Jan 2018

Well we’re officially well into 2018 now, Christmas seems like it was ages ago (even though we’ve STILL got our Christmas decorations up as Daddy P is in charge of putting them up and taking them down, and he hasn’t managed to get round to taking them down yet!)

Fortunately for us, Sunshineface got over his bought of chickenpox a couple of weeks before Christmas. While he was suffering with that, Daddy P, Picklepot and myself all had a horrible cold, but we were all feeling much better by the time 25^th December rolled round.

Picklepot had fun at Beavers Christmas camp – the night they stayed over it snowed, so they got to have a run around in the snow on the Sunday morning before coming home, which added to the festive feeling: We arranged a Helping Hands Christmas party with a very special guest who came along to give the kids a little early present: I attended a work Christmas party at a hotel in Borehamwood with a movie character theme which was brilliant fun: There were meals out with friends, present buying and wrapping, not to mention Daddy P decorating the front room (yes, I know, epic timing lol and it still isn’t quite finished!)

While Picklepot has been, shall we say, much more challenging over the Christmas holidays, he made me very proud on Boxing Day as we spent the day over at Grandparents P home, with my SIL, BIL, nephew and niece. It makes for a crowded living room with all of us squeezed in there, plus presents as well, but Picklepot handled it brilliantly. He excused himself a few times to go off elsewhere to have some quiet time and play on his pad, he ate most of his Christmas dinner (encouragement from Grandma goes a long way!) and he managed to keep himself from becoming too overwhelmed. I was very proud of him – especially considering that after some of his meltdowns before that during Christmas break had me concerned that Boxing Day was going to be awful!

Both boys are very fortunate to have got so many lovely gifts, from Father Christmas and from us and our family and friends. We had a lovely time, it really was brilliant.

Unfortunately at some point during the Christmas fun my right hand became incredibly painful. I totally lost grip, I couldn’t move my thumb without it being excruciatingly painful and it made everything so awkward and difficult to do. I waited it out thinking that I’d sprained it or something silly, but instead of getting better it just got worse. Before I knew it the thumb was swollen around the base on my palm and the back of my hand and I was really struggling to do anything.

I had a call back from the GP surgery who had me in for an appointment that morning – they took some bloods, and the doctor examined me. She was concerned by the pain I had and I was sent for an X ray immediately as she was worried I had fractured my scaphoid bone.

The following Tuesday I spoke to the surgery again who confirmed my X ray had come back normal, but my blood tests showed that my red cells were enlarged. The marker for arthritis had shown up, so they wanted to take more blood for further tests. I went back and had more blood taken that morning; I then spoke to the doctor again on Friday. She advised that the second tests came back normal – if they’d shown another marker, alongside the arthritis marker, this would indicate lupus, but as they didn’t show this other marker we now go down the line of arthritis. She says this would cause the pain if I’m having a flare-up at the moment and the lack of mobility to my thumb. She has done an urgent referral to the rheumatology department at the local hospital, so currently I’m waiting to hear from them with an appointment. If their assistance doesn’t help within 10 weeks and I’m still in as much pain, I will have an MRI to double check that it is not a fractured scaphoid – sometimes the X ray doesn’t pick it up since it’s such a small bone – if it does turn out to be a fractured scaphoid I will either need a cast or surgery, depending if it’s aligned or not, to resolve it.

We also got a letter from the ADHD team in December, to tell us that they’re very busy and we’ll get an appointment as soon as possible. Considering we’ve been waiting since February 2017 I’m not holding my breath. I’ll get another appointment with the same GP we saw before and ask him to push for us. Picklepot is finding it harder and harder to focus and he’s beginning to really struggle. I don’t want him to get too far behind in school before it is looked into more. I would rather we get this in hand sooner than later. He’s going to be 8 this year – another 3 years and he’ll be off to high school, and we need his focus and concentration vastly improved before then.

Picklepot has been having further issues with the horrible child in his class that has been a bully since day 1 … I was furious over the Christmas holidays when I found a card from this child who had written “I hate you” on the back. I was so upset I emailed school immediately even though it was Christmas holidays, expressing  my absolute horror at finding this message and demanding that something is done about this child, who has had countless tellings off regarding their behaviour, particularly toward Picklepot, and yet continues to be just as nasty. The SENCO (currently acting Deputy Head) called me the day they went back to school and we discussed at length exactly who it was, what had happened, whether the child had been any better since their last telling off over their behaviour toward Picklepot, and going over what the school would be doing. This child has spat at Picklepot, tripped him over, pulled his hair, called him names, pushed him, taken food from him (his apple / packet of crisps mysteriously goes missing after the child has been nearby the lunch bags) he has had his coat removed from his locker and found on the floor in the boys toilets with the other child in the toilet at the time (coincidence?) The child has lied to get Picklepot in trouble, he has deliberately shut his hand in a classroom door, he makes up stories to tell other children and is generally making Picklepot very unhappy. I am giving it til the half term holidays then I will be in contact with the SENCO again to discuss improvements / issues.

Hope you all had a very Happy Christmas too, and that your 2018 brings you plenty of love, laughter and happiness.

-        Mummy P