Saturday catch up

Good evening

This is going to be a very personal and totally non crafting post

There are going to be no pictures and lots of words

If you have arrived here for crafting inspiration, this is not the post for you so please feel free to move on down your blog list

This week has been one of the most trying weeks of our little family's life

We have had three family members (AJ, Amy and Neil)

In three different hospitals ( Sheffield, Leeds and Scunthorpe)

On three days of the same week (more if you count AJ's separate visits)

Neil has had to have a pain relieving procedure on his back as his scoliosis has become unbearable, this was performed on friday, totally nail biting experience as I was unable to go with him and they had informed him that the injections would be going incredibly close to his lungs, being warned that a punctured lung is often a result is not terribly comforting.

Thankfully no mishaps and although his pain is worse at the moment we are hoping that once everything has settled down he should be a little more comfortable. Although we are very disappointed in his treatment at Scunthorpe, lost notes, misinformation, complete lack of care and consideration, no explanation of the procedure etc etc, to say Neil had this done privately under our health scheme, we both feel that he would have fared far better under the NHS in a different hospital

On wednesday Amy rang from uni at Leeds to tell me she had fallen down a step and broken her foot, she was on her way to 'a and e' and is now struggling on crutches with a knee high pot on her foot.

Mum and dad are bringing her home tomorrow for some much needed TLC, it's the worse feeling in the world being on the other end of a telephone line when all you want to do is wrap your arms round your babies and tell them it is going to be ok. She did tell me her treatment at Leeds hospital was first class and her boyfriend Ben has been an absolute rock yet again. I am going to owe that lad big time at this rate.

And AJ finally got his consultation at Sheffield on Monday, we took him and all went smoothly, we were told it would be a couple of weeks for the biopsy appointment to come through but as it happened we got a phone call just 2 days later saying they had a cancellation and could we come on thursday for the biopsy

Cutting a very long story short, AJ had his biopsy and has been diagnosed as Coeliac, we still have to wait for the biopsy results for it to bee 100% confirmed but his consultant said there was very little doubt

AJ's gut has been quite severely damaged and he is lacking in all his vitamins and iron as a result

But the good news is, as along as he follows a very strict diet, his gut will repair itself and medication can bring all his iron and vitamin levels back up to a normal range

Coeliac disease is NOT gluten intolerance, Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease, it is incurable and lifelong, it can lead to many other diseases and health problems should AJ make regular mistakes with his diet, he does have to completely cut out all gluten and any gluten related ingredients and trust me it is EVERYWHERE even where you would not think

His diet started immediately but it will be at least a month before he starts to feel much benefit

I cannot praise all the staff at Sheffield children's hospital enough, they were absolutely amazing, so kind and helpful, truly organised and nothing was too much trouble, they were absolutely brilliant

So, basically although I have been keeping busy with the shop and all the other regular family,work and household commitments my mind has been on my three poorly family members (I think I might need to wrap Robbie up in cotton wool and lock him in his room - can't be doing with another one being ill or injured !)

Thank you so much to everyone who has been sending emails and text messages, those friends and customers who took time out to offer a little support and all those lovely kind words really did make a difference

But most of all thank you so much to my mum and dad who actually managed to get me through this week without losing my mind completely, they have taxied Neil to and from hospital, Amy from Leeds, me from work, they have helped so much with implementing AJ's diet, dad has been invaluable as always with the running of the shop and mum has done what mums do best - listened and hugged

Love you both so very much, you are my best friends and the reason my sanity is still in tact

Love and TLC

Tracey 

xxx