Ok here we are at another indestructible things post, today I am writing about the Giant Silkworm Moth Caterpillar, when you think of an assassin I bet you don’t think of a caterpillar. How can a small wriggling, plant munching caterpillar really kill you but yes this one can, what the hell……………

This caterpillar has a deadly way of defending itself, it has incredibly long sharp spikes all over it, so you can’t get close to the caterpillars soft body without the needles getting you first. If you touch them even accidentally they break off and pump deadly venom into the skin, while the caterpillar makes its escape.

The venom stops blood from clotting, causing bruising and bleeding, out of every 100 people who touch the spines 2 or 3 die from the venom. Although strangling the caterpillars deadly effects have only been reported since the 1980’s, since then it has killed hundreds of people.

Hello everyone, didn’t do a post yesterday as I was feeling terrible with pains in the tummy and a touch of the runs and just not myself. After I spoke to mum last night I went to bed and this morning I woke feeling like myself so all good.

Went to the doctors this morning and the MRI showed no signs of MS which will put Kathy’s worry to rest. However, there is signs of borderline ventriculomegaly, yeah something I have never heard of. Dr Google tells me this about it:

Ventriculomegaly is a brain condition that occurs when the lateral ventricles become dilated. In fetuses, the most common definition uses a width of the atrium of the lateral ventricle of greater than 10mm. When the measurement is greater than 15mm, the ventriculomegaly may be classified as more severe. Enlargement of the ventricles may occur for a number of reasons, such as loss of brain volume (perhaps due to infection or infarction), or impaired outflow or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles. Often, however, there is no identifiable cause. The interventricular foramen may be congenitally malformed, or may have become obstructed by infection,haemorrhage , or rarely tumour, which may impair the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid, and thus accumulation in the ventricles.

Does that help, no, didn’t help me either……………..

Anyway I have to back and see the neurologist, referral has been sent off now I just have to wait for an appointment. I got the impression it isn’t anything to worry about at this stage but it may explain why I get so many headaches.

Hello here we are at the end of another Monday and the start of another week, it has been a busy day for me. I was up at 4.30am did my workout with the “Healing Yoga” program followed by 1hr and 10 mins with the Wii Fit.

Then Leo arrived and I took him to school before going to have blood taken, then I came home met Kathy & Summer and we all went to my Dr’s appointment then I came home for a bit before going to get Leo from school to take him to see his paediatrician.

Now he didn’t want to go and see her, told me so this morning when I mentioned to him that he had the appointment and when I go to get him out of class he said he didn’t want to go but I was able to get him to agree without much drama.

He has had his medication upped a bit and will have to go back in a few months again.

On the way home I asked him if he wanted Maccas for tea as a reward for his good behaviour even though he didn’t want to go to the doctors, of course they stuffed up the order and I didn’t realise till after we got home. Leo was good saying to me that I didn’t have to go back he could live without fries, so I rang them and they said they will send me out a voucher, if I don’t get it by Friday I will be going back and complaining in person.

Now I am going to go get changed into my jammies

Oh yeah dad went home this afternoon from the hospital, Dave went and picked him up.

Have you heard of a Mountain Stone Weta??????????????

No, me neither but they exist and it is a big chunky grasshopper-like bug from New Zealand, there are many types of weta, including the giant weta, which can reach 10cm (4in) in length.

The Mountain Stone Weta can survive being deep frozen, what the hell…………….

In the high mountains of New Zealand’s South Island where this weta lives, it  gets so  cold in winter that it’s hard for things not to freeze solid. So simply it does indeed freeze solid.

Scientist have found that more then 80% of the water in its body turns to ice, as it freezes the water moves out of the weta’s body cells, so that they don’t get damaged. When it warms up the weta thaws out and hops away…………..again, what the hell……………..

Male Weta’s have massive heads, sharp claws and extra-large biting jaws for fighting vicious battles against each other over females.

Here we are at 1.40pm on Saturday afternoon, the morning has gone by pretty fast, Kathy-Lee, Summer, Jessica & Leo have all not long left and Tim is still at work so I am having a quiet afternoon on my own.

I did a chicken and bacon pasta bake for lunch with apple crumble and custard for desert and as usual I sent some of the pasta bake home with Kathy for Michael.

So anyway here is this Saturday’s five random things that may or may not be connected…………..

Wheelchair

Jessica

Flowers

Pain

Had enough want to go home

Hello everyone, here I am on this lovely, not too cold Monday morning had a somewhat late start, when my alarm went off at 4.30am I just didn’t feel like getting up so it was 6am by the time I got up still managed to do 53 minutes of exercise. I packed it in when Leo got here as I had to pack his lunch and running him a shower now I am starting this before I have to leave to take him to school.

Friday saw me using a wheelchair while I went shopping and Jessica pushing me around and it was a big help I was in hardly any pain by the time I was finished and it only took 2hrs to get everything done instead of 4hrs it has taken me the previous weeks. So I will be doing that for the next couple of weeks and hopefully the ankle will really start to heal with no set backs.

Saturday saw me unwell and spending most of the day in bed sleeping, just had an upset tummy no vomiting or anything just felt upset in the tummy and not feeling great, yesterday though I was ok and today I am ok as well.

So since this is Monday that means it is Indestructible Monday……………..

Have you heard of ice crawlers?

No me neither………………….

Anyway they are these really small wingless insects that crawl around on ice and snow high up on freezing, wind blasted mountains. They are happiest at temperatures of between 0-4°c or 32-39°f somewhere between fridge and freezer temperatures.

They come out at night to search for food the consists of dead insects, in such cold conditions, where food is scarce its hard to grow, so ice crawlers have along slow life cycle. It can take 10 y ears for an egg to hatch and grow into an adult.

They only grow to be able 2.5cm or 1in in length and found usually in really cold areas, so not around where I live as it doesn’t get that cold here, it doesn’t snow here and even when I say it is bitterly cold it really isn’t that cold compared to other places.

On this day way back in 1967 my sister Jeannie Maxine was born at Western Suburbs Maternity Hospital I picked her name Jeannie maybe it was because the tv show I Dream of Jeannie was on the telly that influenced me I don’t know.

Jeannie is the mother of four, Samantha, Tina, Tyler and Tom and the grandmother of one Hayley with two more grandchildren on the way. She left her husband Shane when her children were little and has been with her current partner Peter on and sometimes off for a bloody long time 20 odd years she acted as a mother figure to his three children and is like a grandmother to his grandchildren as well.

Jeannie is one of the most loving and caring women or person that I have ever been blessed to know and be related to, when her girls and my girls were little we spent a lot of time together shopping and watching each others girls.

So today I would like to wish her a wonderful and happy birthday and hope she has a fantastic day because she deserves to feel special..

Hello Saturday it is another somewhat cold day, had the girls Kathy & Jess with Summer and Leo here for lunch honey barbecue chicken with spuds and veggies although Summer didn’t want that she had porridge and Leo had nothing. Tim is at work so not here.

After lunch my sister Sandra and her girls turned up in her new car, well new to her, it’s a 2005 Ford Falcon Station Wagon on LPG she is happy with it.

So not doing Five things Friday, instead you get Five things Saturday……………………..

Struggling to walk

No weight loss or weight gain

Cold but not wet

Kathy, Jess, Summer & Leo for lunch

Leftovers sent to Michael

How is everyone this cold and wet Wednesday afternoon, I have had a productive day somewhat this morning I went to the podiatrist and had my toenails cut, while I went I left Blain home alone as he didn’t want to go and I was tired of arguing the point with him, I was only gone an hour.

I was planning on going with Tim to pick Dave and grew from the ship but as I had to watch Blain while his mum had other things on I couldn’t go.

Then this afternoon I had to go to the doctors for what is called a care plan review, this is where they check your blood pressure, talk about what medication you are taking as how my diabetes is going and my sleep apnoea and your get a referral for blood tests.

While I was there I asked about the results of the ultrasound it showed that I have tendonitis, which for those who do not know is an inflammation of a tendon, the tendon in question is my achillies tendon, tendons are bands of strong connective tissue that attach muscle to bone

It is usually a type of overuse injury; the tendon is repeatedly strained until tiny tears form. The symptoms of tendonitis can include, pain,swelling, stiffness and restricted mobility of the affected joint, muscle weakness and the skin over the area can feel warm to touch

Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between bone and soft tissue (muscles, tendons and skin). A bursa (plural bursae) reduces friction and assists joint movement.

When you overuse or injure a joint, a nearby bursa can become irritated or inflamed. The bursa fills with excess fluid, causing significant pain and restricting movement.

The symptoms of bursitis may include, localised pain, swelling, increased pain at night, pain that becomes worse on movement, stiffness.

It is caused by injury, repeated pressure and overuse are common causes of bursitis. Some conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and diabetes, can also contribute to its development.

An infection can also cause bursitis. This may occur if a joint is injured and bacteria get into the bursa.

Treatment aims to relieve the symptoms as much as possible while the healing process takes place.

Treatment options may include pain-relieving medications, cold packs, gentle mobilising exercises and rest. Anti-inflammatory medications or injections of corticosteroids may be used in cases of severe pain, although my doctor isn’t keen on giving me an injection.

If the bursitis was triggered by a particular form of overuse, it‘s important to avoid that activity, or modify how you perform that activity.

So I have been told to rest the ankle as much as possible and that it will most likely take between 8-12 weeks to heal.