Saturday 25 August 2012

Embossing challenge card

The only cards I've made this month was inspired by a challenge over on The Cupboard Triology.

Their challenge was to use embossing on a card, scrapbook page or digi scrapping.  I had just received a new embossing folder so decided to give this a go in my Cuttlebug and here is my finished card:

Hope you like it.  This was a thank you card for a wonderful colleague who sent David and I a Willow Tree ornament "angel of healing" and a thinking of you card.  I just wanted to send her a little thank you for her lovely thoughts.

A few bad months :( and it continues

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, David has been through hell and back and it doesn't get much better for me either.

Unfortunately David's bad back showed he had a fracture at L1 and  we eventually discovered this was caused by a cancerous growth growing in the bone on David's spine (metastatic nasopharnyx cancer) and a shadow on his pelvis.  What a shock for us.  When we were told David had been taken into hospital, he was on such high medication (morphine and fentanyl patches) that they were causing him to have falls and horrid hallucinations.  How we managed for those few days before we went into hospital I don't know. 

To cut a long story short, David was transferred to Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (from James Paget Hospital in Suffolk) and was in that hospital 3 weeks, a total of over 3.5 weeks.  During that time he underwent a 6+ hour operation to have his spine stabilized.  David now has rods and bolts in his back as well as cement. Thankfully one of my sisters live a 10 minute drive from that hospital so I stayed with her for 3 weeks and was able to be David's carer in hospital so was there each day from around 7 am - 10 pm. Once home and after a couple of weeks David had 5 sessions of radiotherapy as an outpatient and is now recovering slowly.

I'm afraid to tell you that the cancer is not curable now it's in his bones, all the hospital can offer is pallative care.  All we can pray is that it does not spread.  David will have regular scans and visits to his oncology consultant and we will take each day, week and month as it comes.  We have been told the cancer could spread within the next few months - it's a waiting game and not a nice one.

At present I am having problems with Social Services as we have been referred to them to have our bathroom changed to a wet room as at present I have to give David bed baths and as we have a bath in our bathroom, and cannot afford to get this done ourselves.  I really don't have the energy and motivation to argue and keep pushing it, but have got as many professionals involved as I can in the hope they can help push it forward so the council awards us a grant to get the work done.  So if anyone knows of any tips or has won the lottery (???!!!) please think of us :o)

Unfortunately we had to cancel our holiday, not least because David wasn't well enough but also because our consultant advised it.  David hasn't been up to going far, just up the coast to look out and sit outside in the front garden.  At least the weather has been kind to us.

My health has not been good mentally so I have only made the odd card this month, out of necessity as I refuse to buy them with such a lot of crafty stash in the bedroom!

I will try and keep you informed as and when I can xxx

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Scrapbook page

I haven't scrapped in a very long time, well at least 4 years but over on The Cupboard Trilogy blog there was a Song Lyric challenge. This is what I came up with:

The photo was taken a few years back when David and I visited Sussex.  I believe the words says it all.  Although it was difficult at first, I'm really pleased with the end result, thanks I enjoyed the challenge.

It's been a long time ...

... and we have been through the mills literally.  David's treatment of 3 sessions of chemo (a week spent in hospital on 24 hour chemo and 2 weeks off x 3 sessions); and then 30 radiotherapy/6 chemo sessions knocked us for 6.  David finished his treatment end of December but is still suffering :(  Although David was given the all clear for head/neck cancer from his CT scan in April David cannot eat normally, he is just beginning to swallow a little liquid orally.  Everything goes through a stomach tube which he has had in since November, even his tabletes which I have to crush with a pill crusher.   It will take some time for David to regain his strength, he goes to hospital every fortnight to see a Speech and Language specialist for his swallowing and we see an oncology team every month or so to make sure all is okay.

Unfortunately David has chronic back pain and this is hindering his progress.  We are awaiting a bone scan date as we have been told by our local doctor that there could be a "hotspot" between L3 & 4.  We pray that this is just a terrible back problem and not anything more serious.  David has been through enough this past year.

On a nicer note have a cottage booked down in Somerset for August so are praying that David will feel well enough to travel and can enjoy a few days away.

Thanks for being here and reading this update, hope to keep you informed more regularly and now I'm making cards again I will try and remember to post them here.  You can always find me on Facebook as I try and keep my wall updated for friends and family.

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Challenging news

I know it's been a long time and I'm sorry for that not sure if any of my family or friends read this blog any more but just thought I'd update you all with our news. To any penpals I'm so sorry for not writing, not sure where the time has gone we had some worrying health issues with Mum earlier in the year but she has now perked up and still living by herself with carers coming in 3 days a week.

David and I now some very challenging times to come, as David starts treatment for cancer and will require chemo and then radiotherapy/chemo any day now. It is going to be a very difficult time but with our family and friends we will get through it and the cancer is treatable - Nasopharyngeal Cancer (cancer at the back of the nose) - we are praying all goes well. The hospital where David will be treated is about a 50 minute drive away but it's a wonderful hospital with latest technology.

We did manage a few days away to Yorkshire last week but David went with a cold and I came back with a cold, so we didn't stay as long as we'd hoped. I have put some photos on my Facebook page if anyone is interested in seeing them (you do have to be my Facebook friend to see them though).

Will try and keep you updated, love Valerie x

Charisma Cardz Challenges 33

Can't believe I'm posting on here, it's been so long. This challenge caught my eye though - negative challenge, and here's my entry:
Thanks x

Monday 1 November 2010

Chloe dog - my brother's beautiful greyhound

Blimey, you don't hear from me in ages then you get 3 posts in an evening!

I couldn't resist showing you my brother's dog Chloe again. My brother has had her a year now and she's really come out of herself since my brother collected her from the Great Yarmouth Greyhound Homefinders Kennels last October. Chloe has a lovely character and isn't shy in coming forward, she loves woofing to my David for treats and so enjoys playing with her toys:

Chloe showing off for the camera, and may be saying: "can I have another treat please?"

Playing with her favourite toy, her ted.
Holding up the door! Chloe so loves laying on her back, ready for a tummy rub whenever someone goes by!
She's such a girly dog, loves all things pink and colourful and is so dainty.

We love her to bits, especially as we can't have any pets of our own where we live :o( at least we can heap all our pet love on Chloe :o) and she laps it up. My brother says Chloe sulks if she doesn't see us when she expects to!