Microdiscectomy Post-Operative week 3 (days 19 - 23)

Days 19 to 23 have been so different I've decided to write up week 3 early.

By day 18 I was really struggling and I really reigned in what I was doing. I cut walking to a shorter and slower 2.75km plus a slow 1km on the treadmill later. I spent a lot of time lying down in bed in the morning and on the sofa late afternoon and after 2 days I was feeling so much better.

The leg pain subsided to lower leg only,completely gone from my bottom. and my back ache was much the same. Back ache doesn't bother me so much, it's the lesser of the evils and it reminds me to take care whilst this rupture is healing.

So in true to form on day 21 I took myself out for a 6km walk but took it very slowly and felt fine the next day. Day 22 I did the same again but the back ache was markably worse.

I'm only doing a few legs lifts and foot bends no other stretching at all.

I had my follow up appointment with the consultant today who said "you're doing too much"  *sigh* but he also said I could start driving again, so I drove daughter to Tennis and back tonight and walked 2.75km whilst she was there plus 2km on the treadmill this afternoon and most of the morning at the computer, add to this general housework and yes it all looks a bit busy really. 

Tonight I have intense back twinges from doing things I was doing earlier in the week fine.  I plan a day of rest and ice tomorrow.

The consultant did say everything was as it should be but also said being as I am as tired as I am the full 6 weeks off work post op would be the right thing to do.  I know so many people that went back to work after 3 weeks so I feel a bit of a wuss really.  He said I should now start swimming and biking too - I wish he would make up his mind about doing too much!

PS the consultant also said all the fuss about scar tissue forming if you do too much or too little is a load of rubbish and I should stop reading the internet and watching youtube as it is all unedited tosh (his words not mine)  so if you are here because you are 3 weeks post microdiscectomy op then log off now!


I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here.


PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR.
WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

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A Guide is no fool

This week's Gallery is Friends.

You know there is only one way I could possibly go with this.  None of them are quality pictures but none of us Guiders are perfect!

There is a general sense of inclusion that Guiding brings.

A Guide does not ignore people some days and not others, even if it's a rotten day they will still catch your eye or nod. A Guide does not play controlling queen bee and choose who's 'in' or 'out' and a Guide is no fool and knows who isn't genuine!

 

I know that when there is laughter it is at the absurdness or hilarity of the situation not 'at' me.




I know it doesn't matter what I wear or how much of an idiot I look because it's all about fun.


It seems to attract the nice people.  Perhaps Guiding just magnifies the goodness but think it all comes back to the Laws.

A Guide is a good friend and a sister to all Guides.

And whilst we aren't quite marching along in uniform underneath the guiding banner...

This picture says so much to me about relaxed friends happy together.

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May the bridges I burn light the way

Parents evening and things were going well until we got to the English teacher.  I always feel it's best to be honest in these situations. I don't know why I carry on with this theory, it is nothing but trouble.

"...COG really isn't enjoying English right now, it's causing a bit of an issue at home, it's the lesson she really dreads"
"what is she struggling with?"
"well she didn't enjoy the debate where she had to be a cockroach in the hot air balloon"
"no that was a dreadful task, I would have hated to do that" she laughed
"errrrr yes, she did...and she's struggling with writing about MacBeth when they haven't actually read it yet"
"well I think they're a bit too young to read it..."
"but not too young to write about it?"
"well I don't know what to say, she's a top set girl, I've never had this problem with anyone in top set before.  This is English, all topset girls like English"  yes she really said that

The conversation was pretty much left unsatisfactorily hanging with no suggestion of what I could do to help or what she might try. Until COG came home from school the next day:

"Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum, what did you say to Mrs EnglishTeacher.  In class today she said 'I was really pleased to hear from everybody's parents last night about how enthusiastic you all are....except COG.'"

Yes, she really did say that, in front of the whole class.  Red rag to a bull.  I was on that phone quicker than a board rubber flies across a classroom.

It turns out yes, she did say that and yes she recognises that there may have been an angry under current in it (her words). but she also said:

"Do you not realise how much you upset me last night? How hard it is to hear that someone doesn't like your lessons?  I spend hours planning those lessons, I work hard at it, how would you like it if someone said they didn't like your work?"

I thought the purpose of a parents evening was to be able to discuss issues, as well as the back patting.  I expected her to be concerned that COG wasn't taking to the subject, expected her to suggest ways for us to help, suggest alternatives.  Turns out the only thing suggested to COG was the option that she move down a set.

Well if she doesn't like people not enjoying her classes I do hope she never has to teach ESA.  To the politically correct that would be the challenging children that enjoy spending time in isolation class and detention collecting.  To people like me it's the ones that need the board rubbers throwing at them.

I used to think the quote "May the bridges I burn light the way" meant that you learn from your mistakes.  Clearly for me it means that the sheer number of bridges burning, in the turbulence I call my life, is lighting up the sky in not only mine but COG's life too now.

I was feeling rather meloncoly about the quote:

"Beware the sweetened smoke that taints the air as your second chances with bridges burn!"

until I read

"I find that a duck's opinion of me is largely influenced on whether or not I have bread."

and with that I found peace with myself.

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Microdiscectomy Post-operative Recovery week 2 (days 8 to days 18)

Days 8 to 18 have been a little more disappointing but probably as expected.

I have continued to not use pain killers unless I have been very sore at night and then I've had one or 2 500mg paracetamol.

I have taken my dressing off completely and the wound is just a bit scabby, no itching, not sore so that is good.

I continued to do gentle walks on the treadmill but on day 8 I couldn't hold myself back any longer and went out for a 3k walk in the local fields, on days 9 and 10 this became a 5.5k walk.  Day 11 onwards it became my favourite 6k walk.  I have continued to have residual leg pain, that becomes greater when sitting or standing still.  I've also been doing light house work washing, ironing, sweeping, a very little hoovering. We also had some work men in for a few days and to be quite frank it's all got too much.

I went to the doctors on day 14.  She told me I was doing too much, to slow down, walk less distance and rest more.  I've tried to do this but to be honest I can't tell the difference.  The residual leg pain is the same regardless, the sore back is the same.  Doing nothing, doing a little or doing a lot...nothing seems to change the sore, tired me.  I am now signed off work until day 35, so I still have time but I need to rest and relax more.

I've been reading that smaller walker more frequently is better than one big walk but I do so love getting out into the countryside.  At home I feel trapped.  But more rest it needs to be.

I have read so many accounts from people like myself that tend to push boundaries, want to do a little bit more, exercise to the edge, so many of us seem to be in this back surgery boat and so many of us seem to be struggling with not rushing back to exercise.

I'm only doing a few legs lifts and foot bends no other stretching at all, I'm only walking but I think that must slow down again for a while.

My follow up appointment with the surgeon is on day 23.  I'll post how it goes.


I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here.


PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR.
WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

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Managing Sciatica Pain

I've been suffering with sciatica since August.  It has gone from a general feeling of toothache in my right leg, through aches like muscle aches in side lower leg, my thigh and deep seated in my bottom, to calf pain like the most excruciating cramp I had ever had that goes on for hours with no relief.  Pain like that has left me tired and sobbing.

I have had to modify my life to ensure it doesn't get to the cramping stage.  This has meant in stages giving up circuit training, stopping running, stopping sitting on the sofa, stopping driving, stopping sitting on chairs.  This finally led to surgery which is where I am hoping my journey may end but we will see.

In the meantime I wanted to share the things that have made a difference at home to make my life easier.

I like to spend time in the kitchen, daughter and I eat breakfast together there. Changing my breakfast bar stools from standard wooden Ikea ones to fully height adjustable with better back support made a big difference.  Just lowering myself a little so there is no hunch aided my back and the foot rest means subtle leg position changes buy me a little extra time in the seat.

Being  unable to sit on a sofa or normal chair for any length of time made watching TV hard.  I started to sit on an exercise ball instead and this allowed me to sit for much longer periods, perhaps 30 minutes rather than 10.  Again I think it's to do with easy subtle shifts in position that buy extra time.

This kneeing chairallowed me to continue to work from home and really made life much easier.  I spend many hours at the computer and this allows me to move my leg into different positions so I can extend my working time.  It also stops me slumping over my desk which I am quite bad for in a normal office chair.  Find a chair that works for you, this one changed the quality of my life. massively.

Ice, my saving grace.  It works so well at hitting the pain.  The reusable ice pack is great I just take it out of the freezer, wrap it in a piece of cotton cloth and tuck it into my trouser waist band for 20 mins.  Bliss!  These gel packs are flexible and are easy to just leave in place (tucked in my pants!!).  The travel ice packs aren't reusable but are fantastic for when I know I need an ice-pack away from home.

 

The best thing  have found to hold the ice packs in place is this Stowaway Visor Transporter. The long thin ice packs slide into it and it clicks around my waist.  It's perfect for keeping them in place.

I bought a pair of Trail Runners when I thought my herniation was healing (before sciatica struck) and I also thought I would never get to use them but these have been brilliant walking shoes this winter. The fantastic soles mean I don't slip around, they have great support and take me miles.  These also have pull lacing (quick lace) which means I could slip them on and off.  Shoes and socks are almost impossible to do with severe sciatica.   Walking in these has been the best tonic for my pain.  I can literally walk the pain away.  Get good shoes - it makes a huge difference.




Since my microdiscectomy I've found walking with poles a lot easier, they keep me upright and my arms are taking a lot of the load.  Great for stopping me slipping at all too.  I have such fear of slipping and making my pain worse.  These GirlguidingUK ones (sold in singles but I do use two) are fantastic.

 

Post microdisectomy operation,  I found reaching up to high cupboards for anything impossible, even light weight things seem hard coming from high up and the stretching is not good.  I keep a set of these behind the door in the kitchen and they are so useful.

 It's no fun when you can't get pants over your feet and pull them up. These Pop and Go pants do up at the side.  There are different styles and I've tried 2 types.

I  tried to work my way though this without a mountain of drugs.  I already take nortriptyline for neuralgia and all NSAIDS seem to react badly with it and make me feel like I'm living in a goldfish bowl, a strange empty feeling of looking at a world happening around me, a feeling like an intense hangover and so so tired.  Codeine does the same, so beyond ordinary paracetamol there is nothing left.  Paracetamol doesn't even begin to touch sciatica so I was stuck with zombie or pain.  I have had to find ways to control the pain by modifying my life.  These few things have made a big difference to me.

I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here.


PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR.
WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

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Amazing Weirdness

This week's Gallery is Landscapes

This is the Pinnacles in Western Australia.

A bizarre place, desert in the bush with odd rocks just standing there.

There are only theories on how it all formed and why.

The scale of it is quite unbelievable in that understated Australian way.  The Americans seem to shout loudly at the scale of their stuff, in Australia it's just the way it is - damned big!

See the large jeep to the left of this shot.

To give you an idea of scale of each rock, here we are.  Some are bigger than this some are smaller but there are lots and lots.

Which allows me to show you my favourite sign ever (again) : the widest definition of the world 'road' I've ever experienced - no mate that's just a line in the sand.


And we did it in a little Nissan family car - none of this posh safari hike for us.

Although I did have marmite sandwiches in the boot, in 40C in the shade (we're guessing 45-50C in the sun - it was 60C in the car) a cup of tea was pushing the British thing just a little too far.

Although for a while I did turn Japanese!

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Residential trips are spring boards for life

Last year we took a group of brownies to London.  For young girls that have grown up in a small village environment, most of them having never been to the City, this was a huge trip.  The parents placed enormous trust in us as leaders to keep them safe.

I stressed a lot prior to the trip. the Guider in charge did not.  We were so prepared with specific children allocated to adults with a fantastic 2 to 1 head count, identity bracelets, emergency plans, alternative plans, we even had a portable door alarm because we knew we had a sleep walker with us.  I have never head counted so many times in my life.  I wouldn't have looked after my own daughter as well (actually I didn't - she was there too and I pretty much let her cope being as she was used to London, tubes etc already - she knows the 'if I get lost' ropes well!)

These girls will remember that experience for the rest of their lives.  When they come to a decide about going on longer school residentials, even abroad, or perhaps that decision about university they have already been given the confidence to know they can do these things alone.  In their eyes they are 'alone', from Leader's eyes they are actually wrapped in cotton wool, we just try not to let them know it!

Whilst the Rangers were camping 'alone' at Charnwood and their parents diligently fretted at home about whether they were eating, sleeping, behaving...we leaders, from their division, were popping in and out of their camp site regularly.  Covering up food, ice blocking the fresh, knocking in the tent pegs, tightening ropes and generally nagging them appropriately!

So when accidents happen and parents fall into a protective panic my heart sinks.  Accidents do happen both here and abroad.  I watched a child die at a pool side in France, he had slipped on steps.  My friend's son was killed by a bus as he cycled home from school. Tragic accidents both of them.  But would you stop your child doing things like swimming and independently travelling - no, because they are important stepping stones to life.

Dreadful accidents like the recent coach crash in France and the Alton Towers trip may happen whether children are with their parents or with group leaders.  I guess these sad parts of life happen and we all selfishly hope and pray they don't happen to us.  But in the meantime it is our job to develop and grow our children into responsible adults that are able to take the world and themselves forward in a successful, useful, confident and happy way.

My own daughter will be travelling abroad with the school very soon and I shall sweat worry the whole time she is away, but she will go and she won't know how much I fretted because this trip will be a foundation stone for her life, I know it.  And I can only allow myself to think that the teachers will take as much care of her as I would of Brownies, Guides and Rangers and we all aim to safeguard and keep them free from harm.

If I thought I could live a life without fear I think it would be one like this, John Faifax, who recently died.  What a fantastic obituary to have: pistol fight at 9, the Amazon jungle at 13, attempted suicide by jaguar at 20, became a pirate and a smuggler, and rowed the Pacific and Atlantic.  Now there was a guy whose parents didn't hold him back!

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A Degree in Prostitution

The NUS estimated that 20% of women working in lap dancing clubs are students and that the number of university students who knew someone who worked in the sex industry to fund their studies has gone up from 3% to 25% in 10 years.

I think this is a worrying trend.  Yes, I appreciate for the lucky few there is a lot of money to be made, with clear choices and high class lifestyle but this is not going to be the reality for most people getting involved.  I was going to say 'girls involved', we always talk about girls when we talk about prostitutes but I'll guarantee this affects boys too.

I think articles like one I read in fabulousmag. will not be helping the case either, it clearly glamorises something that is in reality a seedy and dangerous game to be in.  A free on-line magazine called 'Fabulous' explaining how a student in designer clothes in a high class London restaurant is choosing the men and making £120,000 a year.  Yep, and for every 1 of her there is 100 maybe 1000 girls with the demoralising reality.

How will this affect their relationships later in life, their self-esteem, their sense of worth as a person, not an object to be paid for?

Perhaps the 18 year olds of today are strong, go getters that are just using what they can now to get them by and in later years it will not matter, for some I'm sure this is the case but for many I suspect we will all pick up the bill later with counselling, broken marriages and sadness.

The media isn't helping, glamorising the sex industry.  The celeb culture of must have, need, now.  The glamorisation of sex sells.

This is badly wrong and there needs to be a change in attitude of this emerging generation.

"Anecdotal evidence from a wide variety of informants with first-hand experience suggests that the reality is far more seedy, dangerous and demoralising than students expect. Very sadly, it is often made difficult for young women to leave such a world behind once they have become desperate enough to venture in in the first place." source Oxbridge essays.

I'll  leave you with  a quote from the Scotsman:

"The homicide rate for sex workers in Britain is 12 times higher than for other women; prostitutes constitute the largest single group of unsolved murders. It is estimated that at least 60 in the UK have been murdered in the past 10 years, with only 16 convictions"

Something 'Fabulous' failed to mention....the advertisers probably didn't like that snippet.

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My Rebecca

I've had too much time to think recently.  Too tired to do anything constructive or even read anything usefully absorbing.  When I have time like this I get sucked into a vortex of low self esteem.

It's a shroud that only allows me to see happiness of others, the education that everybody else achieved, the soul mate true love of others that leaves them satisfied.

Don't get me wrong, I love HWMBO truly, absolute, eternal.  I've just never quite grasp the concept that he could ever feel that way about me.  Whenever I have time to allow my mind to wander it creeps into the corners where I brush the 'not good enough'.  I have a picture of a Rebecca that won't ever quite leave.

“I had build up false pictures in my mind and sat before them. I had never had the courage to demand the truth.”

I have always felt like I was a comfortable choice, not the clever, quick, witty and beautiful Rebecca.

I've yet to find the thorn,  the 2nd Mrs DeWinter found out that Rebecca wasn't really as wonderful as she seemed, yet she continued to haunt her.  My Rebecca is my own inability to believe in myself.  I have a good job, a fine family, and sometimes I'm healthy(!) but for everything - I've still not found my own rock of self belief.

This leaves me wondering how I can ever help my own daughter to find inner strength and self confidence.  Sometimes I see in her things I have never seen in myself and it relieves me that she has such a different nature to me.

As I say, I've had too much time on my hands recently to think too much. I'm looking forward to being a little better so can at least go stride a field, if not climb a tower.

“Boredom is a pleasing antidote for fear”


Do you know I wrote all this feeling very sorry for myself and wondering how the hell I can motivate any child in Guiding to achieve anything and then I realised, of course I can...because that's precisely what Guiding does for me.  I remembered this video, and realised I just need a couple of weeks of rest, a few more 5 minute chocolate mug cakes and a couple of brownie meetings and my natural balance will be restored.

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Clowns to the left of me, Crimplene to the right

This week's Gallery is Embarrassing Outfits.

I wore this when I turned 21. I loved it.  It was culottes - remember them?  It made me look short and hippy (in the wide hip sense of the word). I consider this to be one of my worst fashion statements.

Although the collars on this crimplene number came in a close second.

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Microdiscectomy Post-operative Recovery (week 1)

If you search Microdiscectomy recovery there are a lot of forums full of problems, scary 'don't do it' comments and the odd 'I've not been able to blow my nose since' - just kidding there, but you get the point.

So I've decided to do a weekly post on my recovery.  With this being the first it will probably be long.

The lead up to the operation was:

June 2011 very stiff and sore back after a Guide Camp. Visited an osteopath weekly with little relief. Carried on running and circuit training despite advice to rest.

August 2011 unable to walk following either a circuit class or carrying a lot of milk for yet another Guide Camp. Excruciating painful sciatica. 

September 2011 MRI scan showed herniated L5/S1 and had a root block under x-ray which gave some relief. Stopped all training and running.

Late October 2011 - started running again, also moved heavy furniture. Sciatica returned.

Late November 2011 - In massive pain I think caused by lifting a Christmas tree, MRI showed re herniation. Epidural a week later. No relief.

Late December 2011 - unable to drive or sit at all, constant leg pain at night. Pain so bad in mornings it was like the worst cramp I have ever experienced with no relief for hours.


I had a microdiscectomy operation  early Feb 2012. The operation was routine with no complications. If you want to see what they took out, it's here.

On the first evening and night, the general after affects of the operation were:
soreness where the cannula had been
dry, sore throat
Sore stomach  and nausea (from pain killers)
Dreadfully tired, but only slept for 2 hours at a time (bless those nurses happy to make tea all night)

The back pain/sciatica was:
twinges of pain in my ankle, calf and butt but nothing like I had before the op. But my whole butt cheek felt sort of bruised.
muscle spasms in my back and leg, I had experienced this before the operation too.
I walked about 30 metres on and off (mainly to the kitchen to ask for tea!)

Day 2
Now I could feel my operation wound pulling and slightly sore
Still very tired and very painful stomach (from pain killers)
took 2 co-codamol 30mg/500mg to see me through an hour car journey home. It hurt less than getting there, the main problem being the sore wound site. ( I used a small camping pillow and it helped)
showered and walked a total of 500 metres on the treadmill at 1kmph rate in 10 minute slots.
some residual lower leg and butt pain.
do not feel ready to try to sit down, I lie or stand.

Day 3
Taking 1 or 2 co-codamol 30mg/500mg and Nurofen during day
Still incredibly tired and sleeping lots
My foot went numb, it's never gone like that before.  It scared me.  I rang the consultant.  This apparently is quite normal.  It happened on and off all evening
Wound site pulling and a little sore.
walked a total of 500 metres on the treadmill at 1.3kmph rate in 10 minute slots.
Some back ache, bent forwards once by mistake and wowser, it hurt.
Also pottered to close by shops using a trekking pole for support.

Day 4
Much more awake
Taking only nurofen or paracetamol
Wound site still pulling and a little sore.
some residual lower leg and butt pain.
Bad back ache, started to use ice packs on it.
Trying very hard to keep back straight at all times. Squats to get to lower heights, no bending.
walked a total of 1km on the treadmill at 1.5kmph rate in 15 minute slots.
Also pottered to close by shops using a trekking pole for support.
Still find sitting hard, kneeling chair ok for about 10 mins at a time.

Day 5
Taking only nurofen, wound site still pulling and a little sore.
some residual butt pain only.
Bad back ache, still not forward bending.
Carried 2 pints of milk back from shop, I could feel the weight.
walked a total of 3km on the treadmill at 2.5kmph rate in 1k slots.
Can sit on exercise ball for 10 minutes and kneeling chair for 20 in an hour.

Day 6
Not a good day, serious backache, leg pain, butt pain (I did too much yesterday)
Tired and generally feeling day 3ish again
can use kneeling chair for about 15 mins
walked a total of  2.7km on the treadmill at 1.5kmph rate in 500ishm slots.
Sat on exercise ball for 10 minutes on/10 mins off in the evening for a while.
Used ice pack, paracetamol, nurofen
changed dressing

Day 7
Slept and rested until almost midday and felt much better
residual leg pain all day, some butt pain.
Husband drove me a 5 min drive, pain at wound site dreadful on car seat.
Walked 1km with him as planned but couldn't face car drive home.  Walked 1.7km home with trekking poles.  I worked it out to be a 1.5kmph rate - felt like it had been a mistake to do it.
on kneeling chair and pottering mostly after that
600m on treadmill treadmill at 1.5kmph
Ice pack and nurofen  at bedtime.


From now on I plan just to do a weekly round up, but I wanted to show that recovery so far is not the dead loss the back pain forums would have us believe.   It isn't a walk in the park by any means but it is more tolerable than I had expected.  I hope this continues but from what I have read I expect to hit a pain wall at about 2 weeks.  We will see.


I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here.


PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR.
WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

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Things not to say to your wife

Your Valentines gift from me:



and just before we give up on the hope of romance:

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Twitter and Blogging- a dangerous place to play

I use twitter, I know many of you do too.  I use it for work, so many experts in one place ready to help.  I use it to talk to like minded people whether I feel like an IT professional, a mum or FML moan.

You may be aware of the Twitter Joke Trial.  Paul Chambers is currently in the Royal Courts of Justice probably about to depend on Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights for saying:

"Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"

I don't think it should have ever got this far but to be honest I think it's a bit like mentioning the word bomb in an airport, no matter how gun-ho you are feeling you just don't do it.  So this doesn't really affect us does it, because we aren't that stupid.

Wrong.

I know I am capable of having a conversation similar to this:

" free this week for a quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?"
 "3 weeks today, we're totally in LA pissing people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up!"

It was held between a girl and boyfriend about to go on holiday to America.  We know they would be messing around.  They were picked up by the American National Security Forces at the airport, questioned for 5 hours, held in cells for 12 hours and sent home.  Yes, they are scanning your tweets.  No, they don't understand 'a joke'.

Today's news:  "Hamza Kashgari fled to Malaysia after calls for death penalty in response to Twitter comment about Muhammad".  His tweet:

 "I have loved things about you and I have hated things about you and there is a lot I don't understand about you. I will not pray for you."

He deleted his tweet, he apologised for his tweet...all is not forgiven.

I think it is time we were all very aware, Twitter is not the equivalent of pub banter where things are said in jest and not taken seriously.

How many times have you sent out a fed up tweet because there was a tube strike, the bus was late, the train ticket office was shut, your OH was late home.  This is possible:

"digging under patio now to put OH in when he finally staggers home"

Doesn't seem something to be taken too seriously at 11:30pm between Twitter friends on a Saturday night does it? It's not actually said to OH.

But that context doesn't matter, go back to Paul Chamber's tweet....there is no @, he didn't actually say it to the airport directly, he was simply having a joke.  He was arrested by 5 policemen at work and taken for questioning under the Terrorism Act.  He lost his job, his life will never be the same again.  One tweet.  He was fed up because his flight was cancelled.

What this all boils down to is that our tweets and blog fall under the Communications Act 2003.  Since 2003 it's covered more than phones.  Now it includes  'sends by means of a public electronic communications network'....that's your blog, twitter, facebook et al.   What you can't do is send a message that is grossly offensive, or of an indecent, obscene, or menacing character contrary to Section 1271(A) and (3) of the act.

Now remember, context here means nothing and your tweets are being watched.  Yes, it's probably unlikely you're going to be 'unlucky' and get picked up, but as we've seen, it is happening to people.

Should the law change? Any changes need to be made very carefully. If I was the person on the end of death threats on my Facebook page, I'm not sure the response "well, it's not against the law, people have the right to say anything they want" would cheer me.

It is probably time to take stock and realise that the world we thought we lived in has changed and you do have to be careful of what you are saying not just who you say it to.

If you are interested to read about this further some good places to start are:

Problem is the law don't do Funny
Twitter Jokes about Destroying America
Malaysia Deports Saudi Journalist
JackofKent Blog (Paul Chamber's Lawyer)

Interesting Podcast on the Leveson inquiry (this affects blogging too) and the Twitter joke trial 

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5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

OK, this is Guiding heaven: a cake with hardly any mess that actually works.  The GuidingUK sheet for printing/sharing is here.

The recipe is:

4 tablespoons Self Raising flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
Small pinch of salt
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil or melted butter
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
a small splash of vanilla essence

Mix all the dry ingredients together.  Yes, the mug looks full, don't panic.

Mix in the egg.  I did it brownie style into a little ramikin in case I lost some shell and beat it a little before pouring into the mug.  Children will love this gloop stiring bit. 

Do not at this point confuse the tea cup with the cake cup, it does not taste good (yet).

Now mix in the milk and oil. Again I measured them into my ramikin first.  Then the essense and chocolate drops.

Put the mug on a plate and pop it into the microwave on full heat for 3 minutes.

The mug is hot when it comes out but the plate is fine to hold. I left it for about 20 seconds then ran a sharp knife around the edge, I'm not convinced it needed that though.

I held the mug by the handle and just turned it upside down and out it fell.  The white is where I hadn't quite stirred it properly on the edge.

It tasted lovely warm.

You could do one between 2 girls and just chop in in half, that would be plenty.

If you've got access to a microwave at your meeting place this has got to be one to go for.  If not how about on pack holiday, serve it with ice-cream or get them to ice it.

Yum.

Guiding and Chocolate - come on, you know it doesn't get any better than that!

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Statistics, a path to prejudice

Today I was reminded of the Burka and the Bikini drawing by a conversation I had.  Having to remind myself again that the lady in the burka possibly has a greater empowerment than the lady in the bikini.

I also saw this picture on Facebook:

This picture bothers me.  Trying to use simple statistics to prove a point in a complicated picture is a path to prejudice.

This picture by glance shows that America takes the most asylum requests in the counties given as an example, they probably do I'm not checking the figures, but maybe they are also better placed to do that than say Sweden.

Look at the numbers by head of population (please excuse the hastily thrown into excelness): 

Suddenly America is no longer jumping out, it's Sweden. This implies Sweden will have more asylum seeker per national than any of the other countries mentioned.

How about people per square kilometre - who's squeezing the most in.  It's Germany.  But Australia has a lot of uninhabitable space and America also has a lot of desert.

How about asylum seekers per GDP of Capita - it's Malaysia.  The Malaysians are going to feel the cost the hardest.


Actually I think the main point the original picture is trying to make is that Australia hold asylum seekers for a very long time in detention. 224 days.  Interesting that they chose not to compare to the UK with an expected detention time of up to 180 days and 10% being held longer than a year.

I have no argument with the immigration policies of any of the countries just that the picture shows something in a biased manner and my first reaction to it was 'Crikey, Oz need to sort themselves out', which is precisely the reaction it wanted.

It can be very hard in the rush we all live in to take a quick hit of data, believe it, form an opinion and quickly move onto the next. And all the time the advertisers and the politicians rely on our lazy nature to act this way.

I also stumbled across this video which makes you think from outside of the box (It reminded me a little of feeling I had to the 'Smack my bitch up' video - be warned it is highly offensive if you chose to investigate) :



It is so important to step outside the box, I am not always very good at it.

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Microdiscectomy Gristle (2 days post-op)

A number of you have asked how I'm doing and I really appreciate it, so I thought I'd better tell you...I'm fine.

Well actually I feel like utter crap.  I seem to only be able to stay awake about 2 hours and I need to snooze, I'm as sore as a sore thing but other than that, I am fine!

Before the surgery I was worried I was taking the right decision having it.  The pain in my leg was lessening and I spoke to my original consultant about whether there was a chance it could heal on it's own.  His words were "it's a bit of a lottery". 

I'm pleased I went for it in the end as this is what was taken off my sciatica.  This wasn't going to go away on it's own. It's about 1cm round.

It was a lovely treat to wake up looking at it strapped to my pillow at eye level.  Ahhh, these surgeons! How we laugh.....all the same I'm glad they let me see it.

The only thing now is this surgery hasn't actually 'fixed' my back.  There is still a hole, still a rupture.  That still has to heal.  This will take time and patience. 

Enough activity to not allow bad scar tissue to form, not so much as to prevent healing or even worse cause it to rupture and leak further.

I'm really worried right now about what is the 'right thing to do' and have no one to ask, no where to turn to.  I seem dependent on google.  And as previously discussed this is never a good thing.

I've left a message for the consultant to call me, I'd love to know why I can't feel my left foot at all right now!!!


I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here.


PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR.
WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.

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Take the time

This week's Gallery is 'A Family Story'

I'm re-reading Nella Last's Diaries at the moment.  I love her and her daily descriptions of war and post-war life.  I hear my Grandma's voice as I read.

I see my Grandma in her life.  I feel like I can connect to my Grandma in a way I never took the time to do when she was alive.

I know the war stories through my own mother talking about them.

I know about the bomb falling down the previously unknown well at the bottom of the garden and it saving their lives.

I know about the worst night when My great grandfather and grand father went out hunting for each other in the fear that either house have taken a direct hit and them meeting on the rubble of a neighbour's house.

But I don't know about how she really felt with her brothers away fighting, with her babies still at home, the fear of the planes overhead, the bombing, the rationing, the queueing, the tiredness.

I only know about it from Nella's books and I imagine this too is how Grandma felt.




I did spend a lot of time with her.  Sitting on the kitchen stool whilst she showed me how to sew up a lamb's heart, make rice pudding and cut bread.

Where to keep butter cool but not cold.

How to sew buttons.

Later on she taught me how to manage money, how not to spend more than you earn, how to write down ins and outs and  put a bit aside.  You can have a mortgage and one on the knock.  Never more.  If you can't afford it you don't have it.

But how I wish I could sit down with her now and say 'is this how middle age felt for you too?', 'what happens next?'. 'what should I do?'.  Because her story and her experiences would help me now.

I take time to listen to my own mother, over and over again, and sometimes it seems never ending!!!  But I see my own daughter avoid grandma's stories,  too  busy in learning in her own way to want to hear grandma.  But o'best beloved take time to listen because when you are finally ready to hear it, it may be too late.

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