End of Week 23 - A week in Heels

I can't tell you how proud I am that I have worn my 2 inch heel cowboy boots all week. The poor balls of my feet were quite sore early in the week and my shins feel like I have shin splints, but somewhere in the back of my mind I recall in my teenage years suffering the same as I learnt to wear heels first time round. I will persevere - and I've been looking a replacement for those purple courts - so far no joy - apparently they're not fashionable this year.
MS wise this has been an uneventful week, I had my oxygen therapy on Tuesday evening (to replace the one I didn't have on Saturday) I've worked, I've taken Gareth with me to see my diet consultant and we're now both on plan in the hope we will be the shape we want to be by Christmas. It really does mean so much that he's with me on this weight loss journey because it's hard giving up all carbs which includes my much loved wine when the person you live with is having oven chips and a beer with his dinner.
Amber dog has run up yet another huge very bill today having her eye 'debrided' where her ulcer in her eye was refusing to heal fully. The lovely cleaning lady has been in this morning and my house smells great, the supermarket delivered my shopping, I've put a load of laundry on and tonight we're off to see Spectre - I love James Bond films and think the latest Bond is one of my favourites.


All symptom remission is holding in place and I'm living my life and loving it. I'm so pleased to be able to say to people that I might have MS but it doesn't have me anymore. I'm in control now and intend to stay that way.


Love, germ free hugs, anti bac handshakes and air kisses to you all, have a great weekend, enjoy Halloween
Tracy
xx

Oops and that Sausage and Bean Casserole recipe I promised

Serves 4 (or 2 people twice - it's a great one to pull out of the freezer and reheat :-) .... )


8 good quality eating sausages - we used Spicy Pork and Chorizo ones
1 cooking chorizo chopped into chunks / slices / cubes whichever you'd prefer
1 large Onion Finely Chopped
3/4 sticks of celery finely Diced
1 large carrot finely chopped
2/3 large Garlic cloves minced (use less if you're a vampire)
1 400g can of Butter Beans
1 400g can of Mixed Beans in Spicy Tomato Sauce
1 400g can of Cherry tomatoes
1 200g carton of Passata (Ours had extra Garlic and Chilli in it)
1 1/2 Tblsp of Worcestershire Sauce
1 Vegetable Stock Pot
2 Bay Leaves
1 handful of Curly Parsley
4 Sprigs of Thyme
2 tsp of sugar (optional but it does help if the tomatoes make it taste a little bitter)


Brown the Sausages and Chorizo in an ovenproof pan (cast iron one is ideal) and set to one side
Sweat down the Onions Carrot and Celery in the oil released from the chorizo (add a little more oil if needed) but try not to brown them, add the Garlic after about 3-4 minutes for the last 30 seconds
Put all the sausage and chorizo back in the pan, add the beans, tomato herbs stockpot and the Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer, then keep tasting and stirring as you season with Salt, Pepper, more Worcestershire Sauce and the Sugar. Remember you can add more but it's difficult to change if you over-do it.


Once you're happy with the seasoning, pop a lid on the pan and pop it in the oven for an hour on a low heat (140 / gas Mark 4) then serve with crusty Tiger Bread and a nice salted butter.

Week 23 And I'm wearing HEELS again

Hi Ladies and gents


You have to celebrate the little things with as much vigour as the big things. Today I'm wearing cowboy boots to work with a big 2 inch high wedge heel. I am trying to remember the last time I was able to wear anything other than flats or flip flops (that's thongs to those of you from down under - BUT NOT underwear for those of you who are from the rest of the world) I've been in my current job for 2 years - actually 2 years and 5 days if I'm going to be pedantic about it, and I've certainly not worn heels for anything in that time. I worked in London for a year before that in 2013 commuting so I'm certain I didn't wear heels in that year. 2012 is a bit of an unknown, can't really remember wearing heels but I might have done on occasion. I do remember in 2011, the year I got married, I had a pair of Cadbury's purple stiletto heels which I pretty much wore to death, work, shopping, anywhere I could get away with my beautiful purple shoes I wore them. I also remember putting them on periodically over the last few years and being unable to stand or walk more than a step or two, making comments about the heels must be loose, my feet have shrunk, they've stretched too much, before sadly taking them off and putting them back in the wardrobe again thinking one day I'll wear them again. 9 weeks ago I threw those blasted shoes out when we moved house. I finally decided it wasn't to be and gave up - I am an idiot - now I have to try and find replacement purple heels in Cadbury's Purple (I know as a girl this should make me happy - but I REALLY REALLY hate shopping and would rather go and watch a football game, do some DIY or garden then shop for shoes - yes I'm a rubbish example of a girl) So I'm feeling brave - I'm going to try proper girl shoes again, what could possibly go wrong ;-)
I was on a training course all of last week MSP - Managing Successful Programmes - It's a project manager thing. I passed the Foundation course last Wednesday and had the Practitioner exam last Friday - results in a couple of weeks time. As a result I've been a total slut - no housework (okay so we have a cleaner who comes in once a week) no Laundry done, I haven't had a proper sort out of the fridge let alone gone and done a weekly shop for both human and pet food. I decided in order to get everything done I needed to get done, the only choice was to forgo mu Oxygen Therapy on Saturday. I've not suddenly ground to a halt (more celebrations before treatment I would have simply stopped like my batteries had run out)
We had a lovely relaxing weekend, I made the most awesome Sausage and Bean Casserole for us and it's gone straight onto our top 10 things we love to make and eat at home - Just in time for Winter too :-) Recipe is at the bottom of the post if you're interested
I'm loving living my life again and going to have a look online for those replacement purple shoes :-)
Hope you're all well, germ free and taking care of yourselves and those you love xxx

Week 22 - Blood results and Flu Jabs

So it's now week 22 - nice nurse got my bloods last Friday in one go as usual and I declined the flu jab - More about that after the results - which lets face it is what's you're really all here for :-)

	Lower Level	Upper Level	BASELINE	June	July	August	September	October
Blood
Haemoglobin	120	160	144	146	143	137	137	136
WBC Count	4.0	11.0	11.9	8.8	8.8	8..8	7.3	7.3
Plt count	150	500	289	196	247	280	272	255
Rbc count	3.8	5.8	4.67	4.68	4.45	4.31	4.25	4.27
Haematocrit	0.36	0.47	0.445	0.444	0.422	0.419	0.413	0.414
MCV	76	103	95.3	94.9	95	97.3	97.2	97
MCH	27	32	30.7	31.3	32.1	31.7	32.2	31.9
MCHC	300	360	323	330	338	326	331	329
RDW	11	16	13	12.8	12.9	12.9	12.6	12.8
Hypochromic  RBC %	0	2.5	0	0	0	0.0	0	1
Neutrophils	1.8	8	8.09	8.1	7.3	7.22	5.84	5.69
Lymphocytes	1.3	4	2.5	0.09	0.35	0.44	0.51	0.73
Monocytes	0.2	0.8	0.83	0.44	0.79	0.79	0.58	0.44
Eosinophils	0	0.8	0.24	0.9	0.18	0.26	0.22	0.29
Basophils	0	0.3	0.12	0	0	0.00	0	0
Liver Function
Bilirubin	0	21	9	4	5	6	7	5
ALT	0	60	21	19	19	14	20	14
Alkaline Phosphatase	30	130	51	54	50	49	50	46
Albumin	35	50	45	43	43	41	41	42
Thyroid Function
TSH	0.35	4.5		1.84	2.52	2.43	3.55	2.28
Urea and Electrolytes
Sodium	133	146	139	143	140	138	137	143
Potassium	3.5	5.3	4.7	4	4.3	4.8	4.5	4.6
Urea	2.5	7.8	3.8	3.9	6.3	6	5.1	4.2
Creatine	44	97	62	60	64	63	67	46
eGFR per 1.73sq m	60	99999	>90	>90	>90	>90	>90	>90

The lovely nurse did my blood draw in one go as usual and then we sat down to discuss the Flu Jab.
NOTE THIS RELATES TO UK FLU JAB AND MY EXPERIENCE HERE ONLY
This years Flu jab that they were planning on giving me (the basic UK Flu Jab for 'at risk people') has LIVE Bird Flu vaccine in it - it's not just a vaccination (which it is some years) this year like last there's live virus in there.
I've declined the vaccine on the basis that with my still low T & B cells and that by avoidance of germy people and the obsessive use of Anti Bac I've stayed illness free all this time and I'm not risking it. If that turns out to be a bad decision, you're all welcome to say 'We Told You So' 'You're an Idiot' and what my dad used to call my mum and I on a regular basis 'Stupid bloody woman' - I know it's silly but I still miss being called that 12 years on and now there's just me left. I'd give everything I have for a single minute.


Enough rambling - where was I - oh yes only one hole in me and no Flu Jab.


Life is good, I'm feeling great I happen to have MS - so what I'm in charge :-) xx