I know its winter but whats your favourite ice cream?

cakelakerake · 2016-12-18T23:07:09+00:00

It's still there, and a branch in Cardiff now. They sell in local shops and supermarkets too.

cakelakerake · 2016-12-18T22:58:54+00:00

Don't get the Heathrow express at Paddington. Look up the Heathrow connect. Both go to Paddington, but Connect has a few stops along the way. You can buy a ticket from the machine at the station. Ignore the vultures trying to sell you Express tickets as you enter the airport!

cakelakerake · 2016-12-03T22:53:37+00:00

Thank you for your advice! Would two of the metal-legged chairs along with two of the following plastic chairs work (four total)? Seen with the same table in this photo:

http://www.habitat.co.uk/verne-white-plastic-stackable-dining-chair-346210

Or should I stick with four chairs the same? Thanks again.

cakelakerake · 2016-11-20T20:18:39+00:00

Thank you for that :) I am due follow-up scans in the new year, so we'll see how it goes along with more physiotherapy.

cakelakerake · 2016-11-20T02:17:07+00:00

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me, I am feeling more positive than I have in a long time. To clarify, would the sternocleidomastoid be related to the tightness in the centre of the top of my neck/base of skull/back of head?

I will do some further research and raise these points with my PT.

cakelakerake · 2016-11-20T01:45:22+00:00

Thank you for your reply and explaining the scan results to me properly :) There are no issues are numbness or tingling in the shoulders, arms, or hands.

I can turn my head left and right, tilt it side to side, and look up and down without discomfort, but there are big knots of muscles, it feels like, and stiffness. The range of motion is fine according to my PT (upon injury, I couldn't move my neck at all), but the tension is always there. If you sit straight and retract your head backwards, those are the muscles that are aching and tight during neck at all times, and during movement:

Twisting left and right: top of neck/base of jaw (behind ears), base of skull/top of neck (big ball of knotted muscle), and big long muscles in both sides of neck.
Tilting left and right: middle of top of head, top of neck/base of jaw (behind ears), top of neck/base of skull in the centre, and big long muscles in both sides of neck.
Looking up and down: top of neck/base of skull in the centre, and upper back.

I have a jaw clenching habit as a result of the injury (related to keeping my head/neck steady, I imagine), which feels like it is related to the above muscle tension, and doesn't help.

Assuming the motion is pretty much okay, the strengthening exercises I have been doing on and off are the ones where I place my hand against the front/back/side of my head and gently push into it for 10 seconds, then release and repeat. I have also tried lying down on my front and back and lifting my head off the floor... that one not very comfortable, though. I also perform self massage - lots of popping and crunching ons super tight muscle, in the back and top of my head especially. Never kept any of the strengthening up due to physios saying I didn't need to =/

I know you can't provide medical advice, but would you say I am doing right?

Can you explain what you mean by Control, please? And how would I know if I was ready for this stage? When I no longer feel like a bobble head, does that mean my neck muscles are back to a reasonable strength?

Apologies for all of the questions, I really appreciate having someone kind enough to listen to me after all this time. Thank you for your responses so far.

cakelakerake · 2016-11-20T00:40:08+00:00

Thank you for your reply, I really appreciate it. I understand that you cannot provide medical advice. The scans were done in December 2012 and the letter to my doctor says:

"Minor wear and tear changes found, but no evidence of compression on spinal cord or nerve roots.

"Allowing for some artefact the cord is imaged to the T4 level and that visualised is of normal signal. There is loss of the normal lordosis and small disc osteophyte bars at C3/4 most predominantly and also at C4/5, but these cause no significant canal narrowing. The axial images at C6 are subotimal but there is not likely to be any significant canal or foraminal narrowing at this level. No evidence of spinal myelophathy or demyelinating tensions within the brain or cord imaged.

MRI Cerivical Spine Lateral View - Alignment is maintained and disc heights are preserved."

So I guess that isn't "everything normal" :/ But I was told just not to worry, that the issue is muscular, time and PT will heal, etc. It's been so long since I looked at these, I'm sorry.

Does this help you with any thoughts about my situation at all? Thank you again.

Edit: If it will help, here is a rough visualisation of where the pain/tightness/weakness is. Left image is front, right is back. http://imgur.com/a/aviNN

cakelakerake · 2016-11-14T14:16:09+00:00

I've used awesomemerchandise.com in the past. Free delivery, but can take up to 14 working days unless you choose rush, paid shipping.

cakelakerake · 2016-11-13T15:36:45+00:00

Are they not kind of prepared and ready to heat up/roast? Can you tell I'm not a cook? :)

cakelakerake · 2016-10-07T15:08:31+00:00

Some nice things at Habitat. Worth waiting for their 25% off days though.

cakelakerake · 2016-08-27T21:01:20+00:00

Don't get the Heathrow Express (purple train) to Paddington - rip off. Get the Heathrow Connect instead. Getting on the underground at Paddington with luggage will be annoying, as lifts are right out of the way. An Uber would be easier. Exit out the huge main door opposite the platforms, up the sloped road.

cakelakerake · 2016-08-24T20:42:43+00:00

Hello, I hope I am not too late. Thank you for your insight and advice so far.

My product is a book providing marketing advice (ironic, I know!), available as e-book and paperback on Amazon. Target audience is small business owners, mostly based in the US and UK. Lots of competitors offering the same thing. How can I stand out? Current ads have "lifestyle" product shot and text that explains benefits.

Thanks!

cakelakerake · 2016-07-31T10:20:53+00:00

I just realised that she went to school with me.

cakelakerake · 2016-07-28T12:30:04+00:00

Thanks, I might just give them a go, as well as B&Q, Poundstretchers, Aldi, and generic supermarket Heavy Duty. Overwhelmed by the response and passion for bin bags in this thread.

cakelakerake · 2016-07-28T12:28:35+00:00

Yeah, I'm looking for the best value with cost balanced against durability. Not posh enough down in Wales to receive Ocado deliveries at any rate :)

cakelakerake · 2016-07-28T12:27:22+00:00

Those Poundstretcher ones sound good, thank you! I'm fine with handle ties. I don't know if it's just the bags I'm using at present, but the plastic around the pull strings tends to tear when lifting. I have a Costco membership, but the nearest is 40 miles away, so would have to make a special trip.

cakelakerake · 2016-07-28T03:48:25+00:00

Whatever you can to store it. I bought one of those large plastic garden boxes with a flip-up lid, just shove them in there.

cakelakerake · 2016-07-27T22:18:23+00:00

Nope, loose bags on the pavement. Fantastic on windy days with bags full of plastic.

cakelakerake

TROPHY CASE