Soop's kitchen refuge for the sharing of...

Soop your funny descriptions a grumpy old biddy rattling on about her wayward lady bits are wonderful but don't detract from what is obviously a miserable situation for you. Hope you can get some answers soon.

Returning to the kitchen, my contribution today is lemon drizzle cake with a topping of lemon butter icing! Lemon heaven. And tomorrow I am planning Amaretto Cherry Mousse - the healthy version made with Greek Yoghurt!!!

Dear soop how I feel for you because in some things we have been through similar. I had to have a hysterectomy at the age of 28 and all went well for years. At the age of 52 I had breast cancer and again after treatment was told I was cured so to go away and live my life. I started having stress incontinence problems and after lots of exercises from the physiotherapist which didn't work was recommended to have a TVT (transverse tape) operation which I had but it caused urge incontinence. But I dont think mine was mesh after all the horror stories I have read in recent years. But yours certainly doesnt sound right. Then of course last year it was found that the breast cancer had returned as metastases on my spine and pelvis . Hence the chemotherspy now.
I do hope after all the virus problems have calmed down they will find out what exactly what is causing your problems and can finally rectify it. I know by how many UTIs I have had with my urge incontinence that you must really be fed up with all the suffering.
I spoke to my son who is head of histology at a large London cancer hospital this evening and his take on the reduction in pain I am having is likely because the chemo is reducing the Mets and therefore reducing the pressure on the nerves in my spine. I am keeping my fingers crossed that that is the case.
This afternoon I took myself off to my hairdresser/beautician and had my nails regelled as I have found it helps protect them while having chemo. She also shaped my eyebrows. After several years of having white almost non existent eyebrows now they have regrown into dark ones which I have never had in my life before
She also waxed my witches whiskers so I'm feeling quite human again. As I had to remove my mask for the waxing she wore a face visor as well as her mask so we were both quite safe.

Thank you cornergran for the info that the COVID19 swab test was not painful. I feel a bit happier about it now. I had a phone call from the hospital postponing it until Saturday morning

TOYA

Hi all in this great kitchen.

Soop - I’m so sorry that you are having to suffer this way and I wish there was something that I could do about it. Please rest more as others have said and sending you love and hugs.

To everyone else who is suffering then I am sending my love and hugs to you all as well.

Sorry that I prattle on about food when there are so many of you going through such horrible health issues.

Today DH has gone out to do the weekly food shop and it is a welcomed 2 hours off. Oh he is a canny lad but I do need a bit of ME time now and again. He seems to think that we are joined at the hip and I am an independent free spirit that would be a butterfly in another life!

No baking on the horizon today but some left over Vegetable Paella from yesterday and some yogurt jellies.

Stay safe and sane and take care all my lovely friends on this wonderful site.

I have been away from the kitchen for a couple of days and sorry to learn on my return how you have been suffering soop.

From my experience working in hospitals,the best way to approach a consultant is through his/her secretary.They hold the keys to the kingdom.It is difficult in these uncertain times to know the best way to go about things.If there were no lockdown,I would say send a letter that has to be signed for.
Most hospitals have a PALS service who act as a liaison between patient and team but again in these unprecedented times it is difficult to know how that would work.

I am thinking that as you have a good GP,maybe have a word with him and tell him how low you are feeling and see if he can make enquiries for you as to when you can expect further appointments.

You are not one to complain Soop and your GP will know this and I am sure will try to get things moving on your behalf.

I hope you are feeling brighter today,sending much love.?

Having shared with you lovely lot has kicked-started my positivity-mode. In fact, if it hadn't been for your understanding, I would have descended into a downward spiral.

THANK you

Just a brief update. MacSporran had bloods taken in the local surgery car park this morning. He's to have an on-line consultation with the oncologist in Oban later this week. He continues to do well. Bless him. He spoke to our GP about my "problem". GP is going to contact surgeon and speak to me on the phone when he has done so.

Daisyboots You have my respect in abundance. xxx

I do have a lovely photo of Mila which I'm having difficulty downloading. I also have a photo of Teddy which I shall share with you.

I'm not going far. To the washing machine and back. Oh for the day when we can walk through the village and wave hello to the folk that we miss.

Glad you are feeling more positive soop and so glad that action is being taken on your behalf by your GP.I am hoping both you and MacS have positive phone calls later in the week.

Another gorgeous photo of Teddy??He really is your mini me?

TOYA

Thank you, Susan How is our little Henry? Any further updates to report?

I have just this minute had a call from the GP. He is to contact the surgeon and I shall have some form of communication from her before too long. A result. Cheers!

Purplepixie Please continue "prattling" on the subject of food. You never fail to excite my taste buds. Such a pity that it all happens to be virtual.

Madgran Oh my word! I would happily step in to sample your heavenly baking. After which, I would possibly need to wear my elastic-waisted trews.

Glad you have a result soop?that is sounding quite positive??
Henry is doing ok thank you,good days and bad days.The new dietician is on holiday?but we have been studying a lot online ourselves and are feeling more confident going forward.Hopefully he will be able to have the tests he needs before too long.
He is eight months old today so two months since this all started.
Have a good afternoon all,hope you all have the brilliant sunshine we are enjoying.

Afternoon all.

Exciting times here today. We had to collect medication for Sam so I went on a road trip with Grampy! We had to phone the vets on arrival and stay in the car. they brought the medication out and placed it on the table. Then Grampy could walk over and collect it. Who would have thought that would be the highlight of my day lol

Actually the highlight was the drive home, past fields of wheat just turning golden, seeing the deer careering across a field and a whole family of partridges scurrying down the lane !

How can Teddy have grown so much Soop , he only arrived yesterday.

I feel your pain PurplePixie I do a little dance every day Grampy announces he's taking Sam for a long walk lol

Pass the cake Madgran sounds delicious.

Happy day all.

Susan Little Henry deserves to have tests carried out and scrutinised without further delay. The sooner he's able to start afresh, with a totally suitable diet, the better.

N&G When MacS attended the GP's car park clinic this morning, he returned home to tell me of many wonders that he'd beheld. It's the small occurences that we're missing right now. Is the wee hoos that is being constructed, any further forward? Is the lone gull still sitting on his rock, alongside his adopted family of cormorants?

soop and daisy you both have a lot to deal with. Hope that your meds are proving to help the situation Daisy and soop well done for McSporran to collar the GP on your behalf. Let’s hope they can help.
susan hope Henry is ok. Researching things yourself can often bring more knowledge or help you to understand what questions to ask. Your DD isn’t having much luck with the dieticians is she?
Take care everyone TOYA?

Doodle,she really isn’t.The whole department seems a bit of a shambles.

I am seriously thinking of doing an online course to further my knowledge as we will be looking after Henry a couple of days a week later in the year.I feel the more knowledge I have the better.

Hope Mr D is recovering from his accident with the chair.

Thinking of you all.

Good afternoon, Doodle. I trust that the sun is shining for you. There is barely a whisper of breeze and the sky is cloudless. I've printed some recent photos of Teddy and Mila. Now I need a suitable double frame. I shall take a look on ebay.

Susan that is a wise plan.

The cake is pretty good ...but the Cherry Amaretto Mouse is just "out of this world"!! And so easy to make!

Soop elastic trews may well be necessary for me too...my own fault with all this baking!

Susan a course sounds like a really good idea ...it will give you information and if it was me I know it would build up confidence in looking after lovely little Henry

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202005/medium-677661-p1013475.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202005/medium-5226-p1013496.jpg

A photo of me being devoured by the gunerra...
And MacS shouting..."don't you dare"...tee hee.

Feeling very much better. Thanks in the main to You lot.

About to log off and have a brew and dream of eating Madgran's Ameretta Mousse. Not forgetting the .

A sunny farewell to you all. I shall return tomorrow.

Hello Lovely Kitchen ladies

Lots of happenings on here today. So pleased to hear everyone being positive. Especially glad that you seem to have turned a corner, soop - sometimes all it takes is a good rant, the air clears and an idea strikes. Et voilà, no more tears and feeling like a victim.

It does seem a shame that we always have to stand up and march into battle with a plan when we need medical help; but I'm becoming more and more convinced that with the huge numbers of patients, most Doctors/Surgeries work on the "no news is good news" basis. Meaning, they don't hear from you ...so you must be o.k.!!!

Glad that your lovely man came home with news from afar. It's ridiculous that such small things mean so much now, but it's slightly encouraging that Scotland is moving forward from tomorrow, with households being able to meet up for the first time? That's going to cheer lots of people, I'm sure - especially Grans.

I was having a very good day. After coffee and before floor washing, I decided to sweep the courtyard. Every day there are petals and leaves and dust blowing in there. I then spotted a spider on the house wall next to my shoulder. Saw the "skull" image on its body, couldn't remember what it was. Had a small panic and ran indoors to check on the computer. In so doing, I rounded the corner to my desk, whacked my foot really hard on a chair leg (is that doing a Mr Doodle?) and struck my knee on the desk. Endless bad language then I spotted that my little toe was bleeding - I have all but removed the toe nail! Trying not to think about that I checked that the spider was only capable of a nasty bite - not a Black Widow but a False Widow. Seen one or two before down here, but I'm not a great spider lover and certainly not since my DH was badly bitten in Greece (and ill for 10 days) by some kind of spider.

We kill nothing in our house, but I decided that it had to go. Outvoted by my DH, so I put it in a glass with a postcard over the top and he carried it down the drive and up the track towards the vineyards. It was last seen scuttling around the vines! If it comes back, I shall be extremely put out.

So, poor old dear now has a dodgy toe, a broken sandal and I am struggling to deal with it. It has had a bath, an antiseptic spray and a gauze pad fastened around it. When I am feeling stronger, I shall attempt to cut the nail so that at least I am more comfortable - until it falls off.

I could definitely do with some of Madgran's Amaretto Mousse - any chance of the recipe, please? But I shall probably have to wait a while for that, so will content myself with another look at that beautiful little child's socks and boots and little legs. Such a sweetie, he is.

You'd laugh at our recent "Vet's visit", N&G. Our dear cat, requires daily drugs for his kidneys. He needed some more tablets, but rather than making an appointment to go see our lovely Vet, who in normal circumstances is such a laugh and so pleased to see us, but who is currently rushed off his feet; we go to his Wife's Cave/wine shop, which saves us a journey. She takes our drugs to her shop, we turn up, we collect and pay for the drugs and at the same time we buy some wine. That's civilised Vet visiting, South of France style.

Keep taking care all you smashing people.
Hugs from France x

Good evening to you all.

Daisy and soopfor two strong and courageous women who are an inspiration to us all.

Madgran that mousse sounds lovely, will you give us the recipe; please. I love Ameretta and just the though of your mousse is making my mouth water.

I so get it PurplePixie Mr. S. went for an hour's bike ride this morning and it was lovely having that time in the house to myself. Bless him, he hoovered right through the house this morning while I dusted and polished before he went.

Oh you poor thing Grandmafrench that does sound painful. Hopefully you'll be able to cut the nail tomorrow and it won feel quite so bad.

I remember when our youngest son had learned to crawl, I looked into the lounge and his brother had opened the stair gate; youngest son was half way up and looking very precarious.

I was wearing flip flops, ran to get him before he fell and caught my foot on the leg if a dining chair, dislocating my little toe; it was at a 90 degree angle.

Mr. S. took me to A&E and as a very kind doctor was distracting me, he put it back in place. After the momentary pain, the relief was heavenly.

We've had a very enjoyable afternoon in the sunshine, all jobs done before hand so no need to feel guilty spending the afternoon reading.

That sounds very civilised, buying wine at the same time as collecting medication for your cat. Wonder if that kind of service will catch on here.

Enjoy your evening TOYA x

I made a quiche so I thought ah I know just the place to take that to ?.
I haven't posted for a couple of days but I've read how bad you have been feeling soop and how much you have gone through over the years. Don't, whatever else you do dearest lady, ever feel that you shouldn't share how you are feeling or think that you are "moaning" when you shouldn't because other people have "bigger problems to deal with". No matter what the ailment/condition is if you are, as I think I might have said to someone else before, suffering you are suffering. There are no degrees to suffering, all is equally the same. What is it they say (whoever they are) don't suffer in silence. I'm glad that you have "bounced back" today and that the GP is going to get the consultant to contact you ?.

Ouch Grandmafrench! That sounds like a very ugly business. It's made me wince, a lot! I'm not squeamish when it comes to the sight of blood but the thought of your toenail virtually coming off - eek, you must have given your foot one heck of a knock. Now, please no rushing about or even contemplating it. Rest! That's an order by the way.

I had a very interesting afternoon today as I had my "interview" about "my life living with epilepsy" for the anthology being written by a support worker for the Wales epilepsy charity. When we spoke a few weeks ago she told me that she expected this part to take about 45 minutes - 2 hours later... ?. We covered a lot more "ground" than she expected ? ?. She was a little, though not totally, surprised, I wasn't surprised at all ?.

Susan, I've got my fingers crossed that little Henry's tests will happen very soon now. Two months is a very long time for such a very young child. In the meantime I hope that he has less bad days, preferably none x

Lovely photo of Teddy by the way soop - you really do have a mini lookalike.

Take care yous all, enjoy the quiche ?

Well grandmafrench you certainly had an interesting day. Sorry you’ve hurt your toe so badly. I’m glad we don’t have spiders like that here. My DH detests spiders (I’m not fond either) hope your poorly toe heals quickly.
cherry so pleased your interview went well. I bet you are a very good case study.
Hope everyone is ok. TOYA ?

So pleased you are feeling more positive soop and the NHS is grinding into action.

Daisy what a journey you have had. I am sure your son is right about the chemo. I finished chemo for my initial breast cancer in February. I found it hard at the end so was pleased in a way Covid put a stop to it. The fear is always that it will return but trying hard to stay positive.

Great that the interview went well Cherry.

I would love to live in France!

I am feeling quite down at the moment as all my friends can now meet up but I have to remain at home. I suspect our phone calls and Zoom sessions will be redundant.