I've been rather out of action( actually totally) for the last month, as my dodgy back, went from dodgy to seriously unpleasant/nasty overnight, leaving me feeling very out of sorts and seriously  miserable and in a lot of pain, curled up on the sofa swallowing painkillers. I couldn't drive safley, wasn't sleeping and horror of horrors wasn't able to knit, as I was only comfortable cwtched up in a ball on one side, I also couldn't work or even sit at the computer. the doctor gave me diazapam (?spelling)  which did nothing much expect make me more relaxed.

In desperation,faced with the unthinkable of being unable to go to Wonderwool/continue with Knitwitches, and getting nowhere with the NHS in the manner of viable help ( I don't count armfuls of heavy duty painkillers as being viable help) I got myself refered for private health care. Fortunatley I had already had an MRI and had obtained my own copy. I took this with me to the private consultation with a consultant orthapeadic surgeon, who told me, on looking at the MRI, that I had pressure on the nerves coming out of part of my lumbar spine, which were causing the intense pain, plus I have very degenerated discs at the base of my spine.  I was in the hopsital 2 days later, in surgery, having nerve blocking injections etc in my lower spine.

Here I am a week later, starting to feel that I am getting better. Each day feels a bit better, which is wonderful, because I am so far behind with my dyeing I should be freaking out this close to Wonderwool, but you know what, I'm just so grateful to have found some kind of solution, albeit one that's been a bit heavy on the purse, that I don't actually care. I'm managing to get dyeing done in smallish doses, with the help of Anne who has been coming in and doing all the yarn washing for me. Will I be at Wonderwool ? I sincerely hope so, I'm very very stubborn, and not being there is not an option for me. Maybe I won't have so much yarn with me as usual, but I reckon I'll have a fair amount. I'm going to be there and I'm going to have loads and loads of fun, and I intend to thrououghly enjoy myself. Maybe I'll have to sit down more than I normally would at a show, so please excuse me if you find me sitting down behind my stand.

I've started physio for my back, and will start my yoga again very soon. If any of you have any suggestions as to what I could do to help myself I would be most grateful. I know that the spinal injections are not necessarily a permanent solution, but they have at least bought me some time to work on getting fit and looking at other options.

I had meant to have the website updated weeks and weeks ago, and now you know the reason why it's not been done. I promise that it will be done when I get home from Wonderwool, at least I can sit at the computer for more than a few minutes now, without doubling up in pain, and updating the website takes rather a long time.  I'm so pleased to be back working again, there are also only so many episodes of Midsomer Murders you can watch without going nuts. I wasn't well you understand, I don't normally watch daytime tv.

And some nice news now, next sunday April 10th, is my birthday.  I love yarn shows, and I love birthdays, and I get both on the same day. How good is that? So if you are at the show on sunday, stop by the stand and say hello. I intend to have  loads of cakes on my stand, as you can't have a birthday at a yarn show without cakes, I mean that's unthinkable. Given how much I like cake I suspect that I might have eaten a lot of them before anyone gets there. Am I going to tell you know how old I am -   nope  - all you need to know is that in my head I'm permanently 25. 

See you all at Wonderwool