It’s been ages since I posted! First of all I was on holiday (fab) and then I was back (less fab) with intrays (both virtual and paper) bulging at the seems, even though ‘the boss’ was doing a sterling job of dealing with stuff while I was away. My stress levels weren’t helped by the tax office sending out wrong info about maternity pay just when I needed to look into it, as ‘the boss’ is nearly half way to having a baby! Their calculator told me I could claim back about 10% of what I paid out in statutory maternity pay – which worried me a bit, since I’d thought I could claim back 100%. Turns out I CAN claim back 100% – but I had a stressful week or two before I found that out. Then they decided to keep me on my toes by telling me I’d not paid April’s PAYE, so I had to waste time phoning them up, only to be told ‘Oh sorry – the computer is accidentally sending out non-payment notices every time someone sends in an end of year tax statement.’ Marvellous!! Work itself has been pretty stressful too – but at least busy, which as usual I have to keep reminding myself is GOOD THING!
On top of all this I’ve recently heard that a good, and local, friend of mine has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. She also has RA! As my friend Weeny would say, ‘You really must stop going for those buy one, get one free offers!’ Seriously though – you’d think RA would be enough to cope with!
As to the good ol’ RA, it’s MOSTLY been behaving itself. I thought I was in for a holiday flare as I watched my hands getting redder and redder and more and more swollen as hubby drove us down to Dorset, but a few hours after we had reached our friend’s house, where we were to stay the week, they’d settled right back down. Perhaps my body suddenly went ‘Hey, chill out penguin – you’re on holiday!’ Had a blipette (florette, flarette?) this week, probably due to finding out about my friend’s cancer, but again it hasn’t materialised into a flare, thank goodness.
I’ve also just had a thyroid test (again) because I’m feeling tired and FROZEN all the time. While this MIGHT have something to do with the fact it’s bloody cold and we’re getting early April weather in mid May, I’m frozen even when it’s quite warm, so I think there’s more to it than that. The only time I’m really warm, in fact, is when I’m having a hot flush. Imagine the fun of dressing for a day of being 90% frozen and 10% boiled – it’s kinda tricky!
I think there’s about six things that could be expanded on in separate posts here, not to mention an interesting bit of info about blood tests that Maggie sent me before I went away and that I’m still planning to blog on at some point. But meanwhile it’s nose back to the grindstone – a rather grim mixture of interviews on child abuse and prostitution, and a disciplinary hearing! Oh well – it can’t be chocolate every week – last week was mostly all about chocolate, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain!
Pollyanna Penguin's RA Blog 
Glad you’re back, Ms Penguin, and welcome! Sounds like you had a very nice holiday and Dorset (near the sea?), and I’m glad the RA didn’t put a big ol’ damper on it. Very sorry to hear about your friend getting breast cancer, though. That’s just plain not fair. I hope she’ll respond well to treatment and that she’ll soon be back to coping with JUST the RA. Poor dear. I’ll keep her in my thoughts.
You made me laugh out loud with the “90 percent frozen, 10 percent boiled” line. I SO know that feeling, though I haven’t got thyroid problems. Hope the doc will be able to help you get that figured and straightened out.
What IS your profession, anyway? Chocolate one week, child abuse and prostitution the next? Sounds like jounalism!
My best to you, as always. I’ve missed your “voice” in the blogosphere.
Thank you! ;o) It’s good to be back blogging – though not so good to be back from hols! Yes, Dorset’s a county with a LOT of sea and we spent quite a bit of time at it. Lovely!
I don’t know yet if I’ve got thyroid problems – perhaps it’s just ’cause it’s darned cold at the moment. ;o) I HOPE that if I have they’ll do something about it.
No, not journalism – I run a very small business, just me and ‘the boss’ providing outsourced admin and secretarial services for various clients, mostly transcription (audio typing of interviews, focus groups, conferences etc. rather than dictations). This week’s been a results presentation by a corporation (chocolate), an interview for a solicitor (child abuse) and some interviews for a university research project (about prostitution). I HATE doing the solicitor interviews as I can’t get the stuff out of my head when I get home – but the rest I mostly enjoy!
Hey there – glad to see another another UK-er in the blogosphere! It IS freezing, isn’t it?? Where’s our usual May heatwave?? Glad your holiday went well, I’ve only driven through Dorset on the way to Cornwall but it’s a lovely bit of the country.
You’re so right – surely having RA must be THE bad thing that happens in our lives, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. We’re not excused from the rest of life’s terrors.. I hope your friend’s cancer is easily treatable and that you continue to feel well. Take it easy!
Hi Squirrel, Nice to ‘meet you’ – it is indeed good to see another UK-er in the blogsphere! At least they haven’t promised us a bar-b-q summer this year – which probably means we’ll get one unexpectedly!
Yeah, if life was fair RA would be IT – then again, if life was fair there’d be no RA! ;o)
Polly
Just in case you weren’t already aware, make sure you ask to see the actual thyroid results. If Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) is around 1.4, doctors should be able to provide treatment for hypothyroidism if there are also symptoms, although the official ‘normal’ level in the UK is 1.5. In the US, Germany, Australia and some other countries, anything above 1.3 or so signals automatic treatment. Am currently most annoyed about this!
Oh dear – is yours 1.3 then?
HAAAAAAAAAYA!!