with a does of paracetamol
• Muscles that relax and don't remain hard or twitching
• Tolerance to temperature change
• The ability to over do it and not suffer for days or weeks

I really don't think this is too much to ask, BUT I know it won't happen until they  find out the actual cause of all my knee pain, which may never happen.  In the meantime I am going to have to perserver with pain killers that don't do much, a lack of sleep due to pain and all the aches that go with it.  If this means that I have to buy a small mobility scooter to get about then so be it I will!

I may only be 33 and I didn't expect to be in as bad a state as I am BUT I don't plan to sit and mope or let it keep me feeling depressed any longer.  It's not just me that is suffering because I can't go places but my family as well, so if a mobility scooter means we can do things then good!

August 18th 2015 - Chronic pain

August 18th 2015 - Chronic pain

Let's start right at the beginning - What is Chronic pain?

Chronic pain is often defined as any pain lasting more than 12 weeks. Whereas acute pain is a normal sensation that alerts us to possible injury, chronic pain is very different. Chronic pain persists—often for months or years.  It is a persistant unpleasant discomfort that is often resilient to medications.

I have had knee pain since I was 4years old.  At that point in time my parents were told it was growing pains and I would eventually outgrow the symptoms.  I remember my Mum sitting and massaging creams and things into my knees from this age in an attempt to ease the pain an help me sleep, I would often wake during the night crying with pain in my knees.  It never got better!

When I was about 12 the doctors agreed that it probably wasn't growing pains and sent me for xrays and scans and various tests.  The results of this came back that I was suffering from Osgood -schlatters disease.  This resulted in me not doing much in the way of PE at school, I had to give up dance and gymnastics that I had done for many years and I spent most of my teenage years on crutches as I couldn't walk and weight bare for long periods of time and my knees would give way without warning.

This continued well after I left school and started work, I had to stop working in the nursing home as it was putting too much strain on my knees and got an office job of which I was sacked due to time off with knee problems and not being able to go in.  When I was pregnant I had even more problems due to the extra weight I was carrying and again had to use crutches.

Things seemed that they had settled down in my late 20's, I still had problems and pain but was only occasionally, and more so when I had over done things.  My doctor said I had mild chronic pain syndrome and the only way to ease it was pain meds and rest when I had a flare up.

In January 2013 I was dancing on the wii with the kids when I twisted my knee - I collapsed straight away and the pain going through my knee was something like I had never felt before.  I spent the net few days resting, using ice packs and taking pain killers.  It seemed to be easing up a little and I was able to walk abit more. The week after I twisted it I had gone outside to the rubbish bin and I slipped on the ice on the path and was unable to walk and weight bare and ended up in a&e.  After 2 xrays  being given crutches and a thigh to ankle knee brace I left a&e.

I saw a consultant 2 weeks later and was no better, I was  given more stronger pain killers and told to rest as much as I could.  This went on for 4months and I was put on morphine patches and they decided to send me to a physiotherapist - this took a further 6weeks for an appointment and by this time it was a few days before I was due to move house so the physio didn't do anything.  Once I was registered with a doctor in my new area the sent me to the chronic pain clinic who confirmed that I was now suffering chronic pain.  I was referred to a surgeon and 6weeks after seeing him he operated on my knee in April 2014.  Apart from the fact I can now walk short distances without crutches I am still in as much pain every day as I was.

Some days are struggle to even get out of bed as I am in that much pain, others I can do some things.  I am not lazy I am just in constant pain, I am always tired as I am unable to sleep much at night due to the pain I am in, the constant pain has affected my mood and I am clinically depressed and I have seen a counselor about it, I have a short memory due to being so tired, I amnot able to do all the things I used to do and its not just me that is suffering but my family too.  I found this 2nd pin and it is very acurate and I would like to share with my friends and family.

 

I have been referred back to the surgeon who has requested another MRI scan on my knee, thinks steroid injections into knee may help and has sent me bac to the chronic pain clinic.  It is just a waiting game.  I never thought I would be disabled at the age of 33 and not able to do much, I have had enough of constant pain and not being able to walk places with my kids etc.  I have hired a mobility scooter for our holiday and I plan to buy one so we can start going out places again.

August 17th 2015 - Waiting

August 17th 2015 - waiting

I saw this pin and it just about sums up today - i'm sat waiting for my meds to kick in.

I have been back to the docs today about my knee again, this time they have changed my meds for 1 I was on ages ago that didn't work, so I don't hold out much hope of them working this time round.

I knew I would be in pain from all the walking about I did on saturday at day camp, but it was worth it for the kids, they really had a good time.  I just don't like being in pain and the meds doing nothing!

August 16th 2015 - Volunteer

August 16th 2015 - Volunteer

What is a volunteer?  According to the online dictionary a volunteer is:

"1.a person who voluntarily offers himself or herself for a service or undertaking.

2.a person who performs a service willingly and without pay."

I am a volunteer, I do not get paid and I am proud to be a volunteer.  I have been a volunteer with St John Ambulance for over 20years now.  I started out as a cadet and worked my way up the ranks to corporal,sergent and cadet leader and then at 17years of age I moved up to the adult unit and took over the running of a cadet unit.  I have been working with the youth section since then.

Yesterday's day camp has taken over 6weeks of planning and hard work.  I have spent over 40hours printing and researching activities for it, not to mention the extra time messaging adult members, going shopping for various bits needed, waiting in for delivers of craft supplies etc.  All of which I have not been paid to do.  I do it because I enjoy it and I knew that all my hard work would be appreciated by the young youth members who attended.

I found the verse below on pinterest as well and it is very true.

I made a post on facebook last night saying that "I had had a really great time at the SJA badger day camp today, it was a long day and a lot of hard work, but the kids who came enjoyed themselves, they were all tired by 5pm but carried on til the end and even then they helped pack up as well. thanks also to the adults who helped with various bits during the day. (1 of mine even asked if we could hold another 1 at some point)."  1 of the adult members (and personal friend) that was helping out for the day replied with "Really enjoyed it the Badgers were fantastic and Amy you worked very hard on it all the kids and Whitehaven are very lucky to have you xxx"  This was so nice to wake up and see this morning.  I know its only a few words but the did make me smile and its nice to know my hard work is appreciated.

August 15th 2015 - Day Camp

August 15th 2015 - Day camp

Today was the day of Badger Day Camp.  I've added the link to the whole board not just 1 pin as this has most of the ideas that helped me to organise and run the day camp.

Although we only had 3 out of 5 children turn up they all had lots of fun and were very tired at the end of a long and packed day of activities.

The above photo collage show our set up and the camping lanterns the kids made. 

We had 1 room set up as a campsite, with tents, Christmas trees, bears, bean bags as seats round the "fake" campfire and a small kitchen area with snacks and drinks.  We had another room for crafts, games and activities.  Some of the activities were done around the campfire.

During the day the Badgers made their own id badges, camp t-shirts, a noughts & crosses game from sticks and stones, they made camping lanterns from tubs, battery tea-lights and tissue paper flames and they made their own stick photo frame which a photo of them at the "camp site" was added to.  They covered many things in short subjects including camp fires and how to get help and where they should go, maps and compasses, things they can  and can't eat in the wild, the importance of hand washing especially outdoors and we used the units UV gel kit - they did really well at it.  They also talked about things you can find in nature - animals, birds, plants etc and did an A-Z of them, after this we went on a short walk to the church gardens where we looked for items that we had talked about and they had a spectrum colour chart and needed to find things in nature for each colour.

After tea the Badgers and some of the adults got into their pj's, brought their blankets and torches and lanterns to the campfire where we had a camping story and sang some campfire songs, they then got into their sleeping bags to await the arrival of parents to collect them.

Each Badger was given a certificate for handwashing, a certificate of attendance and 2 old SJA Badger badges for hobbies and games.  They will all be receiving their Adventure badge and certificate at our next presentation evening.  It was a great day the Badgers were well behaved and all had fun, but it couldn't have happened without the help of the adults from the unit as well.