SO...

I'm not doing so well with the blogging,the e-mailing,the knitting,housework... ! I'll stop before I depress myself. The knee is a little better,but it's still too painful to sit in one spot for too long. The acupuncture is interesting. I feel loads better the next day,but it soon wears off. I've only had two treatments so far,and understand that you need three or so before you see results. I'll keep the faith,for now. At least the acupuncturist agrees with me that it's not so much the joint but the ligaments around the knee. During last week's treatment my knee went into spasm. All the muscles around it searing with pain,and hot,shooting pains around the knee and up and down my leg. That was fun ! I am trying not to let it get me down,but it's been six weeks now and the pain is wearing me out. It's stopping me from doing loads of stuff too. I have to psyche myself up to do anything,particularly walking ! I can feel myself getting less and less fit. I see my G.P. on monday and shall demand [no.really !] she does something ! I don't think it's unreasonable to request a scan of my knee,rather than have her just say ''oh dear'' and mutter about my weight. Before you all start the ''well,I'm sure if you were carrying less weight...'' comments DON'T EVEN GO THERE! I'm not an idiot. You'll only piss me off.

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Enough about me !
We had an emergency ramp buying session two weeks ago. Lucky they were in stock. The reason ? Wheelchair training with Whizzkids. If you shop at a Tesco store this weekend please put some money in the Whizzkids tin that will hopefully be shaken at you. Whizzkids are collecting in Tesco stores up and down the country this weekend. Ask me how I know ! We're only able to do Sunday as wheelchair training is for 6 consecutive Saturdays,



The bottom two pics I've kept small,so that people can't be identified.
Not very good pics,but you get the idea.
Oliver is loving it and learning some great skills. The best thing is for him to see and mix with wheelchair drivers [!] of all ages. The course leader is in a wheelchair too. Parents/carers get shooed away [this is all second hand as my knee is too painful for the car trip,nevermind anything else. I get to mope about at home,missing my boys],as each child is buddied up with a volunteer. This gives the kids a lot more freedom to take risks and learn. A really fantastic experience for Oliver. Also good for Allan as he gets to chat with other parents. Shared experiences and all that.

We are still going to get a hoist,as the ramp is only a temporary solution. It will be sooner than we thought as we have bitten the bullet,released equity from our property and committed to paying a mortgage way past retirement ! That means that we shall add to the fantastc,generous and appreciated,more than you can imagine,amount in Oliver's Fund,and shall organise the hoist in the next couple of weeks.
The events that set all of that off were the government dropping means testing for Disabled Facilities Grants for children. That means that we applied in December when the law changed. I knew about it even before our O.T. thanks to Scope ! We've had the architect round and plans have been drawn. Walls will be moved,doorways widened,a wheel-in shower will be fitted in the expanded bathroom. A floor to floor lift will take up even more of Oliver's bedroom. Don't think the stair lift was a waste of money ! It's saved my life ! There is no way I could carry Oliver up and down the stairs now. It also transports piles of laundry for me ! It will be ages until the lift will be used regularly. He's six after all,and not able to resist the lure of buttons to press !
They're also fitting french doors to improve access. The grant is up to £25,000 [strangely £30,000 in Wales !] so finishing etc. is limited. We needed the money to tile the bathroom,put new flooring,that's up to the wear and tear of the electric wheelchair,downstairs,decorate,upgrade the moved/new radiators etc. I feel slightly nauseous thinking about it.
We plan to move to a cheap,accessible hotel whilst the work is done. We were offered respite care. When hell freezes over is my response to that. Why would I put my son into an institution [sorry,care home] with strangers,away from us,at a time of great change for all of us. I don't think so ! Can you imagine ? Apart from the fact that he and I have never been apart overnight,he's our son,we take care of him and we like spending time with him. I think he's worth spending a few hundred pounds on [gulp]. Those builders had better be quick ! I'll calm down now. Respite care ! Honestly ! ...

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As you can imagine I have allowed myself a few small [cough] yarn purchases. Some intended as gifts and exchanges. It's to help combat the stress,you know.
I'm not showing it all. Just two hanks of the most gorgeous yarn. I love to just stroke it and sniff it !

It's Handmaiden Seasilk bought from Kerrie. It has an amazing ozone,seaside smell,without the rotting seaweed ! The softness,the sheen,the colours. What's not to like ? :-]

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I followed a link on Janine's blog to the Sock Diva and now have my own Sockbug.

I think it looks Egyptian. Some of the fabric has a metallic sheen that the flash has flattened.
Here it is full of my current sock to knit on whilst I wait.

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Thank you all for your words. It's lucky I am a tenacious fighter ! And all the rest. You don't know the half of it !