Another Mother's Day

Greetings,

This is a picture of Linda Caroline Walker, my mum, she was awesome. She unfortunately passed away from lung cancer a few years ago (For me the number of years does not matter). For me it makes Mother's Day a little hard each year because I miss her one hell of a lot. However it is not only that she is gone she left behind some great lessons for me and my awesome brother and sister. So I also like to celebrate this.

My mum always supported me in what I was doing regardless of what the chosen field was. I decided that I wanted to become an historian by the time I was about 11. Rather than telling me that I should become a doctor or an accountant or something which would earn lots of money she supported me in this endeavour. I had joined a couple of sporting clubs in my time and she supported me in my choices for them, even when I decided that I wanted to fence. She even supported me when I decided that I wanted to do Renaissance Martial Arts a few years later, not sport fencing.

I believe it was my mother who taught me how to cook. Sure I did a Home Economics class or two at school, but it was my mother who sat by me and told me better ways to do things, and how to follow recipes. She was also the one who would support me in this when I decided that I wanted to try things which were a little out of the ordinary as well. This put me in good stead for when I left home I can tell you.

Most of all I have no doubt in the world that she loved me as much as I loved her. She was always there to tend a skinned knee, or for a trip to the hospital. I have lost count the number of days she sat by my bed, or waited in doctor's surgeries, or travelled so I could get the best care that she could find for me. It was her insistence that I should see a specialist about my random pains, the basis of which resulted in first me being relieved it was not all in my head, and for second the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Sure I pulled a couple of "sickies" in my time, but she was there when there really was a problem or I really was sick.

I also have no doubt that she loved me as much as I still love her in the way her love was unconditional. Even through, tantrums, crankies, misbehaviours and all the other things children do she was always there with a smile showing me the right way. This did not stop when I left home but continued, she was always there with a willing hug and a kiss, always happy to see me. Regardless of the girlfriend who I brought home, she was always welcoming of them, always including them into the family, always trying to help. It is this which I will always remember her most for. Her open heart, her loving attitude toward me.

She touched the lives of many people and none of us will ever forget her. I miss you Mum.

Cheers,

Henry.

Knees... Why do you not like me?

Greetings,

So, I figured this one was worth the blog, especially because it has some relevance to the overall picture here. Once again, I am going to be writing off the top of my head and not editing it. I have begun to find this most useful, even if the thoughts do get a little jumbled and I do end up a bit off track. I will, however, try and make at least a decent amount of sense.

When I was 15, I was diagnosed with "patela melanasia", also known as "rough knee-caps" undoubtedly a result of over-use and doing too much. Yes, this sort of thing started at least that early if not much earlier in my life. So, the knees have always been a little irritated at times. Now we fast-forward to today....

Still doing too much, add fibromyalgia, a bit of age and you have a pair of knees which are not really happy with me at all. My biggest symptom from fibromyalgia that I get is joint issues. I have joints, they ache or are just plain painful, usually for no good reason whatsoever. For the most part I deal with this myself with exercise and bits of rest here and there, however this is different. So I have taken myself along to my doctor to ask him what I am going to do with myself, etc. So referrals off to the hospital, on waiting lists, blah, blah, blah. I have no idea what the hospital is going to say or do, especially considering I was referred to both Physiotherapy and the Orthaepedic surgeons.

So here I wait. I figure that in the mean time I can keep the doctor up to date with what is going on (situation normal), and see how I can deal with things myself. This is something that I will be discussing with the doctor. What does this all mean? My mobility has reduced quite a bit. I am having more pain in my knees that before. However, I am not quitting fencing, I will find a way around this and lots of other stuff, even if I have to ask for.... help. Something I hate doing. Luckily I get picked up for my school training, now all I have to do is figure out the rest of it. Figure I am going to end up cane shopping a little earlier than I expected.

So, with winter coming on down here in Australia in the next couple of months I can see things getting a little "interesting". I will keep going, I will keep doing stuff, I have no intentions of hiding myself away, though I do think I will have to figure out this "rest" thing, a bit at least. Anyway, I may get around to keeping people up to date with this one, but I do not guarantee a thing.

Cheers,

Henry.