Good news...

We have some good news to share...Looby's getting married!

Looby and her fiance Steven, have been together for a couple of years now and have decided the time's right for a wedding!
They've set a date in December.
Coo was a bit surprised as he still see's her as his wee girl even though she's 22! so I had to whisper a gentle reminder, we were both in our teens when we wed 25 years ago so we best just keep quiet about the age thing! LOL

Steven is a lovely guy, he's in the Scots Guards, he's very mellow and easy going and this compliments Looby's blonde, harum scarem, smiley nature.

I think they're a good match so I'm pleased there'll be some wedding bells!
I've never been the mother of the bride before - I'll need a hat! LOL
Now, I guess the hunt is on for, well, everything associated with weddings so...let the games begin! LOL

maz x

Carer Poems...

Hi guys, I mentioned in my 2009 relection post, I'd had my poems published with funding from the N.H.S.
More information here, it's to help find hidden Carers and encourage them to seek out some help and support any way they can!
Here's one of my poems from the booklet and it's kinda apt that it's here on a web blog as it's about Carers supporting each other on the Internet!


Carers Connect…

I am a Carer and someone’s wife,
The person I care for still shares my life.
We’ve been through the wars my loved one and me,
It seems such a long time so far back to see.

When first you’re caring it’s all raw and new,
lots of appointments and hospitals too.
In early days you still hope for a cure,
but as time keeps going hopes get fewer and fewer.

Pills and potions giving anything a try,
therapies and treatments to help you get by.
Nothing is working and time still goes on,
Keep struggling and striving into each dawn.

When meeting friends who in years you’ve not saw,
They ask how things are but talking is raw.
They can’t understand and what support can they show,
of an lifestyle we hope they won’t ever need to know.

Information is power, we all need to know,
best ways of coping, for help where to go.
‘Selfish Pigs Guide’* is a good book I read,
it changed me completely, the things that it said.

It told about Carers, people like me,
millions all out there, why couldn’t I see…
I’m not on my own, lots of Carers I’ve met,
They chat and connect via the Internet.

It takes some time to build confidence too,
And state, I’m a Carer’ and that’s what I do.
It’s not who I am but it is a big part.
Carers keep caring body, soul and heart.

*The Selfish Pigs Guide to Caring is written by Hugh Marriott It's a wonderful book if you're new or even not so new to caring.
I hope you get a chance to read it or borrow it from the local library, honestly it's so worth the effort!

maz x

Reflection on 2009...

Hi Guys, I found these questions on Carer, worker, mother, wife's blog and found them interesting so I've decided on a little 2009 reflection myself...

What was your biggest triumph in 2009?
Getting my Carer poems published with funding from NHS

What was the smartest decision you made in 2009?
To employ some time managment.

What one word best sums up and describes your 2009 experience?
Roller-coaster!LOL

What was the greatest lesson you learned in 2009?
If you try...sometimes, you get what you need!

What was the most loving service you performed in 2009?
Supported my mum, made her smile and shop! during her own health issues this year.

What is your biggest piece of unfinished business in 2009?
Carer poverty is still very much an unfinished issue.

What are you most happy about completing in 2009?
The march down the Royal mile and speaking at the parliament rally.

Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life in 2009?
*Coo, who constantly struggles and all with a smile that reminds me every day why I love him.
*My mum, she's battled with cancer this year and smiled on through tough times too.
*Looby - without her willingness to help, I'd never have any respite or sleep time!

What was the biggest risk you took in 2009?
Signing up for a local island sponsored walk - I didn't think I'd make it all the way around the island but I did...eventually!

What was the biggest surprise in 2009?
A wonderful gift of a relaxing spa day from Coo's mum!

What important relationship improved the most in 2009?
My Dad and I, we've always been close but he was so proud I spoke out for Carers at the Parliament!

What compliment would you liked to have received in 2009?
I like your Carer prose - very powerful...and I got it too from a work colleague!
What compliment would you liked to have given in 2009?
To Coo - you are everything, your star still shines brightly, you're still the one and I love you.

What else do you need to do or say to be complete with 2009?
I'm not sad 2009 has gone.
It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride for sure but we've both come out stronger than ever and still with a smile too!
Speaking of which...
Now, do these birds look like a pretty cool smile to you? LOL

Keep smiling and stay strong!
maz x

At last the thaw...

Hi Guys, well all our snow is at last gone and it's back to rainy days here! lol
The temperature is now around 3 degrees woo hoo!
It's positively bahamas weather...not...but it does feel a whole lot warmer!

Coo's still poorly, his blood results are not too good and his white cells are still raised so that virus is still kicking around his system.
On the up-side though, he's been a little more settled over the last two days so maybe we're coming out the other side, let's hope so as it's been a bit difficult recently and we're both a bit shattered!

Who knows there's some dry weather forcast for tomorrow so...


maybe, we'll get out to the park for a bit and blow the cobweds away!

Take care and keep cosy where you are,

maz x

On the snowy beach...

Hi guys, we've still got snow!

Coo's bloods results came back and things are not looking good at the moment.
His drug level is very high and his white cells are up too so has a virus...again which would account for the current increase in seizures.
We've thought about things and decided not to reduce the meds yet as it'll probably be the virus causing the problem and when it goes Coo could end up in a worse position. We're going to wait it out and see what happens over the next few days, but enough of that!

We both felt we had to get out today.
It sure does look pretty doesn't it!
It's still so very cold as you can see from the pics but we have been so cooped up lately that cold or not, I decided to take the chance while Coo felt ok and get out for a bit!
So...I came out of work today and thought let's go to the beach for a bit! LOL

I must admit though, it was positively Baltic out there.

My nose and cheeks were cherry red and nipping! LOL

Angel (our dog) on the other hand loved every frozen minute of it!


She's a Jackhuahua, which means she's a teeny weeny Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua cross breed and she's fully of beans as you can see! LOL.

The only thing is...

...it's pretty hard keep your eye on an eleven inch tall teeny weeny dog, who just happens to be white running around in the snow! lol


We sure had fun trying though!

maz x

Weather better?..oh snow it's not!

Hi Guys, our snow is still here yet and that's probably a record for here.
We are on the coast so it usually never stays for long but this spell has proved the exception!
We've still got some snowmen standing and that's over a week on! LOL

It all looks so pretty, especially today as the sun has come out and warmed things up a bit! There's still no sign of a thaw though.
I'd been hoping things would have improved on the weather front by then as we've got to go out tomorrow. We've no choice really. Coo needs his bloods done and the medicine supplies are running low...so...snow or not...out we go! LOL
I'm so glad I bought those snow boots I found going cheap before Christmas!
If I remember correctly everybody laughed at the time but ha ha who's laughing now? My wee feet have been roasting toasting and looby (our daughter and main giggler at those fluffy boots!) now thinks she should have bought a pair too!

I'm glad Coo's getting his bloods done tomorrow as he's been pretty poorly over the last few days, very sleepy, his moods are all over the place and he's had lot's of seizures so maybe the tests will throw up an answer to the latest onslaught.
Either that or he'll develop the sniffles...again!
So...snow boots, hat scarf, gloves, bloods, appointments, pills and chills...is there anything else I need to remember...nah just like the landscape that's it all about covered! LOL

Where ever you are, I hope you're wee feet are toasty too!

maz x

Happy new year to all Carers...

Hi all and a 'Happy New Year!'

Coo and I did have a good time over Christmas and Hogmanay, well minus the minor hiccup where we nearly had the ambulance out! but that aside it all went off pretty well! Woo Hoo!

Don't get me wrong, Coo's still seizing pretty badly but we're coping with things.

We used to try to keep him moving all the time so he didn't sleep and seize, which I have to admit, did cut down the seizure level a little but also made us both extremely stressed!
Coo would get annoyed at being permanently prodded awake and I was always on the look out and on edge - I felt like a member of the sleep police! LOL

This last year we've changed tack a bit, now we're at home more to accomodate things and it seems to be working out for us. It's a case of, if we want to go out in the evening for a bit, Coo needs to sleep in the afternoons so it's all a bit more relaxed now - thank heavens for that!

I do hope it's going to be a hale & hearty year for us all this time around and I can't say I'm sorry to see 2009 gone!

So...in our own scots way....'Slainte Mhath'!!
You may well ask WHAT?
Well, it's an old toast to Good Health and around here it's pronounced...
'slanj-e- vah', isn't our language a bit quirky!

Lastly from a very frosty, in fact a pretty much frozen Scotland!
I hope the new year's kind to you wherever you are!

Happy New Year 2010!

maz x