Monthly Archives: Nov 2018

Shifting through old photos which left from our uncle Norman via Uncle John through our late grandmother – Biddy Masters nee Watkinson. 

I came across this photo – a chap and a car outside the homestead or one of the worker’s homestead at Ruakura Research Centre. I don’t recall it was one of the Watkinson boys except for Uncle Johny Watkinson. 

Surrounding Ruakura lands, there were many wetlands and forests in the 1800s then came in the 1900s, the wetlands and forests were removed to make a way to establish intensive farming activities and the Ruakura AgResearch Station was formed in the early 1900s. I will type more about the history of Ruakura in the next blog. 

Our ancestors – the Watkinson families, came down to the Waikato area before moving to Ruakura and Hamilton from Walton which just outside our home – Eureka. For I know that uncle Johny worked there after shifting to Ruakura from Walton and his nephew Ernest Watkinson helped him out. Then came along our grandfather – Alan Masters for he was called ‘Shorty’ at the Ruakura Research Station. He met Hilda – Biddy there at the dance club. 

During the school holidays, Shorty always took me out to Ruakura Station and helped him out or to meet other families who have children to play with me. I have had so many memories during my childhood. The homesteads are not there anymore for I will try to find the map and buildings back 1920s. 

Today Ruakura Centre – AgResearch Centre is a hub between Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland. I travel to /from work each day and I noticed there has been a lot of developments out there. 

Radiculopathy is a condition due to a compressed nerve in the spine that can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the course of the nerve. Radiculopathy can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy) and in the neck (cervical radiculopathy).

C6-C7 degenerative disc disease
The disc acts like a cushion between the bones (or vertebrae) in the neck. As the disc positioned between the C6 and C7 vertebrae starts to lose its cushioning and height during the normal ageing process, the facet joints endure more stress resulting in degenerative problems. This can lead to pain generation arising from the disc itself, from the settling of the joints, and/or irritation of the adjacent nerve. Cervical Degenerative Disc…

Looking back to the first diagnosis early this year. How I am managing so far this year?

The biggest challenge is activities around home and work such as doing weeding, cooking a Christmas cake, carry shopping, communicating in sign language, let the dogs out for a run, gardening and the list go on. Of course, there is still one nuisance problem from the neighbour over our dogs, and she refused to help us for four years.

A small change makes my life easier which are to work from home during recovering, one hour doing light weeding, away from doing the computer/laptop from evening to the early hours of the next morning, taking a day off in between work days/meetings. Let the dogs out for a run with an eye on them and to check the private road if a nuisance woman is walking her dog or not. I am going to order plants as hedges along one side of the private road to reduce the distraction from the nuisance woman of State Highway 26.

Gardens bought me relaxing when I do walking around in the morning or in the evening but without dogs often. Other times, my partner is at home, and our dogs come with me while my partner uses his ear for sounds and distraction.

Too many medicines make me tiring and finding difficult to get up in the early hours of the morning. I changed to a different medicine which helps me and reduces the pain, for example, recovering 72 hours in the past and now it is about 55-45 hours. I take the prescription medicines only when I really need it.

I go to physio once a month with my own income – not cheap, and it helps me to relax. I am unable to seek funding such as Disability Support Funding even I need to put up an increased height of the fence. All I am asking around $5,000 to help me to get back on the track plus the fence. Our dogs are working/assisting dogs than pet dogs.

Two months ago, this was me with Mark Hadlow at the Central Library in Hamilton, and it was great to catch a quick chat. We met many years back where there was an event – people/children with disabilities. On that day, I put up my brave face for I was in pain, and I met several students with learning disabilities for their lesson at the library.

It is about the hidden pain syndrome I am suffering daily and how I am managing daily life.

Sigh!

More work to be done in the community before Christmas and New Year…. I am having a long break but I dont know how I am over the holiday.

Cheers!!

Radiculopathy is a condition due to a compressed nerve in the spine that can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness along the course of the nerve. Radiculopathy can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy) and in the neck (cervical radiculopathy).

C6-C7 degenerative disc disease
The disc acts like a cushion between the bones (or vertebrae) in the neck. As the disc positioned between the C6 and C7 vertebrae starts to lose its cushioning and height during the normal ageing process, the facet joints endure more stress resulting in degenerative problems. This can lead to pain generation arising from the disc itself, from the settling of the joints, and/or irritation of the adjacent nerve. Cervical Degenerative Disc…

Looking back to the first diagnosis early this year. How I am managing so far this year?

The biggest challenge is activities around home and work such as doing weeding, cooking a Christmas cake, carry shopping, communicating in sign language, let the dogs out for a run, gardening and the list go on. Of course, there is still one nuisance problem from the neighbour over our dogs, and she refused to help us for four years.

A small change makes my life easier which are to work from home during recovering, one hour doing light weeding, away from doing the computer/laptop from evening to the early hours of the next morning, taking a day off in between work days/meetings. Let the dogs out for a run with an eye on them and to check the private road if a nuisance woman is walking her dog or not. I am going to order plants as hedges along one side of the private road to reduce the distraction from the nuisance woman of State Highway 26.

Gardens bought me relaxing when I do walking around in the morning or in the evening but without dogs often. Other times, my partner is at home, and our dogs come with me while my partner uses his ear for sounds and distraction.

Too many medicines make me tiring and finding difficult to get up in the early hours of the morning. I changed to a different medicine which helps me and reduces the pain, for example, recovering 72 hours in the past and now it is about 55-45 hours. I take the prescription medicines only when I really need it.

I go to physio once a month with my own income – not cheap, and it helps me to relax. I am unable to seek funding such as Disability Support Funding even I need to put up an increased height of the fence. All I am asking around $5,000 to help me to get back on the track plus the fence. Our dogs are working/assisting dogs than pet dogs.

Two months ago, this was me with Mark Hadlow at the Central Library in Hamilton, and it was great to catch a quick chat. We met many years back where there was an event – people/children with disabilities. On that day, I put up my brave face for I was in pain, and I met several students with learning disabilities for their lesson at the library.

It is about the hidden pain syndrome I am suffering daily and how I am managing daily life.

Sigh!

More work to be done in the community before Christmas and New Year…. I am having a long break but I dont know how I am over the holiday.

Cheers!!