Journeys into crafting - and a re-boot

So I'm trying something new. Not the blogging – that's old if anything. The old Glamourie Blog was a big part of my life for quite a long time, I just got too busy, and too tired and too sick to update it all the time.

Too uninspired...

This isn't supposed to be a forum for complaining [#PlainChantWinge], rather an exercise in mindfulness and getting through a number of challenges that have come my way recently.

I have type 1 diabetes. I've had it for about 24 years, and I guess that's the root cause of most of my other medical problems.  I now take an average of 6 injections per day. I have had some complications with my eyes (diabetic retinopathy) and a number of corrective surgeries requiring local anesthetic injections.  I have always been very sensitive to light, and my discomfort has increased with each surgery - I have to admit that getting the  local anesthetic isn't all that bad - but I am always terrified for days before hand.

More recently, my kidneys have started to show signs of stress and protein leakage - meaning that they aren't doing their job just as well as they should be, which can be a precursor to a number of more serious conditions. my Dr has tried a variety of medications to protect my kidneys from further damage, but so far we haven't found one that suits me and I’ve had to stop taking them for various reasons - including the development of as-yet un-diagnosed lumps in my joints and forelimbs. 

Over the next few weeks i have a lot of appointments at the hospital - I will be seeing Consultants in Rheumatology (for the lumps) and Nephrology (for the kidneys) for the first time; and I will also be seeing my Diabetic and Ophthalmic Consultants. The most recent development is that my blood pressure is now sky-high (as in 180/110) - so i'm now taking Amlodipine to bring that down too.

As a result of all of this, and a great deal of stress from a variety of sources, I’ve been signed off work for a while.  

This would be a great relief…. if only my job wasn’t temporary and I was entitled to sick pay. It’s not so bad as it could be, I still get Statutory Sick Pay, but it’s really not very much at all. 

So one of my pastimes while I’m not in work will be getting as much dinner for my proverbial buck as I possibly can.  I plan to fill this blog with what I discover regarding making frugal dinners and also my progress in finally setting up my Etsy shop and all my crafting inspirations. I hope that if you are reading this, that my ramblings are instructive, sometimes amusing and - for the most part - interesting!

Kate xx