Jenson

It has been another full on day for us today.  This weekend is turning out to be really good.  We had our lovely visit to Cambridge yesterday and the good news about Jackson.

Today we went to the dog rescue kennels.  I wanted to go over the sponsorship stuff with Gyll and Simon was going to go in and sit with Jensen.  He is the cruelty case Dalmatian.  When we arrived there were some  people there who had come to see Marlo a lurcher with a view to adoption.  That went quite well.  

Once they had gone Jim told us the good news that he had decided that morning to get Jenson out of his kennel.  We were so thrilled.  After some discussion it was decided that we would get him out again and have him in the office for a while.  He obviously recognised Simon who has been working with him the last few weeks.  We had him out for around 2 hours in total and he was very good.  Very relaxed and showing signs of trust and confidence.

It was the best news and we were both so thrilled to see this progress in him.  They are trying to arrange a vets appointment for Tuesday which is Simon's day off next week.  He needs checking over as he seemed to be holding his left back leg up quite a lot and we also observed quite a pronounced curve in his spine.  If all goes well on Tuesday they may neuter him at the same time which at least would get all the unpleasant vet stuff out of the way in one go,.

I can't tell you how thrilled Simon and I were to see him out if his kennel and making progress.  This is the good part of the volunteer work that we do.  That said he still has a long road ahead of him.

Once home we had a quick bite of lunch and then Simon went to the barn with Sam to bring yet more stuff home. I spent a few hours making some felt brooches which I have listed already in my Fabrilushus shop and EBAY.   When Simon got back he had Sam and Ellie with him so I had an hour or so chatting to Ellie.  She is the most gorgeous girlie and very clever with it.  Can you tell that I am proud?  She was telling me all about her latest cousin.  Her Mummy's sister just had a baby boy yesterday called Riley.  Ellie is actually quite disappointed that it is another boy!  She now has 4 cousins and they are all boys,  Evan, Flynn, Jackson and now Riley.  All boys!

Since they left I have had a nice relaxing bath with a glass of the red stuff.  Always a good end to the weekend!  I didn't even have to cook as Simon did that. He did a bacon gougere which was lovely.  it is a dish we used to do a long time ago when the children were younger.  Haven't had it in ages.     It was as good as it looks.

We are now sitting in front of the fire so we are nice and warm and cosy.  I have another glass of the red stuff and Simon  has a cider.  The dogs are curled up next to us and we are just generally relaxing.  All in a all we have enjoyed a great weekend and for that I am truly thankful.

Good news.

It has been a pretty busy weekend as they always are.  Yesterday we went to Cambridge to see Verity Steve and Jackson.  Coralie had organised a baby shower for Verity as she has missed out on all the normal new mummy stuff.

Baby showers are not something that we really do here in the UK.  I mean, a few people might but the average Joe Bloggs doesn't.   Coralie just thought it might be nice so she organised for all of us to go to Verity and Steve's.   We were all there except Saskia.  We had balloons and presents and yummy cake.   I had made some bunting but forgot to take it!.   I will post it out to them tomorrow.

Once all the present giving and cake eating was over we went on mass to the hospital to see Jackson,  I have fantastic news.  He is totally off his CPAP, breathing on his own and has been moved out of intensive care on to the special care unit.  How wonderful is that?   He is a little fighter.  Only 11 days old and out of intensive care.

We took turns to go in and see him as it is only one person at a time with Mum and Dad.   He is still very tiny but has regained his birth weight of 3lbs.   Thank you so much to everyone that has been sending prayers, good wishes , positive vibes

I will keep you updated.

Three Counties sponsor dogs

You all know that since last summer both Simon and I have been volunteering at the Three Counties Dog Rescue kennels.  They are a no kill shelter.  That is not actually an expression used much over here.  I think the majority of rescues try not to euthanize unless there is a medical reason meaning the dog has no quality of life.  Three Counties has an excellent record and does it's best to find  good homes.  It fosters out dogs that are unlikely to ever be adopted.  It pays for every penny of their care.   Every person there is a volunteer. We all give up our time for the love of the dogs.

OK, don't want to get on my soap box today.  If you want to know more about them you can go here: http://www.threecountiesdogrescue.org/   I have recently been given the task of doing the admin work for the sponsorship scheme and part of this involves putting together a newsletter for each dog 4 times a year.  I was doing them yesterday and it occurred to me that you might like to see photos of the dogs.

There are 5 dogs available to sponsor.  The first is Dolly, she is a boxer and quite gorgeous.  She is our longest serving resident having been at the kennels for around 8 years. She is a darling and if I didn't have my 2 Dallies I would bring her home to spend the final years of her life with us.

Second is Buster, a big, big boy.

Then there is Minty a collie cross who is fully of energy.

The 4th one is Jenson the Dalmatian who was rescued back in the summer from absolutely appalling circumstances.  He was kept locked up in a bedroom with no access to the outside world. He was malnourished and very, very, frightened.  He is just starting to put on some weight and both Simon and Jim have been working with him to try and gain his trust  and restore his confidence.  He has a long road ahead.

Lastly there is Phoebe but I am still waiting on photos of her.  It might be that I have to take some on Saturday when we go in to help.

Three Counties has around 70 dogs in kennels and more in foster homes.  It has annual costs in excess of £150,000 all of which is raised by volunteers like ourselves. Every one of the dogs is treated with love and affection, they are well cared for.  In many ways they are lucky.  They are luckier still when Gyll finds them their ideal home.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my doggie friends.

Facebook

Facebook is a wonderful social medium.  No, really it is!  I don't post much personal stuff there and I certainly do not post status updates telling you that it is 2pm and I am in Starbucks having a coffee.  That is drivel.  Come to think of it, I post a lot of drivel on my blog!  My point is that many people do post such updates, my own family included.  I choose not to comment.  I do not tell them they are posting drivel.

So what do I do on there?  Well I play a few games and I check out the photos posted by family and friends.  I quite like that aspect of it as it is a way of keeping up with people you don't see often.  I post  occasional news updates such as those the last week regarding my new grandson.  It is one way of keeping friends informed of how he is doing.  The last 2 weeks I have also been promoting my Fabrilushus shop as well.  Something which will no doubt annoy some friends, but hey you can just skip it.

I am sure that many of you will have also noticed that I regularly share posts regarding dogs.  I share photos of dogs needing to be rescued and stories of the appalling cruelty that man is capable of towards the animal supposedly his best friend.   I post these in the hope that someone, somewhere, may be able to help these poor animals and to raise awareness of the terrible things that we allow to happen.

Yes, they are couched in emotive language.  It helps to make a point.  They have graphic photos quite often. If they make you feel sick, well good, so it should.  Maybe, just maybe, it might make you think. Someone mentioned that there was no point to these posts as they will not reach the people concerned.  That is absolutely true but it might reach others who care enough to take a stand.  Like most things in life it only needs a few to stand up and be counted.

I do realise that dogs are not the only ones to suffer.  I am not stupid.  I am intelligent and well educated.  I know what happens to cows, lambs, chickens, horses...... the list goes on.  Sadly I do not have the time to champion them all.  I have always loved dogs.  I have a strong affinity with them.  For that reason I concentrate all my efforts in trying to do whatever I can, in any small way, to help their plight.

Some people do not like dogs.  That is fine, I do not have a problem with that as long as you treat them decently.  Some people have a problem with my posts.  I do not.  It is simple, if you don't like a post then move on.  If you have something to say then say it.  If you want to share the post then please do.  But don't try to detract from the issue by going on about the emotive language.   These posts are written that way for a reason.    I respect your right to post as you see fit, please respect mine.

Finally if you really couldn't care less then I stick by what I said on my last facebook posting........ you are hard hearted.  I defy anybody to look at the photo and read that post about the use of bolt guns to kill Greyhounds  and not be in tears.  It doesn't matter how much you do, or how much you have seen that post should still make you cry.   It is happening here in the UK.  I shared it because I think that most people would not have any knowledge of this practise.  Now they do my hope is that they will  step forward and help to get the law changed to make this practise illegal.   If that happens then my overly emotive postings will have achieved something.

PS.  Before anyone jumps up and down and spits their dummy  ......... this post is NOT directed at anyone in particular.  I have had many comments and messages and I am  putting my side.  Nothing more, nothing less.

PPS.  It has amazed me how many "friends" commented on my last few doggie  postings on facebook and yet those same friends have made no comment what so ever on my new little grandson.  The little grandson who was born 10 weeks prematurely and will be in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for several months.  No comments.  Odd.  Maybe they only like commenting when they can be negative.    Maybe they just didn't read fully.  C'est la vie.

PPS.  He is doing very well, thanks for asking!

Think I shall go and play some mindless facebook game now.

One week on

Can you believe it, Jackson is a week old already.  Both he and his Mummy are doing well.  I went to visit again yesterday.  It was a bit of a trek to get there, 2 buses and a train.  It was worth it though. I got to see the little man without his CPAP apparatus.  He was awake for a while too.

He is doing amazingly well.  His milk has just been increased today to 8.5ml an hour.  He is going to keep his Mummy busy!  He has more or less regained his birth weight so is just a fraction under 3lb.   I took in some tiny, little, premature clothes for him and they are way too big even though they are size 1lb - 3.5lb.  It doesn't matter as he can't wear anything yet anyway.   We are hoping to go again on Saturday weather permitting.  Just saw a local weather forecast which is saying snow on Friday!  I HATE SNOW.

Today has been a day of catching up on housework.  Lots to do as I was out all day yesterday.  This afternoon I spent compiling 5 separate newsletters for the 5 sponsor dogs at the rescue kennels.   It is part of the sponsorship scheme that they get 4 newsletter updates a year.  It took me quite a while as  I was starting from scratch.  The next one will be easier.  Maybe tomorrow I'll show you the 5 dogs.

This evening I did a bit of sewing.  I am making another iPad case.  Didn't get it finished though as I had to stop and cook dinner.  I have been blobbing this evening.  I am tired.  In fact I think it is time to retire with a good book.

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Show and tell on Monday

Well as you may imagine my time has been limited over the last week so some of the stuff that I hoped to do just didn't get done.  They say there is going to be a lot more snow and that the sub zero temperatures will also be here for a while.  Hibernation time!  I HATE the cold so barely leave the house unless I have to.  The up side of that is more sewing time!

Despite lack of time I did manage a few items. A felt brooch, a wall hanging, an iPad / tablet case, a child's tote bag and two mobile phone cases to be precise.  All small projects, easily worked on.  

In addition to those I made some bunting for Jackson  for the baby shower which didn't happen.  Hopefully we can use it next weekend.  Here it is in the making. Do not look at the messy floor.

Here it is finished. I couldn't hang it on the wall so Simon held it out.

This is the brooch that I made. A flower one.  I sold 6 more of my heart shaped ones this week but on Ebay not from my new Etsy shop Fabrilushus. 

This is the iPad case in a green skull and cross bones fabric!

The first mobile (cell) case is a smaller one and fits my own mobile (cell) comfortably.  Why on earth do Merikans call them cells?  Mobile seems a much more sensible name because that is what they are, mobile!

The second cell (mobile) case is larger and fits an iPhone.  Cell case doesn't sound right.

This is the second little girls tote bag that I have done.  Pretty in pink with a bow decoration.  My Dad asked me tonight  "what is a tote bag"?  I actually don't know!  Well I do, but I can't really explain why it is different to another bag.  Nor do I know why they are called totes.  I do know what the verb tote means so I can kind of work it out.  Must look this up. What makes a bag a tote rather than a handbag or shopping bag, or even a plain old shoulder bag?  Answers on a postcard please.

Finally I made another "English Springtime" wall hanging like the one that I made for Kathy.  I really like this one.

They are all for sale in my Fabrilushus shop where 10% of all sales is going to go to the doggie Rescue.    If nothing actually ever sells then I will put them all on a craft stall at the dog show in the summer and hope to sell them there.  All profits then will be for the dogs.   I love those dogs.  Wish I could bring them all home.

That is it for this week.  I am currently working on a little embroidered card for Jackson.   I want to make more bags, brooches and cases this week.  Maybe another wall hanging too.

Update on our boy

Thank you for all the kind messages and comments of support.  It has been a worrying few days.  However I am really pleased to be able to tell you that both Mummy and baby are doing well.  Oh and Daddy too!

Verity was actually discharged from the hospital late yesterday and so she has had her first night at home without her little one. She coped well.  It must have been very hard to leave him behind.  I think it will be easier once she establishes her daily routine of visiting.

Little Jackson is now 5 days old and doing really well. He is still 3lbs but hopefully that will begin to increase slowly.  The amount of milk he is given has increased slowly from just 1ml up to 5.2ml's today.  He has that every hour and it is Mummy's milk so it is good stuff.

They have now turned off his blue lights and they have also stopped 1 of his antibiotics.  He continues with the CPAP. Yesterday they were both able to have their very first cuddle with him.  A really magical moment for them all and one that I am sure they will remember always.

We had hoped to go to visit today, in fact Coralie had organised a baby shower for her.  This is not something that ordinary girls do over this side of the pond.  I think it is still very much a Merikan thing but Coralie thought it would help Verity as she is missing out on so much.  Sadly it didn't happen due to the weather. IE. SNOW!  

The forecast was for heavy snow across us and the south east right across Cambridge starting at 11am.  In fact the snow didn't start here until about 5.30pm but it was snowing in Cambridge pretty much all day.  It was the right decision not to go as the roads are pretty treacherous when it is snowing.  We were all very disappointed though and just hoping that the beautiful cakes made by friends of Coralie will last until next week.

I have balloons and bunting and they will be fine.  We hope to rearrange it for next weekend.  Simon and I are hoping to visit tomorrow as it is his day off but in reality I think it is unlikely.  We have now had about 4 inches of snow and it is still going.  The weather forecast is showing snow until around midday tomorrow.  If we can't go then I shall try and go on the train on Tuesday assuming that they are running because a lot aren't right now.

I bet my Merikan and Canadian friends roll around laughing at how our little old country gets it's knickers in a twist over a bit of snow.  The telling point is that we talk in inches and they talk in feet!  They accept that it is winter and there will be snow we are constantly surprised by it and consequently caught out.  To be fair we don't get the same quantity over here and until recent years my little corner often didn't see any.  They say this is how it is set to be so I guess we should start getting used to it.  Funny, I though the world was warming up!

I will post more photos as we get them.

The birth of Baby Jackson

Well  you may have noticed that I haven't been around for the last week.  Some of you know why.  Actually if you have read my previous blog post then you will all know why!  Yes we have a new little grandson.  A teeny, tiny, unbelievable small grandson.   It has been a very worrying week. 

It began last Friday with a phone call from Coralie telling me that Verity's waters had broken and that she was on her way into Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge.  I was out of my mind with worry.  This was way too early she was only 30 weeks.   We soon had word that she would need to be transferred elsewhere as there was no NICU (Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit) cot available at Addenbrookes, the unit was closed because it was full.  At that point they were thinking that she would be moved to Norwich, some 100 or so miles away.  

Luckily they spoke to Coralie who was actually working that night and she knew there was cot on her own unit in Peterborough so eventually an ambulance transfer was arranged and Verity arrived at Peterborough City Hospital at 3.30am.  When she arrived Coralie was free having delivered twins a few hours before so she was able to take over her sisters care which was wonderful for all.  It also meant that Coralie was updating me on the situation right through the night. 

They  were not initially sure sure if labour had started or not.  She was given drugs to stop labour plus the steroids  to mature the babies lungs.  They also gave her a massive dose of antibiotics because of the risk of infection. 

At that point Coralie told us that if labour didn't start it would probably be in the next 48 hours.  However providing labour didn't begin the protocol would be antibiotics until it does and visits to the hospital every 2 days for blood tests in the hope that they could get to 37 weeks. 

Saturday was pretty much the same and we went to visit her in the afternoon.  Both her and Steve were very calm although they must have been so worried.   On Sunday she was having some cramps but only every now and then.  There was still no sign of labour beginning and we were beginning to think  she was safe and would hang on.    Coralie must be a good midwife because she told us that it would be very soon.  She kept saying that even when a different consultant discharged Verity on Monday afternoon.   At that point the consultant was hoping to be able to get her to 34 weeks.

It wasn't to be.  Labour began around 3am and she went back into Addenbrookes where fortunately she was allowed to stay as they now had the necessary NICU cot available.   Baby had gone from lying transverse to being breech (bum down for those that don't know) and he was sort of wedged in her pelvis so they decided to prep her for theatre.

The poor girl had such a traumatic time.  It took 3 attempts to get an epidural in and by the time they had they suddenly realised that not only was she fully dilated but he was half way out! So long story short, she had someone pushing him back up the way he had come and someone else pulling him from the other side!  This resulted in a baby black and blue with bruising and a very, very nasty incision for Verity. 

But we must be grateful that they are both OK.  Little Jackson is a strong little man.  He came out breathing on his own and was very quickly moved to NICU which Coralie told us was good news as they don't move them until they are stable.  Coralie was there having caught the train at 5am.  Once again it was wonderful to know that she was there with her sister and was able to keep us updated every 15 minutes or so.  Thankfully it was Simon's day off so we got up and just waited for news.

Jackson was born at 6.36am and weighed  just 3lbs.  A decent size actually but he looks incredibly tiny when you see him.  Simon and I went  that afternoon and after having 20 minutes with Verity which was ten minutes longer than they said we could have,  Steve took us up to the unit to meet his son.  I went in first as only 1 person can go in at a time with a parent.  I held it together, didn't cry, not then.  I wanted to be strong for Steve.  He is SO SMALL.  I have never seen anything as small.  His arms are the size of Steve's fingers.  Simon made a joke that the chicken we had for dinner the day before was bigger and he was right!

So here we are 3 days later.  How can he be 3 days old already?  Verity is doing well but is in quite a lot of pain. She will probably be allowed home soon. Maybe tomorrow or the weekend.  Jackson is doing great so far.  He is on CPAP ventilation but is continuing to do well with his breathing.  All other signs are looking good so far.  We are all very aware of the roller coaster ahead.   At this point in time it is very early days.  They have been told to expect around 10 weeks before he can go home.  The general rule of thumb is the due date but they must also weigh 5lbs.  Some babies do well and are home sooner and some take longer.  

I would like to thank those of you that knew what was going on and kept our family in your prayers right over the weekend and beyond.  I think it goes without saying that little Jackson could use all the help he can get right now so whatever it is that you do, prayers, good wishes, positive thoughts,  all will be more than welcome right now and in the coming weeks and I thank you for them in advance.  As always I know that all of you will be there as a constant support. 

Special announcement

I am pleased to announce the birth of our 5th grandchild,  a little boy called Jackson Youngs.  He was born at 6.36am on Tuesday the 15th of January 2013.  He weighs 3lb.  This is the only photo that we have so far and the blue light  makes it hard to see him.

He was born 10 weeks early but both he and Mummy are doing well.  Congratulations Verity and Steve.