family parties, end of exams, manchester :)

Woops - sorry, long time no update again. I'm going to try and remember everything that happened over the last few weeks. It's been a bit busy, and I haven't been able to justify blogging if I've had a spare minute, because the spare minute has gone on revision instead. Anyway all my exams are out the way now - all went well apart from my core 3 maths exam which I anticipated to go badly anyway. Core 2 was pretty nice, and my unit 3 psychology was a bit of a stinker but I think it went okish.
I had Becca round last Friday (a week ago last friday) and we made this amazing sunflower;

If anyone knows where I can get these amazing paper flower sets from please can you let me know? I've searched everywhere for them but I can't find them anywhere: hobbycraft, the works, amazon, play.com - nowhere! Even if anyone knows where I might be able to find any instructions on how to make different ones, that would be helpful, because it's easy to get hold of crepe paper and sticks :) But I'm in love with it, it turned out so pretty. It's made entirely from crepe paper and a green stick. Would love to do some different flowers. I've really missed crafting since I've started college. I think this is the first thing I've done in three years. I used to craft every single day. Anyway it was really good fun and I had a good time with Becca :)

Last weekened was a weekend of family get togethers. My Mum had Nigel's family over on the Saturday. Drew came down for Saturday evening and we went to stay at my Dads. Watched a really good film at night, "Wake Wood" highly reccommend that to any thriller fans :) I had a bit too much food on Saturday and was in a bit of pain for the next few days with it but I still managed to go out on Sunday with my Dad's family. Dad and Bev stayed at home because they're not too keen on the restaurant we were going to but I went with lots of my other family including my Auntie Bev and Roger who had come up for the weekend from London. We went to Tiggis and it was a good afternoon. Here's some family pictures I took:




My Uncle Harold



The family



My Auntie Bev, cousin Charlotte and Me :)



Auntie Gill and my Nan

 

My Uncle Harold and my Grandad Terry



Roger and Auntie Bev

 

Me and Drew!

 Then last week, was a week full of exams. I had my maths core 2 on tuesday, which went well - it was a really good paper. I know I got some questions at the end of the paper wrong, but hopefully I may have got marks for working.

Wednesday I was down in Nottingham to see the small bowel specialist. He didn't really come up with too many ideas but he said he wants to get some more biopsies done when I have my gastrostomy done. They phoned today, to say that they have me booked in for it on tuesday but they are just looking for a bed for me. I also had to have my tube out again on Wednesday as it was causing problems, so I went a few days without feed to give it a rest - this could possibly have been the cause of my bad exam.

Thursday I had my psychology unit 3 exam which I think went ok. The questions were really rubbish but I think I answered them ok.

Then it was core 3 maths on Friday which went about as well as a car crash. Don't even think I'll have scraped an E on that one, so I'll be resitting that in June and I'm going to keep practising it until then. I also had my tube put back in, in the morning at my local hospital and decided to try it in the other nostril to see if it improved any and I'm pleased to report, it did! Anyway, I went round to Becca's after college which made my day much better :) We pampered with face masks, did our nails and took some pictures while we watched Toy Story. Lovely time :)

This weekend me and Drew had a lovely weekend in Manchester, it was kind of a last minute decision but we had a great time (all bar one MAJOR heartbreaking event ;)) I bought a cardigan (well my Gran and Grandad paid for it as they wanted to buy me one for christmas and I hadn't see one just yet) a hairband and some bracelets. Drew also bought be an amazing Cyberdog tshirt and he bought two new Cyberdog tops for himself :)

We bobbed our heads into Gina and John but they looked busy so we didn't go in. Gina and John are my amazing teachers from GCSE they taught me Drama and Expressive Arts. They really brought me out my shell and gave me so much confidence. After years of being isolated due to my illness I was a bit shy - but Gina and John were so good to me in my first years of college. I loved Expressive Arts so much! I really miss it :( Neither of them work at college any more but they have a theatre shop/work shop in Manchester so we've bobbed in and said hello when we had been before.

All in all a good day... until the heartbreak! We were walking through the Arndale just as all the shops were about to shut after our busy day, when there was a bit of hype going on around the Pulp shop. There was a que outside and there was obviously someone doing a signing. The shop had just shut the que so the last few people were getting to see these mystery celebs. Now it comes with the territory to miss things for me, it happens all the time. But to miss these guys TWICE now, is just my luck! Me and Drew were supposed to be going to see All Time Low for my christmas present. But in the end, we didn't go because I was ill. That was a bummer, especially as they were right round the corner from Drews. But I was fine with that because it always happens. But this time they were doing a signing in Pulp to open Alex's new clothing line. And I missed them :( As I peered into the shop I could see them right there. I missed them. Again! My heart = truly broken. I've missed them TWICE and I still can't quite believe it! I got into my car on monday, and I always blare ATL out when I'm driving, so turning on my engine I could have cried and Time Bomb screamed out the speakers at me. I had to turn it off and change it to Snow Patrol, how sad is that? Oh well, I'll just have to wait another 200 years until they come back to the UK.

Anyway, we went back to Preston and watched some more Dr Who and went to bed (we know how to live life on the edge, ok?)

Sunday we headed out for some more shopping. I bought some amazing new shoes. Real big girl shoes ;) they are purple velvety with a gold trim and they're stunning. They're platforms and make me really huuuuuge :D I'm in love, they're so pretty. I also bought a new bag and a new purse - both my current ones are too small for all the junk I carry round. I used the rest of my WH Smith voucher from Sam towards buying a new pencil case and some bits for college. I went to Staples last week too and got some new folders (as well as a new keyboard for my computer, I must confess, because I spilled orange juice on the last one :() Trying to be more organised for college right now, because I was so unorganised last year it was unreal!

I've just pretty much had college today and yesterday, feel much more chilled now my exams are over. We haven't really done much and we convinced Wendy into letting us watch Shutter Island today (it wasnt hard!), because its a "psychology film" - another great film, Leo-Di-Cap = ;)

As said earlier, Manchester called today to say that I'm booked in for my gastrostomy on tuesday. On the condition they find me a bed, I'll go in on Monday and then have it done for tuesday. I'll be in a couple of days, but I'm not sure how long I'll be out of action for. I'm hoping I'll be back up and running pretty soon after, but I'll have to see.

Tomorrow I have my interview at UCLan (Preston - My local Uni) - they've just opened a new children's unit at Blackpool, which is the biggest in the North West, so that's more of an option for me now. However it's still at Blackpool Vic and I have my reservations about that place ;)

I'm feeling pretty well at the moment though. I was a bit poorly last week when my tube came out, but that was possibly due to the tube or perhaps I had overdone it a bit on my stomach. I also wasn't too good yesterday (monday) after having a larger than normal portion at Drews. It's very difficult as I'm getting hunger pangs again now. Eating sets me back miles though unless I only nibble. The peritive feed is very good though and my symptoms are so much better with it. I get reflux still most nights but it's much improved and all my symptoms are much milder since I've been on it. I believe the combination for now is the peritive and controlling what I eat. I am going to keep trying to increase the food I take in by mouth where possible, in the hope that one day I'll be able to eat normally again, but for now I seem to have gained a little control over it by managing what I eat along with the peritive. One to me, nil to the evil intestines!

I will try not to leave it too long this time. I'm going to go and get on with finishing my second english coursework draft now, and wrap some presents - possibly a bit of Torchwood :)