Hello everyone!
Wow, it's been a long time since I was on here last! I've been meaning to write an update for some time now but things have been unbelievably stressful & busy, & I just haven't had time. Alot has happened in the last few months, & I have had alot on my plate. Many things haven't gone as planned & there have been alot of unexpected things that have needed to be dealt with. So this is going to be a bit of a long one today as I update you on what has been happening!
Firstly, a health update. Things haven't been great health-wise, & I've been finding that I'm struggling more as time goes on. I'm finding that most of the time I'm exhausted by simple tasks, & pain will often stop me from doing things. For a while I've been trying to fight off a rather nasty kidney & urinary infection, & have had several courses of strong antibiotics, which haven't helped. My new GP has made the decision to refer me to a urologist, as he feels that this needs to be looked into. One of his concerns is that this could be endometriosis related. Due to the fact that I have already got endo on the outside of my bladder, he is worried that the endo could well have penetrated inside my bladder, & also possibly be spreading to my kidneys & urethral tubes.
I've got an appointment with the urologist in March (it was originally scheduled for this month but it clashed with another appointment). Hopefully this will lead to some answers. Secondly I've been given a referral to pain management. The purpose of this is mainly to discuss other ways that may help me to cope with the pain, such as nerve blocks, acupuncture & therapies. From a medication point of view, my GP & myself are happy that I am managing my medications fine, as even though I am on alot of very strong painkillers, that I know what works for me.
I've also been put back under the care of the bowel team, for further investigations & possible treatment. During the colonoscopy I had a few months ago, it was found that the endo had penetrated into my bowel. More tests are needed to see if there are any other problems lurking, & decisions need to be made on the best course of action.
In myself, as I said before, things seem to be taking it's toll. I've noticed my stomach hurts more, & this urinary/kidney infection has been taking its toll. Simple tasks tire me out & I often need to sleep for long periods of time.
As for a general life update, things have been pretty hectic. Sadly, for several reasons, me & my man had the hard decision of postponing the wedding. Because neither of us are very well, it was too much strain to deal with at the moment & we both decided to wait until things have calmed down. However we're still very happy together & I still feel very lucky to have him in my life.
Christmas was a very busy & stressful time. Over the actual Christmas period, we had a lovely week up North with my family, & visited all of our family members as well as making lots of memories. Christmas day was particularly important this year, as it was probably the last Christmas I would get to spend with my Granddad.
The big stressful part came after that week- we had to go & spend 2 weeks with my mans family, which neither of us enjoyed. I won't say much about it but needless to say there are certain things that really wound us both up, & some people need to realise that they are not the only ones with lives to lead! Much of the visit was tainted by nastiness, backstabbing, arguments & uncalled for behaviour, & getting home was a huge releif!
Now we are in 2015, most people have made their New Years Resolutions (& probably broken them). It sounds strange but this year I didn't make a New Years Resolution. This wasn't through fear of breaking it or not being able to carry it out, but because none of us can forsee what life has in store for us. I just want to be able to take things as they happen. I have plans for things I want to do, obviously, & with a bit of luck they will happen. But as 2014 proved to be unpredictable, I want to be able to just take things as they happen.
So there we have it! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas & here's to a happy new year!!!
Jes xxx
Thursday, 15 January 2015
Thursday, 16 October 2014
Keeping sane
Hello everyone,
This is just going to be a quick, lighthearted post. We all go through those times when it just seems like life is whizzing past, you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, & everything is rapidly descending into chaos. Yes, that's what I'm feeling like at the moment. We often find in these times that we forget to just take a step back, relax & smell the roses. But most people don't realise what they miss when they don't take the time to just enjoy things. I find that some me-time, an hour or so at the end of the day, keeps me sane in times like this.
My "me-time" usually takes place at night, when I can just relax & put my feet up. It's also the time when I am least likely to be interrupted- my man is playing on the Xbox, my parents are watching telly & my brother is out. It's great. During that time I choose to do things that are just relaxing, don't require much effort & help me to switch off. I have alot of problems sleeping as it is, & find that if I do things before bed that require alot of thought or get me wound up/excited, it makes this worse. These little things keep me sane & give me an escape from the busyness of life:
1) Music- this is such an important thing to me. Some people are often only interested in one or two genres, but I love so many genres & don't restrict myself to just one. I like to explore new artists & just listen to the songs & often find ones that really have alot of meaning. One particular artist who's music I am really loving at the moment is Gotye (for those who don't know who he is, he sang "Somebody that I used to know"). His songs are just so well performed, with meaningful lyrics & very creative backing music. He's certainly not your average popstar- his music isn't full of violence, sex or the other nonsense that modern music is filled with (you certainly wouldn't hear crap such as "Oh my Gosh, look at her butt" in his lyrics). It's very calming & just different. I love the videos too- often very surreal & artistic, but they paint a picture & represent stories. Amazing & really does help me to relax.
2) Pictures of amazing places, animals & generally interesting or funny things- Since I have joined Google+, I have seen some really awesome posts. There is one page in partivcular that I follow called Diply. Whenever I look at my feed, I always see a new picture that makes
me smile- baby animals, flowers, stunning views, cool gadgets. It really brings home just what you could see if you just took a step back for a minute & looked.
3) Small kindnesses- The smallest kind actions mean alot. Whether it's someone holding a door open for you, or an offer of a cuppa, it can really make a world of difference. My lovely man & dad are working hard at the moment to renovate mine & my mans room. I appreciate this so much as the extra storage will be a big help. My mum was lovely enough earlier to make me some proper honey & lemon tea as I still have this yucky cold. The simple act of her saying "Here, I made you this, it will help" really boosted my mood. It's little things like this that restore my faith that people still know how to be kind to others.
4) Crafts & hobbies- I'm not talking clay pigeon shooting or restoring old cars. Because of my poor health I often find I can't do physically demanding activities. I love knitting & often find that it is relaxing as it is so simple & doesn't require huge amounts of concentration. At the moment I am working on a shawl for when it gets cold that I can wrap around my shoulders.
So there we go! Just a few simple little things I can do when I just need to relax. What is your favourite thing that helps you unwind? Comments below or feel free to email me at: dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
Xxx
This is just going to be a quick, lighthearted post. We all go through those times when it just seems like life is whizzing past, you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, & everything is rapidly descending into chaos. Yes, that's what I'm feeling like at the moment. We often find in these times that we forget to just take a step back, relax & smell the roses. But most people don't realise what they miss when they don't take the time to just enjoy things. I find that some me-time, an hour or so at the end of the day, keeps me sane in times like this.
My "me-time" usually takes place at night, when I can just relax & put my feet up. It's also the time when I am least likely to be interrupted- my man is playing on the Xbox, my parents are watching telly & my brother is out. It's great. During that time I choose to do things that are just relaxing, don't require much effort & help me to switch off. I have alot of problems sleeping as it is, & find that if I do things before bed that require alot of thought or get me wound up/excited, it makes this worse. These little things keep me sane & give me an escape from the busyness of life:
1) Music- this is such an important thing to me. Some people are often only interested in one or two genres, but I love so many genres & don't restrict myself to just one. I like to explore new artists & just listen to the songs & often find ones that really have alot of meaning. One particular artist who's music I am really loving at the moment is Gotye (for those who don't know who he is, he sang "Somebody that I used to know"). His songs are just so well performed, with meaningful lyrics & very creative backing music. He's certainly not your average popstar- his music isn't full of violence, sex or the other nonsense that modern music is filled with (you certainly wouldn't hear crap such as "Oh my Gosh, look at her butt" in his lyrics). It's very calming & just different. I love the videos too- often very surreal & artistic, but they paint a picture & represent stories. Amazing & really does help me to relax.
2) Pictures of amazing places, animals & generally interesting or funny things- Since I have joined Google+, I have seen some really awesome posts. There is one page in partivcular that I follow called Diply. Whenever I look at my feed, I always see a new picture that makes
me smile- baby animals, flowers, stunning views, cool gadgets. It really brings home just what you could see if you just took a step back for a minute & looked.
3) Small kindnesses- The smallest kind actions mean alot. Whether it's someone holding a door open for you, or an offer of a cuppa, it can really make a world of difference. My lovely man & dad are working hard at the moment to renovate mine & my mans room. I appreciate this so much as the extra storage will be a big help. My mum was lovely enough earlier to make me some proper honey & lemon tea as I still have this yucky cold. The simple act of her saying "Here, I made you this, it will help" really boosted my mood. It's little things like this that restore my faith that people still know how to be kind to others.
4) Crafts & hobbies- I'm not talking clay pigeon shooting or restoring old cars. Because of my poor health I often find I can't do physically demanding activities. I love knitting & often find that it is relaxing as it is so simple & doesn't require huge amounts of concentration. At the moment I am working on a shawl for when it gets cold that I can wrap around my shoulders.
So there we go! Just a few simple little things I can do when I just need to relax. What is your favourite thing that helps you unwind? Comments below or feel free to email me at: dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Thanks for reading!
Xxx
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Ill again, bad news & big plans
Hello everyone,
It's been a while since I last posted, but things have been a bit crazy. This hasn't been the best of months for me- I've been very poorly, we've had some bad news in the family, my bedroom is being renovated & I am now running round trying to organise a wedding. Yes, that's right, I'm getting married- IN A MONTHS TIME! I'll explain this all in a minute as all of this fits together, & you'll be able to understand it more.
So first things first- I really have not been very well at all. This month has been a bad one as my tummy is constantly in pain, I've been having frequent bowel spasms (they hurt so much!) & I've been generally tired & run down. Last week I was having some problems weeing & pain in my kidneys, so I went to the doctor. They found blood in my wee as well as infection so I am now on more antibiotics & possibly need to have some tests (due to the fact that the doc thinks the endo could be causing trouble). To top that off I also have a yucky cold. I had a phonecall from the hospital as I have now been referred to a new bowel specialist (finally). They want me to have a colonoscopy on the 11th of next month to see whats going on in my bowels, so at least that is moving along at last!
Secondly- my bedroom being renovated. I'm really excited about this as me & my other half are getting some lovely fitted wardrobes, a new bed & some nice new furniture. Even though we've had to clear EVERYTHING out of our room (sleeping on an airbed in an empty room makes me feel a bit like a squatter lol), it will be worth it. We've had a good de-clutter & I've gotten rid of lots of old clothes, & it means we will have plenty more storage space. Hopefully it will be finished by Friday so fingers crossed!
Thirdly- the bad news. The whole family is very upset at the moment. At the beginning of the year, my granddad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was thought that it was treatable, but sadly now they have found a very aggressive cancerous lump at the base of his skull. We've been told that it's unlikely he will last until Christmas. Growing up, I only had one set of Grandparents. My dads parents died when I was a baby so my mums parents had to do the job of 2 sets of grandparents. They are the most amazing, kindest & generous people you could meet, & the fact that we are now going to lose one of them is devastating.
So this leads onto the final thing- a wedding. Me & my other half have been planning to get married for over a year now, but illness & other things have gotten in the way. But now that my granddad is dying, this has given us a wakeup call. I want my granddad at my wedding, & we are going up North on Saturday to see a hotel venue who will do a package. They've told us that all we will need to do is get outfits, the marriage licence, the guest list & the rings sorted. They will do the rest. I am under no illusion that it will be that simple, but the family are all willing to do whatever they can. I had a conversation with my brother & it really bought home why I was doing this- he told me that if I didn't have my granddad there I would be more upset on my wedding day & wouldn't enjoy it as much. He also said that this would be the crowning event of my granddads life & one last happy memory that we would have with him.
My other half agreed with this & we know that this will be the happiest day of our life, made even more important because it's probably going to be my last big life milestone that my granddad will be there for. It won't be easy to pull off but where there is a will, there is a way. I don't want it to be big fat gypsy weddings, & I am not a bridezilla. I don't want it to be one of these days where I am stressing out because my hair isn't perfect or the napkins are royal blue instead of sapphire blue. As long as I am married & everyone enjoys themselves, I know it will be a lovely day.
So there you have it. I will be doing regular updates (when I have the time) & with a bit of luck, by the 23rd of next month, I will be married! Thankyou for reading :) xxx
It's been a while since I last posted, but things have been a bit crazy. This hasn't been the best of months for me- I've been very poorly, we've had some bad news in the family, my bedroom is being renovated & I am now running round trying to organise a wedding. Yes, that's right, I'm getting married- IN A MONTHS TIME! I'll explain this all in a minute as all of this fits together, & you'll be able to understand it more.
So first things first- I really have not been very well at all. This month has been a bad one as my tummy is constantly in pain, I've been having frequent bowel spasms (they hurt so much!) & I've been generally tired & run down. Last week I was having some problems weeing & pain in my kidneys, so I went to the doctor. They found blood in my wee as well as infection so I am now on more antibiotics & possibly need to have some tests (due to the fact that the doc thinks the endo could be causing trouble). To top that off I also have a yucky cold. I had a phonecall from the hospital as I have now been referred to a new bowel specialist (finally). They want me to have a colonoscopy on the 11th of next month to see whats going on in my bowels, so at least that is moving along at last!
Secondly- my bedroom being renovated. I'm really excited about this as me & my other half are getting some lovely fitted wardrobes, a new bed & some nice new furniture. Even though we've had to clear EVERYTHING out of our room (sleeping on an airbed in an empty room makes me feel a bit like a squatter lol), it will be worth it. We've had a good de-clutter & I've gotten rid of lots of old clothes, & it means we will have plenty more storage space. Hopefully it will be finished by Friday so fingers crossed!
Thirdly- the bad news. The whole family is very upset at the moment. At the beginning of the year, my granddad was diagnosed with prostate cancer. It was thought that it was treatable, but sadly now they have found a very aggressive cancerous lump at the base of his skull. We've been told that it's unlikely he will last until Christmas. Growing up, I only had one set of Grandparents. My dads parents died when I was a baby so my mums parents had to do the job of 2 sets of grandparents. They are the most amazing, kindest & generous people you could meet, & the fact that we are now going to lose one of them is devastating.
So this leads onto the final thing- a wedding. Me & my other half have been planning to get married for over a year now, but illness & other things have gotten in the way. But now that my granddad is dying, this has given us a wakeup call. I want my granddad at my wedding, & we are going up North on Saturday to see a hotel venue who will do a package. They've told us that all we will need to do is get outfits, the marriage licence, the guest list & the rings sorted. They will do the rest. I am under no illusion that it will be that simple, but the family are all willing to do whatever they can. I had a conversation with my brother & it really bought home why I was doing this- he told me that if I didn't have my granddad there I would be more upset on my wedding day & wouldn't enjoy it as much. He also said that this would be the crowning event of my granddads life & one last happy memory that we would have with him.
My other half agreed with this & we know that this will be the happiest day of our life, made even more important because it's probably going to be my last big life milestone that my granddad will be there for. It won't be easy to pull off but where there is a will, there is a way. I don't want it to be big fat gypsy weddings, & I am not a bridezilla. I don't want it to be one of these days where I am stressing out because my hair isn't perfect or the napkins are royal blue instead of sapphire blue. As long as I am married & everyone enjoys themselves, I know it will be a lovely day.
So there you have it. I will be doing regular updates (when I have the time) & with a bit of luck, by the 23rd of next month, I will be married! Thankyou for reading :) xxx
Sunday, 28 September 2014
A health update- rather poorly at the moment :(
Hello lovelies,
This post is going to be a health update. This last week I have not been very well. And by not very well I mean being in so much pain & feeling so rotten that some days I haven't been able to do much of anything. Aside from the usual pain from my endometriosis (which has been particularly uncomfortable this week), I've been getting alot of back, joint & muscle pain, been being (WARNING- TMI!) Sick alot, bad diarrhoea, headaches, breathing trouble, & just generally very tired & unwell.
On a slightly different note, I have some updates in regards to getting some of my problems sorted. I saw a hand specialist a couple of weeks ago. Basically, because of the nature of the problems in my arm & the fact that I am generally unwell, they have to be very careful about surgery. He asked me if I would be willing to try another 2 months of hand therapy as
an absolute last-ditch attempt to see if it would work again. Then at my next review if it hasn't worked then they will discuss surgery. I agreed to this, as I appreciate that they don't want to put me at un-necessary risk. They also offered me a cortisone injection on they day, but they weren't surprised that I turned it down. Last time I had one it hurt more than it helped.
I also had an appointment with my GP this week to get referred to a different bowel specialist. She agreed that I definitely needed to see someone else as the first specialist was absolutely no help, so I have been referred to bowel clinic at my local hospital (the previous hospital was about an hour away but was the quickest place I could be seen). She is concerned about the fact that I am getting so many bowel problems, particularly because I am bleeding when I go to the loo. She has also referred me to pain management, who will sort out my medication. I am having bloods done this week to check several things too.
So although I am feeling grotty & horrible this week, I am glad that things are progressing & it's a step in the right direction.
Thankyou for reading & I hope you all have a lovely week :) xxx
This post is going to be a health update. This last week I have not been very well. And by not very well I mean being in so much pain & feeling so rotten that some days I haven't been able to do much of anything. Aside from the usual pain from my endometriosis (which has been particularly uncomfortable this week), I've been getting alot of back, joint & muscle pain, been being (WARNING- TMI!) Sick alot, bad diarrhoea, headaches, breathing trouble, & just generally very tired & unwell.
On a slightly different note, I have some updates in regards to getting some of my problems sorted. I saw a hand specialist a couple of weeks ago. Basically, because of the nature of the problems in my arm & the fact that I am generally unwell, they have to be very careful about surgery. He asked me if I would be willing to try another 2 months of hand therapy as
an absolute last-ditch attempt to see if it would work again. Then at my next review if it hasn't worked then they will discuss surgery. I agreed to this, as I appreciate that they don't want to put me at un-necessary risk. They also offered me a cortisone injection on they day, but they weren't surprised that I turned it down. Last time I had one it hurt more than it helped.
I also had an appointment with my GP this week to get referred to a different bowel specialist. She agreed that I definitely needed to see someone else as the first specialist was absolutely no help, so I have been referred to bowel clinic at my local hospital (the previous hospital was about an hour away but was the quickest place I could be seen). She is concerned about the fact that I am getting so many bowel problems, particularly because I am bleeding when I go to the loo. She has also referred me to pain management, who will sort out my medication. I am having bloods done this week to check several things too.
So although I am feeling grotty & horrible this week, I am glad that things are progressing & it's a step in the right direction.
Thankyou for reading & I hope you all have a lovely week :) xxx
Monday, 22 September 2014
The youtube bum-pinching prank... & why it's not funny!
***WARNING- contains some slightly strong language & graphic/upsetting themes***
Hello everyone,
This one is going to be a bit of a rant I'm afraid, but it's on a subject that thousands of people are now extremely pissed off at. As many of you may have seen, a very well-known Youtuber has recently posted a prank video & because of the bad-taste of the prank, it's caused one big blow-up. I am talking about a video where said Youtuber is going round & touching/pinching womens backsides.
He does this by wearing a baggy hoodie with one of his arms concealed inside. The arm of the hoodie is made to look like he has his hand in his pocket. He pretends to ask these women for directions, distracting them. Meantime, he reaches out of the hoodie & pinches the woman's bum, blaming it on passers by. The first woman backs away when she realises, saying "I don't like that". The other women all back away & hurry off. He even has the cheek to try & hug them.
After looking at this youtubers videos, & some of the comments, the general opinion is that, to be honest he is a total arsehole. He treats women like meat (also see his video on adding random girls on instagram then calling them "instawhores"). Sadly, he's amongst the millions of arrogant bastards that treat women like shit & think it's funny.
I am by no means a feminist. I don't go for all of this burn-your-bra, we-hate-all-men saga. No. But I am a firm believer that women should have the right to be treated with just as much respect as men. As a victim of abuse in the past, I have been physically harmed (badly on several ocassions, some even leaving permanent scarring & damage) & made to feel degraded, worthless & scared by 2 of the men that I had past relationships with (I'll be doing a post soon on abusive relationships). I know how it feels to have my dignity, safety & well-being violated, as well as my feelings & opinions simply dismissed as irrelevant & not worth being heard. Before I met my wonderful fiance, I was convinced I was worthless & that my life really was not worth living. Luckily though, he has shown me differently & now I feel valued & happy.
Part of the problem that women in society face nowadays is that they are branded with vile names over the simplest of things. If a woman wears a short skirt, or shows a little cleavage, she is instantly called a slut or a whore. Men can sleep with as many women as they want & be called "lads" & receive praise from their friends. Yet the minute a girl sleeps with a few men she gets called a tramp, or a dirty slag.
The term "Lad" itself, that men often use just sums up their behaviour- immature, childish & moronic. The men who use this term are the same men who often refer to girlfriends or women as their "bitch" or "wench". Phrases such as "get back in the kitchen" are often said, almost as if women are just worthless skivvies, only good enough to do dirty work. In the same sense, these men talk about "shagging random birds" or "fucking their missus", like they need to prove their masculinity by using vulgar & almost juvenile language & descriptions.
Like I said earlier, I suffered abuse at the hands of 2 ex boyfriends. These men thought it their right to harm me in ways you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Because they were bigger & more powerful than me, I was told to keep my mouth shut, or else. I was told that I had to accept it, & that I deserved to be punished (one of these exes broke three of my ribs for changing my hair colour without his "permission"). They made me feel like whether I liked it or not, they owned me & I just had to accept their behaviour.
On the video in question, another extremely well-known Youtuber posted a very poignant comment. She stated: "I expect my comment is going to get deleted but for the few mins/hours it will get, I'm saying it. It really saddens me that my Daughter is growing up in a world where one day a stranger (male OR female) could touch her without her consent, on a part of her body that is private (in my opinion) in the name of 'comedy' and then have thousands of other strangers comment on it saying it's fine and she should be Ok with it. Maybe she would find it funny, maybe she would be deeply humiliated. Point is, she'd have no choice. I want my Daughter to have freedom and choices and feel that her body is respected".
This comment bought tears to my eyes. I love watching this particular Youtuber's videos. Her daughter is obviously a well-loved & happy little girl, & her mother is a funny, honest & lovely person who's videos are followed by an army of millions of loyal fans. Although I am not a mother, & may never be due to my health issues, I completely related to this comment. If I had a child it would sicken me to think that they could be victim to inappropriate conduct & made to feel humiliated with no choice, all in the name of a stupid prank.
Of course, there is a flipside too- men can equally become victim to inappropriate & humiliating conduct. A college course that I was briefly enrolled on proved this. Often, the girls would say awful things about men, use vulgar language to brag about sexual experiences, & often try to completely shift blame away from themselves to make them look like victims.
It saddens me to think that there are some vile people who truly believe that they have the right to violate someones privacy. They get off on laughing at peoples misery, & making them feel uncomfortable, acting like that person should just shut up & deal with it. The main reason why this video has upset me so much is because of that sort of behaviour being allowed to happen, & even encouraged. The fact that these women also now have the embarrassment of it being all over Youtube makes it worse so. Even in social situations I have been made to feel like I should think it normal for someone to disrespect me, & it is so unbelievably wrong.
I know that this post will probably have little impact on these so-called "lads" & "pranksters". Some will probably read this & laugh, & maybe even post abusive comments. If they were asked why they behave like this, the response would probably be "Because I can" or "I think it's funny" or "Because the girls I do it to are sluts & would do anything". It's sad really, because they feel the need to assert their dominace & gain respect by humiliation & causing misery to others.
The one main thing I noticed about the girls in this video who were victim to this prank, was
that they were all very similar. They were all wearing short skirts or revealing outfits & had lots of skin on show, they were all wearing lots of makeup with nicely done hair. They all had model-type bodies & were well groomed. He didn't choose to target other women- there were no bigger built women who fell victim to this sick prank. There were no girls that didn't have makeup on, or girls wearing baggy clothes targeted. They were all walking alone, & were good enough to stop & think they were just helping a lost passer-by, blind as to what was going to happen.
The women targeted were probably all just regular women. Some may have boyfriends or husbands, some may have girlfriends or wives. Some may have had children. They may have never experienced sexual contact before. Some might have experienced abuse in the past. Just because they were dressed they way they were, or had certain attributes, they unknowingly were being targeted & having their bums, a private & intimate area, touched, without even being asked or consenting to it.
This typically chauvinistic behaviour is seen as normal amongst like-minded persons. Lots of these men say rape is wrong, yet happily judge & degrade women. This prank is nothing more than sexual assualt. These women were victims, with no knowledge of what was going to happen. I can Imagine that most of them walked away feeling violated & scared, & now have the added humiliation that thousands & thousands of people have watched this awful & disgusting act, & knowing that there are people find it funny.
On a positive note though, as I have been writing this post, I have read that this video has been removed from Youtube. There are so many response videos being put up- many by men, stating how un-funny & appalling this video is. It's people like this youtuber & all of the other so-called "Lads" really let the side down for men. There are so many wonderful, good men in the world. Men who treat women with respect, men who don't feel the need to assert their "masculinity" by degrading & preying on women. Men who have a sense of decency & discipline. I am glad my fiancee is one of these men. There have been so many angry, upset comments from fans. He has been slammed as a "Pervert" & a "Sexual predator". Many have voiced opinions that these women should come forward & have charges pressed. Hopefully some will.
Because the video has also been edited, it is not known just how many women have fallen for this awful prank. It doesn't show any of the women getting angry- but you can almost guarantee that there were women who did get angry. Some of them may have even reacted by giving him a well-deserved slap. Some may have ran away, screamed, cried, gotten extremely scared... we just don't know.
One thing's for sure though, his Youtube career has been compromised, his reputation ruined. He will probably face alot of backlash too- maybe losing friends, angering or disappointing family members, his future relationship chances may be slim, he may even end up with a criminal record (we should hope so too), that will affect future job applications, & so much more. All for the sake of a stupid, mindless & perverted prank.
Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you enjoyed it- feel free to comment below :)
Hello everyone,
This one is going to be a bit of a rant I'm afraid, but it's on a subject that thousands of people are now extremely pissed off at. As many of you may have seen, a very well-known Youtuber has recently posted a prank video & because of the bad-taste of the prank, it's caused one big blow-up. I am talking about a video where said Youtuber is going round & touching/pinching womens backsides.
He does this by wearing a baggy hoodie with one of his arms concealed inside. The arm of the hoodie is made to look like he has his hand in his pocket. He pretends to ask these women for directions, distracting them. Meantime, he reaches out of the hoodie & pinches the woman's bum, blaming it on passers by. The first woman backs away when she realises, saying "I don't like that". The other women all back away & hurry off. He even has the cheek to try & hug them.
After looking at this youtubers videos, & some of the comments, the general opinion is that, to be honest he is a total arsehole. He treats women like meat (also see his video on adding random girls on instagram then calling them "instawhores"). Sadly, he's amongst the millions of arrogant bastards that treat women like shit & think it's funny.
I am by no means a feminist. I don't go for all of this burn-your-bra, we-hate-all-men saga. No. But I am a firm believer that women should have the right to be treated with just as much respect as men. As a victim of abuse in the past, I have been physically harmed (badly on several ocassions, some even leaving permanent scarring & damage) & made to feel degraded, worthless & scared by 2 of the men that I had past relationships with (I'll be doing a post soon on abusive relationships). I know how it feels to have my dignity, safety & well-being violated, as well as my feelings & opinions simply dismissed as irrelevant & not worth being heard. Before I met my wonderful fiance, I was convinced I was worthless & that my life really was not worth living. Luckily though, he has shown me differently & now I feel valued & happy.
Part of the problem that women in society face nowadays is that they are branded with vile names over the simplest of things. If a woman wears a short skirt, or shows a little cleavage, she is instantly called a slut or a whore. Men can sleep with as many women as they want & be called "lads" & receive praise from their friends. Yet the minute a girl sleeps with a few men she gets called a tramp, or a dirty slag.
The term "Lad" itself, that men often use just sums up their behaviour- immature, childish & moronic. The men who use this term are the same men who often refer to girlfriends or women as their "bitch" or "wench". Phrases such as "get back in the kitchen" are often said, almost as if women are just worthless skivvies, only good enough to do dirty work. In the same sense, these men talk about "shagging random birds" or "fucking their missus", like they need to prove their masculinity by using vulgar & almost juvenile language & descriptions.
Like I said earlier, I suffered abuse at the hands of 2 ex boyfriends. These men thought it their right to harm me in ways you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Because they were bigger & more powerful than me, I was told to keep my mouth shut, or else. I was told that I had to accept it, & that I deserved to be punished (one of these exes broke three of my ribs for changing my hair colour without his "permission"). They made me feel like whether I liked it or not, they owned me & I just had to accept their behaviour.
On the video in question, another extremely well-known Youtuber posted a very poignant comment. She stated: "I expect my comment is going to get deleted but for the few mins/hours it will get, I'm saying it. It really saddens me that my Daughter is growing up in a world where one day a stranger (male OR female) could touch her without her consent, on a part of her body that is private (in my opinion) in the name of 'comedy' and then have thousands of other strangers comment on it saying it's fine and she should be Ok with it. Maybe she would find it funny, maybe she would be deeply humiliated. Point is, she'd have no choice. I want my Daughter to have freedom and choices and feel that her body is respected".
This comment bought tears to my eyes. I love watching this particular Youtuber's videos. Her daughter is obviously a well-loved & happy little girl, & her mother is a funny, honest & lovely person who's videos are followed by an army of millions of loyal fans. Although I am not a mother, & may never be due to my health issues, I completely related to this comment. If I had a child it would sicken me to think that they could be victim to inappropriate conduct & made to feel humiliated with no choice, all in the name of a stupid prank.
Of course, there is a flipside too- men can equally become victim to inappropriate & humiliating conduct. A college course that I was briefly enrolled on proved this. Often, the girls would say awful things about men, use vulgar language to brag about sexual experiences, & often try to completely shift blame away from themselves to make them look like victims.
It saddens me to think that there are some vile people who truly believe that they have the right to violate someones privacy. They get off on laughing at peoples misery, & making them feel uncomfortable, acting like that person should just shut up & deal with it. The main reason why this video has upset me so much is because of that sort of behaviour being allowed to happen, & even encouraged. The fact that these women also now have the embarrassment of it being all over Youtube makes it worse so. Even in social situations I have been made to feel like I should think it normal for someone to disrespect me, & it is so unbelievably wrong.
I know that this post will probably have little impact on these so-called "lads" & "pranksters". Some will probably read this & laugh, & maybe even post abusive comments. If they were asked why they behave like this, the response would probably be "Because I can" or "I think it's funny" or "Because the girls I do it to are sluts & would do anything". It's sad really, because they feel the need to assert their dominace & gain respect by humiliation & causing misery to others.
The one main thing I noticed about the girls in this video who were victim to this prank, was
that they were all very similar. They were all wearing short skirts or revealing outfits & had lots of skin on show, they were all wearing lots of makeup with nicely done hair. They all had model-type bodies & were well groomed. He didn't choose to target other women- there were no bigger built women who fell victim to this sick prank. There were no girls that didn't have makeup on, or girls wearing baggy clothes targeted. They were all walking alone, & were good enough to stop & think they were just helping a lost passer-by, blind as to what was going to happen.
The women targeted were probably all just regular women. Some may have boyfriends or husbands, some may have girlfriends or wives. Some may have had children. They may have never experienced sexual contact before. Some might have experienced abuse in the past. Just because they were dressed they way they were, or had certain attributes, they unknowingly were being targeted & having their bums, a private & intimate area, touched, without even being asked or consenting to it.
This typically chauvinistic behaviour is seen as normal amongst like-minded persons. Lots of these men say rape is wrong, yet happily judge & degrade women. This prank is nothing more than sexual assualt. These women were victims, with no knowledge of what was going to happen. I can Imagine that most of them walked away feeling violated & scared, & now have the added humiliation that thousands & thousands of people have watched this awful & disgusting act, & knowing that there are people find it funny.
On a positive note though, as I have been writing this post, I have read that this video has been removed from Youtube. There are so many response videos being put up- many by men, stating how un-funny & appalling this video is. It's people like this youtuber & all of the other so-called "Lads" really let the side down for men. There are so many wonderful, good men in the world. Men who treat women with respect, men who don't feel the need to assert their "masculinity" by degrading & preying on women. Men who have a sense of decency & discipline. I am glad my fiancee is one of these men. There have been so many angry, upset comments from fans. He has been slammed as a "Pervert" & a "Sexual predator". Many have voiced opinions that these women should come forward & have charges pressed. Hopefully some will.
Because the video has also been edited, it is not known just how many women have fallen for this awful prank. It doesn't show any of the women getting angry- but you can almost guarantee that there were women who did get angry. Some of them may have even reacted by giving him a well-deserved slap. Some may have ran away, screamed, cried, gotten extremely scared... we just don't know.
One thing's for sure though, his Youtube career has been compromised, his reputation ruined. He will probably face alot of backlash too- maybe losing friends, angering or disappointing family members, his future relationship chances may be slim, he may even end up with a criminal record (we should hope so too), that will affect future job applications, & so much more. All for the sake of a stupid, mindless & perverted prank.
Thanks for reading everyone. I hope you enjoyed it- feel free to comment below :)
Monday, 15 September 2014
This weeks likes & dislikes
Hello everyone!!!
I am going to hopefully put out a few posts this week on various things, as hopefully I will have plenty of time to just chill this week. Today I am doing a likes & dislikes as it has been long since the last one!
There are alot of things that I am liking at the moment, & a few not so much! So without further ado, here they are :)
Like #1: Music- music is a huge part of my life. There is a song for every mood, every moment & I often wonder how different the world would be if music didn't exist. It has gotten me through the good & bad times, & there have been so many moments when a specific song has just completely summed up how I feel. One particular song that I just love is "Beneath your beautiful" by Labrinth & Emeli Sande. Labrinth's voice especially is incredible (the raspiness literally gives me chills) & the song meaning is fantastic- about being able to see what is really inside. Love it!
Like #2: Hot chocolate- Can't believe summer is over already! The days are getting colder (& wetter!) & already some shops are starting to advertise Christmas stuff! Mental! But seriously, I love hot chocolate. There is nothing better than sitting in front of the telly when it's cold outside, you've got a fluffy onesie on, something good to watch, & a big mug of hot chocolate with cream & marshmallows (calories, yes. But oh-so-yummy). Bliss.
Like #3: Chunky knit jumpers- Again, on an autumny/wintery theme, chunky knitted jumpers are an essential for me. I hate cold weather- I am one of these people who starts shivering at the slightest draught, & the cold affects my joints badly. This year I got a head start & bought myself some really cute, cosy knits. Not only will they keep me warm, they are also bang on-trend (think I'll do a haul post/video on this!) & I have one for every occasion. My favourite is definitely a long, cream-coloured cable knit jumper-dress that I got on Amazon for the bargain price of £6.99!
Like #4: Home-made goodies- Nothing is more enjoyable than something home-made that you have put the effort into making, & it turning out even better than expected. A few weeks ago I made some preserved lemon & lime wedges (Everything tastes better with a bit of citrus!) & they turned out fantastic. I love putting them on fish, in pasta dishes or even just eaten on their own when you have those middle-of-the-night, only-salty/savoury-will-do cravings!
Like #5: Loom bands- I have become hooked on the latest craze now. For a few quid, there are hours of fun to be had & the colour combinations are endless. One thing I like about this craze is that it is just simple, cheap, creative fun for all ages & you don't have to bust the bank or be a super-creative, Pintrest-worthy genius to make some really pretty creations. I've got loads of colours now & just enjoy sitting & making them when I have a spare moment.
Dislike #1: The current obsession with zombies, apocalypses & the world ending- It's getting to the point where you can't even switch on the TV without there being something zombie/apocalypse/world-ending related. It's doing my head in. Why is everyone so obsessed with miserable, morbid things nowadays?
Dislike #2: The soap storylines- On another TV theme, I have completely stopped watching the soaps. Some of the storylines are just so far fetched & they drag on to the point of being completely unrealistic. Also, why is everyone always so miserable in soapland? No wonder the ratings are dropping.
Dislike #3: Dirty people- There is nothing worse than being on a bus or out in public & being near someone who doesn't wash. I ended up leaving a queue in the supermarket & moving to a different one due to one such person stood in front of me. Also, it really bothers me when you see someone happily coughing & sneezing everywhere without covering their mouth & nose. Yuck!
Dislike #4: Warm, damp weather- I don't know why but lately it seems that the air is constantly all horribly hot & sticky. We haven't had alot of rain so that may be why, but either way it's horrible.
Dislike #5: Judgemental people- This one is based on an incident that happened this week. Not going into detail but someone rather upset me this week. They very rudely said "Oi, you can't use that, it's for disabled people, not just anyone..." whilst I was holding my rather annoyed fiance back (annoyed is an understatement) I politely informed them that in fact I was disabled. Then they turned round & said "Well what's wrong with you? You're not in a wheelchair". So I simply told them that 1) Not all disabled people are in wheelchairs & 2) That I didn't have to justify myself to them or owe them an explanation. An old man who was watching this turned round to this person & said "I suggest you stop being such an interfering nosy parker & go home & educate yourself. Just because you can't see what's wrong doesn't give you the right to judge". The person needless to say walked very quickly away with a red face & their tail between their legs. I thanked the man & he told me "Don't worry love, some people are just morons". This incident upset me though- it just goes to show how ignorant some people are, & they need to think more before they speak.
So there you have it. Hope you all enjoyed reading. Does anyone have any likes or dislikes they want to share? Post in the comments below :) Have a lovely week :) xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to post below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
I am going to hopefully put out a few posts this week on various things, as hopefully I will have plenty of time to just chill this week. Today I am doing a likes & dislikes as it has been long since the last one!
There are alot of things that I am liking at the moment, & a few not so much! So without further ado, here they are :)
Like #1: Music- music is a huge part of my life. There is a song for every mood, every moment & I often wonder how different the world would be if music didn't exist. It has gotten me through the good & bad times, & there have been so many moments when a specific song has just completely summed up how I feel. One particular song that I just love is "Beneath your beautiful" by Labrinth & Emeli Sande. Labrinth's voice especially is incredible (the raspiness literally gives me chills) & the song meaning is fantastic- about being able to see what is really inside. Love it!
Like #2: Hot chocolate- Can't believe summer is over already! The days are getting colder (& wetter!) & already some shops are starting to advertise Christmas stuff! Mental! But seriously, I love hot chocolate. There is nothing better than sitting in front of the telly when it's cold outside, you've got a fluffy onesie on, something good to watch, & a big mug of hot chocolate with cream & marshmallows (calories, yes. But oh-so-yummy). Bliss.
Like #3: Chunky knit jumpers- Again, on an autumny/wintery theme, chunky knitted jumpers are an essential for me. I hate cold weather- I am one of these people who starts shivering at the slightest draught, & the cold affects my joints badly. This year I got a head start & bought myself some really cute, cosy knits. Not only will they keep me warm, they are also bang on-trend (think I'll do a haul post/video on this!) & I have one for every occasion. My favourite is definitely a long, cream-coloured cable knit jumper-dress that I got on Amazon for the bargain price of £6.99!
Like #4: Home-made goodies- Nothing is more enjoyable than something home-made that you have put the effort into making, & it turning out even better than expected. A few weeks ago I made some preserved lemon & lime wedges (Everything tastes better with a bit of citrus!) & they turned out fantastic. I love putting them on fish, in pasta dishes or even just eaten on their own when you have those middle-of-the-night, only-salty/savoury-will-do cravings!
Like #5: Loom bands- I have become hooked on the latest craze now. For a few quid, there are hours of fun to be had & the colour combinations are endless. One thing I like about this craze is that it is just simple, cheap, creative fun for all ages & you don't have to bust the bank or be a super-creative, Pintrest-worthy genius to make some really pretty creations. I've got loads of colours now & just enjoy sitting & making them when I have a spare moment.
Dislike #1: The current obsession with zombies, apocalypses & the world ending- It's getting to the point where you can't even switch on the TV without there being something zombie/apocalypse/world-ending related. It's doing my head in. Why is everyone so obsessed with miserable, morbid things nowadays?
Dislike #2: The soap storylines- On another TV theme, I have completely stopped watching the soaps. Some of the storylines are just so far fetched & they drag on to the point of being completely unrealistic. Also, why is everyone always so miserable in soapland? No wonder the ratings are dropping.
Dislike #3: Dirty people- There is nothing worse than being on a bus or out in public & being near someone who doesn't wash. I ended up leaving a queue in the supermarket & moving to a different one due to one such person stood in front of me. Also, it really bothers me when you see someone happily coughing & sneezing everywhere without covering their mouth & nose. Yuck!
Dislike #4: Warm, damp weather- I don't know why but lately it seems that the air is constantly all horribly hot & sticky. We haven't had alot of rain so that may be why, but either way it's horrible.
Dislike #5: Judgemental people- This one is based on an incident that happened this week. Not going into detail but someone rather upset me this week. They very rudely said "Oi, you can't use that, it's for disabled people, not just anyone..." whilst I was holding my rather annoyed fiance back (annoyed is an understatement) I politely informed them that in fact I was disabled. Then they turned round & said "Well what's wrong with you? You're not in a wheelchair". So I simply told them that 1) Not all disabled people are in wheelchairs & 2) That I didn't have to justify myself to them or owe them an explanation. An old man who was watching this turned round to this person & said "I suggest you stop being such an interfering nosy parker & go home & educate yourself. Just because you can't see what's wrong doesn't give you the right to judge". The person needless to say walked very quickly away with a red face & their tail between their legs. I thanked the man & he told me "Don't worry love, some people are just morons". This incident upset me though- it just goes to show how ignorant some people are, & they need to think more before they speak.
So there you have it. Hope you all enjoyed reading. Does anyone have any likes or dislikes they want to share? Post in the comments below :) Have a lovely week :) xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to post below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Friday, 5 September 2014
Endometriosis- an update
Hello everyone,
So as some of you may have seen in previous posts, I had a meeting with the bowel & endo specialist on Wednesday (The same one who during our last meeting was totally unhelpful & was the cause of that very depressing post I wrote after). I did not hold out much hope for this second meeting- & it turns out I was right not to. The only reason I was seeing him was because my GP had written a strongly worded letter telling him that I needed to be treated properly.
I am not a medical professional but I know when I am being fobbed off. He obviously hadn't read the report from my surgery as he commented "Well it can't be the endometriosis causing the problem as we did remove some of it & it obviously hasn't helped". No, they removed a tiny amount for biopsy as it was TOO DANGEROUS to remove more (due to bleeding, my oxygen levels dropping ect). He avoided discussing my questions (such as what treatment is there?) & told me he was just going to refer me back to my GP who could decide my treatment. What a nice, helpful doctor!
So meantime I am stuck with no end of problems, I am not ovulating so I don't even know if I can have kids, I am in constant pain & now have the stress of waiting. I know my GP will not be happy with the way I have been treated by this particular doctor (again!). She has been fantastic through all of this, & I know she will do everything possible to get me the treatment I need. But in the meantime I am still suffering & it isn't fair.
On a more cheerful note at least now I can say that hopefully I will be referred to somewhere that I can actually get treated, & until then I will keep my chin up. I am still pretty poorly from my chest infection, but it is very slowly getting better (finally!) & am just taking each day as it comes.
On a slightly different note I want to say thankyou to someone. I am a member of the Health Unlocked Endometriosis UK support forum. Its basically a page where women who suffer from endometriosis can go to get advice, share experiences & generally support each other. I won't mention names but there is one particular person who I have been chatting to for a while now, & consider her a friend. Every day I always get a message asking how I am & how I am feeling, & its just nice to be able to chat, talk through the ups & downs, & to help eachother out. So thankyou :)
Hope you all have a good week. I'm doing a few new posts this week so watch this space! Thanks for reading! Xxx
So as some of you may have seen in previous posts, I had a meeting with the bowel & endo specialist on Wednesday (The same one who during our last meeting was totally unhelpful & was the cause of that very depressing post I wrote after). I did not hold out much hope for this second meeting- & it turns out I was right not to. The only reason I was seeing him was because my GP had written a strongly worded letter telling him that I needed to be treated properly.
I am not a medical professional but I know when I am being fobbed off. He obviously hadn't read the report from my surgery as he commented "Well it can't be the endometriosis causing the problem as we did remove some of it & it obviously hasn't helped". No, they removed a tiny amount for biopsy as it was TOO DANGEROUS to remove more (due to bleeding, my oxygen levels dropping ect). He avoided discussing my questions (such as what treatment is there?) & told me he was just going to refer me back to my GP who could decide my treatment. What a nice, helpful doctor!
So meantime I am stuck with no end of problems, I am not ovulating so I don't even know if I can have kids, I am in constant pain & now have the stress of waiting. I know my GP will not be happy with the way I have been treated by this particular doctor (again!). She has been fantastic through all of this, & I know she will do everything possible to get me the treatment I need. But in the meantime I am still suffering & it isn't fair.
On a more cheerful note at least now I can say that hopefully I will be referred to somewhere that I can actually get treated, & until then I will keep my chin up. I am still pretty poorly from my chest infection, but it is very slowly getting better (finally!) & am just taking each day as it comes.
On a slightly different note I want to say thankyou to someone. I am a member of the Health Unlocked Endometriosis UK support forum. Its basically a page where women who suffer from endometriosis can go to get advice, share experiences & generally support each other. I won't mention names but there is one particular person who I have been chatting to for a while now, & consider her a friend. Every day I always get a message asking how I am & how I am feeling, & its just nice to be able to chat, talk through the ups & downs, & to help eachother out. So thankyou :)
Hope you all have a good week. I'm doing a few new posts this week so watch this space! Thanks for reading! Xxx
Sunday, 31 August 2014
An update- not very well :(
Hello everyone,
In one of my last posts I mentioned that I had what the doctors suspected might be a very severe chest infection/pluerisy (inflamation in the membranes of the lungs) type thing. This has gone on for several weeks now- bad chest pain, coughing, trouble breathing, bringing up blood, high temperature & very high pulse.
Twice I have been to the doctors- the first time I was given a weeks antibiotics & told to come in for a review when the course was finished (I know they don't usually give antibiotics but they have to take special precautions with me due to my other problems). The next week I went back, feeling worse. It was noted that my obs were still sky high & my right lung was particularly "crackly" sounding. The GP was debating sending me to hospital but I didn't want to go unless I really had to. He instead put me on some more very strong antibiotics & a short course of high-dose steroids to help strengthen my lungs & to try & ease my breathing. The same instructions as before were given; review in a week, come back if things don't improve or get worse, & the possibility that I may need a chest Xray.
Now I am still no better a week on. I am having bad headaches & alot of trouble breathing as well as chest pains & generally very poorly. This is a particularly bad time for me to be ill as I am due to see the bowel specialist this week to discuss treatment for my endometriosis, as well as having my final session of hand therapy (sad to say that it hasn't made a difference :(...).
Tomorrow I am due to go for a full blood check as the GP last week also had some concerns to do with my thyroid. I am going to book myself in to see the doctor tomorrow morning & hope that they can find out what is wrong with me.
Hope everyone is having a better week. Enjoy the last days of the summer :)
Xxxx
In one of my last posts I mentioned that I had what the doctors suspected might be a very severe chest infection/pluerisy (inflamation in the membranes of the lungs) type thing. This has gone on for several weeks now- bad chest pain, coughing, trouble breathing, bringing up blood, high temperature & very high pulse.
Twice I have been to the doctors- the first time I was given a weeks antibiotics & told to come in for a review when the course was finished (I know they don't usually give antibiotics but they have to take special precautions with me due to my other problems). The next week I went back, feeling worse. It was noted that my obs were still sky high & my right lung was particularly "crackly" sounding. The GP was debating sending me to hospital but I didn't want to go unless I really had to. He instead put me on some more very strong antibiotics & a short course of high-dose steroids to help strengthen my lungs & to try & ease my breathing. The same instructions as before were given; review in a week, come back if things don't improve or get worse, & the possibility that I may need a chest Xray.
Now I am still no better a week on. I am having bad headaches & alot of trouble breathing as well as chest pains & generally very poorly. This is a particularly bad time for me to be ill as I am due to see the bowel specialist this week to discuss treatment for my endometriosis, as well as having my final session of hand therapy (sad to say that it hasn't made a difference :(...).
Tomorrow I am due to go for a full blood check as the GP last week also had some concerns to do with my thyroid. I am going to book myself in to see the doctor tomorrow morning & hope that they can find out what is wrong with me.
Hope everyone is having a better week. Enjoy the last days of the summer :)
Xxxx
Saturday, 23 August 2014
My decision to have my fiancee's name tattooed on me...
Hello everyone,
Well I've had a busy couple of weeks. I've been away visiting my in-laws & now I've come down with a very nasty chest infection/pluerisy type thing which has nearly hospitalised me (more on that later). In my last post I metioned that I'd had a new tattoo & said that I would be doing a post about it.
Tattoos are still very much a controversial subject. Love them or hate them, they are seen everywhere nowadays. Years ago, people would have been shocked if someone with a full sleeve or bodysuit walked past them but now its seen as the norm. I am a tattoo lover. Since I was about 10 I've always wanted tattoos. To me, tattoos are a way of adorning your body, & if they are done well, they can be beautiful works of art.
The tattoo that I have just had done (well... completed) is something that is still a particularly taboo subject. I have been with my fiancee since April 2012 (since I was 17). One day in December 2012 we walked into a local tattoo parlour. I had his name tattooed on my back in small letters & he had my name & the word "Forever" put on his upper arm in considerably larger letters.
At this point several of you are probably gasping & thinking "Oh my God I would never do that" or "That was a stupid thing to do" or "What if they broke up?". Alot of the people I knew said the same. I had planned to have a heart & banner put around mine too but didn't have the cash at the time. However that was what I recently had done.
I am not going to sit here & feel like I have to defend my decision. Why should I? Yes, alot of people are going to want, as the saying goes "Their five pennorths worth of opinion" but at the end of the day it was my choice. It's my body & life is too short to think "What if" or "I might regret this". I love my fiancee & am marrying him because we want to spend our lives together. Marriage & relationships nowadays are often based around planning for a grim "in the event that it goes wrong". It shouldn't be about that. Relationships should be based on love & the will to make things work without having to worry about if's, but's & maybe's.
If something was ever to happen between me & my other half (unlikely as everyone says we're like one of these old married couples you see who still hold hands in their 70's lol) then I'd still not regret my decision. It would be there to remind me of all of the lovely, happy memories we have together. It may sound like I'm bragging & going on but I'm not. I think the key to our relationship is honesty & trust. We talk through our problems & support each other. My partner is patient, kind & honest, & in return I try to be the same for him.
His name on my body makes me feel like he really is a part of me & shows how big a part of my life he is. Probably sounds cheesy lol but it's true. He says he feels the same about my name being on him & I know that neither of us are going to live to regret it. Like I said, people will have their arguments but that is their cross to bear & I'm not going to let "what if's" get in the way of my happiness.
I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced something like this & how they feel about it. Thanks for reading :) xxx
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to either comment below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com :)
Well I've had a busy couple of weeks. I've been away visiting my in-laws & now I've come down with a very nasty chest infection/pluerisy type thing which has nearly hospitalised me (more on that later). In my last post I metioned that I'd had a new tattoo & said that I would be doing a post about it.
Tattoos are still very much a controversial subject. Love them or hate them, they are seen everywhere nowadays. Years ago, people would have been shocked if someone with a full sleeve or bodysuit walked past them but now its seen as the norm. I am a tattoo lover. Since I was about 10 I've always wanted tattoos. To me, tattoos are a way of adorning your body, & if they are done well, they can be beautiful works of art.
The tattoo that I have just had done (well... completed) is something that is still a particularly taboo subject. I have been with my fiancee since April 2012 (since I was 17). One day in December 2012 we walked into a local tattoo parlour. I had his name tattooed on my back in small letters & he had my name & the word "Forever" put on his upper arm in considerably larger letters.
At this point several of you are probably gasping & thinking "Oh my God I would never do that" or "That was a stupid thing to do" or "What if they broke up?". Alot of the people I knew said the same. I had planned to have a heart & banner put around mine too but didn't have the cash at the time. However that was what I recently had done.
I am not going to sit here & feel like I have to defend my decision. Why should I? Yes, alot of people are going to want, as the saying goes "Their five pennorths worth of opinion" but at the end of the day it was my choice. It's my body & life is too short to think "What if" or "I might regret this". I love my fiancee & am marrying him because we want to spend our lives together. Marriage & relationships nowadays are often based around planning for a grim "in the event that it goes wrong". It shouldn't be about that. Relationships should be based on love & the will to make things work without having to worry about if's, but's & maybe's.
If something was ever to happen between me & my other half (unlikely as everyone says we're like one of these old married couples you see who still hold hands in their 70's lol) then I'd still not regret my decision. It would be there to remind me of all of the lovely, happy memories we have together. It may sound like I'm bragging & going on but I'm not. I think the key to our relationship is honesty & trust. We talk through our problems & support each other. My partner is patient, kind & honest, & in return I try to be the same for him.
His name on my body makes me feel like he really is a part of me & shows how big a part of my life he is. Probably sounds cheesy lol but it's true. He says he feels the same about my name being on him & I know that neither of us are going to live to regret it. Like I said, people will have their arguments but that is their cross to bear & I'm not going to let "what if's" get in the way of my happiness.
I'd love to know if anyone else has experienced something like this & how they feel about it. Thanks for reading :) xxx
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to either comment below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com :)
Monday, 11 August 2014
Easy peasy home-made crab cakes
Hi everyone,
Today I have a recipe for home-made crab cakes witha zingy lime & creme fraiche dip. This is such a simple dish to make & it's great for dinner parties too. The only hard part about this is cooking & picking the crab (unless you're buying ready to eat crab meat!).
For the crab cakes you will need: (Makes around 12)
1 large crab (or around 250g of fresh crab meat)
1/2 a loaf of white bread, blended into breadcrumbs
1 small egg
2 tbsp of full fat mayonnaise
The juice & zest of 2 limes
1 tsp each of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the zingy lime & cremè fraichè dressing:
1 pot of full fat creme fraiche
The juice & zest of 2 limes
1/2 a tsp each of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Too cook the crab:
Fresh, live crab is the best as the meat will be firm & sweet. Pop the crab in the freezer for half an hour- this will knock it out so it won't feel a thing when you drop it in the boiling water. Have a big pot of boiling, slightly salted water on the hob. A common misconception is that crabs "scream" when you drop them into the pan. All this is is the air escaping. The crab isn't in pain- it is already in a coma-like state so it will die instantly once submerged. Let the crab boil for about 40 minutes. Let the crab cool down for a bit before you pick the meat out. Start by removing the legs & claws, using a skewer to pull the meat out, or a hammer to crack them open to remove the meat. Use a screwdriver to prise the body away from the head. There is also plenty of sweet white meat in the body. Inside the head remove the dead mans fingers (these look like slimy brown feathers. Remove the white intestinal tract too & you will be left with the lovely soft brown meat (this can go into the crab cakes too)
To make the crab cakes:
After you have got your crab meat in a bowl (make sure there is no shell left in it) combine with the rest of the ingredients to make a sticky, dough-like mixture. Roll into balls about the size of a small apricot & flatten slightly into patties. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least half an hour. Fry in a small amount of oil until crisp & golden-brown.
To make the dressing:
Combine the creme fraiche, lime juice & zest, & salt & pepper. Divide into small dip pots or ramekins.
A great way to serve these tasty little crab cakes is with rice & some steamed veg, or a salad. Either way, I hope you enjoy this recipe & would really love to know what you all think!
Thanks for reading :) Xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, place a comment below or feel free to email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Today I have a recipe for home-made crab cakes witha zingy lime & creme fraiche dip. This is such a simple dish to make & it's great for dinner parties too. The only hard part about this is cooking & picking the crab (unless you're buying ready to eat crab meat!).
For the crab cakes you will need: (Makes around 12)
1 large crab (or around 250g of fresh crab meat)
1/2 a loaf of white bread, blended into breadcrumbs
1 small egg
2 tbsp of full fat mayonnaise
The juice & zest of 2 limes
1 tsp each of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the zingy lime & cremè fraichè dressing:
1 pot of full fat creme fraiche
The juice & zest of 2 limes
1/2 a tsp each of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Too cook the crab:
Fresh, live crab is the best as the meat will be firm & sweet. Pop the crab in the freezer for half an hour- this will knock it out so it won't feel a thing when you drop it in the boiling water. Have a big pot of boiling, slightly salted water on the hob. A common misconception is that crabs "scream" when you drop them into the pan. All this is is the air escaping. The crab isn't in pain- it is already in a coma-like state so it will die instantly once submerged. Let the crab boil for about 40 minutes. Let the crab cool down for a bit before you pick the meat out. Start by removing the legs & claws, using a skewer to pull the meat out, or a hammer to crack them open to remove the meat. Use a screwdriver to prise the body away from the head. There is also plenty of sweet white meat in the body. Inside the head remove the dead mans fingers (these look like slimy brown feathers. Remove the white intestinal tract too & you will be left with the lovely soft brown meat (this can go into the crab cakes too)
To make the crab cakes:
After you have got your crab meat in a bowl (make sure there is no shell left in it) combine with the rest of the ingredients to make a sticky, dough-like mixture. Roll into balls about the size of a small apricot & flatten slightly into patties. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least half an hour. Fry in a small amount of oil until crisp & golden-brown.
To make the dressing:
Combine the creme fraiche, lime juice & zest, & salt & pepper. Divide into small dip pots or ramekins.
A great way to serve these tasty little crab cakes is with rice & some steamed veg, or a salad. Either way, I hope you enjoy this recipe & would really love to know what you all think!
Thanks for reading :) Xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, place a comment below or feel free to email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
A very busy month!!!
Hello lovelies!!!
It's been almost a month since my last post, but this isn't down to laziness, I promise :)
The last few weeks have been crazy busy- birthdays, endless hospital appointments, travelling & some personal changes. It's not been easy- & I'm hoping that this next few weeks will see things slow down as I am absolutely exhausted.
So the first thing is I turned 20 a couple of weeks ago. This for me was kind of a big deal as it really bought home just how fast time passes. 2 days before my birthday I was worried that I'd be in hospital for my 20th as I ended up being rushed to A&E with chest pains again (I got released the next day being told it might be the endometriosis spreading to my chest & that I needed to go back & see the consultant as soon as possible). My birthday itself was nice- just a small party with family & friends. I went up North to my grandparent's that weekend & had a nice shopping spree in Liverpool (more about that in another post!).
The second thing is all of the hospital appointments- I am having hand therapy at the moment & have 1 session per week. Me & the hand therapist have both agreed that I'm not benefitting from it, but I want to go through with it so that I can at least tell the consultant I tried. It is a shame as I was hoping it would help, & I am really now hoping that the hand consultant will be able to do something. I've also had various other appointments- general checkups, blood tests, medication reviews ect... the list goes on.
I have received an appointment to see the bowel specialist again on the 3rd of September (let's hope that this time he will actually try to help me instead of fobbing me off!) It rather annoyed me when the hospital rang to offer me the appointment though, as they told me on the phone that there was no record of him having the previous appointment with me (no notes from clinic, not even the supposed refferal to pain management which he tried to fob me off with). There was also no record of him having received or reviewed my laparoscopy results- as you can imagine I was fuming. This was the same man who sat there & told me he didn't want to treat me & was just going to send me to pain management! The lady on the phone was sympathetic & agreed that it was appauling- for someone who has stage 4 endometriosis, they should be doing alot more to ensure I get the correct treatment & help.
Rant over anyway! A couple of other changes have taken place too. Just before my birthday I made the decision to cut my hair short again. It was a hard choice but necessary- I have very thick hair & having it long meant it took alot of looking after. This wasn't always easy, especially when I'm not well & no matter how many times I brushed it it always seemed to turn into a mass of knots. So off it came. However I wasn't too upset as I went back to my old style- a cute & femenine Rhianna-style cut. I also went from bleached blonde to a lovely soft bluey-black so overall I'm happy. The second change is I've had another tattoo, but there will be more about that in a later post so for now my lips are sealed! Needless to say I am going to be tackling some of the issues surrounding tattoos so watch this space!
So, an overall very busy month. Like I said, I am hoping things will start to calm down & I am currently working on a few new posts full of exciting things, which I will post over the next few days. Until then, thanks for reading :) Xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to either comment below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
It's been almost a month since my last post, but this isn't down to laziness, I promise :)
The last few weeks have been crazy busy- birthdays, endless hospital appointments, travelling & some personal changes. It's not been easy- & I'm hoping that this next few weeks will see things slow down as I am absolutely exhausted.
So the first thing is I turned 20 a couple of weeks ago. This for me was kind of a big deal as it really bought home just how fast time passes. 2 days before my birthday I was worried that I'd be in hospital for my 20th as I ended up being rushed to A&E with chest pains again (I got released the next day being told it might be the endometriosis spreading to my chest & that I needed to go back & see the consultant as soon as possible). My birthday itself was nice- just a small party with family & friends. I went up North to my grandparent's that weekend & had a nice shopping spree in Liverpool (more about that in another post!).
The second thing is all of the hospital appointments- I am having hand therapy at the moment & have 1 session per week. Me & the hand therapist have both agreed that I'm not benefitting from it, but I want to go through with it so that I can at least tell the consultant I tried. It is a shame as I was hoping it would help, & I am really now hoping that the hand consultant will be able to do something. I've also had various other appointments- general checkups, blood tests, medication reviews ect... the list goes on.
I have received an appointment to see the bowel specialist again on the 3rd of September (let's hope that this time he will actually try to help me instead of fobbing me off!) It rather annoyed me when the hospital rang to offer me the appointment though, as they told me on the phone that there was no record of him having the previous appointment with me (no notes from clinic, not even the supposed refferal to pain management which he tried to fob me off with). There was also no record of him having received or reviewed my laparoscopy results- as you can imagine I was fuming. This was the same man who sat there & told me he didn't want to treat me & was just going to send me to pain management! The lady on the phone was sympathetic & agreed that it was appauling- for someone who has stage 4 endometriosis, they should be doing alot more to ensure I get the correct treatment & help.
Rant over anyway! A couple of other changes have taken place too. Just before my birthday I made the decision to cut my hair short again. It was a hard choice but necessary- I have very thick hair & having it long meant it took alot of looking after. This wasn't always easy, especially when I'm not well & no matter how many times I brushed it it always seemed to turn into a mass of knots. So off it came. However I wasn't too upset as I went back to my old style- a cute & femenine Rhianna-style cut. I also went from bleached blonde to a lovely soft bluey-black so overall I'm happy. The second change is I've had another tattoo, but there will be more about that in a later post so for now my lips are sealed! Needless to say I am going to be tackling some of the issues surrounding tattoos so watch this space!
So, an overall very busy month. Like I said, I am hoping things will start to calm down & I am currently working on a few new posts full of exciting things, which I will post over the next few days. Until then, thanks for reading :) Xxx
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, feel free to either comment below or email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Monday, 14 July 2014
Endometriosis: the next stage- scary times
Hello everyone!
In my last post I think I spoke a bit too soon when I said things were a bit better. On Tuesday 1st of July I had been feeling pretty rough all day. Part of the problem I am now having with my endometriosis is horrible sharp pain in my belly button that feels like I am being ripped open. I've also been having alot of chest pain which leaves me struggling to breathe & making my heart rate increase.
By about 10pm I couldn't stand the pain anymore, I was sweating & feeling pretty chilly & I couldn't breathe very well, so called NHS 111 (the out of hours GP service). Next thing I know the lady on the phone said an ambulance was on its way, mainly because she was very concerned that I was having chest pains. When the ambulance arrived they were pretty worried because my blood pressure was quite high & I had a fever. They took me to A&E & I was really scared at this point. I was hooked up to monitors & drips & I was just in so much pain.
After hours of waiting, blood tests, 2 chest xrays, several ECG's & monitoring, they told me that there was no infection lurking, & there were no obvious problems like clots, bleeding, heart issues or blockages. The doctor was concerned because (warning- TMI!) my bowels looked very full (odd because I wasn't constipated). They kept me in on the observation ward & gave me morphine overnight. In the morning the gynaecologist came to see me & said that they'd probably keep me in again.
She told me that one of the problems they were having was that because I was being treated at a different hospital for my endo, that there wasn't alot they could do. I explained to her what had happened when I had previously been to see the "Bowel specialist" & she told me that it sounded like he was trying to fob me off & that I needed to see the GP to get a second opinion.
The only thing the gynae team at my local hospital could really offer me was contraceptive treatment & pain releif as they didn't have any of my laparoscopy or diagnosis report. I had already discussed contraceptive & hormone treatment with my other half & it wasn't a viable option as I have hormone problems & last time I was on the pill it made things worse.
I asked her if she was able to give me some pain relief so I could go home, & although she was still concerned she agreed, telling me I must go to my GP that week to get a referral to a specialist endo centre, & that I must come back if things got worse.
I spent the rest of the week sleeping & in alot of pain. When I saw the GP on Friday she was really shocked about what the bowel specialist had said & that there was no way this could just be left. She also told me that as well as having endo on my bowels, uterus & rectum, it was also spreading to my bladder & that I had alot of scarring & endo in the Pouch of Douglas (the area between my rectum & vagina). She also said that the report showed alot of scarring & adhesions.
The GP has now referred me to a specialist endo centre in Southampton so I'm waiting for an appointment. I really hope that things start to move forward now, as this has been going on for a long time now. Other than that I am trying to keep positive & hopeful that they can help me.
Thanks for reading :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
In my last post I think I spoke a bit too soon when I said things were a bit better. On Tuesday 1st of July I had been feeling pretty rough all day. Part of the problem I am now having with my endometriosis is horrible sharp pain in my belly button that feels like I am being ripped open. I've also been having alot of chest pain which leaves me struggling to breathe & making my heart rate increase.
By about 10pm I couldn't stand the pain anymore, I was sweating & feeling pretty chilly & I couldn't breathe very well, so called NHS 111 (the out of hours GP service). Next thing I know the lady on the phone said an ambulance was on its way, mainly because she was very concerned that I was having chest pains. When the ambulance arrived they were pretty worried because my blood pressure was quite high & I had a fever. They took me to A&E & I was really scared at this point. I was hooked up to monitors & drips & I was just in so much pain.
After hours of waiting, blood tests, 2 chest xrays, several ECG's & monitoring, they told me that there was no infection lurking, & there were no obvious problems like clots, bleeding, heart issues or blockages. The doctor was concerned because (warning- TMI!) my bowels looked very full (odd because I wasn't constipated). They kept me in on the observation ward & gave me morphine overnight. In the morning the gynaecologist came to see me & said that they'd probably keep me in again.
She told me that one of the problems they were having was that because I was being treated at a different hospital for my endo, that there wasn't alot they could do. I explained to her what had happened when I had previously been to see the "Bowel specialist" & she told me that it sounded like he was trying to fob me off & that I needed to see the GP to get a second opinion.
The only thing the gynae team at my local hospital could really offer me was contraceptive treatment & pain releif as they didn't have any of my laparoscopy or diagnosis report. I had already discussed contraceptive & hormone treatment with my other half & it wasn't a viable option as I have hormone problems & last time I was on the pill it made things worse.
I asked her if she was able to give me some pain relief so I could go home, & although she was still concerned she agreed, telling me I must go to my GP that week to get a referral to a specialist endo centre, & that I must come back if things got worse.
I spent the rest of the week sleeping & in alot of pain. When I saw the GP on Friday she was really shocked about what the bowel specialist had said & that there was no way this could just be left. She also told me that as well as having endo on my bowels, uterus & rectum, it was also spreading to my bladder & that I had alot of scarring & endo in the Pouch of Douglas (the area between my rectum & vagina). She also said that the report showed alot of scarring & adhesions.
The GP has now referred me to a specialist endo centre in Southampton so I'm waiting for an appointment. I really hope that things start to move forward now, as this has been going on for a long time now. Other than that I am trying to keep positive & hopeful that they can help me.
Thanks for reading :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Monday, 30 June 2014
An update, general chit-chat & this weeks likes & dislikes :)
Hello everyone!
Bit more of a cheerful update for you all this week :) if you read my last post then I am glad to say I'm feeling ALOT more positive about things now. There haven't been any developments on the medical front as yet- I have 2 appointments this week. One is with the GP to get sorted about my endometriosis after last weeks upset. The other one was today with the hand specialist to have a chat about a long-term problem I have with my left arm as things haven't improved like they hoped.
I've been seeing the hand specialist for 2 years now as the problem I've had with my arm is pretty complicated as there are birth defects & old injuries that have flared up as well as immense pain & swelling which has been pretty difficult to find what is causing it. Today when I saw the specialist, he was very sympathetic when he heard how bad things have been since I last saw him (in August last year) & agreed that on top of all my other problems that it was time they tried to sort things regarding my arm. He said my wrist & thumb joints are pretty unstable & wants me to try hand therapy again (gentle exercises & ultrasound therapy) for 8 weeks, then for me to see him again.
After a long chat with the hand therapist she said she wants to make me a new thermoplastic splint, she gave me an ultrasound session & said we'll start the exercises next week. It was agreed between me, the specialist & the hand therapist not to hold out too much hope as the hand therapy didn't work last time, but we would give it a go. If it doesn't work then some kind of surgery could be on the cards. I'll update you as the weeks go along so fingers crossed!
I am feeling generally more upbeat after being able to vent last week & am hopeful that things will start to sort themselves out. I've been quite tired this last week & the pain hasn't been easy to deal with at times but I have managed to have a few hours out today. It's been so warm lately & the weather has been nice so hopefully I will be able to get out more.
What I'm liking this week:
The Bodyshop Papaya Body Butter- this smells incredible & leaves your skin so soft & smooth. I get quite dry skin & this really helps keep it hydrated. Plus it's an absolute bargain- on offer for £5 a pot- usually £13!!!
Jubbly Cola freeze pops- the heat is making me pretty thirsty & these are so refreshing. They're on offer at the moment too- £1 for a box of 8 at Asda
Fresh grapes- I can't stop eating them!
What I'm not liking:
Rude people- they'll quite happily walk straight into you then tell you to watch it!
Litter- living by a seaside resort means I like to go to the beach & some people have no consideration & just leave rubbish all over the beach which then gets washed into the sea.
Poor local bus services- I, like many other locals, rely on buses for transport & the local council really needs to invest money in improving the public transport in out area.
So there we go. Thanks for reading :)
Bit more of a cheerful update for you all this week :) if you read my last post then I am glad to say I'm feeling ALOT more positive about things now. There haven't been any developments on the medical front as yet- I have 2 appointments this week. One is with the GP to get sorted about my endometriosis after last weeks upset. The other one was today with the hand specialist to have a chat about a long-term problem I have with my left arm as things haven't improved like they hoped.
I've been seeing the hand specialist for 2 years now as the problem I've had with my arm is pretty complicated as there are birth defects & old injuries that have flared up as well as immense pain & swelling which has been pretty difficult to find what is causing it. Today when I saw the specialist, he was very sympathetic when he heard how bad things have been since I last saw him (in August last year) & agreed that on top of all my other problems that it was time they tried to sort things regarding my arm. He said my wrist & thumb joints are pretty unstable & wants me to try hand therapy again (gentle exercises & ultrasound therapy) for 8 weeks, then for me to see him again.
After a long chat with the hand therapist she said she wants to make me a new thermoplastic splint, she gave me an ultrasound session & said we'll start the exercises next week. It was agreed between me, the specialist & the hand therapist not to hold out too much hope as the hand therapy didn't work last time, but we would give it a go. If it doesn't work then some kind of surgery could be on the cards. I'll update you as the weeks go along so fingers crossed!
I am feeling generally more upbeat after being able to vent last week & am hopeful that things will start to sort themselves out. I've been quite tired this last week & the pain hasn't been easy to deal with at times but I have managed to have a few hours out today. It's been so warm lately & the weather has been nice so hopefully I will be able to get out more.
What I'm liking this week:
The Bodyshop Papaya Body Butter- this smells incredible & leaves your skin so soft & smooth. I get quite dry skin & this really helps keep it hydrated. Plus it's an absolute bargain- on offer for £5 a pot- usually £13!!!
Jubbly Cola freeze pops- the heat is making me pretty thirsty & these are so refreshing. They're on offer at the moment too- £1 for a box of 8 at Asda
Fresh grapes- I can't stop eating them!
What I'm not liking:
Rude people- they'll quite happily walk straight into you then tell you to watch it!
Litter- living by a seaside resort means I like to go to the beach & some people have no consideration & just leave rubbish all over the beach which then gets washed into the sea.
Poor local bus services- I, like many other locals, rely on buses for transport & the local council really needs to invest money in improving the public transport in out area.
So there we go. Thanks for reading :)
Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Endometriosis- upset, angry & frustrated
Hello everyone,
*** Warning- contains some strong language & things some readers might find upsetting
Todays post isn't going to be a happy one I am afraid- I need to vent over the latest "event" in my endometriosis journey as I really am not a happy bunny! Until now I have been fairly positive & upbeat over this whole nasty business, but I've had a rather big setback today which has really pissed me right off.
I saw the bowel specialist today & to say I was shocked & angry by what I was told is an understatement. In my last post I wrote that the gynaeacologist had told me I was going to need major surgery & that the bowel surgeon wanted to see me urgently to discuss this. I went in today expecting to be discussing my next stage of treatment & hopeful that they were finally going to give me the help I need. Instead I was fobbed off & now feel absolutely crap about everything.
Basically he told me that yes, the endometriosis needed to be removed, but they weren't going to do it until they absolutely had to. When I asked what he meant by this I was told that until the pain became too much for me to cope with they weren't going to operate. My thoughts were "It's too fucking much now!". When I asked him what I was supposed to do in the meantime he told me "Pain management specialists will put you on more painkillers to help you deal with the pain". So I then turned round & pulled out the huge paper bag of all of my prescription painkillers (such as morphine, tramadol & co-dydramol!!!) & tablets that I had just picked up from the pharmacy & said "This is the cocktail of stuff I am already on, most of it for this problem alone" & wanting to say "I need treatment, not just more tablets".
Then he asked me about all my other problems very briefly. When I tried to explain how badly the endometriosis was affecting me the response I got was "Yes does sound rather nasty". My questions why he was refusing to do my surgery were avoided with "Well I don't want to do it until you feel that you absolutely cannot cope". I would have understood if he would have told me that it was too risky or complex, but instead I felt like I was being told "Well basically we're going to wait until something goes wrong before we do anything". What a fucking joke.
One of the things that annoyed me the most is the fact that I had been told I would need to have the op as soon as possible, told I needed to see this doctor urgently & gotten my hopes up that they were going to help me. Instead I am just going to be given even more pills & just being left to suffer. It's not fair. When I came out of the hospital I explained to dad & phoned my fiancee- both were livid. I was shaking, angry & crying my eyes out. I couldn't stop crying the whole way home & just went to bed when I got in. I've been feeling so shitty since then.
Me & my family have all agreed that this is totally unacceptable- this is certainly not the first time I have been let down by the NHS or not been given the treatment I need (& in the past, as a result I have suffered with consequences- some with permanent damage!) & tomorrow I am going to visit my GP. I'll be honest too & just tell them straight that I cannot live like this any longer & feel that a second opinion is needed. My GP has been fantastic throughout this whole ordeal & I think that they will be just as shocked as I am. I feel so let down & crap right now & just want the help I need.
Rant over- sorry to be so miserable but I needed to get that out of my system. Thanks for reading x
*** Warning- contains some strong language & things some readers might find upsetting
Todays post isn't going to be a happy one I am afraid- I need to vent over the latest "event" in my endometriosis journey as I really am not a happy bunny! Until now I have been fairly positive & upbeat over this whole nasty business, but I've had a rather big setback today which has really pissed me right off.
I saw the bowel specialist today & to say I was shocked & angry by what I was told is an understatement. In my last post I wrote that the gynaeacologist had told me I was going to need major surgery & that the bowel surgeon wanted to see me urgently to discuss this. I went in today expecting to be discussing my next stage of treatment & hopeful that they were finally going to give me the help I need. Instead I was fobbed off & now feel absolutely crap about everything.
Basically he told me that yes, the endometriosis needed to be removed, but they weren't going to do it until they absolutely had to. When I asked what he meant by this I was told that until the pain became too much for me to cope with they weren't going to operate. My thoughts were "It's too fucking much now!". When I asked him what I was supposed to do in the meantime he told me "Pain management specialists will put you on more painkillers to help you deal with the pain". So I then turned round & pulled out the huge paper bag of all of my prescription painkillers (such as morphine, tramadol & co-dydramol!!!) & tablets that I had just picked up from the pharmacy & said "This is the cocktail of stuff I am already on, most of it for this problem alone" & wanting to say "I need treatment, not just more tablets".
Then he asked me about all my other problems very briefly. When I tried to explain how badly the endometriosis was affecting me the response I got was "Yes does sound rather nasty". My questions why he was refusing to do my surgery were avoided with "Well I don't want to do it until you feel that you absolutely cannot cope". I would have understood if he would have told me that it was too risky or complex, but instead I felt like I was being told "Well basically we're going to wait until something goes wrong before we do anything". What a fucking joke.
One of the things that annoyed me the most is the fact that I had been told I would need to have the op as soon as possible, told I needed to see this doctor urgently & gotten my hopes up that they were going to help me. Instead I am just going to be given even more pills & just being left to suffer. It's not fair. When I came out of the hospital I explained to dad & phoned my fiancee- both were livid. I was shaking, angry & crying my eyes out. I couldn't stop crying the whole way home & just went to bed when I got in. I've been feeling so shitty since then.
Me & my family have all agreed that this is totally unacceptable- this is certainly not the first time I have been let down by the NHS or not been given the treatment I need (& in the past, as a result I have suffered with consequences- some with permanent damage!) & tomorrow I am going to visit my GP. I'll be honest too & just tell them straight that I cannot live like this any longer & feel that a second opinion is needed. My GP has been fantastic throughout this whole ordeal & I think that they will be just as shocked as I am. I feel so let down & crap right now & just want the help I need.
Rant over- sorry to be so miserable but I needed to get that out of my system. Thanks for reading x
Friday, 13 June 2014
Managing & relieving pain
Hello everyone!
Today I want to tell you about some of the ways that I deal with pain. If you read my blog then you will have heard me tell you that I have been ill for a long time, with various different problems. With pretty much all of these problems comes pain, & lots of it! It's horrible & there are lots of days that I'm unable to do much & it can even leave me bedridden. Not fun!
It's not all doom & gloom though, as over time I've also found some great ways to combat pain & side effects of illness. Whether it's headaches, stomach pain, back pain, joint pain, sickness & nausea or severe tiredness, there are ways I have found that can really help.
***As a little disclaimer I have to mention that this in no way is professional medical advice & that you should always check with your doctor if the problem persists or you are unsure of what to do.
1. Painkillers- a pretty obvious one. I am on alot of strong painkillers for some of my problems, & they do help. However, with painkillers, you can also get side effects. These include: drowsiness, irritability, addiction, allergies & may lead to further problems. It sounds old but you must always read the label to check it's ok for you- even if it has been prescribed (I am allergic to anti-inflammitory medicines & have been prescribed them by accident before!) It's also not a good idea to take over-the-counter medicines for more than a few days at a time- if a problem persists for more than 3 days then it's a good idea to see the doctor to rule out other problems.
2. Heat- this is a great one as it works on a variety of pain types. A hot bath can help soothe aching joints & a poorly tummy, as does a hot water bottle or cherry stone/wheat bag applied to the painful area (don't put a hot water bottle directly on your skin- wrap it in a towel first). It can also help in winter when you've got an icky cold or virus. Again, it sounds old but wrapping up warm really helps- instead of one big thick item of clothing, try layering lighter items- that way you can add or remove them for comfort!
3. Tiger Balm- a recent discovery for me & it has worked so well that I've ordered it in bulk from Amazon. You get two kinds- red or white, & it is available in a rub/balm or patch form that you apply to the affected area. I use the red Tiger Balm rub- simply rub a small amount into the painful area(s) & after 5-10 minutes you'll get a deep, cooling sensation which takes the pain away. I use it for everything- back & joint pain, muscular pain, neck pain, headaches & even stomach pain. Just keep it away from irritated or broken skin, eyes, nose & mouth.
4. Headache relief sticks & patches. These give a lovely cooling sensation to your forehead & help get rid of your headache- but don't get it near your eyes or put on broken or sensitive skin.
5. Massage & rubbing the area. They say your hands are your best tool & it's true. It might hurt at first but massaging painful areas really does help.
6. Light support or compression- this is great for painful joints. My arm is constantly immobilised due to a break not being treated 2 years ago. This left me with permanent damage & now my only option is surgery to fix it (more surgery- not fun). Sometimes immobilising the painful joint for a few hours or supporting it with a light compression bandage such as tubigrip or cohesive bandage can help the pain. However, you mustn't have the bandage too tight- if it cuts off the circulation or limbs look blue then take it off. Also, if the problem persists for more than 3 days then see a doctor- you can break bones without knowing!
So there we go- some pain relief tips! Hope you enjoyed reading & would love to know if any of these worked for you :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions and comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below
Today I want to tell you about some of the ways that I deal with pain. If you read my blog then you will have heard me tell you that I have been ill for a long time, with various different problems. With pretty much all of these problems comes pain, & lots of it! It's horrible & there are lots of days that I'm unable to do much & it can even leave me bedridden. Not fun!
It's not all doom & gloom though, as over time I've also found some great ways to combat pain & side effects of illness. Whether it's headaches, stomach pain, back pain, joint pain, sickness & nausea or severe tiredness, there are ways I have found that can really help.
***As a little disclaimer I have to mention that this in no way is professional medical advice & that you should always check with your doctor if the problem persists or you are unsure of what to do.
1. Painkillers- a pretty obvious one. I am on alot of strong painkillers for some of my problems, & they do help. However, with painkillers, you can also get side effects. These include: drowsiness, irritability, addiction, allergies & may lead to further problems. It sounds old but you must always read the label to check it's ok for you- even if it has been prescribed (I am allergic to anti-inflammitory medicines & have been prescribed them by accident before!) It's also not a good idea to take over-the-counter medicines for more than a few days at a time- if a problem persists for more than 3 days then it's a good idea to see the doctor to rule out other problems.
2. Heat- this is a great one as it works on a variety of pain types. A hot bath can help soothe aching joints & a poorly tummy, as does a hot water bottle or cherry stone/wheat bag applied to the painful area (don't put a hot water bottle directly on your skin- wrap it in a towel first). It can also help in winter when you've got an icky cold or virus. Again, it sounds old but wrapping up warm really helps- instead of one big thick item of clothing, try layering lighter items- that way you can add or remove them for comfort!
3. Tiger Balm- a recent discovery for me & it has worked so well that I've ordered it in bulk from Amazon. You get two kinds- red or white, & it is available in a rub/balm or patch form that you apply to the affected area. I use the red Tiger Balm rub- simply rub a small amount into the painful area(s) & after 5-10 minutes you'll get a deep, cooling sensation which takes the pain away. I use it for everything- back & joint pain, muscular pain, neck pain, headaches & even stomach pain. Just keep it away from irritated or broken skin, eyes, nose & mouth.
4. Headache relief sticks & patches. These give a lovely cooling sensation to your forehead & help get rid of your headache- but don't get it near your eyes or put on broken or sensitive skin.
5. Massage & rubbing the area. They say your hands are your best tool & it's true. It might hurt at first but massaging painful areas really does help.
6. Light support or compression- this is great for painful joints. My arm is constantly immobilised due to a break not being treated 2 years ago. This left me with permanent damage & now my only option is surgery to fix it (more surgery- not fun). Sometimes immobilising the painful joint for a few hours or supporting it with a light compression bandage such as tubigrip or cohesive bandage can help the pain. However, you mustn't have the bandage too tight- if it cuts off the circulation or limbs look blue then take it off. Also, if the problem persists for more than 3 days then see a doctor- you can break bones without knowing!
So there we go- some pain relief tips! Hope you enjoyed reading & would love to know if any of these worked for you :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions and comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below
Endometriosis- the next stage
Hi everyone,
Little update for you all today- got a phone call yesterday from the hospital saying that they've received an urgent referral through to the bowel surgeon- Mr Tyrone Carpenter, & he wants me to see him next Wednesday. This is a scary time for me. At my last weeks appointment with the gyneaocologist, she told me alot of things & phrases such as "bowel resection" "will likely need a stoma" "catheter" & "Long hospital stay" were used.
It also didn't help that she told me part of the reason they couldn't remove more of my endo last time is because my oxygen levels majorly dropped & there was a huge risk of me bleeding to death.
How I am feeling in general...
Still in a huge amount of pain most of the time. Nights are the worst. I get big headaches most days & my joints & back are often sore. I'm so tired most of the time too. My appetite is almost non-existent (although fresh fruit, small snacks & ice pops usually go down ok). Going to the loo isn't nice as it hurts! My bowels constantly feel gassy & full. I also struggle to breathe occasionally.
On the days when I feel up to it my other half takes me out for a bit- he's been incredible. Yes he spoils me (bought me a tablet this week- I burst into tears when I saw it) & buys me little treats to cheer me up. But he's also been my rock- rubbing Tiger Balm into my sore back & joints, sitting up on 'the night shift' when I'm having a bad time or can't sleep, & doing everything he possibly can to make my life easier. I love him ♡♥♡♥
Overall, although I feel physically CRAP I'm trying to stay positive. I joined a forum for Endometriosis sufferers last night & already have spoken to some lovely people. The forum is called Endometriosis UK & some of the stories & advice have been really helpful :)
Thanks for reading :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or comment below :)
Little update for you all today- got a phone call yesterday from the hospital saying that they've received an urgent referral through to the bowel surgeon- Mr Tyrone Carpenter, & he wants me to see him next Wednesday. This is a scary time for me. At my last weeks appointment with the gyneaocologist, she told me alot of things & phrases such as "bowel resection" "will likely need a stoma" "catheter" & "Long hospital stay" were used.
It also didn't help that she told me part of the reason they couldn't remove more of my endo last time is because my oxygen levels majorly dropped & there was a huge risk of me bleeding to death.
How I am feeling in general...
Still in a huge amount of pain most of the time. Nights are the worst. I get big headaches most days & my joints & back are often sore. I'm so tired most of the time too. My appetite is almost non-existent (although fresh fruit, small snacks & ice pops usually go down ok). Going to the loo isn't nice as it hurts! My bowels constantly feel gassy & full. I also struggle to breathe occasionally.
On the days when I feel up to it my other half takes me out for a bit- he's been incredible. Yes he spoils me (bought me a tablet this week- I burst into tears when I saw it) & buys me little treats to cheer me up. But he's also been my rock- rubbing Tiger Balm into my sore back & joints, sitting up on 'the night shift' when I'm having a bad time or can't sleep, & doing everything he possibly can to make my life easier. I love him ♡♥♡♥
Overall, although I feel physically CRAP I'm trying to stay positive. I joined a forum for Endometriosis sufferers last night & already have spoken to some lovely people. The forum is called Endometriosis UK & some of the stories & advice have been really helpful :)
Thanks for reading :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or comment below :)
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Endometriosis update
Hi everyone!
If you've been following my blog on my endometriosis surgery, I now have an update. News isn't good I'm afraid- more surgery is on the cards & this time it's going to be alot riskier, but necessary. I went to see the consultant today who explained to me that my endometriosis is pretty extensive- all over my uterus, ovaries, bowels & abdominal cavity.
She explained to me that last time they could only remove a small amount because they didn't have the right equipment & that if they would have tried there was a huge chance I would have bled to death. Scary.
I was told that with endometriosis, it is more common to grow in a few big clumps, which are easier to remove. Because mine is growing in many flatter patches they will need to do more skilled, riskier surgery. Like all surgery there are risks- bleeding, damage to surrounding organs, reactions to the anaesthetic ect. The risks with this operation are also pretty serious- I could lose my womb & ovaries, my bowel could get seriously damaged & there is no guarantee it will stop the endometriosis coming back (but they have to do it because otherwise it will get worse.
They are unsure whether the endometriosis has penetrated INTO my bowel (they were unable to tell during the laparoscopy because they would have needed specialist equipment) but if that is the case I will also need something called a bowel resection (where they cut away the diseased section of the bowel. Again this causes complications as it will mean that they would need to fit a colostomy/stoma bag (where the waste is diverted into a bag from your stomach) as the bowel would need to rest for 3-6 months. Not nice!
I am waiting for an appointment with the bowel specialist which will hopefully be soon. He will be talking me through the procedure & giving me more details so I will keep you posted!
In the meantime I am keeping as cheerful & busy as I can & enjoying the little things :) thanks for reading!
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggeations, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below
If you've been following my blog on my endometriosis surgery, I now have an update. News isn't good I'm afraid- more surgery is on the cards & this time it's going to be alot riskier, but necessary. I went to see the consultant today who explained to me that my endometriosis is pretty extensive- all over my uterus, ovaries, bowels & abdominal cavity.
She explained to me that last time they could only remove a small amount because they didn't have the right equipment & that if they would have tried there was a huge chance I would have bled to death. Scary.
I was told that with endometriosis, it is more common to grow in a few big clumps, which are easier to remove. Because mine is growing in many flatter patches they will need to do more skilled, riskier surgery. Like all surgery there are risks- bleeding, damage to surrounding organs, reactions to the anaesthetic ect. The risks with this operation are also pretty serious- I could lose my womb & ovaries, my bowel could get seriously damaged & there is no guarantee it will stop the endometriosis coming back (but they have to do it because otherwise it will get worse.
They are unsure whether the endometriosis has penetrated INTO my bowel (they were unable to tell during the laparoscopy because they would have needed specialist equipment) but if that is the case I will also need something called a bowel resection (where they cut away the diseased section of the bowel. Again this causes complications as it will mean that they would need to fit a colostomy/stoma bag (where the waste is diverted into a bag from your stomach) as the bowel would need to rest for 3-6 months. Not nice!
I am waiting for an appointment with the bowel specialist which will hopefully be soon. He will be talking me through the procedure & giving me more details so I will keep you posted!
In the meantime I am keeping as cheerful & busy as I can & enjoying the little things :) thanks for reading!
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggeations, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below
Tuesday, 10 June 2014
Loving at the moment
Hello everyone!
Todays post is going to be about products & items that I am loving at the moment. I did something similar to this not long ago & thought I would do another. I love to try out different products, whether it's hair & makeup related, clothing, food or general & I hope this will inspire you to try them too! Enjoy :)
1. Tea tree oil (£7.00 The Body Shop) this stuff is amazing. It's really great for acne-prone skin as it treats blemishes, soothes & acts as an antibacterial to treat spots (also great on cuts & grazes!) I use it after I wash my face- simply dilute 2 drops in 1 teaspoon of warm water, soak a cotton wool ball in the solution & gently apply to your face. It doesn't irritate or dry out your skin either!
2. adidas originals Adi Rise 2.0 juniors hi-top trainers (£35-£40 JD Sports) these are possibly the most comfy shoes I have ever had (not ashamed to admit that I own two pairs!) Hi-tops are very on-trend at the moment but are also a more timeless item meaning they won't go out of fashion. I got my first pair for christmas in black, sky blue & white & loved them so much that my lovely man surprised me with some black & red ones yesterday!
3. The Body Shop All-in-one Instablur (£14) & All-in-one BB Cream (£12) I mentioned these in one of my previous posts (News, chatter, likes & dislikes) I got these a couple of weeks ago in a little set that included an amazing foundation brush too (the set was worth £45 & I got it for the special price of £20!) It's incredible- use the instablur as a primer- it literally blurs the imperfections, then apply the BB cream. You would get away without foundation over the top as these give fantastic coverage & just conceal any blemishes. I went back to The Body Shop the other day & apparently it has been so popular that everywhere has completely sold out!
4. Muller Crunch Corner Toffee Hoops (69p Sainsburys) these make a really tasty treat when you've got sweet cravings- one of my favourite snacks!
5. Montagne Jeunesse face masques (90p-£1.50 each, available at all leading supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug & Primark) these come in a variety of fruity, chocolatey or generally good smelling peel-off, mud, clay, warming, exfoliating & fabric face masques. Great for an evening of pampering & helps your skin feel gorgeously clean & soft.
6. My brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0- this was a present from my lovely man today (I burst into tears when he gave it to me) my laptop broke a while back & I'd said I was going to get a tablet instead. The cheapest place I have found it is either Currys PC World or Asda for £139. It's amazing!
So there you have it. Hope this has inspired you to try some new products & would love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading! :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below :)
Todays post is going to be about products & items that I am loving at the moment. I did something similar to this not long ago & thought I would do another. I love to try out different products, whether it's hair & makeup related, clothing, food or general & I hope this will inspire you to try them too! Enjoy :)
1. Tea tree oil (£7.00 The Body Shop) this stuff is amazing. It's really great for acne-prone skin as it treats blemishes, soothes & acts as an antibacterial to treat spots (also great on cuts & grazes!) I use it after I wash my face- simply dilute 2 drops in 1 teaspoon of warm water, soak a cotton wool ball in the solution & gently apply to your face. It doesn't irritate or dry out your skin either!
2. adidas originals Adi Rise 2.0 juniors hi-top trainers (£35-£40 JD Sports) these are possibly the most comfy shoes I have ever had (not ashamed to admit that I own two pairs!) Hi-tops are very on-trend at the moment but are also a more timeless item meaning they won't go out of fashion. I got my first pair for christmas in black, sky blue & white & loved them so much that my lovely man surprised me with some black & red ones yesterday!
3. The Body Shop All-in-one Instablur (£14) & All-in-one BB Cream (£12) I mentioned these in one of my previous posts (News, chatter, likes & dislikes) I got these a couple of weeks ago in a little set that included an amazing foundation brush too (the set was worth £45 & I got it for the special price of £20!) It's incredible- use the instablur as a primer- it literally blurs the imperfections, then apply the BB cream. You would get away without foundation over the top as these give fantastic coverage & just conceal any blemishes. I went back to The Body Shop the other day & apparently it has been so popular that everywhere has completely sold out!
4. Muller Crunch Corner Toffee Hoops (69p Sainsburys) these make a really tasty treat when you've got sweet cravings- one of my favourite snacks!
5. Montagne Jeunesse face masques (90p-£1.50 each, available at all leading supermarkets, Boots, Superdrug & Primark) these come in a variety of fruity, chocolatey or generally good smelling peel-off, mud, clay, warming, exfoliating & fabric face masques. Great for an evening of pampering & helps your skin feel gorgeously clean & soft.
6. My brand new Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0- this was a present from my lovely man today (I burst into tears when he gave it to me) my laptop broke a while back & I'd said I was going to get a tablet instead. The cheapest place I have found it is either Currys PC World or Asda for £139. It's amazing!
So there you have it. Hope this has inspired you to try some new products & would love to hear what you think! Thanks for reading! :)
**********************************************************************************************
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com or post a comment below :)
Sunday, 8 June 2014
These are a few of my favourite things ♡ ♥♡♥
Hello everyone!
So today I thought I would share some of my favourite things with you. Obviously aside from my wonderful man & my family, I've made a list of some of the top things that make me smile.
1) My engagement ring- this is a no brainer, any girl would love a massive solitare diamond gold ring with shoulders set with 3 diamonds on each side, but to me it's so much more. It's a symbol of how much me & my man love eachother (not to mention that I cried my bloody eyes out when he proposed- in the middle of a restaurant!)
2) Flowers- I adore all flowers, but my particular favourites are bluebells, forget-me-nots & daffodils. They're so beautiful & vibrant & there's something so cheering aboit them.
3) Baby animals. I've never come across anyone yet who doesn't smile at baby animals. Puppies, kittens, bunnies, chicks- all baby animals are so cute (& most adult ones too). They never fail to make me smile.
4) Music. I like so many different kinds of music & I know it sounds weird but it's helped me get through some of the darkest times in my life & there are certain songs which really help lift my mood.
So there we go! A few of my favourite things. Hope you enjoyed reading & I would love to know what you think :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
So today I thought I would share some of my favourite things with you. Obviously aside from my wonderful man & my family, I've made a list of some of the top things that make me smile.
1) My engagement ring- this is a no brainer, any girl would love a massive solitare diamond gold ring with shoulders set with 3 diamonds on each side, but to me it's so much more. It's a symbol of how much me & my man love eachother (not to mention that I cried my bloody eyes out when he proposed- in the middle of a restaurant!)
2) Flowers- I adore all flowers, but my particular favourites are bluebells, forget-me-nots & daffodils. They're so beautiful & vibrant & there's something so cheering aboit them.
3) Baby animals. I've never come across anyone yet who doesn't smile at baby animals. Puppies, kittens, bunnies, chicks- all baby animals are so cute (& most adult ones too). They never fail to make me smile.
4) Music. I like so many different kinds of music & I know it sounds weird but it's helped me get through some of the darkest times in my life & there are certain songs which really help lift my mood.
So there we go! A few of my favourite things. Hope you enjoyed reading & I would love to know what you think :)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Tuesday, 27 May 2014
Saving money
Hello everyone!
Today I've got some tips for you on saving money. Nowadays, life is expensive & we often find that payday can't come fast enough. At the beginning of this financial year (6th April) I decided I was going to see how much money I could save up in a year. So far it's going brilliant! I am nowhere near a pinchpenny or one of these "Super-Scrimpers" you see on telly, but I am pretty aware of my spending. So here are my ways that I have devised for saving up for a rainy day.
1. Budget. Work out what you NEED to spend every month & set it aside. Have some emergency money too for the unexpected, then the rest can go on what you want. We often make the mistake of "Impulse Buying" & find ourselves thinking that the £50 we've just spent on that super-cute, wear once & never to be seen again pair of shoes should have been spent on fuel. Treats are ok- just in moderation.
2. Look after the pennies... We are all guilty of going into a shop, buying something then just chucking the change in the charity tin. Obviously giving to charity is good (Help For Heroes, The Poppy Appeal & Cancer Reasearch are particular ones to me) But think about setting up a change pot. Every day, fish out the pennies from your pocket & put them in- it very quickly adds up. Since the 6th of April I've saved a shockingly large amount in change (I won't tell you how much- that will come in a years time). It's money you never knew you had- it might be a mess around but when you've got a large amount, count it up, bag it, take it to the bank & treat yourself!
3. Shop around. In one of my posts a couple of days ago I wrote that I was hacked off after discovering ways that supermarkets are ripping us off. Obviously supermarkets are convenient, but often you get alot less, not as good quality & more expensive than local businesses such as the butchers sell. So support your local businesses- it's better.
4. Do you really need it? Don't impulse buy- think about what you are buying before you hand over the cash. Unless you know you can afford it & you really want it then save your money- you'll be glad you did!
So there we go! Some top tips for saving money. Hope you all found this useful & I would love to know what you all think! Thanks for reading :)!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Today I've got some tips for you on saving money. Nowadays, life is expensive & we often find that payday can't come fast enough. At the beginning of this financial year (6th April) I decided I was going to see how much money I could save up in a year. So far it's going brilliant! I am nowhere near a pinchpenny or one of these "Super-Scrimpers" you see on telly, but I am pretty aware of my spending. So here are my ways that I have devised for saving up for a rainy day.
1. Budget. Work out what you NEED to spend every month & set it aside. Have some emergency money too for the unexpected, then the rest can go on what you want. We often make the mistake of "Impulse Buying" & find ourselves thinking that the £50 we've just spent on that super-cute, wear once & never to be seen again pair of shoes should have been spent on fuel. Treats are ok- just in moderation.
2. Look after the pennies... We are all guilty of going into a shop, buying something then just chucking the change in the charity tin. Obviously giving to charity is good (Help For Heroes, The Poppy Appeal & Cancer Reasearch are particular ones to me) But think about setting up a change pot. Every day, fish out the pennies from your pocket & put them in- it very quickly adds up. Since the 6th of April I've saved a shockingly large amount in change (I won't tell you how much- that will come in a years time). It's money you never knew you had- it might be a mess around but when you've got a large amount, count it up, bag it, take it to the bank & treat yourself!
3. Shop around. In one of my posts a couple of days ago I wrote that I was hacked off after discovering ways that supermarkets are ripping us off. Obviously supermarkets are convenient, but often you get alot less, not as good quality & more expensive than local businesses such as the butchers sell. So support your local businesses- it's better.
4. Do you really need it? Don't impulse buy- think about what you are buying before you hand over the cash. Unless you know you can afford it & you really want it then save your money- you'll be glad you did!
So there we go! Some top tips for saving money. Hope you all found this useful & I would love to know what you all think! Thanks for reading :)!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For questions, suggestions, opinions & comments, email me at:
dollytrolley1994@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)