My nan (mum's mum) was moved out of IC and into the High Dependency Unit on Friday- they took her off the ventilator and she has even started to say a few words.
She went into hospital on Monday because she was acting in a confused way, was being sick and had been constipated for a long time.
My aunt phoned up the GP to ask him to come to see her. But he said that they should bring her in even though they couldn't move her.
Eventually, they decided to call the ambulance and she was taken into A&E.
They found out that she had a urinary infection and also that her sodium and potassium levels were dangerously low.
It was lucky that they brought her in when they did.
I went with my parents to see my nan - but when I saw her in that condition I couldn't stop myself from breaking down and crying. I prayed at night that she would get better and my mum rang my uncle and the hospital every morning to check on her progress.
On tuesday, she was transfered to IC where they stuck lots of tubes into her. They put her on a sodium drip to slowly increase levels - they also had to put one into her heart to make sure that the rise in sodium did not have an adverse effect - they also had to do a brain scan to see if it had caused any damage - luckily it hadn't.
On thursday we went to see her in the IC - she had been sedated to make her sleep through the night - but the nurse told us that she would still be able to hear - so my mum spent about an hour talking to my nan - telling her how much we appreciate her and how much she has done for the family - and also how the family were staying strong together.
Amazingly, my nan communicated by moving her feet and even tried to open her eyes.
On thursday morning, my two aunts had gone to visit her and she had opened her eyes for a whole hours and looked at each of them. She had even put her had on my aunt's head when she asked for permission to go on holiday.
She is going to be fine .... I'm going to go see my nan at around 2pm today - hopefully she will get back to 100% soon.
Okay, so on Sunday we went to the Hare Krishna temple near Watford - you know - the Manor donated by George Harrison to Srila Prabupada - the head of the ISKCON movement.
Well there was a lot of traffic on the way to the temple - luckily, we managed to take a short cut and beat the queues - much to the annoyance of others who had gone the long way around!
Once we arrived there we were amazed by the number of people attending - the fields were full of cars - luckily volunteers managed to direct us to an available space. So, hold my grandma's hand, I went with my family to the temple - it took us about 10minutes to walk through the fields/carpark!
Once we arrived a the temple we reasiled that there we soo many people that we could barely move. Also, we noticed how the festival had become a lot more commercialised - there were stalls selling books, clothes, statues, mini mandirs and religious items everywhere!
After I had sat my Grandma down in the main tent where all the dramas and kirtans (religious songs) were happenoing - we decided to explore... we bought two books - both novel style retellings of the famous spiritual epics - the Mahbharata and the Ramayana - retold by Krishna Dharma - the author even signed our copies.
We then wandered around the stalls and went to watch how to make seero/halva and then how to offer the food to Krishna to purify the food so that it becomes Prasadam. We were also allowed to eat the deleicious Prasad after we had offered it. It was sweet and has raisins and apples in it. Hmm, maybe i'll write up the recipe later if anyone wants it...
Anyway, we then tried to actually go into the temple to take Darshan - where you can go and pray in front of the Radha-Krishna deities. We had tickets to enter at 9pm but when when found the queue would be 2hours long! - we decided to give it a miss and take Darshan outside the temple.
After this we lined up for Prasadam and had a delicious meal of more seero, potato curry rice, and another sweet dish.
By now it was getting late and it was time to go home...
On Monday, it was the actual day of Janmashtami - the Birth of Lord Krishna - on this day Hindus are meant to fast - or do farah (can't spell it but it meants you abstain from grains).
We were planning on going to the temple today aswell but my parents were too tired after a long day back at work.
I spent most of Monday reading the Mahabharat - its a great epic which revolves around the virtuous Panadava and there unrighteous cousins known as the Kauravas. I definitely think that everyone shhould read it - but since this version is over 800 pages long - it is not a light read - i've been reading constantly for two days and I have nearly reached 300 pages.
Well there was a lot of traffic on the way to the temple - luckily, we managed to take a short cut and beat the queues - much to the annoyance of others who had gone the long way around!
Once we arrived there we were amazed by the number of people attending - the fields were full of cars - luckily volunteers managed to direct us to an available space. So, hold my grandma's hand, I went with my family to the temple - it took us about 10minutes to walk through the fields/carpark!
Once we arrived a the temple we reasiled that there we soo many people that we could barely move. Also, we noticed how the festival had become a lot more commercialised - there were stalls selling books, clothes, statues, mini mandirs and religious items everywhere!
After I had sat my Grandma down in the main tent where all the dramas and kirtans (religious songs) were happenoing - we decided to explore... we bought two books - both novel style retellings of the famous spiritual epics - the Mahbharata and the Ramayana - retold by Krishna Dharma - the author even signed our copies.
We then wandered around the stalls and went to watch how to make seero/halva and then how to offer the food to Krishna to purify the food so that it becomes Prasadam. We were also allowed to eat the deleicious Prasad after we had offered it. It was sweet and has raisins and apples in it. Hmm, maybe i'll write up the recipe later if anyone wants it...
Anyway, we then tried to actually go into the temple to take Darshan - where you can go and pray in front of the Radha-Krishna deities. We had tickets to enter at 9pm but when when found the queue would be 2hours long! - we decided to give it a miss and take Darshan outside the temple.
After this we lined up for Prasadam and had a delicious meal of more seero, potato curry rice, and another sweet dish.
By now it was getting late and it was time to go home...
On Monday, it was the actual day of Janmashtami - the Birth of Lord Krishna - on this day Hindus are meant to fast - or do farah (can't spell it but it meants you abstain from grains).
We were planning on going to the temple today aswell but my parents were too tired after a long day back at work.
I spent most of Monday reading the Mahabharat - its a great epic which revolves around the virtuous Panadava and there unrighteous cousins known as the Kauravas. I definitely think that everyone shhould read it - but since this version is over 800 pages long - it is not a light read - i've been reading constantly for two days and I have nearly reached 300 pages.
So...just came home from watching the comedy. We went to see it a Winston Churchill Hall in Ruislip, Middlesex.
Although the whole play was in Gujarati, I think I managed to understand most of it - yes me, with my bad language skills! The play was about a man whose wife died many years ago and he was left to bring up his two young children.
The children have grown up now and when we first meet them they are being very lazy and bossing their dad around...the dad has to do everything in the house - even the cooking.
Now the children want to have some money so that they can go to camp with their friends - or more specifically with their girl/boy friends..but obviously they don't tell their father this...anyway the dad tells them no because its a lot of money, they will have to earn it.
While they are talking, their new next door neighbour enters. The dad and the neighbour talk about how hard the dad's life is and the neighbour decides the best way to solve his problems is to remarry - and he thinks that he's the man for the job.
The dad gets happy - but when his children come home they are not too happy - until their dad gives them money for camp!
When the kids leave the neighbour comes and tells the dad that he has found him and suitor - the woman comes to visit him and although she is crazy he decides to marry her.
Within 2 days they are married.. and the kids return to this suprise...then the rest of the story revolves mostly around the man trying to get closer to his new wife.
The man gets kidnapped one day in a case of mistaken identity and when he returns he sees how much his new wife cares for him and his children accept their step-mom and she becomes part of the family.
Well b/c i'm tired I have just outlined the story here - but what I find hard to write down is the many funny incidents and lines that make the comedy what it is.
Umm...maybe i'll write a better account later - but for now - i'm off to bed - the digital clock on my pc says 0.00...
Although the whole play was in Gujarati, I think I managed to understand most of it - yes me, with my bad language skills! The play was about a man whose wife died many years ago and he was left to bring up his two young children.
The children have grown up now and when we first meet them they are being very lazy and bossing their dad around...the dad has to do everything in the house - even the cooking.
Now the children want to have some money so that they can go to camp with their friends - or more specifically with their girl/boy friends..but obviously they don't tell their father this...anyway the dad tells them no because its a lot of money, they will have to earn it.
While they are talking, their new next door neighbour enters. The dad and the neighbour talk about how hard the dad's life is and the neighbour decides the best way to solve his problems is to remarry - and he thinks that he's the man for the job.
The dad gets happy - but when his children come home they are not too happy - until their dad gives them money for camp!
When the kids leave the neighbour comes and tells the dad that he has found him and suitor - the woman comes to visit him and although she is crazy he decides to marry her.
Within 2 days they are married.. and the kids return to this suprise...then the rest of the story revolves mostly around the man trying to get closer to his new wife.
The man gets kidnapped one day in a case of mistaken identity and when he returns he sees how much his new wife cares for him and his children accept their step-mom and she becomes part of the family.
Well b/c i'm tired I have just outlined the story here - but what I find hard to write down is the many funny incidents and lines that make the comedy what it is.
Umm...maybe i'll write a better account later - but for now - i'm off to bed - the digital clock on my pc says 0.00...
Was reading The Daily Telegraph this morning and came across an article about hot-saucing.
This phrase was enough to make me wander what on earth this article was about - a new hazing ritual for freshers? or an alternative to chocolate body paint!?! ... so I decided to read on...
Apparently, hot-saucing is a type of punishment for schoolchildren that has been spreading across the South of US... it involves putting a drop of Tabasco sauce on the tongues of naughty children - to teach them a lesson!
This method was found by some teachers to be an effective way of reducing levels of rudeness, back-chatting and other naughty behaviour.
In my opinion, it seems like a good deterent - and the pain will wear off quickly too. It's not a violent as using a cane or as mean as when Matilda was lock int he Chokey by the Headteacher in Roald Dahl's book.
But its not as weak as giving out 5 minute detentions or having a star taken away.
In fact, I remember being giving this bitter liquid to drink when I was naughty by my dad - it was meant to be good for you but didn't taste very nice - and it seemed to do the trick - I was rarely in trouble at home!
However, some people regard this as cruel to children and are trying to stamp this tradition out.
What's your view on using hot sauce to discipline kids?
This phrase was enough to make me wander what on earth this article was about - a new hazing ritual for freshers? or an alternative to chocolate body paint!?! ... so I decided to read on...
Apparently, hot-saucing is a type of punishment for schoolchildren that has been spreading across the South of US... it involves putting a drop of Tabasco sauce on the tongues of naughty children - to teach them a lesson!
This method was found by some teachers to be an effective way of reducing levels of rudeness, back-chatting and other naughty behaviour.
In my opinion, it seems like a good deterent - and the pain will wear off quickly too. It's not a violent as using a cane or as mean as when Matilda was lock int he Chokey by the Headteacher in Roald Dahl's book.
But its not as weak as giving out 5 minute detentions or having a star taken away.
In fact, I remember being giving this bitter liquid to drink when I was naughty by my dad - it was meant to be good for you but didn't taste very nice - and it seemed to do the trick - I was rarely in trouble at home!
However, some people regard this as cruel to children and are trying to stamp this tradition out.
What's your view on using hot sauce to discipline kids?
I was browsing the BBCwebsite today and came across an article detailing how the UK is turning into a nation of Gamers.
According to a report by analysts at Screen Digest, the UK games market has grown by over 100% over the last 6 years!
In fact consoles and handheld gaming has becoming so popular that:
"more than 25 million consoles or handheld gaming devices were sold between 1995 and 2003. This amounts to one for every household in the UK."
The report also states that over the same period, 280 million games have been sold which averages out to about 11 per household.
Another article last week stated how young males are watching less TV and play more video games than ever before.
Perhaps in the near future it will be console games that will make up the main part of family entertainment at home and takeover the pride of place of telly-watching...
" Over the next five days, London is hosting two major trade shows and conferences for the gaming industry. The public can get a taste of the titles coming up at the GameStars Live show.
The Docklands is playing host to a new trade show, the Electronic Games Network (EGN) and a complementary developers conference, as well as the GameStars event.
At the other end of London, in the west, is the established ECTS trade show and the Game Developers Conference Europe (GDCE)."
According to a report by analysts at Screen Digest, the UK games market has grown by over 100% over the last 6 years!
In fact consoles and handheld gaming has becoming so popular that:
"more than 25 million consoles or handheld gaming devices were sold between 1995 and 2003. This amounts to one for every household in the UK."
The report also states that over the same period, 280 million games have been sold which averages out to about 11 per household.
Another article last week stated how young males are watching less TV and play more video games than ever before.
Perhaps in the near future it will be console games that will make up the main part of family entertainment at home and takeover the pride of place of telly-watching...
" Over the next five days, London is hosting two major trade shows and conferences for the gaming industry. The public can get a taste of the titles coming up at the GameStars Live show.
The Docklands is playing host to a new trade show, the Electronic Games Network (EGN) and a complementary developers conference, as well as the GameStars event.
At the other end of London, in the west, is the established ECTS trade show and the Game Developers Conference Europe (GDCE)."
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