Followers

Friday 29 June 2018

The Good, The Bad and the Unmentionable.

The good is, or rather, are these.



Both made from stash, and light and cool, just the ticket for this heatwave. Side seam pockets, you have to have a pocket or two, and just above knee level. Both made in a 24 hour period over 2 days, simple fuss free sewing.

The bad is only temporary.
My Utility Room, the contents are strewn about the house and I have to seacrh through boxes and bags for every item.

B U T it will pass, the new plumbing has been installed and the new floor is down.
My little patio/yard looks like a builder,s merchant but that too will pass.

The Unmentionable, mmm,not a subject for the delicate of mind. 

NO, it is a subject for everybody.

I have just completed the procedure for Bowel Cancer Screening, a white coated cardboard container, toilet paper, little cardboard sticks and a collection unit.

Followed by lots of soap and very warm water.

I do this every time the envelope drops through the letterbox. Just as I go for the Breast Screening.

A distasteful task and squished boobies are worthwhile inconveniences when you think about it.
In the grand scheme of things prevention is better than cure, and an early diagnosis is better than a too late one.

My Brother in Law died far too young, he had Bowel Cancer but was too embarrassed or maybe stupid to see the doctor until it was too late.

Breast cancer kills on a regular basis. It killed my Mother in Law and she never got to see her grandchildren grow up, they have no memories of her.
She just could not face the indignity of seeing a male doctor. She was not stupid, or ignorant, just foolish and a product of her time.

It is early. Herbie decided that he had to get up at 5:30.
I do not mind, the doors are propped open and cool air is flooding the house. The first cuppa of the day has been drunk (pure nectar that first one) and I will be out watering the front garden soon. The back garden has a soaking last night and all the pots had a drink of rain water. I am giving them a very diluted feed twice a week at the moment, this heat would drain them otherwise. 

That is a perfect place to stop and get busy, I have to get the hose round to the front and soak the borders before the sun gets over the yard arm.


                           TTFN                                Pam














21 comments:

  1. Well done, Pam.

    I have Crohn's disease, and got my 5 year clearance from breast cancer in January. The cancer was picked up by the breast screening programme here in NZ, i.e. regular mammograms. I am very fortunate as the cancer couldn't be felt and was discovered just as it had started to move to a lymph node. The Crohn's has meant most of my large intestine was removed 20 years ago, however I don't have a stoma, just a rather fast digestive system. And I have a higher risk of developing bowel cancer than average, however it also means I have regular blood tests and other screenings. I really appreciate life now.
    Michelle in Wellington, NZ

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    1. It amazes me that people from all walks of life are happy to shout their sexual tendencies to the world but mention Bowel issues and they turn into shrinking violets. If it becomes easier to talk about then hopefully more people will do the test procedure.

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    2. Yes indeed,Pam. For anyone nervous about visiting a Gastroenterologist Just remember 1) they deal with bowel issues everyday; and 2) they chose to specialise in it, as do all the other medics in this field. On a completely different subject - I really like the fabric in the first dress. Happy wearing your new dresses, I hope it cools a bit for you soon.

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  2. I'm on the bowel cancer sampling at the moment so your post resonated with me. I had genetic testing a few years back as there is a history of breast and ovarian cancer in my family and I had an oophrectomy (bye-bye ovaries) and bilateral mastectomy (bye-bye both boobies) and am so glad that all this testing is available. The procedure for bowel cancer testing seems a very small task in the scheme of things. But it's still horrid.

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    1. Our NHS has it's problems, but boy does it do a good job. If we all speak freely about it perhaps more people will be saved.

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  3. Love the dresses. Please tell me, what pattern did you use? And are they lined? GREAT stashbusting. I've recently "played Pooh sticks" And had my boob-check. Minor inconveniences, but simple and wise actions. And FREE. Thank the Lord for the NHS!

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    1. I used the bodice from McCall's M6711 (which I modified to a scoop neck) for the "dress shop" one with the skirt from New Look 6352 and used that pattern for the other dress. I line all my dresses, there are several tutorials on lining dresses out there, one on my blog somewhere. It just makes sense to use every health check available, I would far rather that than the alternative.

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  4. Great post Pam, I too always take this test, and any other offered. I am a breast cancer survivor since 2010, life has it stranger moments, but it's worth living. Love your sewing, you are clever.

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    1. Thank you for the compliment but I am still in awe of your cross stitch. I would not dream of passing by a free health test. After all Free is good, and good health is beyond price.

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  5. Gorgeous dresses Pam. Both fabrics are lovely but I particularly like the 'dress shop' fabric.
    Hugs-x-

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    1. I am ashamed to say that it has move with me, twice. These variations on a simple shift dress are so cool to wear. 100% cotton and fully lined.

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  6. Totally agree about the screenings-we are so lucky to be offered them. My mother died of stupidity as she told everyone who asked how she was faring after her colostomy-she left it too late and was evangelical for the last two years of her life about getting people to be mindful about their bowels. Love your new makes-this weather is really too warm for me as I’m a fair skinned Celt and we’re not used to this. Happy weekend.

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    1. I like the sun,just not at these levels. I have been in Australia in January and this is very close to that heat.

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  7. It must be the time of year! I too am ‘collecting’ at the moment. An unpleasant, but necessary task. At 74 I now have to request the mammogram and when I phoned up last week they said the van would not be in my town for years and when I eventually found a local town they said it would be next January but I couldn’t book until December. I hope they won’t tell me there aren’t any available appointments when I phone. That isn’t as bad as my appt with the Opthamologist which he requested for 9 months’ time. When it came through it was 18 months. Hoping not to go blind before that!

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    1. Given that we are all living longer I think that the age limits need raising. I discussed this the last time that i had a mammogram and was told that many people do not use their appointments.

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  8. Those dresses are smashing.. Just the ticket for this hot hot weather.

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    1. They are so cool to wear, the thought of a fitted waistband in this heat makes me shudder.

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  9. Those dresses are cute and I am sure are cool to wear. Good use of stash.

    God bless.

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    1. Thank you, I try to make each one slightly different but they all have pockets and a full lining. The Stash is shrinking, finally.

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  10. These screenings are so important, I can never understand why people would not take the opportunity that is offered for free
    Super dresses, bet you are nice and cool in those.

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  11. Tomorrow I'm having my mammogram. Missed last yaer because I had no insurance. After that I'm going to the cardiologist and have an echo to see if any problems have shown up in the 2 years since my angiogram. Then later in the month it's a well woman, rheumatology and I'm pretty sure he's going to insist on another colonoscopy. The joy is I turned 65, found a health plan that takes care of everything and costs me -0-.

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