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Tuesday 14 April 2015

These are a few of my favourite things

Life's not all bad at the moment. I've added a health update at the end to keep it separate so if you are interested to read it, you will see that I've had a rough time lately, but I'm still getting out in the garden as much as possible because the weather is just so lovely. I've been really enjoying listening to the bird song and seeing butterflies, bees and hoverflies, more and more flowers opening up and just generally everything coming to life. I've seen my first Holly Blue butterfly but no photos of it yet. 

Blossom is going crazy here with the warm weather and now my eating plums are covered in flowers, the wild cherries and now also the eating cherries are covered in blossom too, as well as the ornamental cherry trees by the pond. Leaves are appearing on some of the trees and every day that I look out of the window something has changed. This is the month with the most change in the year so I don't want to miss any of it! P.S. Are you old enough to notice the title of my post is a lyric from the Sound of Music? My favourite film of all time. :-)

Enjoying sitting by the pond on my special cushions,
although it didn't take long for Bertie to jump up on my lap!

I'll start with some bird photos but also wanted to mention that my OH heard the first Cuckoo a few days ago - I haven't heard it yet myself, but they normally arrive around the first or second week of April.

Male Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs).
 
The Chiffchaffs (Phylloscopus collybita) are very vocal and loud at the moment and
the Blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) are back. The photo bottom right is a poor one of Mrs Blackcap,
but as both these birds are Warblers which means they are very flitty,
I was pleased that I even managed these pics! Best clicked on to view large.

Dunnock (Prunella modularis).

This one is my favourite - a very fluffy looking Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) in my Greengage tree!

Mustn't forget the two remaining ducks! Dirk the Saxony is on the left in
the top photo with Rachel the Rouen on the right. I dread another one dying
as I don't want to be left with a lonely duck or drake.

Male Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines).

Male Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) butterfly.
I was pleased with these shots as they don't often settle and they show
that when they close up their wings they are quite hard to spot,
although leaving a bit of orange showing is still a tell tale sign!

Comma (Polygonia c-album) butterfly - one with tatty wings, and another
with fresh looking wings. This is the best I can do zooming in.

Moo! Cows are back in the fields around the garden.

Remember the sand filter bed where the grass looked yellow and sickly? My OH applied some
fertiliser specially for newly sown lawns and suddenly it's greened up and the grass is growing!

Chickens having fun digging where the Dahlias have been left in situ for the first time ever,
covered in a protective layer of leaves.... which are now chucked all over the lawn!

First leaves opening from the 'sticky buds' of the Horse Chestnut.

My OH has taken over the veggie patch chores as I can't do anything in there!

Here he is planting my seed potatoes and he's also sown parsnip and carrot seeds.

I managed to get an insect photo! A fly of some sort on a plum blossom.

My front bed again, Daffs and species Tulips.

Rosemary on left, Pulmonaria top right and a Rhodo bottom right.

Tulips and Greengage blossom.


Health update
I'm keeping these updates separate from the rest of the blog posts so those who don't want to read this kind of thing can just ignore them. There's possibly TMI (Too Much Information) for some (particularly guys!) in the following..... I  really had no idea it would be so up and down after my surgery, with one thing leading to another, but I'm finding it quite cathartic to write about it, and if it helps anyone who reads this who may be suffering from something similar, then that's a good thing.

I had my 6 week post surgery appointment with my surgeon and wasn't happy with the way it went. I get the impression I won't be seeing him again, as as far as he's concerned his job is done. Never mind that I am left with residual problems directly relating to it! He even seemed surprised that I had not yet seen a urologist, so I had to remind him that he'd said he would arrange this back when I was in the hospital, and again two weeks ago when I also mentioned a gynaecogical problem I'd had for some while too. This time at least he said when we saw his secretary after the appt she'd arrange appts with the two specialists for me.

He then picked up my file, stood up and started walking to the door as if that was it. I piped up and told him that we were not finished as I had questions to ask to which he seemed surprised. Well given he had not brought up the important point of when I may be allowed to start doing things around the house and garden, I had to ask, as up to now the only thing I had been doing was walking to get exercise! His reply was basically yes, I could start getting my life back to normal by doing housework and cooking etc. I then asked about doing light gardening jobs to which he replied, of course! Huh? This is the man who told me pre surgery that I couldn't do any gardening for three months!!!

I know my limitations so I will only be doing little jobs so there is no risk of me overdoing anything, but at least I've got the go ahead. But I shouldn't have had to ask. He should have told me this sort of thing as standard, don't you think? Bloody ridiculous.

In other news, I was lucky that the next day I got a call from the gynae in the morning saying she could see me that afternoon. Seems like I have thrush, which is not surprising given I've taken antibiotics twice within the last five weeks. The physical exam was painful, but the lady doc I saw was gentle and kind, although she only looked about 20, which makes me feel so old! :-) I've never had thrush before, so didn't recognise the symptoms, but anyway, everything 'down there' has been jiggled about with during surgery as it's all so close to the anus and rectum, so it's hard to know what's just normal discomfort after this kind of surgery. Thank goodness really for the itching which alerted me to the fact that there may be a separate issue here. My bladder problems (it still just doesn't feel right) might even be due to the thrush - well I've taken the one off treatment so I'll find out soon enough, but if not, I've an appt for early May with a urologist.

And then. Yes it goes on. Sigh. Whilst the abscess is healing up nicely, the other little hole in my butt wound suddenly started hurting worse and bleeding on Saturday morning. The nurses who come round daily to change my dressing say this one has turned into an abscess too. It seems that just as I start feeling better, start walking normally and bending easier and becoming more supple, along comes another thing to knock me back. After talking to the Stoma Nurse who I have been dealing with mostly regarding the other abscess, she said she'd come and see me on Thursday when I'm back at the hospital having round 2 of my chemo. But it's been getting worse and the home nurse who came around this morning told me to go and see my regular doctor, which I did this afternoon. He also thinks I should lay off the ABs but other than say to also flush out the abscess hole with hydrogen peroxide as well as the serum physiologique (a sterile saline solution) which the nurses have been doing, and keep putting the wadding with silver in it (meches in France, no idea what it's called in English), I don't know what else they can do to aid healing. Of course this is horribly painful trying to stuff something into a hole that is barely 1mm diameter, but I just grin and bear it.

It could be easy to start getting really depressed by it all, so I thank goodness for the sunshine and spring which cheers me up immensely. The other good thing is that it takes my mind off dwelling over the chemo, or even the cancer! In fact I didn't suffer much from this first round of chemo. The tingling in my hands when they were cold (peripheral neuropathy) only lasted about five days. I had a couple of days of on and off nausea and a couple more with little appetite. Now I'm eating reasonably OK and whilst not 100%, it went better than I'd imagined. The last few days I've felt quite tired but that may have been due to infection from the new abscess, or the thrush, as both are infections of different kinds. My next round of chemo is Thursday and Friday this week. Just wish these other problems could just *insert expletive* off and go away!!!

40 comments:

  1. Well Mandy your Photos are brilliant as always .I'am jealous with all the vibrant colours in your garden. Bit of a bummer getting another abscess. Will be thinking and having fingers crossed for you Thursday and Friday. Sabine xxx

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    1. But you've had a BBQ already and we haven't even thought about it yet, lol Sabine! Your garden photos that I saw on FB looked pretty good too. Thanks so much. xx

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  2. sorry about the on going health probs - I appreciate your frankness on the whole subject.

    Lovely photos - am jealous of the orange tip picture, I saw my first for this year today, but it just flitted by with no intention of stopping for a photo shoot.

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    1. Thanks very much, Red. I got lucky with the Orange Tip and managed to see where it landed. No luck with the Brimstones which refuse to stop flying! :-)

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  3. Being able to sit in such beautiful natural surroundings, listening to the myriad of sounds, watching life in all it's forms is so theraputic. Today I did the same as you and just sat still, with the cat (who is unwell) and just absorbed the whole atmosphere. I sincerely hope it helps in some small way with your recovery, I am sure it does. Your health updates are really interesting and provide a good insight into the ongoing challenges you face. I can only imagine how some days are more difficult than others but keep faith and gain strength from the new life around you and may you continue to enjoy your beautiful environment.

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    1. Thank you Ian, you describe it all better than I but it's so true! I hope your cat is responding to the treatment, poor thing. It's the first time I've tried my whoopee cushions on the bench by the pond and it was reasonably comfy, and I sat and watched a swallow swooping down to drink on the wing and I felt at peace and happy. Also spotted a moorhen nest so looking forward to seeing their babies! :-)

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  4. There is so many reasons why I Love You so much my sweet and fabulous friend. Photos is only a small part of it. The biggest part is you are real and you lay it all out there or at least most of it for the world to see. You have an inner strength that so many lack in this world. Thank you for the update of your health as Sandra and I worry about you. Thank You for just being you as always. With Love Virgil and Sandra https://youtu.be/b3qBla9y8FI

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    1. Huge thanks to you both, Virgil and Sandra. I appreciate your words of kindness and also the smiles you give me with your great attitude to life. Lots of love xx

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  5. Awe such a treat to see you out and about in your garden Mandy. Finding some insects too ;-) Love the butterflies. I found my first Orange-tip here today as well. I have to say you look quite content sitting there beside you pond. The garden seems to have more colour each time you share photos now and looks idyllic to me ;-)

    Keep fighting the good fight my friend...x

    JJ.


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    1. Thanks JJ! I was really content as that was when I'd just seen a Holly Blue flutter by, and had been watching a swallow drinking on the wing. I've been told off for moping about indoors too much but I hadn't tried sitting outside (just walking around or standing gets tiring), so I'll be spending more time out there now. Now if more insects could alight on flowers at chest or eye level I would be very happy!! ;-) xx

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  6. Hi Mandy
    I'm only just catching up with your last blog posting as we were in France for the last 2 weeks and I couldn't download your pictures due to rubbish wifi!
    Your pictures were brilliant and I wish we had a similar camera as we spotted lovely things like a little tiny hummingbird hawk moth on the rockery.

    Keith looks very busy keeping up with things there bless him.
    A big hug from both of us is all that I can offer for now, things will get better for sure is what you will be focussing on knowing the pair of you!

    Lots of love

    Philippa and Alan xx



















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    1. You picked a good time to come here, Philippa - at least the last week anyway. Hope it is still good weather in Devon. I bet you are enjoying your retirement. :-) I haven't seen a Hummingbird Hawkmoth yet so hope they arrive here soon. Poor K is very busy but I did manage to prune most of the hydrangeas myself which felt good - not too much bending involved as they have grown to a nice size. Thanks for the hugs and I look forward to catching up with you both one of these days! xx

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  7. The photos are wonderful - and the one of you on the bench with the cat - SO LOVELY Mandy.
    Whilst all the health maelstrom is going on - just enjoy as much of the spring and the summer to come as you can - x D

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    1. Thanks so much Dusty - I was feeling very content at that time, enjoying watching pond life with a cat on my lap and a nice cup of tea! Guess it shows through. :-) I can't get too upset when I only have to look out the window to feel cheery. Thanks again xx.

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  8. Sorry to hear about the on-going health problems. Thank goodness for spring!

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    1. I'm so glad I timed it right, Debrazzawoman! ;-) I absolutely adore spring and it lasts a nice long time in Brittany so I will always be cheered up, no matter how grotty I am feeling. Thank you.

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  9. Great photos as always, Mandy. Still in Cornwall trying to write on a silly little screen so will stop now. Take care and know that things will get better. xx

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    1. I know the feeling, Sandra, as I'm in bed replying on my Kindle! Thanks very much my dear and enjoy your time in Cornwall. You are a great role model as you have been through the mill many times and always come out smiling. xx

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  10. Mandy that's a lovely photograph on you sitting on the bench enjoying Spring in the garden. The weather is so beautiful down further south and I'm sure it will help your recovery being out in the fresh air and getting a bit more vit d. I think your orange tip butterfly pictures are superb as those butterflies are just so flighty and as soon as I get near one off they flutter! The blue tit is so cute too - like a wee ball of fluff :) Now that you've got Keith in the veggie patch he might not want to 'give it back to you' after the season :).

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    1. Thanks very much, Rosie. I was lucky I could zoom in on the Orange Tip - never managed to capture one using the macro function on my bridge camera yet, as impossible to get really close! Surprised to see the green eyes on it. I wouldn't mind if K took over the veg patch for a while, but fear I'd be given the mowing duties - cue me driving right through my flower beds, or into the pond!! :-)

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  11. Er, I thought I'd just published a comment but it has disappeared. Hey ho... Anyway, as I was saying. I can't really add much to the above comments so I'll just repeat them a bit (again). Love the picture of you - you look amazingly well and contented considering (though I imagine you may be feeling quite rubbish.) As for your pics - just beautiful. I have just bought a new camera with a view to overhauling my blog and as always can only marvel at your skillz. Take care of yourself and I look forward to the next update... X

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    1. Hello stranger ;-) Sorry you lost your comment, Blogger does that to me sometimes and it's really annoying! Thanks for commenting again. I was feeling content and not rubbish when the photo was taken. Good luck with your camera and get blogging again! xx

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  12. I'm SO happy Nature is cooperating and providing healing to you! I'm visualizing her saying... "Just take this plant and this one and then boil them up and make a poultice to put on that abcess. It will fix you right up!" :-) Seriously. .. it seems incomprehensible they haven't been able clear everything up yet. Even considering meds, your pain must be rough. You are one tough cookie!

    Loved a walk through your garden and the photo of you is so beautiful :-) Of all your sightings, the orange tip is my favorite probably because I've yet to get a photo of one. They move too fast!

    Sending good vibes with hope all your resting will get those last stubborn things healed up. Thinking of you every day.

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    1. Thanks yet again, Marianne! They did warn me that skin that's had radiotherapy does not heal easily, but I had no idea that abscesses might happen - to be honest I'm glad they didn't mention it, or I'd only have worried!
      I didn't know you had Orange Tips there - must look and see if they are the same species. I saw a male on a host plant yesterday, but they are just coming into flower so they also use it as a nectar plant too. I kept just missing the shot as it was flitting between two plants!
      Thanks for commenting again and I'll certainly be taking it easy today as I'm at the hospital this afternoon. :-)

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  13. Really beautiful photos and your garden is just wonderful - it looks a real haven. I loved the horse chestnut leaf photo and the Orange Tip pictures - its so difficult to get photos of this species as they rarely stay still. I haven't seen any here yet this year but there are plenty of Brimstones, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells about and yesterday there was a small unidentified white butterfly in the garden. Sadly, it didn't linger and was off over the fence in seconds.

    I am so sorry to hear of your ongoing health problems and hope all goes well on Thursday and Friday. Sitting and enjoying your garden with the sights and sounds of Spring and warm sunshine must be so therapeutic and healing.

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  14. Apologies for the delay replying, RR. I'm now hooked up to my chemo drip so have some time to chill! Thanks for your lovely comment. That horse chestnut is looking great with fresh new leaves now, but I've another which has yet to burst forth. I prefer it that way rather than everything happening at once.

    I haven't seen a small tortoiseshell yet but saw the first red admiral flying fast through my mini woodland yesterday. Most of the flutters seem to be around my woodland area at the moment. Seeing white butterflies from a distance is difficult, because they could be small whites or they could be female Orange Tips!

    Thanks for the well wishes - have to say it's much easier to cope with at this time of year. :-)

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  15. Hi Mandy, back at work this week so not as much time on the computer, and I have had the crafty itch , so been doing some sewing and other stuff...
    Trying to catch up on everybody's posts now.. Hope the sun is still shining for you.
    Amanda xx

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    1. Cheers Amanda - don't feel you must always comment when you are busy. I read your last two posts but didn't get to commenting yet, and am just recovering from more than 24 hours of feeling like crap from my chemo, so even more behind. :-( xx

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  16. Beautiful pictures as always. Well done on the OT- lots in the garden here but never stopping long enough for a pic so I enjoyed yours.
    Very sorry to read of the frustration with the surgeon. After care perhaps not his strong point. Hoping the sun helps the healing process and I applaud you for documenting everything so honestly- I am sure you will be helping other people experiencing the same thing, there is always comfort in knowing you are not alone. sending you love and healing thoughts my dear xxx

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    1. Thanks so much, CT. I was pleased with the OT pics too! It really does help talking about it so I am pleased you suggested I do so. Just coming out of 24 hours of grottiness after 2nd round of chemo, but hopefully tomorrow I'll feel like getting out in the sun again, if not I'll miss some of the blossom which is happening so fast with the warmth! xx

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  17. Lovely images around the garden Mandy and you caught the Orange Tip just right.
    I do hope things start to get better for you. You are very brave Lady.
    By the way, are you even old enough to know anything about the Sound of Music.???

    I certainly am - and somewhat.

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    1. Oh you know all the right things to say to a lady, Mr Norris! ;-) I grew up with that movie and was the same age as the youngest girl the first time I saw it, back in the 60s!

      Just finished round 2 of chemo which hit me much harder this time, but starting to feel a bit better now, so hopefully I'll get back out in the garden with camera again tomorrow. Because of this I'm struggling to catch up with everyone's blogs. :-(

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  18. Fantastic photos of your lovely, lovely garden. I love the cow with the wonky horn! Sending you loads of healing vibes from across the pond (via the channel). xxx

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    1. Hi Deb, I'm just pleased they trimmed that horn for the poor thing! I always think they must be so bored as they love to come up to the fence to look at me, and of course I talk to them...... :-)

      So much has changed in the garden since these photos, I need to get more whilst the blossom is at its peak, and the bluebells are looking good! Cheers my dear. xx

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  19. I didn't realise you were going thru the wars. HATE when doctors stand on their dignity. Was very grateful that my breast surgeon, took the time I needed, to think about my questions and give me honest detailed answers.
    Here too I revel in our autumn weather, kind temperatures and air like champagne. May your garden, cats and OH conspire to get you thru this, and return you to good health!

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    1. Hi Diana and thanks for your nice comment. I hadn't realised you'd gone through this too - it seems so horribly common but at least you know you are not alone as so many others are willing to give advice and support. I couldn't fault the surgeon with what he does best i.e. the surgery, just not so good on the aftercare! This 2nd round of chemo has been worse than the first, but I got out in the garden for a little while yesterday and hope to get more sunshine and spring therapy today! :-)

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  20. Hi Mandy, hoping your health is improving, good OH is doing veg, interested that you grow carrots. In England I always get carrot fly - tried a barrier but they still get in! Hoping you are fine and weather is still good in Brittany, I am back in England, wondering if my peas and beans have wilted in France with no rain.

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    1. Hi Ian - taking a long time getting over the chemo general ickiness but getting a bit better each day and taking photos, just they are still on my cameras! Doing very little in the way of veggies but easy ones that don't need much doing to them like carrots are OK (so long as I have someone to sow them for me!!). We do have root fly here and I stopped trying to grow them for many years, but decided to have another bash last year. So long as I grow them for smaller young carrots rather than big winter ones, the root fly seems less of a problem. Also I didn't thin them out and tried not to touch the leaves to release the smell (except when harvesting, which can't be helped), and grew some spring onions next to them. Something there seemed to work!

      Rain is on its way and cold weather so I'm sure your peas will be OK, not sure about beans though with frost coming? Last day of summery weather is today.... just hoping the pollinators get to do their thing to all the cherry and apple blossom so we get fruit. Looks like a good apple year from the amount of blossom.

      Hope you've been having nice weather in Yorkshire too. :-)

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  21. They are Broad beans Mandy so will be fine with last frosts, one of my favourite veggies to grow and eat....... Last frosts.... I am out mid May will have to sow my courgettes soon to bring out, as usual I will put more in than I need! Never learn. Weather has been great here in Yorkshire but like you rain is on its way. Growing carrots has to be one of the nicest veg, but that dam carrot fly is a pain, I thought the barrier trick would do it but it still got in.

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    1. Oh duh - I didn't think about broad beans! They will be fine. I'm buying courgette plants but they usually come in threes and I only want 2, but hopefully my neighbour will take a plant, otherwise I'll have to be brave and chuck one - hate doing that! I tried carrots in tall tubs one year up by the house but the flies still found them! Have finally downloaded all the photos I've taken over the last week, will be a while before I get them together into a blog post though!!!

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