HOORAY

It worked.

Phew!

Right, whilst it is in a good mood I will pop the other pictures up.

This is a plant Suzanne has bought for me, I cant wait for it to get to look like this
it is called Sidalcea - Party Girl...

This is a picture of an Acupuncture needle
I had 12 of these in my arms and neck whilst having the
treatment for my neck problems.
Fine until they were turned...
OUCH!

A QTC from Ann in Germany
a swap from Fabricards - it was for 9 things,
thank you Ann it is great...

A real surprise card I have received from KR in America
I used to belong to the same group as KR but left;
This is KR and myself, we were always the last two up late at night
chatting to each other.
I will be in touch again soon KR meantime
thank you for my lovely card...

Printing on Voile..
from Tessa, off the Popular Patchwork Forum,
very interesting this,
thank you Tessa...

So many things I have received of late, I really do consider myself extremely lucky.
I have met wonderful people since doing this Blog.
They have been so generous to me, and I really don't know why, but,
I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
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LOOKING GOOD

Hubby had a really busy day in the garden today, I'm afraid I was really lazy today, I felt so tired I haven't a clue why, apart from maybe the acupuncture I had yesterday!! Does that make you tired I wonder! He seemed to get on better without me there anyway, apart from pointing where I wanted the plants to go. Yes. Time to do some planting at last. He has creosoted the bottom fence, nice and black now. Also the side fence which is ours, her painted/creosoted a nice dark brown, I was sick of the red cedar. He says it is growing on him. I love the smell of creosote so kept wandering into the garden.

This first picture shows the Ceanothus we already have being tied to the trunk or a nearby tree, it was leaning right over as the conifer had pushed it over. Maybe it will regain its upright, maybe it wont, we shall see. Just trying to 'coax' it a bit.

This is more or less the same view, showing the planting he has done, also, see the fences, very smart now. Ceanothus' and Clematis' have been planted in situ, along with some Polyanthus, that we are hoping will 'naturalise' down there amongst the Snowdrops and other bulbs that I - OK He - will be putting in. The trunk from the thinnest of the trees has been nailed to the others to give the plants something to grow up, also to try and blot that horrid view. Annette said, will they be covered by Sunday......Corse they will!!!

This next picture is almost the same as the last I know, but you can see the horrid red cedar fence of next doors, our new brown is much much better. Don't you agree?

This basket of bulbs we found under the conifers, how it got there, who knows!!
These will all be planted in the ground when they have finished flowering, poor things.

Here, at long last are my mini Daffodils. Not too many this year, again, I don't understand why this is, maybe I will have these up and replant elsewhere and start afresh next year!

Close up they are fine as you can see, just not many of them.

They were so pretty the first year we put them in, they looked a real treat.
Have to have a good think on this.
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This evening I managed to stay awake long enough to make 5 more Wonky Star blocks, bringing my total to 9. I have decided I will use my PINK charm swap pack from the PP forum, to make wonky star blocks for the BF appeal..........that's BUSH FIRE..........link in the side bar.

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Thursday I had the first of my Acupuncture treatments, I had 12 needles altogether, 6 each side, from hands, up arms to neck, I bet I looked like Herman Munster with the needles in my neck. I was warned they may leave bruises!! it --my neck-- may hurt quite a lot for a couple of days, because it has been stirred up I guess. Oh Joy. It has ached a bit, felt a bit weird, but I just feel so tired. So on that note I am off to my bed. Goodnight everyone, hope you enjoy my news so far.

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ALLSORTS

Well today, I had my hospital appointment, I thought it was Friday but hubby assured me it was today. Don't you just hate it when they are right!!!!

Anyway, I went and they agreed with me the TENS machine sadly hadn't done anything for me whatsoever. The next option for me was an injection. Mmmmm I don't mind them as long as I don't see the needle, BUT I wouldn't be able to have this done as you have to lay flat on your front and be still for 15 minutes. Ummm not with my knees. I cant 'lock' my legs straight anymore, they are always at a slight bend, If I did lock them I dread to think how I would bend them again, also I cannot put any pressure on them.
What an old moany Minnie I do sound. Sorry. But that is the way it is.

The nurse suggested Acupuncture. Wahey. Brilliant. I am all for that. I have every faith in it. So the situation is this, I start a 6 week course in March, I will have 12 needles per session in my hands, arms, neck, and back. Doesn't hurt, had it before. Only when they twist them! Then, ohhhh ouch!!! Hopefully it will do something. If not, it will be the injection for sure. Somehow!!!

I know there are lots of people out there who are far worse off than me, but I hate not being able to move by head. If you look straight ahead, then look up, or to the right or left, lucky lucky you, I cant do any of that, my head is fixed in the one position, so if I am talking to anyone I have to be face to face, I cant just slightly turn my head I have to move my whole body. Any slight movement causes terrible pain in my neck, so I hope you understand my grumbles.

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On a cheerier note...
Here are more pictures of Postcards and QTC's

This one I received from Angela on the Popular Patchwork Forum Postcard swap,
the theme was Science...isn't it great. Thank you Angela, I love it.



Here is another - Lets go fly a Kite - Postcard, this one from Ann M,
many thanks to you Ann, I enjoyed these cards...
this is the Fabricards group I am in



These are the 'Lets go fly a Kite' cards I have made
I really enjoyed making these for everyone, I also
made up a little poem for the back...



Still with the Fabricards group, these are ones I made for the
PAW Swap, that's Pick A Word.....
I chose the word;
WOOD
I have entitled these - 'You cant see the wood for the trees!'
I absolutely love doing trees and leaves of any sort, these are from my imagination!!
They are thread painted, on a background of fabric that I printed out of my
wooden bread board!!

All the same print but some I did darker or lighter than others - for fun!
Hubby likes these!

These are QTC's for the CHARM swap at Fabricards -
I coloured some artificial flowers with felt tips,
Well, Rebecca did...I then stitched them onto a QTC,
attached a charm,
voila!



Now, Tessa, my friend on the Popular Patchwork Forum asked me
what QTC's were, {2 1/2" x 3 1/2"}
so I asked her for a theme - she said dogs - ARGH!!!
Then I remembered I had a picture of HER own dog, so I printed it onto fabric,
FME'd it a bit.....

This is the front............................this is the back


It will stand up as I put a little ribbon between like a hinge.
Hope she likes it.
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Also on the PP Forum, I was asked what I meant when I said I had 'machine tied' a quilt.
Here is what I meant, I put the quilt under the machine and just do a star shape, then move it say 4-5" do another one, all over the quilt, then round the borders. If you click on the BACK picture the quilting star shows up better than the front.

This is the front of the quilt............................this is the back


The back comprises of all odd blocks left over from other quilts, joined together to a
piece big enough for this Christmas Quilt.

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ALSO on the PP Forum
Katy has come up with yet another SWAP for us girls.
A CHARM SQUARE SWAP;
We have to either buy the squares,
or,
if they are like me and have a stash......
I raided mine and cut the squares which were to be 5"
15 Blue
15 Green
15 Pink

These are the fabrics I have used;
I told Katy I don't mind what colour I get as I like all colours, so look forward to receiving mine as I have no idea what I will get. I love surprises. Others have chosen there favourites.

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HOSPITAL VISIT

Off I trouped to the hospital about my neck. Ongoing problem. Boring. Painful, but boring. I went with the feeling nothing could be done or was going to be done. :-(

Au contraire... :-!

The lovely Doctor C, had other ideas. Funnily enough he was the Doctor who fixed my back for me, I had to have some nerve endings fused, mm not nice, but they worked. That was 23 years ago. He asked how the back was going along. Fine I was pleased to tell him. :-)

On to the Neck.

He was totally amazed at the lack of movement I have. I had to stand as I couldn't keep turning to see him. He confirmed that I DO have Arthritis, BUT he is determined to get me movement in my neck even if its only a little. Soooooo

I came home with a TENS machine. I am to use this for a month. Then I go back to see how it has been. Next to my Docs to get some Patches, he feels these will be better for me than all the tablets I take for the pain. I am on the highest dosage and take 8 a day, so he is not happy about that. So Patches it will be.



How do TENS machines work?

Transcutaneous means 'through the skin'. TENS machines deliver small electrical pulses to the body via electrodes placed on the skin. TENS machines are thought to affect the way pain signals are sent to the brain. Pain signals reach the brain via nerves and the spinal cord. If pain signals can be blocked then the brain will receive fewer signals from the source of the pain. We may then feel less pain.

TENS machines are thought to work in two ways.

• When the machine is set on a high pulse rate (90-130 Hz) it triggers the 'pain gate' to close. This is thought to block a pain nerve pathway to the brain. This is the normal method of use.
• When the machine is set on a low pulse rate (2-5 Hz) it stimulates the body to make its own pain easing chemicals called endorphins. These act a bit like morphine to block pain signals.

If none of this works he wants to give me some injections which he feels will be beneficial to me. But I have to work my way through all this other stuff first.

If he can get me a little movement in my neck I will be over the moon I can tell you. At least I have a name for what is wrong.
Ankylosis.

Sounds like I've lost my hanky!!! Well, you have to grin and bear it don't you! I do!