lists and tests

Next week at Tumble Tots the man who makes the dvds is in again ;o)

As each dvd takes five minutes to film and there can be anything upto 24 children in our class, I was wondering how they would do it?

Well at the end of yesterdays session they said that the dvd man would be in next week and as each dvd takes what it takes, and they will do a list of who wants to do the dvds and that not everyone will be able to get it done...

...so after Evie got her sticker I ran with lightening speed (making sure that I didnt send any toddlers flying) to the desk and Evie is number two on the list ;o)

As it is we always get there early so hopefully the bloke will be able to do us before our session even starts ;o)

Yesterday afternoon I had to go for my pre operation blood tests, and an ecg (because I had open heart surgery) at least they are making sure that I will be ok which is good ;o)  I had to also have mrsa swabs done as well.

extremely long sighted

Yesterday we had an eye appointment for Evie.

The optician lady had a sheet of shapes to make sure that Evie recognised them, and then she stood on the other side of the room with a flip book first of all showing large and medium sized pictures (which Evie did recognise).  Then when it came to the tiny ones Evie didnt say anything and then only recognised them when she was back in front of her.

We are now waiting for an appointment at the hospital so they can do eye tests with eye drops just to make sure that her eyes are healthy inside and to establish just how long sighted she is.

She said that Evie was extremely long sighted and I am classed as very long sighted!

I was feeling bad about Evie inheriting my bad eyesight and then I thought to myself hang on she could have been born with a hole in her heart and need to go through a VSD closure.

So all in all Im glad that she only needs to wear glasses ;o)

I will need an op

I went to the doctors yesterday to discuss the hernia ultrasound that I had on Friday.

I will need to have an operation and they are (or probably have) referring me for surgery!

Im not too worried about it as I have been through more serious surgery when I was nine years old - it was very surreal knowing that I may not make it through.

I remember telling my Mum after that I was scared and she told me that she was scared too (but neither of us said anything as we didnt want to worry each other).

And then I think of Steve Irwin and the fact that he risked his life with crocodiles but gets killed by a stingray!

On the bright side I asked if it was alright to book a holiday and I was told that it was ok and to tell the consultants when it is booked for, I just now have to wait for James holiday year to start in April before he can book some time off ;o)

tomorrow

Tomorrow I have to go back to Broomfield Hospital for my follow-up echocardiogram.

I have been feeling ok in myself but am still worried that something will be picked up.

My brain is going in overdrive wondering if when I am tired out pushing the buggy up the hill that its my heart, and is the tiredness because of my heart etc.

I know deep down that they are because of Evie and every new parent is tired out and doesnt get much sleep.

Oh well at least I will know for certain soon.

a date not a year

Yesterday I had my dentist appointment.

I had a raging headache as I was walking into town (but I put that down to nerves).

We got there and I used Evies lightweight buggy as I had to lug it up a flight of stairs.

So we got up there and I gave them my name and had to fill out a new patient form (the dental assistant saw that I had Evie with me and asked if I needed a hand I told her that I was ok ;o)).

So after I filled in the form I was called into the examination room and sat down on the examination seat, Evie was in her buggy in front of me so that she could see what was happening.

When the dentist lowered the chair this would be the telling sign if Evie was going to "kick off" luckily she was ok ;o)

I was then asked a load of questions about my health and if I had any pains (well nothing except for James of course ;o)), and then came the "when was the last time you had been to the dentist" so I said 1986 the dentist then said to her assistant "you are going to have to work that one out" so I said it was 26 years, and the dentist then said that she was expecting a date not a year.

Then the dentist started checking my teeth telling her assistant what teeth I had and which ones had been removed and that the gaps had closed up, then she said that they would do some x-rays just to make sure that nothing evil lurked within and if nothing came out of it all that I would need was a clean and polish.

They had to take Evie out of the room while they did the x-ray (I was asked if I was ok with this and I was) the dental assistant stayed in the corridor with her ;o)

The clean & polish was then done (I was quite nervous when the dentist and her assistant got out the eye protection ;o)  I know that I said that I had had a bad experience when I was 14!

I then rinsed out my mouth while they checked the x-rays and they said that they were all ok ;o)

And that I was lucky that all that I needed after 26 years was a clean & polish and that I must be doing something right ;o)

I was then told that I could leave but if I wanted to experience having a filling then I was more than welcome!  Er no thank you you are alright on that one ;o)

I had to book James another appointment because his teeth are still giving him some gyp.

Throughout the whole appointment I kept on thinking to myself be brave for Evie you dont want to freak her out, but luckily it went better than I had expected ;o)

Both the dental assistant and the receptionist asked if I needed a hand going back downstairs (I had already accepted the offer from the dental assistant and she gave Evie a cuddle when we were downstairs (she has a little boy whos first birthday is tomorrow).

seeing the anesthetist

We went to see the anesthetist yesterday, and typically I had just started eating a nutri-grain bar when I was called in!

We went into the consulting room and I was asked how the pregnancy was going, and I said that it was ok but that I have carpal tunnel syndrome (just in case it made any difference to the anesthesia needed).  He just said that it was very common in pregnancy.

I was then asked why I was having a planned c-section, and I told him about the littlun being footling breech, we were then asked if it had been booked and we said that we were seeing the consultant next week and she would tell us what was happening.

I was then asked about any previous anesthetics that I had so I mentioned my VSD closure and that I had had local anesthetics before, and if I had any allergies?  Only the very odd bout of hayfever.

I was then asked to sit on the bed so that he could examine my spine (to make sure that my back wasnt all weird or something hee hee it wasnt).

We were then showed a photo album of the procedure and was pleased to see that the couple involved didnt look traumatized (although thinking about it they wouldnt want to go putting people off now would they).

Then we were told that we would have a final scan on the day of the operation and if the baby had turned then we could either still have it done or I could just go home and wait for her to come in her own time.

Interestingly my Mum said that I was breech and that they turned me but then turned again and at the last minute I turned back again, I am quite reassured that I have always been stubborn ;o)

We were looking in the onsite Marks & Spencer and I saw this sign.

Im not overly bothered because I dont like flowers but I can imagine some people kicking up a right fuss!

third time lucky

On Monday night we went to our first NCT class.

I had decided that the NHS parentcraft class was lacking and decided to go to some other classes where we would learn some more things.

LOL one of the questions that the lady taking the class asked was "where will your partner be in the middle of the night?" because statistically you are more likely to go into labour in the middle of the night!

I had to really bite my tongue not to say "downstairs eating cereal" I mean I dont want them knowing what complete nutters we are...

...well not yet anyway ;o)

Yesterday I wasnt in work because I had a Cardiologist appointment...

...we got there in plenty of time and James was going to come in with me.

So we got there and I was signed in, and I get called about 5 minutes later, so we both got up and the lady told me that I was having my bloodpressure taken, so James went back and sat down.

So I got back after having my bloodpressure taken and sat down and then I got called again so we both got up and I was told that I was having an ECG so James went and sat down again!

I went in and had to remove my t-shirt and bra and she put the electrodes on and she said "thats an impressive scar how did you get that" now surely the fact that I had come for an ECG it would be fairly obvious that I had open heart surgery of some sort, but thinking about it she was trying to relax me ;o)

So I told her about the operation and stuff, and then I went back to the waiting room.

And the next time I would be called it will be to see the actual Doctor!

So a couple of minutes later finally get called and me and James go in...

She asked me about my operation and what aftercare I have received etc, and then wanted to have a listen.

So I sat on the bed and she had a listen and said it sounded ok and there were no murmurs but my heart was beating really fast.

She then said that when some people have been in hospital a lot when they were children they panic at having to go to hospital again...

...this set me off crying (it was a mixture of the memories and all of the hormones flying about at the moment), anyway she gave me a hug.

I was then told that as far as she is concerned that there should be no problem with me having a natural childbirth!  Yikes that means that I will have to go through labour.

But I do have to go back for another Echocardiogram in 11 months time because they couldnt see my heart very well where everything has been pushed up.

Im not sure what answer i would have preferred but I dont do pain too well!

echocardiogram & first kicks

Me & James were sitting there last night watching Hells Kitchen USA LOL I think that Gordon Ramsay was in a mid screaming session ;o) I had my hand on my bump and I felt some kicking I grabbed hold of James hand and he felt it too - it was on the left hand side of my tummy ;o)

James likes to lie with his head on my lap, so if I want to "train" littlun to "accidentally" kick James in the head I am going to have to get him lie on the otherside (as he tends to be on the right hand side) and with his head up higher.

For some unknown reason James isnt too keen on this! ;o)

This morning I had to go for an echocardiogram the consultant referred me to see a Cardiologist who wanted me to go for this test first...

It went well and the lady doing the test said that she couldnt see anything of concern so that was a relief ;o)  But she did say that pregnancy pushes everything up so you cant get a good look at the heart.

When I was able to see the screen (I first had to lie on my left hand side and could only see the wall) I couldnt actually see anything but I did get to hear my heart beat so I know that I am still breathing - when I told James this he said " I wonder how many times she has heard that" ;o)

I havent felt anymore kicks or extra bumps but she is still moving about ;o)

hiccuping on the train

I have had two short days to go with my short week ;o)

Yesterday afternoon was having my completing scan after littlun was being particularly stubborn ;o)

And this morning was seeing the consultant.

The scan went really well although the sonographer found three fibroids the biggest of which is five centimetres - five centimetres is frikking huge!  Luckily they are not in a dodgy place so all should be well ;o)

The consultants appointment went well too (James got to hear the babys heartbeat ;o)) she explained to us about the fibroids in more detail and is referring me to see a Cardiologist (LOL I was hoping to be seen there and then) oh well at least that means another short day ;o)

The train was just pulling into Liverpool Street and I started hiccuping the lady sitting opposite me on the train was laughing at me ;o)

More characters should have scars

James has been watching Sons of Anarchy and said that one of the actors Katey Sagal must have had open heart surgery because she has a scar like my one.


So I googled or rather yahood to see if she had and when she had it.  Would you believe that the scar isnt real and the background story hasnt been told yet.


Having looked at her on the show I must say that the scar looks real.


A few years ago British Heart Foundation did an advert and you could tell that the scars werent real, this made me angry because Im sure that they could have used people that really had undergone the surgery.


What has been the biggest markdown that you have seen?  We were in Wilkinson today and we saw England supporters products being sold off for 5p, if they were being sold for £1 before England went out then thats a 95% discount!