Your Questions Answered.....Finally!

As promised here are the answers to your questions. I haven't put names to questions, as I'm sure you will all know which are your own :)

Here goes.....and as promised this is a completely honest set of answers...some of them required a lot of soul searching!!

All Questions Answered Honestly



1. If you had an opportunity to visit any country in the world (all expense paid trip!) and had to pick just one. which country would you choose... and why.

I think it would have to be America. I have at least three friends over there, all online, who I would love to meet in person. One of them has a whole family, including a dog to give a cuddle to! America, being so big, would be a big trip, with lots of land to cover to visit all of the friends, and therefore lots of travelling and sightseeing. Alternative of course would be Malaysia, as my list of friends over there is continually growing, and maybe I could get a photography lesson or two thrown in!!

2. What would you name your band. (and you Can't say Robbie!)

Ok so I can’t say Robbie, how about The Rob-ettes?! My previous band was called Outer Limits, which hubby thought of! I’ve just his second had a name come into my head, I googled it to check it wasn’t used by anyone else as a band name…..it is as song titles, and album names.
The name would be New Beginnings.

3. Have you ever, at any time through your medical challenges, felt like just giving up and, if so, how did you get yourself out of that frame of mind.

Now this is going to be a very truthful answer, and may shock some of the people that know me. The answer is yes. One time I was in the bath, you have to remember that for the last two years, and numerous occasions before then, I couldn’t sit or lie in the bath. I had to kneel. I couldn’t use any sort of bubble bath or soap. I could only use a special medical bath wash provided by the hospital. Maybe some women may understand how nice it is to just lie back in a lovely bubble filled, scent filled bath and relax. My experience was always difficult. Remove dressings, most times painful! Clamber into the bath, and watch as “certain things” flowed from me. Gin and Tonic blog will give you more detail in the future. I knelt, I could see my reflection in the shower screen, and I cried. I think it might have been for a good hour or so. I thought of all of the tablets I had downstairs. For a minute or two it crossed my mind. No more pain, no more time off work, no more hospital stays. And a few more things crossed my mind. My Mum, My Dad, and hubby. The thought quickly left me, and that’s when I went to the doctor and admitted I was depressed. He told me he wasn’t surprised and prescribed me a low dose tablet. Six weeks later and I was much happier with myself. Those thought have never crossed my mind since.

4. How does it make you feel when you receive HUGS from all around the world??

It makes me regret that I don’t hug my parents more. We’ve never been much of a hugging family. My Dad once said to me at Christmas, “You know what your Mum would really like as a Christmas present…..a hug”. That pulled on my heartstrings, and, although we really only hug when I go away on holiday….I am conscious that it’s important.
I remember the first time I was introduced to hubby’s family. I couldn’t believe that they all greeted everyone with hugs and kisses, at first I was a bit dubious, but now it’s well accepted.
As for the blog…..you have to give to receive! I am willing to show love to anyone as long as they don’t hurt any of my friends or family, or me. Therefore, by signing off each post with a HUG or two, it hopefully makes people feel welcome, appreciated, and included in my blog world. After all, a ten second hug is guaranteed to lower stress levels!!!

5. If the letters in HUGS could stand for something, what would they stand for in Whisky's words?? Answer these questions...

H is for..…(apart from the obvious Hug) it would have to be happiness. What can make you more happy than being hugged by someone you love.

U is for...Unforgettable. I think you never forget when someone gives you an unexpected but much needed hug. Example, arriving back from holiday, being greeted by a family member, and getting a lovely hug! That was before she commented on my hair braids LOL.

G is for.…Generosity. Giving a hug is just as important as receiving!

S is for.…Showing love. After all, isn’t a hug the best way to show you love someone?

6. Have you ever had to revise your usual initial "assessment" of a person?

Definitely!! I once had what I thought was a true friend. I was wrong. When someone watches you through your letterbox at night, when your hubby is away…..that’s not friendship! Normally my initial assessment is correct. If I don’t like someone, I don’t like them. And normally my judgement is spot on!

7. Would you take your bin out in your pj's first thing in the morning?

First thing in the morning?! When’s that then? (Joke) I will take my bin out in my pj’s. I’m proud of my pj’s! I have a collection that’s going on for at least 20 sets! And that’s no joke!. With all of my hospital stay’s you have to be prepared. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. I’ve been known to take the bin out in pj’s and big fluffy slippers. My neighbours know I’m nutty anyway ;)

8. Do you drink coffee... if so... instant or drip?

Coffee any time. Tea to me is bluuuurgh! I used to drink coffee (instant) made with water, but now I can’t tolerate the taste….too watery? So my special drink ,two times a day, is coffee made with milk. My recipe is, small teacup filled with milk. Microwave for precisely 1 minute and 35 seconds. Add two heaped teaspoons of instant coffee, and one heaped teaspoon of sugar. Stir 100 times precisely, to ensure it’s thoroughly dissolved, sit at pc reading blogs and e mail, and sip to your hearts content. People will know if I e mail them after a coffee…..especially Clever Crafting Friend, as I tend to ramble, and ramble away. Ermmmm……..sort of like now. I only finished my coffee two minutes ago. Ahem! When it’s a long blog I’m coffee inflated.

9. Do you floss?

I’m afraid not. My teeth are the one thing I am ashamed of. Not, having an ileostomy bag, or Crohn’s disease, my teeth. I have a fear of dentists that I just cannot get over. I’ve worked back to when it began. I was about eleven, and I went to a dentist with my Mum. The dentist said they had an new thing available that prevented food from sticking In your teeth. It was a clear gel that set rock hard. He placed it on my molars, and told me to keep my teeth apart for 30 seconds. He had misread the instructions, it should have been 30 minutes!!! On my way home I clenched my teeth for some reason……and they were well and truly stuck together! Yes FOR Once I was quiet. But it took a good while to get them apart, and then of course the gel was all ragged and cut my tongue……I don’t think this is still used by dentists.
With the Crohn’s come sickness, and that has affected my teeth, as has smoking and drinking coffee. When I talk or laugh I cover my mouth, when I am close to someone talking I cover my mouth. Paranoid. If I won the lottery I would pay for a general anaesthetic and have all of my teeth made perfect in one go.


10. Fairy washing up liquid or other?

Tesco’s own is wonderful. Loads of bubbles, gentle on the hands, and works wonders on those “GROUND IN STAINS” Ainsley Harriet should give it a try. I’m sure it’s all made in the same factory!

11. what would you do w/ a rat in your garden shed???
a. feed it.
b. set a trap and kill it?
c. put out poison?

This one I’m afraid. I hate to admit it, but me, mice or rats don’t mix. I am an animal lover, and hate to see cruelty to animals, and I really don’t know why I do it. Maybe it’s a territorial thing. Them in my house or my garden!! I know I may regret this, and I apologise if this has offended any other animal lovers amongst you. But I did promise to be honest.
d. call pest control?
e. set a live trap and catch it and let it go someplace better?
f. observe it?
g. ignore it?

12. When you find a snail or slug in your garden... what do you do w/ it... or if you find one whilst walking?????

Slugs I normally leave, after all, nature takes its course and for some reason the wood lice eat some of them! But we do put pellets down to protect our “precious plants” like my bleeding heart, and blue moon rose.

Snails, if they are on the path and might get trodden on, I pick them up and put them on the lawn.


13. Is there any part of your personality that you didn't like, that has positively evolved because of your medical trials and tribulations?

Yes! My self confidence! I was told about my operation to have an ileostomy bag whilst I was alone in the hospital. I was convinced that as soon as hubby walked in, I would tell him, and he would turn around and walk back out again. Or that it would affect our “relationship”. I was also convinced that people would look at me and “see” that I had the bag. Firstly, I told hubby, and he immediately and firmly told me that nothing would or could change how he felt about me. It was me as a whole that he loved, my personality, and our “connection”. Once I was well enough, and had worked up the courage, our “relationship” resumed. Tears were shed, but now, as long as I am healthy enough, everything is fine. Just because I can’t “bottyrburp” like everyone else, I can still make some strange darned noises in competition.!

As for people being able to see it. Not long after I came out of the hospital we popped around to see Ma in Law and Dad In Law. They had some friends there who knew about my operation and my bag. I was quite amused when we met them on the drive and the lady was quite obviously looking for my bag, but focussing on completely the wrong side. What did she expect to see? A Tesco carrier bag hanging out of my trouser leg??

At first I’ll admit I wore baggy clothes and big jumpers to cover up my tummy. But now, I have no shame. Even on holiday I wore a bikini top and shorts, and was proud that the large scar on my tummy was on show, and was going as brown as the rest of me.

14. And on the flip side - is there any part of your personality that has changed for the negative?

This one I’m not sure about? During my four month stay on one ward I saw a councillor. I was having terrible mood swings, and was quite depressed. She told me that I worried too much about other people! I was always worried about hubby coming to see me straight from work. About Mum and Dad coming every day, struggling to park, paying for the car park, bringing me lunch and a snack for supper, etc. If I knew the nurses were busy I would wait until they were quiet to ask for my morphine injections. I did get a severe telling off from the ward Sister. Sister M, who I am still in touch with, and really good friends with now eleven years on. I was worried about the fact that while the nurses were doing my dressings, which took two hours, with me on gas and air and morphine, that they weren’t able to tend to the other patients.

The councillor told me I had to put myself first. I can’t. It’s in my nature to care about other people. After all, the people who I care about are the ones who have helped me through my most difficult times!!! Hubby, family and friends.

I think, if I had followed her instructions, that would definitely would have changed my personality for the negative! But if anyone that knows me thinks otherwise…….let me know!


I want to thank all of you for your questions. It really made me think long and hard. That's why it took me this long to post it! Sorry for the delay.

Some questions were simple, some more involved. But I loved answering them all.

So. Question and Answer is now officially completed.

This mission will self destruct in five.....four......three......two.......ONE!!

Hugs galore, and thankyou all!!

Whisky

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