August 2026 Update
The sun was relentless and we had drought conditions from May onwards. We have a hosepipe ban, but I am exempt from that, however, I have hardly used the hosepipe in my garden. Hence my vegetables have suffered and I will try again next spring with some plants: Salads, Courgettes and Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Corn, Beans and Peas.
Herbs that I intend to grow again in 2027 are Mint, Basil, Coriander, Rosemary, Thyme and Wild Rocket.
As far as dialysis goes, I am now becoming consistent with needling following 3 days at Fareham using a handheld Ultrasound Scanner and a Sharpie pen!
After having 3 more doses of iron, I should be back to dialysing at home/Fareham.
YIPPEE!!!
April 2026 Update
The houseplants all died!
Plus I haven’t done much with the hydroponics, but having still got all the equipment, I can have another go later on.
Healthwise, I continued with Home HD until I had a new graft put into my right arm and the aneurysm has been removed, so no longer have I got a ‘Popeye’ arm, just ugly scars instead. Following the op, I had great difficulty finding the graft to dialyse and it was extremely painful. This led to me dialysing at Portsmouth 3 x per week and finding the best access, this is an ongoing issue. Hopefully, I can go back to Home HD soon.
Other health news
In August 2025, I had my right cataract op due to a very dense cataract since February 2025, and following this I had to have laser surgery to get rid of the crap behind the new lens. In December 2025, I began further injections to both eyes in order to reduce the diabetic macular oedema. This has worked very well, and I will be having a Left cataract op this April. (Thank you, Bobbie and David xx)
My mobility has not improved, especially as I am having to use a stairlift now, but I have lost quite a bit of weight (18.7Kg) since Christmas 2025. So it has been a ‘Swings and Roundabouts’ kind of year.
February 2025 Update
2024 was by far my most challenging year, culminating in the amputation of all the toes of my right foot, dealing with the frequent dressing changes, hospital appointments and learning to walk within my new parameters. Its been fun nearly going A over T after losing my balance!
Thank God for my trusty Zimmer frame
I got a few new houseplants to keep me happy, although most are sitting under grow lights during winter when the light is low, however, every day gets better and spring will be here soon.
2025 has just got to be better. I do hope so after crappy 2024.
December 2023 Update
I am not able to get into my garden at the moment, so I have decided to get interested in house plants and hydroponics
I am still anaemic and am now on EPO 4 times per week.
However, I am now having Home Haemodialysis following my training sessions at Fareham Community Hospital.
I hope that 2024 brings better health and a great growing season.
January 2023 Update
I have been on dialysis for a year now. Firstly in Portsmouth, then I transferred to the Totton unit.
Still tired due to anaemia, but OK so far with the rest of my renal numbers, continuing with EPO which has recently been increased to 10,000 units x3 per week.
I am now self-canulating and will shortly start training for having home haemodialysis, which gives me better outcomes overall.
As for outside gardening, I haven’t done anything really except buy some new seeds.
The garden needs a general tidy up including: the fence needs painting and the bush/hedge needs cutting back and the greenhouse still needs cleaning and clearing of rubbish as well as getting rid of old plants/weeds in the pots and veg trugs etc. !
Flowers will go in the blue pots and veg in the green bags and veg trugs and troughs complete with hoops and netting. Herbs will go in my new black window troughs.
I have a new solar-powered light to add to the garden too which I will place next to my garden bench as I already have some solar lights over my garden arch.
Inside the house I have some new houseplants: Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura) kindly given to me by Emma, which has since died due to lack of water and being unable to get to it for a variety of reasons. A Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), Rubber Plant (Ficus robusta) that John bought me for Christmas. They are in the sitting room, supposedly depolluting the room!
The other indoor plants reside in the kitchen: mother-in-law tongue otherwise known as a Snake Plant (Sansevieria), a Yucca (Yucca elephantipes) and 2 Swiss Cheese Plants (Monstera deliciosa), 1 in soil, the other in water as an experiment.
I would like to get a Calathea plant, perhaps the Makoyana variety at some point …
March 2022 update
My health has hit rock bottom now. By December 2021 my renal issue was at end of life care or stage 5. I was severely anaemic and started on EPO injections, now in February, I am taking them 3 times per week.
In January 2022, I began dialysis 3 times per week too.
I got back in touch with Lewis and he will be helping me in the house, prior to beginning home haemodialysis, and to help tidy up my garden.
Things in the garden include: getting rid of old plants/weeds in the pots and veg trugs etc. Planting out Hostas, Ferns and Heucheras.
Create a bamboo frame for peas and beans and keep the round bags for cabbages and cauliflowers/kale. Flowers will go in the blue pots and veg in the green bags and veg trugs.
The fence needs painting and the bush/hedge needs cutting back
The greenhouse needs cleaning and clearing of rubbish.
April 2021 update
Lockdown is ending in steps and I have had my 2nd AstraZenica/Oxford vaccine. John is still waiting for his 2nd injection.
I was hoping to see Lewis, helping me in my garden, but he has a new job and he wants to meet up with his friends after lockdown restrictions are eased.
This leaves me to do the work, John cannot help as he does not want to cause problems with his rods and cones, turning his vision blue. I will be doing what needs to be done in stages, because I get out of breath easily.
So far, I have planted 2 cypress trees, 1 Forsythia, 20 peas with wigwam built, and 15 seed potatoes in 3 spud bags.
As and when items are delivered, I will plant or sow or set up, more details will be published in my garden diary.
March 2021 Update
At the moment we are still in lockdown and John and I have both had our 1st vaccine- AstraZenica/Oxford.
We remain shielding in our home but we are able to have food and medicines delivered.
We have been very busy at work and have only lost printing of newsletters which may mean we will be down by a fair chunk by the end of the financial year.
March has arrived and I am itching to get started with my garden, but it has been quite cold at night so I have delayed sowing seeds and planting the peas and potatoes.
I have new shelving for the greenhouse and new seed containers to start some seeds off, and I also have my heated propagator to start tomatoes, peppers and chilli’s.
I will also start some flower seeds, marigolds, geraniums, lobelia etc. The other things that need planting out are the 2 Cypress trees for the bottom of the garden beside the gate, in lovely blue pots
I just wish I could get myself moving to get this started but it is so difficult at the moment to get motivated enough,
I must push myself to do it before it gets too late to set seeds off in time…
2020 Update
Nothing has changed with my health, apart from the added extra of Sciatica! So, that in itself is a challenge, especially for gardening. Luckily, I have Lewis to help me when I need it 🙂
Then Coronavirus appeared and everything changed 🙁
2019 Update
I feel motivated to do more this year, although physically, I am not sure that the body is willing, my mind is very enthusiastic and I have plans coming out of my ears!
My renal condition is being aggravated by Sarcoidosis, the culprit that started off my Chronic Kidney disease in May 2011.
This is further complicated by being anaemic, which means that I am 20% down on oxygen-carrying red blood cells. I also have asthma to add into the medical mess that I am.
So I often find myself out of breath doing very little!!
Gardening relaxes me, keeping me calm after a stressful week.