Happy weekend...

Casual Saturday

Happy weekend folks! It's been a long week at work so I've been very much looking forward to a lie in, stocking up our cupboards with some delicious food and catching up on lots of TV I've missed over the past few months. I'm also doing something I've never done before this weekend - learning calligraphy. I'm so excited. I've always been envious of people with beautiful handwriting, so decided to do something to improve mine.

I'm taking a beginner's class with Quill London, and will be sure to blog about it next week. Keep an eye out on Instagram (@s11ona) for my initial efforts, unless I'm completely hopeless, then I won't bother.

I'll also be planning for our weekend away next week. We're heading to Lulworth for a belated valentine's treat, so am on the look out for places to see and visit and good dining options. If you have any, please let me know.

Hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing weekend...

Shones
xoxo

Travel Tuesday - Bridlington...

Last weekend was my first weekend at home for a few weeks, since my Mum's illness. That's meant catching up with cleaning, tidying and washing and ironing. How boring. We did manage to get to the allotment for a few hours and I managed to plant half my onions, so that's something...

It was valentine's day the other weekend and we weren't able to do what we'd originally planned (a trip to London) as we were up in Hull. So, we decided on a day out by the seaside instead. London can wait for another time. 

It's been a long, long time since I've visited Bridlington so I was keen to see what had changed, and thought it would be nice for Fraser to see a proper northern seaside town, and sample proper fish 'n' chips. It wasn't a particularly sunny day but at least it wasn't raining. We had a wander round the town, browsed a few independent shops and then decided it was time for a coffee. We visited a little coffee shop called Coffee Coast. Lovely coffee served with a wee chocolate on the side. Perfect!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Coffee Coast latte

We visited the sea front and beach and on the way passed by Bridlington Spa, where I'd spent many a weekend playing table tennis in national tournaments. Who said youth is wasted on the young?

I've always loved the beach at Bridlington; it's huge, it has lovely sand and is so pretty when the sun is shining. Today is wasn't, but the beach is great in all weather. It was lovely to see that investment had been made in improving the 'look' of the beach front - beach huts in particular.

Bridlington South Beach

We took a long stroll on the beach, fooled around a little, admired some of the beach front houses (and checked Rightmove for affordability) and worked up an appetite for the long awaited fish n chips. I'd checked Trip Advisor and set my heart on Gabby's Chippy - rave reviews, so off we went. Bizarrely, Google Maps didn't quite point us in the right direction - instead of sending us to Bridlington's Old Town, it sent us off to Bempton. Although we were just as confused as Google Maps, we rolled with it. We never located Gabby's Chippy near Bempton but did discover RSPB Bempton Cliffs. Yep, lots of cliffs and lots of birds. It was actually beautiful and the sun came out too. Definitely worth a visit, just so long as you enjoy walking!

Bempton cliffs

The OH

We were so close to Flamborough that we decided to head there before going back to Bridlington to get our well earned chippy. I was probably a school girl the last time I'd visited Flamborough. As we arrived the sun was beginning to set, and the view was fantastic (even if it was still slightly hazy). The lighthouse is a sight to behold - it's so grand!

Flamborough lighthouse

Sun set at Flamborough

By this point we were ravenous, so went on the hunt for Gabby's Chippy (again). We found it this time although the next challenge was to decide what to have. Fraser opted for classic fish & chips, whereas I opted for Yorkshire Pudding filled with chips and a Yorkshire curry sauce (something a bit different, I thought). The portions were HUGE! It had Fraser beat and he can pack it away...

Yorkshire Pudding, chips and Yorkshire curry sauce

Overall, we had a fantastic day out and loved spending time outdoors, by the sea, and most importantly, with each other! <3

S&F 14.02.15

Shones

xoxox

Mum's recovery...

Since the post about my Mum's brain tumour diagnosis, a lot has happened. The past two weeks have felt more like two months, which always seems to be the case in these sort of situations. 

I write with positive news about my Mum. Thankfully. Today we had confirmation that her tumour was benign. This is the best news possible. She still has a few tests to undergo to identify the cause (sporadic or genetic related) but that's less important right now. I want to embrace the positive news and never let it go.

My Mum has made quite an astonishing recovery; both psychologically and physically. After many hours on life support after surgery, she regained consciousness, sat up, started on some banter with the nurses and wolfed down a massive portion of lasagne. In the words of mother "well, I haven't eaten in months" (which was not too far from the truth). It was all a little baffling to be honest, but we embraced mother's fighting spirit and ignorance towards what she had just endured. She was back with us and that was all that mattered right there and then. 

She was quickly moved out of ICU and transitioned through a high observation ward and back into the original ward she was admitted into. Each and every day there was some improvement either to her walking ability, memory, or concentration. Four days post surgery was when I recognised the mum I have always known and loved - she was back!

I feel like we are one of the very lucky families. Everything has worked out for the best. What are the odds of that? It's testament to the Neurosurgery team in Hull Royal Infirmary - they were truly fantastic; from the surgeons to the tea ladies. I think my mum secretly enjoyed her stay in hospital but she would never admit that... Who would?

My mum is now home and continuing well with her recovery. I feel a little sad that I won't see my mum every day, but I just have to accept that. I know she's only a phone call away and that will be enough to alleviate any pangs of worry I may experience. 

Many people have asked how we all coped during that time and it's something I'm still working out. Initial thoughts center around resilience, focusing only on the present (and not what might happen), being positive, retaining a sense of humour and drinking wine! As a psychologist I recognise it's much more complex than that and plan to look into this in more detail (that's the geek in me).

For now I leave you with the only physical reminder of mum's surgery. Look away if you're at all squeamish... Apologies in advance!

S

xoxo

20 staples (and a bit of bruising)

A life changing week...

The last week has been the toughest week of my life. On Friday 30th January my mum went into hospital for a CT scan as she's been very unwell since Christmas. My mum has since not left hospital.

Maw in law (left) and my mum (right)

Most of last year my mum had complained of a constant headache, which seemed to get worse as the year progressed. She began to get dizzy which got progressively worse too. She'd had vertigo four years ago and the doctors and specialists thought it was a recurrence of the vertigo; us included. Her ability to balance and walk declined quite rapidly after my wedding and she began to be sick on NYE, which had never happened before. She was given a plethora of drugs, diagnosed with vestibular migraine and discharged.

In the following week an appointment letter arrived for the CT scan, which we were pleased about as my mum's symptoms did not seem to be improving. I live down south and my parents live up north, so I decided to attend the CT scan appointment and I'm so glad I did.

After her CT scan we were asked to wait as the Consultant wanted to see her. Yeah, that was the moment I knew something wasn't right. The Consultant confirmed that the scan showed something abnormal and that they would need to keep her in. My mother had been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Surreal!

In the last seven days my Mum has been diagnosed, had the tumour removed, been on life support in intensive care, regained consciousness and got back on her feet and pleased all the consultants, nurses and physios no end. She's a tough ole' northern bird!

That said, it's not to be underestimated the potential challenges ahead on her road to recovery. Having a brain tumour can be a life changing event and we are yet to know her prognosis - more torturous waiting ahead. Here's hoping she progresses as well as she has done the past three days.

I'm still trying to process what exactly has happened during the past seven days, so plan to blog more on this, particularly how it affects immediate family, how to cope with such news and how to support one another, and I'm really keen to blog about her road to recovery too. Watch this space...

The Family

I hope you all have a great week ahead and one that is filled with family, love, fun and laughter.
Shones
xoxo

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