Better luck next time lads! (+foot update!)

I have a claim to fame. Mild fame. On Wednesday I went to the Carnegie 9's rugby tournament at Headingley. Its a mini knockout with 9 players aside playing for a total of 15 minutes each game with 12 teams participating. It was a heavy rugger sesh with me sat on my (frozen) ass 6 hours watching the rugged thighs.. I mean quality games on show.

The winners were the Wigan Warriors in a close final with Bradford Bulls. Well done to those. Anyhow when I came back from the burger van (my first burger in literally yonks, with cheese, and onions and ketchup and calorie laden.. for shame) feeling like a guilty heifer I arrived back to my seat to find someone sat next to me. Martin Offiah of ye olde rugby league fame with some hot young upcoming talent. I was overcome with mild starstruckness. Then I realised I had a burger dripping with fat and had to consume it whilst looking sophisticated, stylish and every bit the fox that I am (COUGH). I was mortified. It went down in lumps. Eeesh.

Hours later when coming back from getting a hot chocolate from said burger van I attempted a composed ascent climbing over one of the seats to get to my own. This was not a good idea. Next time ask people to stand and shuffle past to seat - mental note. I landed face down on my seat with my rump in the air, the bloke sat in the chair behind bent down and said 'y'alright love?' whilst I saw my in laws sniggering at me. Total Bridget Jone's moment. Cringe.

Today the Rhino's were facing Warrington in the Challenge cup final - the equivalent of the FA Cup in football. We've had high hopes and eagerly awaited the game, the lads have played really well this season and although Warrington are up there with the best I thought we might have a chance. So with cuppa tea in hand and 6 pieces of galaxy (I've fallen off the wagon this week) me and bloke sat down to watch what we hoped would be a classic.

THE RESULT

It was a classic for all the wrong reasons! Outplayed, outclassed by a better team, it all turned out to be pretty embarrassing. I'm sat next to a boyfriend who has the onset of clinical depression due to the turnout. In two words - bad times.

cue gratuitous Ryan Hall shot to perk me up



We still have a shot at being league champions nevertheless so looking on the bright side at least we didn't pay to go to Wembley and be depressed, we had the luxury of our own sofa!

FOOT NEWS

It's sodding killing after a lovely morning walking around Meadowhall with a good friend. How long does fricking tendonitis last? How does one rid itself of it? How can you make bandages look sexy? By having pink toe gelled nails?




NO.

I am aware my blog is turning into a bit of a foot fetishers fantasy (try saying that 3 times really quick) but this foot is DRIVING ME MAD. I long to walk in the countryside without having to stop and smack myself up on gas and air. Life was so carefree before I attempted the getting fit thing, now my foot is painful diva that demands rest and deep heat daily. I have a life foot! You have to let up and let me live it!!!

Changes

Hello followers! and friends! and people thoroughly bored \o

Alas I am back from the wilderness, poorly foot in tow. I am existing in a comfy shoe world where I hobble in (classy) old skool crocs with my foot in a bandage and a limp that would make Jolly Rodger proud. Everything is taking ten times longer to do, walking around the tesco feels like the London Marathon! I feel I am being a bit wussy-fied though, I had it X-rayed at the weekend and nothing is broke, no fracture (even though it was suspected!!), NOT EVEN A HAIRLINE ONE. There is nothing to call anything, the doctor said its tendonitis caused by extreme exercise, any exercise to me is extreme so I took his word for it. I am left with a swollen, bruised foot and a dented ego left from my first foray into the world of 'getting fit'. I have to carry on resting it which I'm finding thoroughly easy to get used to.

In good news I have lost more poundage!!!! I got weighed and from my initial freak out where I realised I was the heaviest I had ever been to this here now moment, I have lost 6 pounds. WOOP. I had a bad day yesterday though, think bread rolls laden with hearty salty butter and you get the gist. So I'm trying to be extra strict today. I want to be a lean goddess with thighs that can crush grapes. It will happen. I will be a comfortable size 12 if I have to go to the most extremest of measures.. giving up my latte's.. but I'm not in that place just yet.

Work is winding down ready for the big move, I finish on the ward on the 3rd of September - harumph. I'm moving to an office I'm quite familiar with but a bit out of my comfort zone, I don't like change. The ward is like my home from home. From listening to the patients singing to the nurses making me laugh and bringing me biscuits (bad nurses), I am going to miss it with all my heart. I hope it is just a temporary measure for 6 months and they realise they need our service but I don't think they will. So for now I'm tying loose ends up on the ward, cleaning my desk out and making the most of the company. People with Alzheimer's and mainly Dementia often have a stigma attached, people have a horrid preconception which is totally wrong, I have met the loveliest patient's who I often wished I could have as adopted grandparents. They need caring for and not pushing into care homes needlessly when the right treatment could make the difference needed to stay at home. I'm really passionate about this cause and hope to work my career around making a difference somehow to these people.

Now follower's I haven't forgotten about the reviews I promised. I have a shiny new pair of Birkenstock's from the lovely people at www.rubbersole.co.uk to review and I can't wait to do it, just hampered a tad by the swollen foot situation :| I am on it like car bonnet though, so keep checking for updates!!

Injured Cher seeks sympathy & cookies - Apply within

Is exercise evil? See below photo and consider. The background of the photo gives you a brief insight into my day's activities - diet coke, a good book and heat magazine.


Here is the result of my 'healthy' rugby sessions. If you look closely you may be able to see the swelling of my foot ~ near my toes. It seems I used one muscle too many that has previously remained dormant and sprained it. I am hobbling about like a 3 legged sheep (I imagine they hobble). I've tried applying a bag of frozen peas to the affected area, resting it, walking in my crocs, soaking it in hot water but yet the muscle of evilness won't subside in it's relentless aching and making me go 'oooof'. All whom suffer with feet before me, I feel your pain. It is SO frustrating. I have virtually done no exercise the past 4 days and I feel like a sloth on valium. I refuse to go see the GP about it because I'm sure I already appear to have munchausen's to him or the beginnings of an inappropriate GP obsession due to my habitual sickly spells and I don't want to fuel the fire anymore! I hope mother nature does her maternal stuff soon because I need to get my butt moving again and carry on my get fit mission.

In other news I am on day 3 of my chocolate ban. I can't say my incapacitation as a result of foot mong has helped matters yet I have stayed strong. Fresh fruit, yoghurt's and go ahead cereal bars have replaced my milky cocoa bean heroin and I intend to keep it that way. It's little things like sitting down with a cuppa in the afternoon, I always but always had a bar of chocolate or biscuit with it - not that I actually needed it nay wanted it, just it was a habit. A fat filled, teeth decaying one at that. I don't need chocolate to be happy! (Repeat x 100 in times of doubt).

Coming up soon
I will be doing a book review of a brilliant book I am almost at the end of that has sparked my reading mojo again! hurrah. Plus the lovely people at rubbersole.co.uk have sent me ~ or will have when they try to redeliver ~ a pair of Birkenstock Gizeh to review for my lovely followers. I have been drooling over these babies for a while now so can't wait to try them out and give you my brutally honest opinion. That's if my swollen feet fit in them!

Maze fun!

Living in the same town 28 years can lead to a problem. What new stuff can you do to occupy your leisure time that you haven't done a million times before. The same old places and faces can make you feel like your an extra in groundhog day soon enough. So this Sunday morning with the sun shining and the sky blue I wanted to do something other than face the pile of ironing lain before me. It's been a lean month what with the car screwing up its MOT then needing taxing so money is tight. So the quandry was where to go? what to do!

We live close to a garden centre that's good for a cuppa tea and a mooze around stuff you really don't need to buy but when you see it you suddenly need it (i.e. potato shaped potato peeler - I actually don't know how I'm surviving without one of those bad boys) but after calling my sister asking for activity inspiration she told me it had a secret garden with a maze and deer. So me and bloke went to investigate.

We were really surprised to find, it was actually rather good fun. It was free to go in but donations were accepted to help fund the renovation of the gardens. I have always ALWAYS wanted to go in a maze since watching Labyrinth and so I couldn't wait to get in the maze. I was pretty confident that we would have no trouble getting out and it would be a fairly obvious route out. What I didn't count on was 1) The divebombing killer wasps that came out of the hedge every 2 steps and 2) It was actually impossible to get out of the bloody maze. We failed to get out after shouting for help and walking around with me saying 'Im getting a bit claustrophobic now' between hyperventilating with giggles! Pathetically I was relieved to find the entrance to the maze to get out of the blimmin' thing, I virtually flung myself out.

After composing myself oncemore we ventured through the 'secret gardens' aptly signposted secret. They were truly beautiful, all the different colours of flowers and fragrant trees. There was a real atmosphere and it was one of those places you know is steeped in history. It was so peaceful and we enjoyed walking through admiring it all! That's one sign I'm getting closer to the big 3-0, one time of the day I wouldn't have appreciated it at all, I'd have been more bothered with stuffing my face with cheesecake in the cafe.. obviously I don't do this now. Ahem.

Anyway to finish I've uploaded a few photos!

This is one bloke took aloft the hedges in the maze - it doesn't do it justice at all. It looks fairly easy to vacate. Nay, I challenge thee to do it in less than half an hour! C'est impossible.



Here is the mini maze in the 'Secret Gardens' - so pretty :)




And to finish here is me and bloke doing the take the photo with one hand to make it look like someone else is doing it pose - I look knackered. That's what insomnia does for thi!

Tantruming Toddlers aren't fun.

Yesterday was a Friday 13th to remember.

Work was fine, bar very sad at the moment, the Alzheimer's ward I work on is closing at the end of this month as many PCT trusts don't have an inpatient ward solely for Alzheimer's/Dementia patients so our trust is following suit and 'testing for a 6 month period' strengthening the community care memory team where patients are treated/supported living in their home. Also spot purchasing 2/3 beds in other local trust hospitals for patients who get to the stage where they can't be cared for adequately at home. We have had 3 weeks notice of this plan and although we knew something was on the horizon it is such a shame to have to leave the ward and the lovely people I work with. Their a credit to the NHS and the patients are treated with such warmth and genuine care, I think it will be a much missed ward and I'm hoping after the 6 month trial they realise this. Although money seems to matter more than care at the moment I've noticed.

The last couple of weeks together have brought us all together even more and yesterday we had music on for the patients (they love dancing and sing alongs!) and a nurse brought in chocolate cake for us all.. hurrah. Bugger the diet for one morning.

After work I had a dental appointment for a crown fitting and scale/polish. I'm a total weed when it comes to dentists. I have to have IV Sedation for most dental procedures after this one time (in band camp) when I totally freaked out mid filling and tried to get off the chair. I hate not being in a control, it's one of my 'quirks'. I panic. I suspect I have generalised anxiety disorder anyway but it really puts the proverbial willies up me. I sweat, my legs physically shake and its a huge ordeal for me. I am getting better in some ways, I can now do a full check up and I managed to have a numbing injection and polish and scale not too long back without flipping mon lid but it's a rather pathetic melodramatic affair once I lose my nerve *blush*.

I had 10mg of Temazepam prior to the appointment - told you I'm a wuss - and once at the dentist with my sister holding my hand they pumped the good shit in! I have no recollection of the next hour, getting off the chair, out of the dentist or driving home. I just remember landing on the bed and falling to sleep. Apparently all I kept repeating in the car on the way home was 'I'm tired' and 'I'm knackered'. Very eloquent. If you are a nervous wreck like me at the dentist, find a place that does sedation - it makes life SO much easier.

Thennn, at night me and bloke had promised to babysit my 2year old nephew whilst my sister went to her friends for a few girly hours. This doesn't happen much and she is a stressed out mom so I was happy to oblige. She promised he would 'fall asleep laid on your knee watching TV about 9ish'. Well. That didn't happen. Before she left she told him 'Mummy is going to the shop'. Mistake number one - He expected her to arrive back pretty sharpish. Consequently all night long (all night, all night long!) he wanted mummy.

Me - Are you going to put your pyjamas on for aunty cher?

Him - No, mummy do it. Mummy at shop. Back soon.

Me - Mummy back later, lets put your pyjamas on like a good boy.

Him - NO MUMMY DO IT.

I finally cajoled him into wearing them by complimenting their stripey design. Getting him to sleep however, was harder. We had tantrums, tears, lots of tears. 'MUMMY BACK SOON, CAN'T SLEEP'. We had the light on, the light off, the sound on the tv on/off, banished the dog to the kitchen, put on child friendly tv, were quiet as mice. Yet he wouldn't give in to mother sleep!

Cue half ten. Yes. 10.30pm. (Mother was due back at bloody 11pm). He fell asleep. We sighed, relieved. My body felt lighter. I was me once more! Bloke had him on his knee, he slowly stood up, carried him to bed, laid him down and put the blanket over him and crept out the room. Then walked into the ladder at the top of the stairs. 'waaaaaaaaaah MUMMY'.

It was 10.50pm by the time he succumbed to zeds. We were shells of our former selves. Sister found it hilarious. I didn't even get to see the Big Brother eviction, we didn't even have time to raid the fridge of left babysitter privilege nibbles... I have a distinct feeling my oestrogen levels have dropped this morning. The broody wench within is a withered wreck.

How I love my nephews!

Who knew, exercise works!

Today I did my fortnightly weigh in at Boots. I love the scales at Boots, the thrill of putting your hand over the screen so you don't see your weight (and neither do the nosey buggers stood waiting for the meds at the pharmacy) until it prints off and the consequential anguish or joy.

To my hormonal delight I discovered I had lost another pound, which means I am 3 pounds lighter than I was a month ago! Huzzahhhhhhhhh. I was so happy to be now only 0.1 over my BMI range that I bought a diet coke and looked for a flyte bar - but they didn't have one.

I still have quite a trek until I hit the body weight I want to be at, which isn't stupidly skinny or unrealistic but just right and still with a bit of chub for bloke to grab onto so I'm not getting too smug. BUT. I think there's been some kind of seismic change within. I'm no longer craving chocolate. I have an emergency bar of galaxy in the fridge which I'm saving for my next emotional crisis, which knowing me wont be long. I now eat fresh fruit and low fat yoghurt bars at work. I've also changed to fat free milk in my tea and coffee, but I have soya milk in my cereal due to the lactose connection to Crohn's. Also I have started loving the 0% fat new muller yoghurt's with a hint of chocolate in, spesh the black cherry one. They are a total bargain at 6 pots for 2 quid. Throw them together with some fresh fruit et voila - healthy ish kinda dessert/snack.

Tonight I also had another rugby sesh with the bloke spurred on by the fact that it may be paying off, but then I got all 'Monica' competitive when I couldn't catch the ball and it was like butter through my hot knife hands. I think the Weight Watchers group inside the community hall were privy to some bad language if they had their window open. I have a potty mouth that would shame John McEnroe at times. My mother in law would be shocked.

So exercise works apparently, throw into the mix stress at work and 0% fat yoghurt's and I might be onto a winning formula. Comfortable size 12, here I come.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

THE GOOD

* I'm feeling (touch wood) almost back to my normal self after the viral infection I had. I am almost 100% certain it wasn't a crohns flare up and I feel so relieved and moreso healthy! My skin is glowing and I have loads more energy. It is great feeling like me again. I kinda got scared back then. Thankyou intestine.

* Visit to meadowhall today. I spent some gift vouchers I had won so it really didn't cost that much! £30 of House of Fraser voucher - DKNY Be delicious perfume and £45 JJB sports vouchers - 2 rugby tops for thingy, a new rugby ball, 2 water bottles and a tee for kicking the ball. I had a skinny latte from Starbucks and felt very smug knowing I went for the fat free option. Then I treat myself to 4 bath bombs from Lush but I could literally buy everything in that shop. The customer service is always brilliant and the smell is heavenly.

* Did an hour rugby sesh with the new ball and worked up a proper sweat. The sun was shining and there was just us two on the field. It felt like a lovely August summers day after all the recent rain.

*Leeds won the Challenge cup game yesterday so are through to the final at Wembley. Go on lads!!!

* I'm up to date with competitions. GEEKALERT/any fellow obsessive compers know the panic feeling of being behind and the thought that you are potentially missing a competition you could have won nnnnnnargh!!! I appreciate the element of OCD to this but we all have our weird quirks!/GEEK ALERT

THE BAD

* The upcoming week is going to be really testing and I have a feeling of dread within! Tomorrow is my humira injection day which is good but it stings like mad. Tuesday I have a meeting to discover where I will be working soon, the ward I'm currently working on is closing at the end of this month so we are all being redeployed. I don't like change. Harumph. Wednesday thingy has a hospital appointment. Thursday I have a crap meeting at work. Friday I am at the dentists! MY MANTRA - TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME!

THE UGLY

* The grey hair invasion currently taking place on my bonce. My mum went grey at 28. I feel too young for this! I know I shouldn't pull them out but I cant help it. Roll on my hairdressers appointment at the end of the month, I need colour applying pronto.

Anyone for ruggers?

Since meeting thingy I have gotten into/been dragged kicking and screaming into the world of rugby. Living in Barnsley I was used to football (It really isn't like watching Brazil anymore) so it was a whole new world. I had the preconception women at rugby matches would be a bit, and I hate stereotyping and being a complete ignoramus, but butch .. with pint glasses and man haircuts! So I was really surprised when I went and saw girly girls with designer clothes and, fair do's - pint glasses. The game really drew me in too. I'm still not fully up to grips with the rules but I have the basic gist and I bloody love it. I watched a bit of the Leeds v Derby footie match today and it seemed so soft and wet in comparison. Where are the beefy men who aren't afraid to tackle headfirst like its life or death?! MAN UP PANSIES.

Anyhow with this new rugby blood running through me, and thingy wanting to get fitter and back into rugby (he used to play alot) we bought us a rugby ball t'other day in town. Behind us is a big football/cricket field where we have started exercising with the ball. Doing drop kicks and passes and 'plays'. Yes it involves actual bodily movement that isn't from the sofa > fridge and back. At first I was an utter wench, I screamed when the ball came hurtling towards me, ran in the other direction and shouted at thingy for throwing it 'too hard'. Slowly I have got more confidence, I like the challenge of catching a fast ball. I want to kick it higher and longer. I get proud when thingy says good kick! Plus we have both noticed our fitness levels improving. We aren't potential London Olympic 2012 challengers just yet but the endorphin affect from getting ruddy cheeks and mud on my trainers is totally worth it! Exercise takes my mind off everything and while I'm feeling well (ish!) I relish it.

If you ever get chance watch a Rugby League match cough#leedsrhinos# cough. The atmosphere at live games isn't captured on t'box but you might enjoy it too.

The winner of my first ever giveaway is....

Me and bloke just did an official drawing. An overwhelming 70 of you took part (71 comments left but 1 was the same person adding their twitter username so 70 in actuality!).

Then with the help of random.org the following comment number was chosen as winner



which means the winner is :drumroll:



@Jenniwren12



Congratulations!!!

If you could DM me your address on twitter to @spritneybeers I will send out your prize (and maybe a few other goodie surprises too).

Thankyou everyone for taking part. I have really enjoyed doing it and will be doing more giveaways in the future. Keep an eye out on twitter and my blog for more updates!

Huzzah and happy friday evening to you all.

Man VS Mother Nature

MAN WINS!

Could the choir please break into a chorus of Hallelujah because we did it! The bush of hell, the leafy foilage of fury, the green shrubbery of satan, it has fallen!! All hail the blessed soil.

It has been an ongoing war for aprox 4 months. Since we moved in the bush has been the bain of our existence in the flat. It overtook the garden and made the flat look dishevelled. The landlord welcomed our plans to cull it (I think we deserve a rent discount personally) and so we set about it.

At first we were cocky. We thought mere spade and the power of the human hand would be enough to pull it out. We soon discovered this was no ordinary bush. Even when we cut all the branches off and pruned every single stem that had sprouted from the womb of the evilness. It resisted.

Cue. The chainsaw.

Bloke was on a mission. He was lain awake at night tossing and turning at the evil lurking outside. Father in law provided the tools, the rest was up to us mere mortals. It took 2 days. 2 long, trying, sweat and blashphemous days. Bloke had skin on hand worn away through the finest poundshop gardening glove. It got rough, I'm not gonna lie.

Forsooth today at aproximately 6.57pm, with a small audience of random passersby who had stopped to watch (bugger off!) the last stubborn, pigheaded, immovable root snapped. As I composed myself and tried to come down from my petrol fume induced high, the relief was palpable. We smiled, congratulated each other and looked at what was before us. Victory was sweet. Cups of tea all round and big toothy smiles! Gardening is the new nightclubbing.


PICTURES > (NB - blackberry camera does not do justice to the full scale of awe)


PSSST - COMPERS OUT THERE
THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR ENTERING THE SALLY HANSEN GIVEAWAY!!!!!! THRILLED WITH HOW MANY HAVE TOOK PART. WILL DRAW THE WINNER TOMORROW NIGHT.

The Fear

So the last 4 weeks ish my intestines have been an utter mong. I've been on humira injections and Mercaptopurine for the past 2 years after a nasty Crohn's flare that left me hospitalised on IV steroids. Things ever since I started on humira have been *touch coffee table* alot better. My tummy troubles have eased and I have been a happier bunny. The only downside is my immunity virtually disappeared. If there is anything floating around, I'll catch it. It's a certainty.

The symptoms in this recent episode of illness resembled those of a viral infection to begin with. I couldn't move my ass off the settee, whereas the week before I had been dragging bloke on 5 miles country walks. I was nauseous, flu like, aching and raging hot. My GP did bloods and the only thing that showed was anaemia. So he put it down to a virus rather than flare up of Crohns. The flu symptoms ebbed away but my tummy left aching, churning, bloated and heavy. I got scared.

I have the fear you see. I think you have to have a chronic illness of some form to experience the fear. You spend long periods of your life trying to overcome your disease, trying not let it take over and be in control. Thinking positive, eating healthier, being a feisty little madam! It takes its toll though. Maybe not the first flare up, or the second. But when your condition becomes harder to knock into touch. When the steroids don't work. The fear is overwhelming. Its tiring fighting all the time. So to get to the point when you are relatively fit and healthy and the mere thought you are going to end up back at point A. Well, it bites.

My mindset has been dominated by this fear, so I booked to see my consultant to see if it was a flare and what we could do. He knows me really well, I've had Crohns since being 16 and hes seen me through the bulk of it. He did a physical examination and spoke to me in length and quenched my worries (kinda, it never leaves me!). He said a recent antibiotic course, the iron tablets and virus had affected the scarring from previous flares in my intestine and that he didn't think it was a flare but to give it 6 weeks to calm down and if it hadn't have a colonoscopy.

So I'm thinking soothing thoughts. I'm drinking peppermint tea. I'm having probiotic yoghurts and drinks daily. Swallowing buscopan like sweets. Ive been learning rugby skills with bloke and laughing lots. I can't control this thing, but I can look after myself. The vicious circle of worrying is a fricker to break but I have to do this. Life's too beautiful to spend it with the fear!

I feel a tad better already!

Sunday Sally Hansen Giveaway!

Hope you are all having nice relaxing sundays. Im watching the Hungarian grand prix with some chocolate celebrations and full fat pepsi to try and revitalise and give me much needed energy. Unfortunately, I just feel like a bloated tired pig. Oink!

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to win these



Im not much of a girly girl and prefer to get any such girly stuff done at the beauticians where I can't make a bugger of it! So I decided to give them away to one lucky blog reader (any of you out there?!).

To have a bash at winning (and to inspire positivity and energy!) just leave a comment below telling me what is making you happy at the moment?.

Please leave your twitter username so I can contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org at the end of the week so thats 06/08/10.

Hoping lots of you take part and I might make this a more regular thing!