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One can become very blase when one has a chronic illness and I take full responsibility for what has happened to me.

Having been on Warfarin since 1996 and knowing that I am on it for life every five years or so I would take a break from it because A) no long term studies have been done B) I only have one teeny tiny vein and I have to take great care of it.

I should never, ever have taken a break especially having had major abdominal surgery and combine that with a blood clotting syndrome, then its a recipe for disaster.

When Shane and I went away for our perfect first anniversary get-away at Cabra Castle last week, I experienced breathlessness and thought I was coming down with a chest infection as it felt a bit tight.

Over the weekend I started to become really ill and Sunday morning Shane insisted he call the Dr who told us to head off to Emergency.

Drama Queen Health suddenly went into overdrive.

Because of my history they did a specific blood test. Anything under 250 indicates normal blood clotting indicators, mine were at 3000 plus. Amanda had a bit of a problem!!

Well, I was admitted and on Monday they did a CT Scan. About an hour later, I was shuffling out of the bathroom when I noticed the Dr at the end of my bed and I must say, its the first time I have seen a Dr with a very panicked expression on his face.

"Have you been given the results of your scan?" errrr No said I. "Well, you have multiple clots in all your arteries in both lungs, back to bed, don't move and don't plan on leaving hospital anytime soon".

I got the Dr's to show me the scans yesterday and it really, really shook me up. I turned to the Dr and said, I should be dead and she said yes. We cannot figure out why I am still alive and I am not trying to be a Drama Queen here, just stating a fact.

Now I know why I was having such difficulty recovering from the Op!!!

I've had two pulmonary embolism's in the past and they left me rolling around in agony. I also seemed to have this sixth sense of when I had a clot but now I have had to suspend all belief in myself.

Thats it, its now official, I AM a bloody Alien

Shane has brought his laptop in to the hospital so I am now all set up to keep in contact, at least now I know sheer boredom won't kill me!!!

Amanda has learnt her lesson.

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I don't often post images of the Castlerock area where Shane and I live and I don't know why because it is breathtakingly beautiful.

When CraftyAnn and her husband Peter stayed with us in September I whizzed her up here and she was blown away. Actually she nearly was blown away as it was incredibly windy (as always!).

This is at the lower end of the Binevenagh Mountains about five minutes from where we live.

The triangle area is Magilligan Point where we get the Ferry to go over to the Republic of Ireland and that is County. Donegal in the background.

As you can see the Republic is very close to us, but it amuses me that going over there is considered International Travel. Not so amusing is the fact that our cell phone providers charge International rates!!!

On the right hand side is the Atlantic Ocean and on the left is Lough Foyle which runs up to Londonderry and beyond.

Towards the end of the point is a large rectangle of buildings. This is Magilligan Prison, but what cracks me up and is so typical of the British sense of humour, is that it is slap bang in the middle of the Army Firing Range.

No escapes from this Prison!!

I am so lucky to have this as my playground.

GOT TO SEE IT ON BLACK

Out of our bedroom window, I can see part of PortStewart which curves round to The Strand.

If I see wave action, its like a siren call to me and off I go to get my fix.

This was at the end of January when we were still experiencing high winds and boy it was pretty wild. Definitely shook out some of the cobwebs!!!

I did one of my little sun dances, because I could see it pouring down in Castlerock and wouldn't you know it the sun obliged just as the wave hit the rocks.

Never ceases to amaze me the variety of colour I see in the sea.

The sand dunes in the background are in the care of the National Trust as they have discovered the remains of human habitation from 5000 years.

I believe this is the oldest site for human habitation in Northern Ireland, but don't quote me on that! I have had a tootle around the dunes, but I haven't found the site yet.

One day!!

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It was high time I got my act together and stopped feeling sorry for myself.

The Operation I had in December turned out to be major, major, major. I knew it would be and told the Surgeon, but he remained sceptical as nothing was showing up on the MIR scan, and how could I possibly know what was really going on inside me.

Well I do know and Master Surgeon sounded quite gleeful when he told me what an absolute mess I was inside. Years of scarring from the many surgeries and endometriosis have literally "glued" my insides together in the lower abdomen.

As we all know, my health is a drama queen in its own right, but this operation takes the Crown for a very long, painful recovery.

To make matters worse, the problem is too extensive, for me to have further band aid operations and the only real solution is for me to have everything removed on the left hand side of my abdomen.

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!

I've let this operation affect me and I have been incredibly miserable, even losing interest in my beloved photography.

Thank God for Shane and the cats as they have stopped me from being even more bonkers than I usually am!

It will take a little while for me to catch up with everyone, so bear with me.

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She's going to kill me because I have never called her anything but Pam since I could speak.

My mother is not one's typical idea of a mum and I know she will take that as the compliment it is intended to be. That is one thing I do take after my mother, all my other genetical traits seem to come from my father.

Mind as we all know I am an alien, most of my traits seem to be pretty unique - and Mr. Killen you can stop nodding your head in agreement!

I took this in June on a late Summer's evening down at Bishops Gate garden which is very close to where we live.

I adore this garden in all seasons and the National Trust are doing a brillant job of restoring the original bog garden planted in the early 1800's.

As they also have their own hives, one can always be sure of some bee activity.

This particular colour Poppy is my absolute favourite as it just glows in the sunshine and I loved how little bee's wings caught the evening sun making them shimmer.

Two more sleeps and we are off on my birthday adventure and I can't wait.

GOLDEN GLEAMS LOOK BETTER ON BLACK, CLICK ON PHOTO