Soop's comfortable and convivial kitchen.

Sorry to be so late, nearly TOO late, but A Very Happy Birthday to Grampy and Bertie.
Yuck, sorry all, but I absolutely loathe liver. I`ve never cooked it, always refused to, hubby loved it, and about once a year a friend would bring him some that she`d cooked, he was in liver heaven for a short while!
Soop, please try not to worry about what Dr. Google said, those specialists at Oban hospital would have recognised a Lymphoma rash, surely.
We got up extra early this morning to make sure we were ready in plenty of time for the adult social care lady who was coming to assess Lynne. She was due at 11 am, by 11.30 no show, so I rang her. She was extremely apologetic, said she had us down for a visit at 11 am in her appointments book, but had omitted to transfer it to her calendar, which is what she works from! We now have a fresh appointment for 1 pm on Tuesday, let`s hope this one makes it to the calendar. It was annoying for daughter 3, she took time off work and drove 5 miles from where she lives to be here in support.

Forgot to say, my sons scan appointment has come through for January 30th.
Also forgot to tell you that little Max is crawling. At 8 and a half months my lot were only just about sitting up! I have a little video, but can`t post videos on here...……...at least, I don`t think so?

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Just popping in to keep an eye on you all.

soop I echo what everyone else says -Dr Google is scary. Look at NHS Choices if you must but ignore the rest. In any case, try not to worry, but if you must worry, worry on here!

I love liver - both with union gravy and with fried sage leaves. And you have reminded me that we haven't had liver for ages.

callgirl, your son's appointment has come through quickly. The nhs doing well. Shame SS can't keep on top of things too. I hope SS are still on the ball for the Panaches.

Belated birthday wishes to grampy - I expect he was spoiled! Bertie had a good birthday and was also invested at Beavers - he was beyond excited. I will attach a photo and a couple of Wolfie (one with a strange old lady)

We are frustrated as far as Dh's 'urgent' cystoscopy is concerned. We have not had an appointment yet and when he rings the department there is only an answer phone. We looked going privately but their first appointment is 8th February.

Sorry if I haven't mentioned everyone. My head isn't quite where it should be.

Hello the kitchen. A slow start for us this morning. I am starting to worry about DH’s back. He is still finding it hard to move about and sleeping is a problem. I should go into town today, but I don’t want to leave him alone. He is getting very frustrated by it now. I would take him to A&E but it is a long drive from here and I’m not sure he could sit in the car for that long. I’ll see what the day brings.

Callgirl now that Max has found his forward momentum there will be no holding him! Glad to hear your son has his appointment through. Try not to worry too much in the meantime. Hard I know.

Kitty love the pictures of Wolfie; he’s lovely. And Bertie too. He will love Beavers! GS did. I was tasked with sewing on his badges. Similarly for his Cub badges. I was disappointed when he didn’t move up to Scouts - too many other things to do!

Well, I must get cracking. It is DDs birthday on Tuesday and I am making her a cake - nothing elaborate, though.
I will look in later.

Panache has been in touch and wanted me to convey to you she is at the end of her tether with depression I think. They have had a decent off for the house but it would appear she and Mr. Panache are in no fit state to do anything about moving. She did not mention anything about help personally or in the house.

On dear, what a vicious circle they are in.
This is where family would probably step in but they have no family.
I feel so very sad for them but powerless to do more than hope and pray their situation will improve.
At present it doesn't seem likely.

I am so sorry to hear about Panache in her communications with me she said it wasn't as rosy as she made it sound in her posts. She has great difficulty walking and has lost a huge amount of weight. I expect she is also worrying about Mr Panache.

Pleased your son's scan has come through Callgirl best to get it out of the way.

Love your pictures Kitty. Know what you mean about NHS appointments. I have had one for my specialist in July but not one for the oncologist next week.

Sorry to hear about Mr Dusters back. We are in our third week with DH's back but things are getting better (slowly). He still has not been out except to see the doctor. All this time he is losing strength so very worrying.

I have just about got the red wine out of the light grey carpet which DH managed to pour during his hypo on Thursday evening.

Re hospital appointments or lack of- could those affected get in touch with the relevant dept and say they could come at the drop of a hat if somebody cancelled? Would that be feasible or are the hospitals too far away and your lives too busy?

charleygirl and dragonfly I had had my suspicions that we might be getting the sanitised version from poor Panache If you are reading this, please please ask for more help from “the system” or allow Kitcheners who have offered practical help to do so.
I am sorry to hear about Mr Dusters back and wish him well. It may take (even more) time.
I have decided on a multipronged attack on my shoulder -
Voltarol gel, Naproxen , heat pads at night and my new shiatsu back massage pad (think two thumbs going clockwise and then anti clockwise on the relevant areas)
It has cost very little more than a trip to a beauty salon massage . Next week I am also going to try for acupuncture.
Thank you for positive messages - especially Cornergran -much food for thought , I will reply soon.
kitty I am interested by Union sauce - to be served with Brexit of beef perhaps?

Maw so sorry missed your post about your shoulder. That is indeed debilitating. I found acupuncture very good but maybe a visit to the physio would help.
Hope you get it sorted out soon.

Physios hurt ???
#wimpsRus

Maw. I have lived with calcification tendonitis in both shoulders. Too many steroid injections to safely have anymore, arthroscopy next step which I don’t have much faith in. I finally found a wonderful sports physio who practises lazer and electro magnetic therapy.

As this doesn’t require hands on painful therapy, six visits needed and I was completely pain free. It was such a blessed relief and not even a niggle of pain for approx. 10 months now. £25 per private appointment was worth every penny and may be worthwhile thinking about

Good afternoon my lovely peoples.

It is distressingand depressing to read the post regarding the Panaches. Just as us lot imagined that life may become a little easier and less of an uphill challenge. If only they had close family to give them the support that they desperately need and deserve
It's as if they've made two positive steps forward - and a hell of a lot back.

Maw

Afternoon all,

Not a hope of keeping up so forgive me please.

Lovely pictures Kitty ! Grampy did indeed have a lovely time!

Sorry to hear about the Panache’s , I did wonder. I just don’t know what else can be done from a distance - I’m tempted to get in the car :-)

Hope MacS is feeling better Soop .

I will try and sneak back in later !

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I have spent at least half an hour responding to all the latest messages. I also added some photos. All of my message has completely disappeared. How can that be! In fact, I'm livid. It has been some time since I last caught up in a proper manner. Where did it get me? Buggerations galore!!!

I enjoyed all the lovely photographs. I'm pleased that Kalu has joined us. She may be able to direct Maw to alternative treatment for the troublesome shoulder.

I'm so sorry to hear that Panache and her husband are not making the progress that we had hoped for. It must be awful to have to deal with their health issues without the support of a family member.

Duster Could you ask for a home visit? The GP may well refer your husband to A&E and organise transport. It's worth a try.

Callgirl1 I said hello to David this morning. The sun was shining on the beach and the sea was calm.
I'm also relieved that your son's hospital appointment has arrived.

The website that I went on to for MacSporran's rash was Cancer Helpine. The rash remains livid. We shall hopefully get some answers when he next sees the heamatologist in just over a week.

Looking after a sick person is stressful, soop, though I'm sure macsporran is a patient patient. Please don't over-stress yourself with worries about the rash. I do hope the haematologist can ease your concerns.

Meanwhile, I'm discovering that MrBaggs is a worrying patient. I persuaded him to go back to bed today after I'd changed his bed because his being ill (coughing and spluttering) in what I'm calling an "all over the sitting-room" way was doing my head in. Back in bed he has eaten some hard-boiled eggs* and some prosciutto and fallen asleep so I don't feel as bad as perhaps I should about banishing him.

* He wants high protein food because he's worried about losing muscle mass rather than the extra fat he has been dieting to lose for some months (with some success but still a way to go). That would be okay but he wants burgers and not the eggs, bacon, sausages, casserole lamb, red kidney and cannelloni beans, cheese, etc, etc that I've been feeding him. I'm too tired to go shopping which also involves driving—don't want to do a Prince Philip.

He's also worrying about possible secondary infections.

I guess I don't have to worry since it is all being done already. There is that. Zap! A positive! I knew spilling out my frustrations on Gransnet would help.

Perhaps we should start a special ward, just off the kitchen, for patient patients, worrying patients and impatient patients (the sort that wave their stick around angrily because they can’t pick up the remote control when it drops on the floor, or get out of a chair, or put their socks on!!). Please don’t put me in charge though - I can’t answer for the consequences!

The last thing I want to do is cause further alarm here in the Kitchen, but putting it simply, yes I am at the end of my tether........not depressed, but absolutely dead beat and feeling so deeply unwell.
Whilst worrying myself sick with my dear man whom is fast losing such weight and as the real Man of the house, always in charge of the everyday things he is no state to manage............and I greatly fear if that will even return in time.
Of course a shoulder or two to lean on,cry on would be the blessing we do not have.Family is such a great blessing.

Having a very decent offer for our property but hearing the one Retirement apartment we have had our hopes pinned on, having gone under offer three days prior to our own offer was the worst and best news all within one afternoon.

I do not like "laying it on the line" thickly here because I know and feel for the great traumas so many of you deal with,and I always feel ours is much less.

However having no real back up from family is the big bottom line and we have learnt that depending on others most often just does not cut the mustard.
Although grateful for those trying to do help.

I appreciate your kind thoughts but I am just at my wits end,and it is very difficult "opening up" when its not one`s usual stance.

Please do not hassle unduly, but thanks for listening and being there.Surely there will be a turn in the right direction at some point,and yes I keep on hoping.

Panache I am so sorry to hear all this. Fate does seem to be against you.

I second the idea of having a special ward for the menfolk who are sick. We could take it in turns to look after them. I have one who is still wallowing although sneakily I believe there is some improvement. He doesn't hobble quite so much when I am not looking.

Hello dear Baggs, I do feel sorry for Mr Baggs, and it's likely to take at least three weeks for that buggeration of a virus to vacate his feeble frame.

Oh goodness, panache, what a pickle. It is hard to acknowledge our reality sometimes but please don’t bottle everything up inside. We’re here and will listen. It’s little enough I know but it can relieve some pressure.

There do seem to be many poorly men so yes, a ward attached to the kitchen is the way to go. We can take turns - very short turns - keeping an eye and making appropriate noises. As long as they don’t want to eat the cake . Seriously wishing all poorly ones are recovered very soon.

Is macs in great discomfort soop? That looks very sore.

Love the photos kitty. We have two girls who enjoyed Beavers and are now enthusiastic Scouts. Apparently much more interesting than Guides .

Nothing interesting happening here. Did stir myself and buy some food so starvation is held at bay. Did I tidy the mess in the spare room or catch up with my ever growing ‘important’ list? What do you think? . If anyone has motivation to spare do send some

Take care everyone. Stay safe.

For the second time today - bah and buggerations! My latest message was swallowed up and lost in the ether. I am far from being a happy bunny.

Thank you Panache for your thoughtful post. If only us lot could form a "taking care of the Panaches team^. PLEASE never feel that you cannot off-load here in the kitchen. It goes without saying that it will be a very happy day when your fortune changes direction.

My eldest son in Leicester has been on the phone for about forty minutes. He's a lovely, kind, funny man. His calls lift my spirits.

Grey We took a show of hands and - guess what - you have become the Matron in charge of the poorly chaps ward. You will be given a proper uniform with a starched cap and pinafore/apron. You will be fair but strict when it comes to keeping your patients in line. What you say, goes. No anky panky! No staying up in the wee small hours doing the crossword You will be run a tight ship. So, what do you think?

corner MacSporran isn't in pain. He's extremely weary. But, as always, he remains in good spirits. Bless him!

Time to log off until tomorrow. My love to each and every one of you. You are all "special peoples."

Evening all!

Reporting for duty Matron !!

Mind you if my tooth gets worse I might need a bed myself !!

Soop what a sore looking rash ! Is it itchy too?

MrBaggs sounds poorly too !

It’s been a quiet day here , bright and sunny but briskly cold. Nothing of interest to report so I shall wish you all a peaceful evening x