Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: Greyhoundgal on November 14, 2013, 01:44:48 PM
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Well, on top of having Mum in hospital my hubby is also now pretty sick. He's away on business at the moment in Kurdistan, was due to leave there on Sunday to travel to India for a tradeshow. He must be feeling ill as he's seen the doctor at the cement plant he's working on and has been given some painkillers to take but they've said if there is no improvement by tomorrow they'll take him to the clinic or hospital. He has no idea what it is but feels flu-like - high temperature, sweating, chills and permanent headache. I feel kinda helpless being here while he's over there but luckily I'm on good terms with the secretary at his place and she'll keep me up to date on any flight changes etc - if they let him fly that is. If bad luck comes in threes I'm still due one more by my reckoning.........
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Oh dear. You must feel so far away from him and a bit helpless. Hopefully it's just a bug that will pass quickly. At least he is able to get treatment so that must be comforting.
I always worried when my hubby travelled abroad but his was just Europe and America.
His worse experience was having his briefcase stolen the day before Xmas Eve. We thought he would never be home in time for Xmas. A company lawyer with a lot of money oiled the wheels and managed to get him home on time.
I hope the news improves for you. As for it coming in threes. I had an old auntie who used to break a match in two for her third thing. She swore it worked for her.
Honeyb
X
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So sorry Greyhoundgirl and I know how helpless you will be feeling, looks like he might have picked something up there but it sounds as if he is being looked after with them saying they will take him to the clinic or hospital if no improvement.
Hope you get some good news soon.
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Greyhoundgal - Hope he feels better soon, it's horrible being ill away from home.
As the others have said, it sounds as if he is being looked after.
When was he originally due to get back?
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Greyhoundgal - Hope he feels better soon, it's horrible being ill away from home.
As the others have said, it sounds as if he is being looked after.
When was he originally due to get back?
He is due to fly from Kurdistan to Delhi on Sunday then home next Friday - fingers crossed he might be home a little earlier depending on what is and if they let him fly.
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Sorry to read this - you must feel so helpless. Could it be flu? It can make you feel really dreadful no matter where you are.
Taz x :hug:
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Oh goodness, you must be feeling so helpless. At least he's seen a doctor, which is good. Hope you get him home soon. :hug:
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:hug: Ju Ju xx
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Thanks again ladies - he's now in hospital where they are treating him for a massive upper UTI. They are also worried about his kidneys as the infection is so high up and think he may also be diabetic?!?!? Still running tests but he's hooked to an IV pumping him full of antibiotics. He has a security guard with him 24/7 as well staying in his room so he's not getting much sleep. They have said they will keep him in at least over the next 2-3 days as they need to make sure he is stabilized before they can think about letting him return home - the India leg of his trip has been cancelled. I just feel so useless being here while he's poorly there - everyone thinks his job is quite glamorous with all his overseas travel, this is the downside of it :(
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They seem to be on the ball with his treatment. Can you speak to him or is the information coming through his firm?
I hope they get him well enough to travel very soon.
:hug:
Honeyb
X
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He's in the best place, though that's probably of little consolation to either of you at this time. You want to be there for him & he no doubt would love you to be at his side.
Hope he gets the all clear soon & he can head home. :bighug:
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He has my utmost sympathies - I know exactly how he feels! He is in the best place and they should be able to quickly get the infection under control now they have identified the problem. Mine was also very high up but all tests, so far, were ok so fingers crossed he is just one of the people (like me and others on here) who don't suffer any pain or symptoms until the infection has really taken hold and so has moved further up than is usual.
Taz x
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Sorry to hear about your husband Greyhoundgal and hope the hospital manages to stabilise him soon. I can imagine how awful that must be for you to be so far away, and hope he is able to travel home soon.
Take care
Hurdity x
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Greyhoundgal, the good news is that they are treating him and sound to be very professional.
Also, he doesn't need to go on to India in the near future, hopefully he will be home soon.
Have you been able to speak to him, failing that somebody else out there?
It must be so difficult piled on top of your Mum being in hospital. :hug:
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Thanks everyone - he was discharged from the hospital yesterday lunchtime and the insurance company managed to get him on a flight out in the early hours of this morning - he's just landed at Heathrow so should be home around lunchtime - planning on taking my lunch a little later so I get a chance to see him. It was pyelonephritis that he was diagnose with, acute kidney infection so have made him a Dr's appointment for Wednesday so he can get checked out by his own GP.
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You'll be glad to have him home! You can look after him now and make sure he drinks plenty to clear the infection, but expect you know that. Hope he's well again soon!
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Snap! That's what I had. So glad he's home. He will feel very tired for some weeks if the way I felt is anything to go by!!
Taz x
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So glad you've got him home.
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Glad he's home with you. Plenty of TLC!
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Thank goodness he's home at last. What a worry for you.
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Snap! That's what I had. So glad he's home. He will feel very tired for some weeks if the way I felt is anything to go by!!
Taz x
He does feel very tired Taz so in a way I'm glad to hear that's how you were as well, makes it more reassuring that it's natural. He went and saw our own GP yesterday who said that all the treatment he had over there was what they would have done here. He has ordered some extra blood tests for him as his WBC count had gone up to 23000 at it's worst and was down to 11000 on the day he was discharged. They're also testing him for diabetes as his blood sugar levels were high in hospital as well. He's taken the rest of this week off sick and will work from home next week as well - his next trip to Saudi and the rest of the Middle East has now been postponed until the New Year thankfully.
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:thankyou: for the update
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It's amazing how tired it makes you feel. My infection started on the 10th September and it was only last week that I began to feel able go out and socialise again. Normally I go to bed at about 1 a.m. but I was asleep by 10.30 every night.
I hope he feels better soon.
Taz x
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I did tell him about you so will give him that update - think he was getting a bit worried about how tired he was but it would seem normal then. I suppose it's a bit like having "proper flu" in that it takes quite some time for the body to recover afterwards. He had his bloods done this morning but probably won't get the results back until next week sometime.
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Glad for you and him that's he is home. It will take time but at least if he is home you are on hand.
What is happening with diabetes. The reason I ask is my hubbies came from no where.
Honeyb
X
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Glad for you and him that's he is home. It will take time but at least if he is home you are on hand.
What is happening with diabetes. The reason I ask is my hubbies came from no where.
Honeyb
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We're not sure yet - he had his blood tests on Friday so I imagine he'll get a call from the surgery at some point this week to go in and discuss it.
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Sorry, not been on for a while. After two Dr's appointments last week hubby was admitted to hospital as he was in a great deal of pain. GP thought it might be gall bladder but the hospital were concerned over the amount of travelling he has done and the places he has been to. They took loads of blood and spent the first 3 days mainly ruling things out - TB, malaria, HIV, Hepatitis and a host of other stuff. He finally had an ultrasound scan on Thursday that showed two patches on his liver - a CT scan on Friday diagnosed them as abscesses on his liver. He has two, one 2x3 cms and one 4x5 cms. He's off for a biopsy this afternoon where they'll take a culture and also try and drain them. They still don't know what has caused them though so will be looking into that more closely but this could be what the underlying cause of his kidney infection last month. On top of that he was so fed up on Saturday night, there was an old boy on his bay with dementia and also deaf so he went outside for a ciggie and to get some peace and quiet - his blood pressure has gone down quite substantially and he must have had a surge or something as he fainted and managed to smash his face on the side of the pavement!!! He had an x-ray yesterday, no damage to his jaw but they think he might have broken his cheek bone, another x-ray at some point to confirm that. And on top of all this Mum is unwell again, she's still on the rehab unit but has another urine infection so is getting very confused and muddled again. One of my sisters is on standby for her as I'm going over to visit hubby each night after work.......
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:hug:
What a rotten time you are having and your poor hubby. At least they seem to know what the problem is. So sorry to hear he fell as well. My hubby always nipped out of the ward he was in too just to get away from things.
I really hope things pick up for you and that you have him home for Xmas.
Honeyb
x
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Greyhound I really feel for you and know how you feel, OH had similar thing with passing out and smashing his face (his was heart related), also when he was in hospital he was in a bay where there was dementia patient, it does scare and lower the the morale of other patients who are being assessed, I think its just human nature to be unnerved.
All this top of this your mum being unwell, sending healing thoughts and hope things start improving x
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:hug: You poor thing having to cope with all that especially at such a stressful time of the year anyway. I hope hope they both get better soon. X
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Greyhoundgal
Just caught up with your thread.
So sorry to hear it.
Glad your hubby is back,although in hospital,but he s in good hands it seems.
Thinking of you and sending you a :bighug:
Dyan X
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:bighug:
Will be thinking about you. Hope hubby is feeling better soon & can enjoy his Christmas home with you.
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There are all kinds of parasites that can infiltrate the body - DH's Dad came back from Burma with a worm which travelled around his body for over 30 years, was finally discovered by an Australian Doc doing research on Jap Prisoners of War and what they caught whilst in the Far East. A dose of sulphur-based medicine killed the worm …… when it migrated around Dad's body it caused a rash around his abdomen :o
Get a Consultant familiar with parasitic diseases?
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Greyhoundgal
Really hope that things improve for you all soon.
It's rotten that your Mum is bad again as well, but you have to concentrate on your hubby and yourself at the moment.
Please take care of yourselves.
:bighug:
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Thanks, he had one of the abscesses drained yesterday which was causing him a lot of pain last night so he's back on the hourly doses of morphine. Various bits of him are being grown in tubes and petri dishes while they try to find the cause but it is possibly parasitic in which case he may need to be transferred to Addenbrookes where they have an "tropical infectious disease" section. X-ray has confirmed that he does have a facial fracture, again they are assessing what needs to be done and where it will happen - again he may have to move somewhere else.
Mum still poorly but rehab unit are calling the Dr out again this afternoon (I rang at lunchtime). Hope she isn't going to end up back in hospital but if she does it will be the same one where hubby is (at the moment) so it would make it easier to visit.
Christmas is not looking too likely just now ::)
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My ex husband was in the Himalayas and Everest base camp for over a month, he started to feel unwell towards the end of his stay and was ill for over six months afterwards with a parasitic illness that effected his stomach and bowels, it was diagnosed but I can't remember the name or what the treatment was but it did weaken him.
The sooner they know what it is the sooner they can treat it, poor man to have a facial fracture as well.
Its very draining too being the carer( I found hospitals so tiring) so please look after yourself Greyhoundgal.
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Addenbrookes should have a maxillary-facial surgeon so hopefully DH won't need moving!
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He's not at Addenbrookes CLKD, he's in Bury St Edmunds at the moment. No news to date on the facial fracture but he might have seen someone today. They're still testing to try and pinpoint the infection and Mum was readmitted last night as well so all in all I spent about 4 hours over there last night. Had a call from the hospital at lunchtime to say that Mum was very paranoid and has pulled all her cannulas out so they're going to have to try and medicate her orally......
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FEVER@INFEC DISEASE hospitals in Britain are par ex I was in one as a child with a tropical disease
Picked up from a Jamacan Nurse Id had to go to Casuality foe something I ended up in Fever hossie 3mnths
Not the nurses fault just dumb bad luck your hubbie will be in safe hands couldnt be in better
Worry all you want cos oyu will xxxxx IM sorry Ive only just seen this thread so sending huhe hugs
IM sorry your MUMS sick as well poor you your having a right bloody time chin up chuck god bless xxx
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"he may need to be transferred to Addenbrookes ......... " he may well get both 'problems' sorted there ;) if the transfer is deemed necessary.
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Sending you both only he best xxxxxxxxx
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No transfer deemed necessary. He has an appointment on Xmas Eve with the face guy but he has told him he doesn't think it will need surgery. Still on IV AB's but WBC is starting to come down slightly so it would seem he is responding to the treatment at least. Still no results from all the biopsies etc though so still no clearer what he actually has. Mum not doing so well - I popped in to see her last night as well but she is refusing all food and meds and both my sister and I tried to persuade her to no avail. Sister is going over again this afternoon in the hope of seeing a Dr to see where we go from here......
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Thanks for the update. The face will be painful and sore for a while, I remember when I fell flat onto mine about 6 years ago >:( ..... usually the bones heal well but eating, yawning etc. is difficult :-\
Pity about your Mum - everything happens at once :hug:
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Is this what they think it might be GreyhoundGal? http://www.scripps.org/articles/2291-amebic-liver-abscess.
West Suffolk Hospital - I've spent many an hour there!
Taz x
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Yep, that's their closest bet so far and hubby's boss who is also a Dr and used to teach at Addenbrookes also thinks that is what it is. Still nothing confirmed though although they are now in touch with an infectious disease unit in London, he has to give them a list of all the countries he's been to over the last two years, quite a long list ::) Looks like he'll be staying in for Christmas sadly.......Mum also going downhill, we have asked Dr's not to intervene and to let nature take it's course. Sisters are going over this afternoon and I'm visiting both Mum and OH tonight.
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Just caught up with this tread sorry to hear of your situation. :hug:
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It will be a tough time greyhoundgirl, your family will hold you up. Wishing you all the strength you will need. x
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:hug:
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Aw Greyhoundgal, not what you need. Bad enough your poor hubby is still going to be in hospital, but the added stress of your mum's deteriorating health.
How are you? :hug:
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Greyhoundgal - Hope things improve as much as possible :hug:
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He may pick up over the weekend and be home for Christmas. Once the AB kick in properly he will be on the mend. Sorry your mum isn't improving.
Take Care. X
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Thank you everyone for your kind messages - it's been quite a tough couple of weeks. Mum sadly passed away in the early hours of Monday morning but she was peaceful and pain-free. We'd all been to visit on the Sunday and had said our goodbyes but I don't think you're ever quite ready for "that" phone call........ Hubby was discharged later that morning. Not sure where I was up to on that saga but he was finally diagnosed on the previous Friday with a rare strain of amoebic dysentry which he probably picked up on one of his travels somewhere, probably India. He could have had it for up to a year without any symptoms but once they knew what it was they could start to treat him. Special AB's had to be ordered in which no-one in the whole hospital had ever heard of so they then had to keep him under observation for a few days to make sure he wasn't going to react to them. So far, so good....just a few outpatient appointments now for liver scans etc to check it's all gone and no alcohol for at least a month but at least he's on the mend. I've come down with a stinking cold (started Xmas Day) but I kind of figured that something was going to get me after all the stress of the last month or so......life is slowly starting to return to normal again now thankfully. I just wanted to say a really big thank you to everyone who has supported me through this awful time, pm's and general good wishes, sometimes cyber friends can see you through the dark times and for that I'm so very grateful.
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So sorry to hear about your mum GG but pleased you all managed to have some quiet time with her to say your goodbyes.
Good news about your husband though - it must have been such a worry not knowing what was causing his illness. It's so good to read that he is on the mend.
Taz xx :hug: :hug: :hug:
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So sorry to hear about your mum. She will be at peace now and you got to say goodbye.
Good news about hubby which is great.
Take care of yourself.
:hug:
Honeyb
x
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:hug: what a roller-coaster :'( ....... little steps ........
How old was your Mum?
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Very sorry to hear about your mum, Greyhoundgal. She's at peace now & you had a chance to say your goodbyes.
Better news about your husband though. Sounds nasty, but at least he's on the right treatment now.
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So sorry about your mum Greyhoundgal. Glad your husband has finally been diagnosed and is on the mend.
X
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What a dreadful few weeks you have had. Sorry to hear your mum passed away. Thank goodness they have managed to diagnose your husband's condition and he is on the mend.
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Sorry to hear about your mum Greyhoundgal, it's good that she was peaceful and pain free.
It's excellent that your husband has been diagnosed and a treatment plan started.
Hopefully he will feel much better for being discharged and at home.
Will he have to travel as much in the future?
Look after yourself, you have had too much heaped on you recently. :hug:
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Thanks guys. CLKD, Mum had just had her 78th Birthday the week before so had a good life, just a shame it wasn't a little longer but knowing that she is now at peace is a good thought to keep us going. Limpy, hubby will still have to travel but will be taking a bit more care in future, he had got a bit over-confident with stuff like drinking water etc but has promised me that will change.
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78 is a good age and sometimes Nature takes over.
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Taking this back to hubby's thread - he went back to work yesterday for the first time since mid-December. His boss (who is a medical Dr, just doesn't practice any more) has scared us quite a lot by telling us that the treatment he had could have killed him!!! Apparently they should never had put the drain into the liver abscess, had it leaked or burst the infection could have got into his body cavity and attached other organs. He is contacting the hospital and the Dr who treated him today to have words and if necessary will pay for hubby to see someone privately in Cambridge. I'm trying not to think about it - the main thing is that he is ok now and it's not likely to reoccur, just needs a further appointment to get the all-clear.
We had Mum's funeral on Friday - family service at the crematorium first followed by a thanksgiving service at her local church. Both services lovely - the vicar knew Mum well so made it very personal and the church was packed in the afternoon. Just trying to get back to some sort of normality now but some days are better than others :-\
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It gets easier Greyhoundgirl, though its been14 years since my mum and dad died with three weeks of one another it still catches me unaware. x
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Seem to have missed this - sorry to hear about your mum greyhoundgal, my mum was 78 also when she passed away. What with that and the time your hubby has had, you will both feel like you've been through the mill! :tulips2: :tulips2: for both of you (seems a bit inadequate) Take care x
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However, if the Dr is no longer practising then techniques may well have changed. I wouldn't worry too much, your hubby survived and is back at work ;)
Glad that your Mum's service was easier than it might have been. Now you will begin to feel the loss so be kind to you! :tulips2:
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I'm pleased that your mum's services went well Greyhoundgal.
Did your friend say how the abscess should have been drained? It seems, reading online, that the amoebic abscesses often need to be drained as well as treated with antibiotics if peritonitis is to be avoided.
Taz x
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Thank you all - I think we're coping quite well really and Mum would have been proud of us last week :)
Hubby had appointment with GP earlier and now gone back to work - I suspect he will be going over to see this specialist in Cambridge one way or another just to be on the safe side. I'm aware that techniques/treatment changes but hubby's boss has a son who is a newly qualified Dr - even he came up with the correct diagnosis and treatment given it as a hypothetical case! And it was very different from what he received.......... We'll wait and see what happens next but yes, just glad he's ok and home again. We've decided to treat ourselves to a few days away in March, just to re-charge the batteries :)
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Glad all went well on Friday for you & that hubby is able to get back to work. A few days away will do you both the world of good.
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Greyhoundgal - any idea where? We love Norwich, Brighton, Lewes, Northumberland ........
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Greyhoundgal - any idea where? We love Norwich, Brighton, Lewes, Northumberland ........
We're looking a little further afield ;)- possibly a city-break in Istanbul mid-March
This is the link the GP pulled up yesterday - she agreed the drainage could have been dangerous and has referred him to Addenbrookes.
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/amoebiasis-pro
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Turkey is one on most favourite places Greyhoundgal a mixture of East and West.
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Warm there at that time of year?
Thanks for the LInk
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I also missed this Greyhoundgal. I am really sorry for your loss and all the emotions that go with it. There is no easy way to grieve and it hits at the strangest times. Be really good to yourself.
That saga over your DH was dreadful and glad it's resolved. I had a gallstone that got into a liver duct and it was painful but got an op and all was well.
I have been to Istanbul and I loved it! Find a hotel that overlooks the city skyline. It's amazing! I loved the Palace and could imagine the Sultan's women in the harem quarters. They had the best of both worlds for that period of history. They were well cared for and when Sultan died, they got money and a place of their own! We got a guide to take us to the best places as I'm disabled and couldn't do everything on our own. You get into places easier that way.
Anyway, sorry to have missed all your important news. Rose :tulips:
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How is DH on returning to work? Not too tired, hopefully ........
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I'll try and answer you all at once :)
Silverlady - I've never been but always wanted to go.
CLKD - not particularly warm I don't think, possibly a little warmer than here but it will be idea for sightseeing.
Rose - Thank you, it has been tough but we all seem to coping quite well. I'm meeting my sisters at Mum's tomorrow where we will be starting to do some house-clearing. I'm sure there will be laughter and tears at times. Hubby has been a few times for work so has a feel for the city, he just hasn't done the touristy bits.
CLKD - he's been doing ok and it's been a hard week for him with their annual sales meeting for two days - still, almost weekend now :)
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I enjoyed clearing the house after Dad died. Mum sorted out what she wanted to keep and there was a lot of stuff that I had forgotten about over the years ::) .........
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We found all sorts of things on Saturday whilst clearing. Some stuff funny, some sentimental, some that might even be worth something. We've sorted all the photo's and Mum's diaries (she kept one every year for years and years) and put them all in one cupboard to go through at a later stage. We've all got boxes in our cars to drop at various charity shops and British Heart Foundation are being contacted to come and collect some of the furniture in Feb - getting there.....
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Best not to throw out anything that makes you hesitate, i.e. keep or not. I threw one jacket away which I now regret ::) …………. will you read the diaries ………. ;)
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Yes we will I think - we've got them all in a box with several more boxes of photo's and other "precious things" which we'll take turns at going through at a later stage - we thought we'd get too distracted if we started on those last weekend and there was more than enough to do without that.
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When we get some sunny weather: large blanket, picnic, all the albums etc., wine ;)
When we cleared out DH's Mum's bungalow, there in the dining room on the letter rack was his College Report :o ;D - one that we had forgotten all about but his Mum had kept it there ......... we never went through her personal items when we visited 'cos that's not what we did so afterwards ::): Report now in his sock drawer ;)
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There are all our old school reports, ballet certificates - all sorts of stuff. Think it will take a long time to go through but there is no rush with this, at the moment I'm still battling with the probate forms. The main one is fine, very straight forward but the one for Inland Revenue, although only 4 pages long has guidance notes of 40 pages!!!