My Blood!

Check this out! It's a tube of the red stuff, fresh from my arm! One of TWO tubes that were taken - AND I DIDN'T FAINT!!!!

Today I had a visit from a very nice researcher from the University of Cardiff, who is working on a study on Bipolar Disorder (for more information, see here and here). She was kind enough to take the blood FIRST, so she could revive me if I conked out and so I could get the difficult bit over with. Then I had to answer lots and lots of questions, and some of the answers were tape recorded, and I also have a questionnaire to complete and return to them in the post!

It was rather interesting to be on the "other side" of one of these research studies, since I worked in a research unit, ordering tubes exactly like this one, and needles just like the one she used, and plasters just like the little one I now have on my arm, etc etc for 4 years! Even the information sheet and consent form, complete with ethics reference number and boxes for initials were extremely familiar - this research is for bipolar disorder (which I have) rather than diabetes (where I worked), but the general format was identical!

Anyway, now it's done and I have a short time before the Wonderspouse gets back - I'll return to maths in a moment and try to get just a bit more done today!

As for the rest of the day, I did 32 lengths of the pool this morning (still rather tired after Sunday's junketings, and the left knee is still a bit fragile, so it was swimming with arms rather than powerful legs), then went to get a few groceries, before coming home and starting on the jobs and stuff.

I'd hoped to get a bit more work done than I did, but am still a bit on the tired side, however, I did manage to get everything a bit more sorted than it was, and have made progress, so that's probably good enough! I also changed the bedding and started on the laundry, which is good news if we want to wear clothes next week! I was also slightly distracted by removals outside - we seem to have new people moving in next door - hope they're nice - must warn them that Tiggy will try to get into their house and has been known to steal suppers in the past - she once got into our landlord's kitchen and ate the chicken breasts that were scheduled for his supper - oops!

The only other thing to report is that the boys curled up doing yin and yang rats in their hammock this afternoon, which was absolutely heartmeltingly gorgeous!

Oh, and Pebbles was a very able research assistant - she came and watched intently as the blood was taken (I'll get revenge at the vets when jab time comes) and then sat on the sofa next to the research lady throughout the questioning!