Osteoarthritis is no fun

I need happy toes:

When I look back over the years, I remember the seizing up of joints going back to my first marriage. We would sit for a couple of hours over dinner, or go and see a film and, at the end, everyone else would get up and I would begin to... and then have to stop while I gentle unfolded my hips and knees, especially those on my right side. This means I have been dealing with osteoarthritis since my early 30's. As I approach my 60th birthday next year, that's a long time to be dealing with joint pain.

There is no doubt that I have had good years and bad years, and I have to be particularly attentive to my neck and upper back, as there is particular damage to that part of my spine. 

But, the worst damage to deal with is unquestionably that in my foot. It makes walking and standing incredibly uncomfortable and, in the past few years, has become much worse. 

I have been having cortisone injections in the joint of my big toe for a while now, but today it has been decided that surgery is the better plan going forward. I didn't even know that surgery was an option, but they will fuse the 2 joints in my toe, which means the joint will no longer bend, putting an end to pain from that joint. The bones will be set with a slight bend, so that there is rocking motion to the joint to make walking easier.

Joint surgery, or arthrodesis to give it the correct name, 'restores stability, provides pain relief and improves alignment of bones in arthritic patients' - sounds like a good plan to me. 

As I can't have surgery within 6 months of a cortisone injection I have had to forgo the injection today and need to continue managing the pain with rest and painkillers, but if it means I have a permanent solution to a painful condition, it has to be worth it. I just hope it doesn't take too long for the appointment to see the specialist to come through.

After it all heals one of the benefits, other than the lack of pain, will be that I may finally be able to wear normal, pretty shoes again.

Now, that's something to look forward to.

Summertime...

It's been a while since I've written anything on here, my life has been consumed by writing, promoting and generally all things book related, but there are times when there a little distractions and this has been one of those weeks.

On Saturday we were at a large family gathering of Peter's family, followed by Jessica's graduation ceremony on Monday. It was a wonderful day and so lovely to see all the hard work she has put in over the last 3 years pay off, (and I got a lovely spur of the moment visit from my brother while we were in London).

One  very proud Dad.

So, after the rushing around of the weekend a couple of quiet days at home, giving me chance to wander around the garden to see what's new.

I love spotting the flowers as they bloom. Today we have a new fuchsia flowering, 

the little rose tree has gorgeous blossoms 

and even the clematis is beginning to get there. 

We have an awful problem with snails which seem to adore the clematis, so it has been a real struggle to get it to this stage. As well as this, the first tomatoes are ripening, and the flowering cherry tree is dripping with birds gorging themselves.

So, for now, as they say, everything in the garden is rosy.

Today I had my annual asthma check, at which I was told I have good lung function (tell my body that when I am running for a train!) and tomorrow I have the dreaded cortisone injection. I hobble a lot by the end of each day and these injections in my toe are really very painful, but I endure them because they give me a couple of months normal walking before I start to hobble again. 

Not the best way to finish a week off work, but hey ho, it has to be done. Hopefully, it will be sunny and I can sit in the garden and read all day while I rest my foot.