I don't know if anyone spotted the subtext in a couple of tweets before Christmas but on the 17th I called my doctor first thing complaining of a niggling cough, upper back pain and lack of energy. With a recent history of asthma problems they had me in by 9.30. After doing a few tests whch showed i also had a raised heartbeat, BP135/65, but no chest congestion I was sent for a chest x-ray and some blood draws. Lucky for me the doctor is next door to the local geriatric and orthopedic unit so I could walk it. Our car had been out of action ever since a rat running idiot went into the driver side wheel arch trying to cut through a queue of stationary traffic and stove it in. I spent a lot on taxis in December.

4 o'clock that afternoon the doc calls and says "pack a bag with a good book and snacks, you have severe anemia and need to go to Jimmies (St James Hospital) first thing tomorrow and will be there all day."

8 o'clock the next morning I reported to the walk in unit where I was poked and prodded some more, given a 12 lead heart trace and had another load of blood draws. Came back and told me that the normal range for Haemoglobin is around 120 and mine was 55. Result, after more questions about my insides and prodding, an afternoon getting 2 bags of blood shoved in my arm. It takes a lot longer to put it in than it does to take it out. Managed to get through the last Lychford novella and made a fair dent in the second volume of Invisible Library. E-books FTW. Finally sent home 19.30 with packets of B12 and Folate suppliments.

19th. Went to see Star Wars ROS.

Spent Christmas feeling like crap but slowly getting energy levels back. Lethergy and fatigue are buggers.

Went back to the doc yesterday to talk about the results of yet more blood taken on the 2nd (they'd not been happy with my blood sugar either) as well as the hospital result and what she thinks has happened is years of self medicating for back and leg pain are catching up. While my liver function test seemed to be fine it's probably not been processing stuff as well as it should and the result is severe vitamin deficiency had crept up in the B department. this is why I'm so knackered. I have now been officially told to cut down on the booze, especially spirits. Boo.

I'm hoping this won't affect the Sams. I always planned a simple idea, mostly paint with a few detail parts, because after the last couple of years I wanted less stress. I've got all the bits ready it's just getting going. See previous comment about fatigue. What I am a bit concerned about is actually getting to the con. I have very low energy levels and it's a long way.

If anyone is able to meet me off the train at Kings Cross and help me get out to Marks Tey I would be very grateful. I don't know if I will need help but I suspect I will still be easily tired at that point and asking now is better than con week.

At least the physio I'm seeing after fucking up my sacroilliac in Dublin says that's getting better quicker than expected.

Getting old sucks

Princess Leia is supervising production

Starting to wonder if binge watching Dexter has been a good idea.

Well the Sams are packed and the half made cloaks are ready for finishing. murphys_lawyer has taken pictures which will be posted on Sunday. I'll take some of them once they've had the last of the sewing and fitting done for later.
Going for my train soon as I'm heading down a day early so I can pop in to the Science Museum with aunty_marion on Friday before heading conwards.

Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age

The chance to see the actual capsule that Valentina Tereshkova flew in is just too good to miss.

Really having to force myself to finish the Sams right now. I think it's because most of what's left to do is sewing.

New skills this year include bamboo shaping.

Is underway.

Could someone please make me a sam sized grey wig with two pigtail braids, just down past the shoulders?

Struggled a bit to get ideas going for this years artwork but I think I've got it at last. I just need to get to the hobby shop for beads, feathers, cardboard tubes and maybe some glove leather if it's cheap enough.

You know your barbarian is silly enough when he starts to look like a crossover between a 70's Frazetta painting and the bondage section of a gay mag. Now to decide where on the scale from usable to Final Fantasy the sword goes...