SOOP's kindly Kitcheners.

Loopy

Grenade it is then

By gum! I've had a right time trying to upload one image (me standing in front of the gunnera) and I cannot get it to the top of the photos. You will need to trawl down if you can be bothered to see it. Apologies!

Oh dear! I've just discovered that From Here to Eternity is on BBC2 now and I must go out and get some peanuts for my very disappointed greenfinches. A curse upon that thieving squirrel which knocked the feeder down and scoffed almost all the nuts! Now am recording the film

anno The birds must come first. A very special film to watch later.

Oh heck soop!
That plant looks suspiciously like a much smaller alien plant growing in my garden if it get to that size my lawn will disappear

A magnificent specimen you have there! Does it have a fearsomely thorny stalk? I remember seeing them at Heligan a few years back.

Just popped in to see how everyone is. JaneR - what a worrying time you are having with your family. Please keep us posted. Did your son miss too much Uni work? Honestly, if it's not one thing its a flipping nother with a family isn't it. Look after yourself, won't you.

Anno, you've reminded me to go and fill up my bird feeders. and, on the subject of birds - we have two nests full of house martins - don't they poo a lot? Is there a market for it, I wonder? It's very sticky.

Oops, soop, I thought I'd read somewhere that you enjoyed a minimagnum now and again when watching tennis. Must've misremembered. Perhaps it was wishful thinking

After posting of my joy at GD's op, I have today been shopping with her and popped into Specsavers as my vision has been a bit blurred. When I explained the problem they insisted on me being seen straightaway. Two hours later I was given the news that I have Wet Macular Degeneration. I have been fast tracked to the hospital and would have been sent today had it not been Sunday.
What do they say about how it never rains but pours?
I hope some kind Kitchener is going to come along and give me some advice.

soop, could you stop at one Mini Magnum? Isn't it like stopping short at one chocolate from a box? Oh, maybe there are strong-willed people who can do that. To anyone who has a Waitrose around the corner, I recommend their equivalent of Magnums. They come in boxes of three and in interesting flavours. My favourite at the moment is salted caramel. No, I am not being paid commission by Waitrose.

It sounds horrible - I shall have to google!

It looks horrible, does say it is more treatable, but even so...

Yes kittylester he hadn't been doing all his work, I did wonder why he was so worried about his results. He caught it up, but too late so will receive lower marks, and had to do resits. I wish it was like school, where the teachers contact you if something seems a bit 'off', he is such an easy-going boy and usually smiley, it's hard to imagine him being that low.

Thank goodness you popped in when you did annsixty, hopefully the quick response will mean you get the right treatment asap.
I don't have any experience of this but I'm sure soop's kitcheners will be able to help.
Good luck x

ann Don't despair. my MiL has it, and she had a series of (painless)lucentis injections at Addenbrookes in Cambridge.
She was told that all it would do would stop her vision getting worse (she could no longer read) but in fact her vision improved and she could read again.
It has been fantastic for her, so I hope it does the same for you. x

ann60, what a shock for you. I'm sure that threats to eyesight are everyone's nightmare when you reach a certain age. I hope you have a satisfactory experience at the hospital.

They are sending me to the Alex anno so at least it will be comfortable.

Sorry to hear that Ann - what a good thing the opticians were on the ball. I hope your treatment goes well.

That's good, Ann. Very nice surroundings at the Alex.

ann I have the dry type of macular which can become "wet" at any time. You are lucky that it has been diagnosed so quickly and you are being treated so soon. It is classed as a medical emergency but usually waiting lists are horrendous.

You will receive Lucentis or some other drug as an injection into your eye at monthly intervals for at at least 3 treatments and then your eye (s) will be reassessed.

Good luck.

Thank you Charleygirl the lady I saw said it was unusual not to have the dry type first and certainly there did seem to be a sense of urgency. I am sorry that you have it too and hope it is being kept in check. I understand that is all we can hope for.

There is no cure (yet) for the dry type but at least the wet type can be arrested and occasionally improved. Luckily you did not leave yours for a few more days in case it improved with time. You did the sensible thing of popping into Specsavers.

What's a mini magnum?

Annsixty What a shock. I hope all goes well.

Galen www.magnumicecream.com/products/mini-classic-ice-cream-bar/
They are lovely (I have only tried the big ones.) The small size might just make one feel less greedy.

I would like to thank all GN'rs and Kitcheners who have expressed their concern and to say that my main thought is that DH who has Alzheimer's has not taken it in at all and since I told him has just related to what is happening in the here and now,i.e. that I cooked dinner and we are now watching television. It is breaking my heart, I don't know what to think. I do not usually open myself to speaking so openly so forgive me,I feel I am with people who understand.

annsixty

I think a lot of us have had relatives who suffered from Alzheimer's.
It is heartbreaking and difficult to deal with.
It requires the patience of a saint and the diplomatic skills of a senior ambassador to deal with!
My thoughts are with you!

On a more positive note, I have found a new way of achieving my "five a day" which may get me through the forthcoming heatwave.
Heston Blumenthal's fruit cup, containing

1)Elderflower)
2) black currant) liqueurs
3) raspberry)
4) 8 "botanicals" (whatever they may be)
5) fresh raspberries
6) fresh ginger
7) limes

Actually I make that 7 a day.

Oh and ginger ale in a 2/1 ratio so as not to slide gracefully under the table exceed one's recommended daily alcohol units.
Yum yum
#makesachangefromPimms