Monday 30 January 2012

First Anniversary

First Anniversary is what this little blog is celebrating this month. Well in fact it was the end of last year when it was first opened, but this month is from when I really started.
My niece Emma is an excellent blogger and she first said that I should start. I could not seem to see why on earth you would blog. I let her help to set up my blog and I decided on Jollyjillys because that is so me.

It wasn't until Jan of last year that I really thought I would try and away I went. I don't think I write anything of great meaning but I do write from my heart. I love to share my life and my family with such nice people all around the world.
Everyday I am shocked at how people read the blog and send me such nice comments.
I have had conversations with such nice interesting people, and I hope they have gone away feeling like they had a fun read.

I would like to tell anyone that its not too late to start, I am 54 and had never done anything at all like this. So give it a go because it is such fun and is so interesting.
I hope you enjoy sharing my first anniversary post and if you have been there from the start I do thank you so much.
Thank you also to Emma as it would never have started if it was not for her.


Sunday 29 January 2012

Relax !



Tuesday 24 January 2012

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is something I am trying to put into place this week. I have been a bit slow on blog post this past week, and that is a hard thing for me. Those that read my blog ( and I thank you x) will know that I have chronic pain most of the time. It is very hard to motivate yourself some days and like last week pain levels are so high, it really is enough to get up out of bed.
When I had the pleasure to visit America a few years ago, I was watching T.V and came across a lady called Leslie Sansone. She was doing a fitness class that was not filled with young women in tiny outfits, but every age range and size. She was walking on the spot and I joined in and loved it.
I went out to the store and found a DVD that I could use and brought it back to the UK.
I found that even after a major operation it was perfect to help me recover as it is so easy and you can take it at your pace.

Over the years I have used this DVD but then like most of us it got forgotten.
So because of the Arthritis I have I know that I need to move even if it is only a little bit.
I'm scared to walk outside because I never know if things will lock up, and sometimes positive thinking is hard to do.
Recently I have been listening to my wonderful Thinking Slimmer download which helps to encourage me to do more. They are great downloads and if you go to www.thinkingslimmer.com you can read more.

So I went online to find a new Walk at home DVD. So just for those in the UK I believe I got mine from Amazon, so it is possible to purchase in this country.
I decided on the Walk off 10 pounds as it also came with a meal plan. To be honest I am just counting calories but it is still handy to have.

It is a great DVD as it gives you everything is parts, so you can do as little or a lot depending on how things are today.
Some that can really do a lot of fitness may look at it as too easy, but hey anything that gets my body moving is good as far as I think. I am trying to get in 10,000 steps a day but some days its just not happening. That's ok I have to not beat myself up about that and keep up the thinking positive.

This week is a good week and pain levels have dropped somewhat which makes me feel a lot less miserable and angry. I am never going to be pain free but I have to live my life as best I can. I can't let pain be my boss I have to be in control.

So if you have problems or want something that doesn't require a top athlete to do try the walk at home DVD's. It is the best money I have ever spent.
Go and get thinking positive we can do it .

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Thank you mum!

Thank you mum! Have you ever uttered those words? Have you ever looked in the mirror and saw your mum looking back? I know I have so you are really not alone. There have been times when my kids were younger, that I heard myself saying something and thought " Oh dear that's my mum" !

So what do you thing you inherited or not?
Would you like you children to inherit anything from you at all, I think I have a few but maybe a few I wouldn't want them to have.
My husband tells me that I am stubborn like my mother, which I have to admit I agree with.
I know I don't have her temper and I don't think I am as strong a woman as she was. To be honest it would be an honour to be like her. She was a wonderful, strong woman.

I am not sure how much my children have inherited from me. I think my lack of belief in my abilities is something that both of them have . I think that my son is lucky and got my clean and tidy thing!
I do think that they are both their own people. They will be who they are, and if they do inherit anything I hope its all the good things!

So if my mum was still with us I think I would totally say

"Thank you mum"

Sunday 15 January 2012

What could you not live without?

What could you not live without? I was asked this question recently to name 5 items (not people) I could not live without. So here is my list

1. My Computer

I love my computer! We did not get our first one until I was in my late 30's but I think I must have been in my late 40's before I really used it. My son was addicted right from the start and later when on to make a career of it. I slowly built a long long of internet friends and later more on twitter. The last year my niece Emma said I should start a blog. I had no idea why someone would do this but I let her get me started. Took a while but I did get into it and really enjoy writing and even more enjoy people reading it.
I would be lost with my computer.


2. The Television

I love my television as I am on my own a fair amount, and its company for me. I like to hear voices even I am not watching. I think I can learn a great deal from it a well.
I would be totally lost without my television.

3. My i phone

My i phone is a huge part of my day. I can keep up with the internet or my blog. I can text and all kinds of other useful things. When I first got it I nearly threw it away, but I battled on and now I could not manage without it.



4. My dishwasher

My dishwasher is great. I love how clean things come out. Mind you we still fight about taking things out and putting them away!



5. My tens machine

My tens machine is a god send to me. If you read other earlier blog posts you will know I suffer with chronic pain. My tens machine helps to control the pain without having to take tablets, which is great.
It is a must for me and it make the day a little easier

Thursday 12 January 2012

Mother's Love

Mother's love is something I was thinking of today. I know for me my mum was the light of my life.We had a great relationship, although I always knew she was the boss.
When she passed away it was hard as I also had two young children. I was comforted that she was not in pain any more.

Being a mum can be hard but it can also ring so many rewards. My children are the light of my life and such a joy. My oldest son Matthew was long waited for and we thought we would never have children, so when I found out I was pregnant we were delighted.
His birth was fairly hard but worth every second when they put him in my arms.
Like any new young mum there were times that it was hard, and I felt the responsibility at times.
As he grew my mothers love just got bigger and bigger.
Then when Matthew was five we had his sister Natalie. My family was complete and I had a perfect little boy and girl. Don't get me wrong there have been times when I wanted to run away, but I loved them more and more.

As they have grown into adults they have been great. For me the love for them has just got more and more, and even though they are adults for me they will always be my little boy and girl.
I am very proud of them everyday, and when I look at them my heart is overflowing with my mothers love for them.
So if you are finding life tough with your little ones, remember they grew up so fast. Enjoy your time with them as they will be grown before you know it.

So Matthew and Natalie if you read this I love you more and more each day xxx

Sunday 8 January 2012

Chronic pain

Chronic pain is something that if you suffer with, you will know how it can rule your life.
My Chronic pain started when I was really young. I was around 23 when I got a wrist injury. From then on I was never totally free from pain.
Over the years it got worse as I got older, I learnt to live with it. The next step was to lose 66 pounds which really helped me to cope.
Then one day I bent to get something and my back went out! I had to stop all the fitness stuff I did and slowly the weight piled on. This in turn made the back worse and the cycle started spinning around and around.

The older I got the harder it has become! These days I am constantly trying to lose weight and fighting the pain. I am a very upbeat person so I tend to cover up my feelings. I never really let people know how hard life can be for me at times..
Chronic pain can be depressing and also isolating . You can feel like you are alone, and no one really understands. You don't like to keep on saying how much pain you have, so you put on a brave face.
Because I am over weight medical professionals and even friends at times, think its because of the extra weight.

So I am going to fight on! I am eating well and healthy and doing my small amounts of fitness when I can.
I will smile and not let it get me down!
So remember if you know someone life me let them know you care. We don't want to be boring or sad we just want to live!

www.action-on-pain.co.uk

Thursday 5 January 2012

Mesothelioma information and guest post



Mesothelioma is not something I was very aware of. I was recently contact by a lady called Heather regarding my blog. I was a little unsure at first but decided to check out her blog and read her story.
I was very touched by her story of the journey she had with Mesothelioma and her family.
I thought it would be wonderful to raise awareness of this condition, so I have asked her to write a guest post which you can read below.
I am also sharing a link so you can go and read her blog for yourself, I really hope you do and can also share the link with your followers.

http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/

Before, my friends would have described me as an eternal optimist, the glass half-full type of person. There was just never a day that got me down. Never, that is, until that fateful day when at age 36, I was diagnosed with cancer. Life was good until that moment. I had delivered a beautiful, healthy girl just three and a half months earlier and the possibilities of life seemed boundless.

No one ever forgets the day. The diagnosis came on a cold, winter morning. It was the 21st day of November in 2005. One minute, I’m in the prime of my life with a new baby and then three words, “You have cancer” shatter my idyllic existence. I didn’t hear much after that. I didn’t even register the fact that the specific cancer was malignant pleural
mesothelioma until several hours later.

After the diagnosis, the choices come hard and fast. I could give up, wallow in self-pity and cry to the Almighty that life was unfair. Not me. I found my rose-colored glasses, put them on and stared down the deadly specter. I would fight for my life and for the opportunity to see my little girl grow up and get married.

There is very little good in a cancer diagnosis but it does reorder the priorities of your life. You instinctively find the true values; being with your family and friends, living for the simple joys and even helping complete strangers who find themselves in the same situation. Whatever the reason, I chose to live life to the fullest and to encourage others diagnosed with mesothelioma to do the same.

My
mesothelioma treatment began with a consultation with a leading specialist on the disease. He was an incredible person who gave me hope from the beginning. He indicated that surgery was the only option and that my lung would have to go. The surgery was scheduled for Groundhog Day in the first week of February 2006. The doctor got a kick out my naming the tumor, Phil and renaming the day, LungLeavin’ Day.

Life has been good since then and I am still here. Every February, we celebrate LungLeavin’ Day. It is a celebration about conquering fear and making the best of a horrible situation and, yes, it is about celebrating life.

It is also a celebration of hope. I have met so many wonderful people throughout this ordeal. Amazing people, tough and passionate, both patients and caregivers, who have helped me through the most difficult times. I hope I have returned the favor, once or twice