miserycord's Xanga

Quick update & HUGE thank you

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:09:45 GMT

Had a great holiday. Unfortunately got home to find I've no internet access, so can't get my emails or get online at home, Am sneaking updating this at work. Not so sneaky as I am on a break!

Parcels from my Virtual Vacation pal arrived while I was away. Collected them and opened them very quickly this morning before coming to work. FANTASTIC! Tons of stuff. Lots about Switzerland. Great yarn. Chocolate :) and many more fantastic things which I'll look at in more detail when I get home tonight. So a very big thank you to my spoiler, and many apologies for not being able to email you to thank you. I really hope you see this posting.

bleh

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 07:06:51 GMT

Quiet for ages, sorry. Tons going on, and about to go away for 2 weeks. Will update when I'm back...

ANOTHER one of those weeks...

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 21:05:42 GMT

Its been a tough week. My son's chromosome tests came back. We knew he was clear for Fragile-X, the only chromosome condition the pediatrician was concerned about. Last time we saw the pediatrician it was pretty much a case of "unless the chromosome test throws up something very unexpected we'll be able to make a definite diagnosis of dyspraxia." So I'd been thinking it would be something of a formality. the pediatrician felt it is almost certainly dyspraxia, but she wouldn't be doing her job properly if she didn't rule out the rarer alternatives.

It threw up something unexpected.

My son has a supernumerary chromosome.

Its very unusual, not linked to any know condition, and basically they have no idea what it means, or even if it's causing any of his problems or not. So we're on another waiting list for more tests.

Luckily my mum knows a bit about chromosomes through her job, so I was able to ring her up to ask about it. Until this result came back I knew nothing, except that there were X and Y chromosomes. I couldn't get through to the pediatrician until later (results came in a letter) so talking to mum was a real relief.

What I know now, having spoken to my mum, the pediatrician and another friend who's studied genetics - everyone has 22 pairs of chromosomes plus the sex chromosomes, which makes a total of 46. They control everything, they're the instruction book for our bodies, covering everything from hair and eye colour to heart rate, and can predispose you to certain conditions. Mutations can cause medical conditions like Downs syndrome, or can be inconsequential. My son has a small extra chromosome. It could have no apparent effect, just a strange blip, completely unconnected to his dyspraxia symptoms. It might have come from nowhere or it might be inherited - me and his dad are going to have to be tested to find out. Measuring chromosomes is getting more detailed as technology progresses, and the understanding about what the results mean is not developing as quickly as the technology. It may be lots of people have this chromosome, but most people aren't tested or it wouldn't have showed up on older tests. Some chromosomal abnormalities make people more at risk of cancer, its more than likely that others could make you less likely to get it.

What they know it isn't is dyspraxia. If dyspraxia was caused by a chromosome they would have found it by now. What they need to find out, and I have no idea how they do this, is whether this chromosomal anomaly causes him developmental problems very similar to dyspraxia, or whether he has dyspraxia and a completely unconnected chromosomal anomaly.

It will take about 2 months to even get to the arranging an initial appointment stage of the waiting list.

I got very upset the day I got this news and the following day. Not because I'm particularly worried about my son, no more than usual anyway. He's always had this, it's not going to change, we just need to find out more about it. Its more likely that its nothing serious (I'm hoping it will be the chromosome for his bald spot - my dad and my dad's dad both had the same bald spot as my son and I have a blond streak where they have it). 70% of people with a supernumerary chromosome will not be affected by it. It could even be something good/beneficial.

What upset me was feeling like we're back at the beginning again. My son was 16 months old when I started trying to get him assessed for his hearing and speech. As he's got older every time something improves it seems something else crops up. Waiting list after waiting list. Appointment after appointment. Test after test. Report after report and then getting referred onto another set of specialists to start it all over again. I though if we got the definite diagnosis we would at least be able to go to school and to SENTASS and all the other specialists and say "He definitely has dyspraxia, how can you help him cope?" I thought the pediatrician was the last in the line of specialists we'd need to see. Now there are more.

He'll still be getting support. He's on the waiting list for Occupational Therapy (more waiting lists) and they'll be doing a joint physio and OT assessment of him in November. He's also on the SENTASS motor skills waiting list. He's done so well with his speech and language since Easter that they're giving him a term off from one on one therapy, to give him time to consolidate all the things he's learned. They'll still be keeping an eye on him.

One term of intensive speech therapy has changed his speech beyond all recognition. I really believe he'd make great progress with his motor skills if he had intensive support in that too. I felt like having a definite diagnosis of dyspraxia would help me fight for that.

And it does feel like a fight. I feel like I've been fighting for years to get him the support he needs, and just when I thought the fight was going to get easier I'm back at the beginning. I sometimes feel like I can't keep on doing it, but I know I will. I know I have to. But if I struggle now how would I cope if he did have something more serious? Again, I know I'd have to. I hope against hope I won't have to though.

It probably didn't help that last week I decided I'd have another attempt to come off the anti-depressants I've been on for about 5 years now. These are one of those officially not addictive anti-depressants that 3 in 10 people will have horrible symptoms while trying to quit! Coming off them will take months of gradually reducing the dose. It maybe made me more weepy than I would otherwise have been, but I reckon getting weepy after this week is not an over-reaction! And if I can cope with this week on a half-dose I can probably cope with anything!

I don't want the whole entry to be negative. Both children did fantastically well in their school reports - parents evenings are next week. I finally got the vinyl flooring laid in my kitchen and dining room. I've very nearly finished that pair of socks! I saw Shrek the Third with my kids and we loved it. I say Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix with my boyfriends kids, and we all enjoyed it but the 2 of us who'd read the book thought the book was better. Lots of positive things have happened.

__________

Anyone reading this who doesn't know about dyspraxia can find out more by clicking here.

SP10 Finale! And knitting update.

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 13:08:46 GMT

My final SP10 package:

Beautifully wrapped as always...

Including lots of gifts...

Lots of sweets and gorgeous chocolate. Even chocolate soap and chocolate perfume!...

Light blue yarn and a pattern for a child's backpack...

Beautiful handmade socks, in Wollmeise, a fabulously soft merino yarn. I only wish the pictures showed the colours properly. They're gorgeous...

There was also a copy of the Summer 2007 Interweave Knits magazine and a fragranced candle. And hidden in the tin with the candle...

This fantastic pendant and chain. Its Murano glass, from Venice. A fabulous shade of purple and it sparkles beautifully in the light. Its utterly fantastic :) I'm so impressed by my pal's ability to choose gift's I'll love and by her generosity. Thank you again :)

___________________________________________________________________________

SP10 - Revelations...

My fantastic spoiler was Tina. I'm so grateful to her for putting in so much effort and sending me such fantastic parcels. I'm really sorry the post office strike here delayed her final parcel and caused her to worry. She has been great throughout SP10. Thanks again Tina :)

I was spoiling NYCityMama. She's been great to spoil. I love her blog, it's been great seeing all the pictures of her son and everything she's been up to. I loved shopping for her.

_________________________________________________________________________

Knitting Update - finally with pics!

I finished one sock from the Fyberspates club and am onto the second. Going to have to hurry it up though, the yarn for the second pair has been sitting waiting a while now!

As well as that I've been working on the shawl I'm making for my mum's birthday...

I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock and am hoping I will get it done in time :)

And I got another knitting related package...

I won this in the Wendy's Woolies prize draw for Breakthrough Breast Cancer :) Congratulations to Wendy who raised over ?00 doing the draw, and is also involved in lots of other fundraising for them.

Very quick SP10 update...

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:53:36 GMT

My final package came and is all utterly fantastic :) I won't get a chance to upload pics until Saturday, but I can honestly say I loved every gift. I'm so moved by my secret pal's generosity and her skill for picking gifts that are perfect for me :)

On Saturday I will post pics and links to my spoiler and spoilee's blogs.

Until then...

THANK YOU

to my spoiler :)

Musing on bingo...

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:30:37 GMT

Last night was the Annual General Meeting at work. Its always hectic and a bit stressful. When I get stressed I like to hide away by myself, but of course I can't do that at work, and I think having to chat to people and get on with things actually gets me calmer quicker!

Legally we have to have an AGM because we're a charity, to approve the accounts and other business stuff. What we do is get the business over early in the evening and then have a bit of a party, to celebrate everything we've done in the previous year with our supporters and, most importantly, the women from the community groups we've worked with who helped us do the work. So we had a buffet, a bar and entertainment in the form of a singer and bingo.

I'm fascinated watching people play bingo. I'm no good at it. I'm not sure why. It's not that I'm bad at numbers, because I do the books and keep the accounts and so on, and it's not that I'm poor at patterns, because I use a lot of patterns in my knitting. I think probably its the time of it, having to find a number on all the cards before the next numbers called. I freeze! I love watching everyone though, flying through the cards and marking all the numbers at such speed, its rhythmic, and everyone's so intense.

I also love that everyone enjoys it. There's always a real mix of women at our AGMs, and everyone joins in and has fun. It's a good way of bringing people together. It was a good night.

Although, having organised it, I have to say I'm relieved it's over.

Til next year at least, and that's our 10th anniversary, so it will have to be BIG!

There's a bingo game on the Knitters Virtual Vacation Swap, and I didn't sign up. Partly because I don't get online every day so I didn't think I'd be able to keep up, but also because I was scared I'd get confused!

Another update...

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 21:15:42 GMT

Where are the weeks going? Not sure what's happening to my time? This will be very quick, as it's late and I'm tired!

SP10 Update - have sent my final package and heard it arrived :) Will do a final post identifying my spoilee soon. Have heard from my spolier that she has sent my final package, in fact it was sent more than a week ago, but is not here yet as there were postal strikes here last week. Will post as soon as it arrives.

Knitting update - am up to sock 2 of my first fyberspates club pair :) The shawl is growing steadily. Will post pics soon. My daughter has requested a pink hoodie with a purple skull on the back so I'm going to be kept busy.

The virtual vacation swaps are through, I'm really looking forward to it, think it's an excellent theme for a swap!

Home and work - busy! Very little free time, hence why so little time online. The fact that my computer is on a total go slow so any time I do get online is infuriatingly patchy is not helping!

Both children doing fine. School concert was this week, celbrating 40 years of the school, so they were all doing songs from 1967! My daughter is suddenly very into Roald Dahl, which I much prefer reading to her at bedtime than her previous favourite, the dreadfully twee Rainbow Fairies! But she is asking harder questions tonight she was asking what sort of cruelty happens to children. My son's speech is continuing to improve, and the pediatrician is arranging for someone to assess him in school to try and get him some help with his motor skills. The Tax Credit people have finally accepted that I don't have to pay back the money they gave to my ex in error after we'd split up (I've been arguing with them about this since December 2005!) and my ex has said that he will pay it and will not insist on my selling the house to get him his share or anything which is a real weight off my mind. Waiting to hear what's happening about my boyfriend's flat.

Will try and update more soon.

Update...

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 11:35:10 GMT

June has definately been one of those months! It seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Nothing huge, but such a rapid succession of really annoying things!

Anyway, hopefully all is back to normal now. My computer seems fine (I hope!) I'm just about fit again, although this sore throat keeps coming back. No more migraines though. Last weeks was a really bad one, don't remember the last time I had one so severe I had to arrange for someone else to take the kids to school and pick them up again!

Work has been hectic. Its the time of year for accounts and annual reports, the Trustees review meeting, preparation for the AGM and so on. Again it seemed there was more stress in getting things done than there needed to be. But the two major things, the accounts and the Annual Review document, are done now. And the AGM is less than 2 weeks away, after which I can breathe a sigh of relief! :)

Home has its good bits and its stresses. My boyfriend just heard his landlord is planning on selling the flat, which forces us into the "should we live together" discussion early and for all the wrong reasons. My daughter is still being given work at school, reading especially, that is far too easy for her, and I'm stressed that school is not challenging her. My son's speech has improved so much since the therapist started visiting school daily after Easter! He's so much easier to understand and he's learning so quickly. My car is due its MOT, and I've had to pay road tax and insurance this month so money is tighter than ever.

And on Monday a cash-point maching tuned itself off while counting my money with my debit card still inside! I was left with no money and no means of getting any. Very stressful - but I was really impressed how well my bank dealt with it. And my new card arrived on Thursday - really quick :) But I'm still angry about the machine. It was one in a local shopping centre, but when I tried to find out who was responsible for it no one knew. Customer Services even said they'd asked the Centre Management to have it removed because so many people have had problems with it. How can no one know who's it is? Surely not just anyone can put a cash machine in?

Knitting is my relief! But my stress is coming out there too! I snapped my 3.5mm brittany birch DPN mid-row while working on my fyberspates sock! (I'm still on the first one but its coming on well. My second club package of yarn arrived today though, so I'm not keeping up with the one pair a month!). I also started another shawl, this one for my mums birthday. I'm making this landscape shawl pattern, using Shepard Sock in the River colourway (my mum loves blue). Its going well so far. I will post pics eventually.

MOAN...

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:14:39 GMT

After a horrible weekend stuck in bed with a severe migraine I am now having internet problems, a really wobbly connection to the web and no access to my email :(

And I snapped my DPN while knitting a sock :(

So I'm having a little sulk quietly to myself... Normal service will be resumed as soon as I fix my connection.

Knitter's Virtual Vacation Swap Questionnaire

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:18:05 GMT

Saw this swap on ladydemetreis's site and managed to just get in before sign ups ended :)

1. If you could visit any state in the US, which would it be and why?

I've never visted the US and I'd love to go anywhere! I'd like to see the big cities, like New York and Washington, but I'd also like to see Alaska and the huge forests and... all of it!

2. If you could visit any country in the world, other than your own, which would it be and why?

Borneo to see orangutans in the wild. Italy and Greece for history in the sun.

3. Have you ever driven across several states/providence/countries?

No. I've driven to Scotland, but as that's actually nearer to me than London I don't suppose it counts!

4. Have you ever visited someplace you consider exotic? Where was it?

An archological dig on Cyprus. It was closed down but their were incredible partially excavated ruins, including the mosaic floor of a temple to Aphrodite. It was fantastic.

5. What was your favorite "travel" vacation? Why?

Austria, because we were staying , in a small friendly village with beautiful scenery we could spend all day exploring, but we could travel to more touristy areas if we wanted.

6. Have you ever played tourist in your own home city/state (if international, country)? Explain.

Yes. I haven't been on holiday abroad for years. For our annual holidays me and the children visit family in other parts of the country and seek out local attractions and things to do. I also like to get at least one weekend away in the UK each year.

7. Are you a museum visitor, beach comer or an amusement seeker?

All 3! I love visiting local museums and galleries with my children. We're lucky to live in an area with lots of fantastic free arts. I like to spend time on the beach, and me and the kids always make at least one sand sculpure every holiday. I haven't had a holiday without the kids for years, but when I did I liked variety, a few days on the beach, a few exploring the local culture and history, and a few just having fun!

8. What's your favorite type of yarn?

Natural fibres. I love colinette and rowan.

9. What's your least favorite type of yarn?

Anything 100% acrylic, unless its a novelty yarn which I do like experimenting with. I'm not keen on very fluffy yarns like mohair.

10. What items do you like to knit/crochet?

Anything and everything! I just finished a shawl, am working on socks, mittens and a bag and have a sweater and cardigan on my to do list.

11. What do you pack, knit/crochet wise when you go on vacation?

Whatever is on my needles at the time. Usually I drive, so space isn't that much of an issue.

12. What other crafts do you do/would like to do other than Knit/Crochet?

I journal. I would like to spin and dye yarn but haven't attempted it yet.

13. Are you allergic to anything? (Yarn wise or treat wise)

Nothing I know of.

14. What is your favorite color? Least Favorite?

I love purple and all the shades around it. I don't like neons.

15. Sweet or Savory (Treat not personality)?

Sweet. I'm a chocoholic :)

16. Anything else we are forgetting to ask that you think your partner desperately needs to know?

Nothing I can think of now. If my partner has any questions please let me know.