Royal Society of Medicine CFS Conference, Monday 28 April

We're struggling on here in Liverpool at the moment, life enhanced by a visit from my favourite visitor again - it's always lovely to have Brodie cat staying with us.



Too much happening to catch up just now, but my friend Suzy has asked me to post this on my blog to help publicise the campaign to send postcards to the Royal Society of Medicine to protest about their conference on CFS that happens near the end of this month.


"On a Postcard, please" Campaign. Have you sent yours in, yet?

Suzy Chapman has asked me to remind you that there's still time to send a postcard to the Royal Society of Medicine in protest against their forthcoming "CFS" conference, on Monday 28 April, in London.

The conference claims to be taking a "a broad look at chronic fatigue syndrome" but Professors Simon Wessely and Peter D White were members of the RSM's Conference Planning Committee and the speakers are mostly drawn from psychiatric/psychological backgrounds.

The line-up includes Profs Simon Wessely (KCL), Peter White (BARTS, PACE), Matthew Hotopf, Rona Moss-Morris (CBT/GET), Chris Dowrick (FINE Trials) and Dr Anthony Cleare (IoP) and the session chairs include Professor Mansel Aylward (Unum Provident Centre for Disability) and Richard Baker (NICE).

Read what the national UK ME organisations are saying about this conference here

For the address to send your postcard and a copy of the Campaign Flyer go here.

For a copy of the RSM CFS Conference Programme go here.

It's not long, now. Please let the RSM know what you think!

Snow!

It's snowing quite hard. Quite a surprise after the sunshine for the Grand National at Aintree. It was forecast, but we mostly don't get snow here in Liverpool.

One of the horses I bet on came in second - beat one of John's bets at the end. So we think I'll be about even on my bets, and John won't have lost much. Sunshiney day and it's fun to watch the big race if you have a small bet on it. We had a bottle of champagne to toast our luck!

More news when more time!

My favourite visitor is back

My favourite visitor

Poor Brodie arrived back home about a week ago after being missing for a few hours, minus his collar, and with some scratches on his poor nose. The scratches look to be healing up nicely, so I've been giving him lots of pampering so he doesn't miss his slaves too much while they are away visiting Sarah in London.

My amaryllis is finally in bud - well, the bud has opened today but I haven't taken a photo yet. Maybe later today, though the light isn't very good at present. I'm not keen on using flash if I can avoid it - colours seem much truer with natural light.



Amaryllis in bud

Sunday excursion

Felt really rough on Saturday, so just vegged in bed all day. Sunday it was so gorgeous out that we both felt we had to get out of the house. So wonderful to see so much sunshine.



Liverpool really is a city of cranes at present. I find them interesting - the angles they make against the sky and other buildings. And I love their colour against blue skies! Especially the red ones!



Baltic Fleet and cranes

Went to Gordale Nurseries first, where I was tempted by several plants (especially some of the euphorbias, but I worry about their nasty sap) but decided that I didn't really have the energy to look after any new plants right now. It was good fun to have a look at what is available at this time of year though, and it's so great to even begin to think about gardening again.

John trundled me as far as the kids' playground, when we heard some strange bird calls. We headed off towards them and found these strange birds:



What on earth are they? John made a guess at quail, but I didn't think quail had bald heads!

On to the flat afterwards, brought some more stuff home. Cooking notes Mum made at night school in the 1939-40 session. First recipe is lentil soup, followed by kidney soup. Not had time to read further yet. John went for a walk round the marine lake while I went through more bits and pieces.

It was very still, though very cold despite the sunshine. We watched a couple of kayackers paddling round the lake. Rather them than me!!! And then we watched the sun sink over the hills of Wales. Here's the last glimmer before it disappeared:



Today I went for my regular Monday evening counselling session. Been going for a few weeks now, was lucky enough to be able to contact the Counsellor I saw when I was fairly newly disabled with ME. She helped me a lot back then, and now I am seeing her for bereavement counselling. Today we began work on my Life Line. This is going to be painful I think, but I am convinced it will all help in the long term.



Sunday Traffic jam outside St Luke's Church. We think there must have been something on at the new stadium. Obvously this is something we are going to have to take account of when planning on driving through Liverpool!

Pancakes

Sunday Sunset at West Kirby

We missed pancake day last week, so we had pancakes for breakfast this morning to make up for it. We both enjoyed them so much we are thinking we might make it a regular Tuesday morning breakfast.