Post Op and Release woohoo

Once again folks thanks for all the messages via emails, txts and skype - it has been a great support :):):).
I meant to get a post out yesterday re the op the afternoon before but what with feeling woozy after the op not to say a little feral as well which is my preferred reaction to pain or the thought of it, lol, yesterday was busy with post op stuff plus discharge.

THE orderly who had offered perk coffee and biscuits earlier came back later to show me what she had taped on tv and wall for the bloke opposite me - two A4 pictures from a glossy magazine of a champagne magnum and a chocolate cake filled with cream, and then four pictures from same magazine of a gourmet sausage roll, chicken pie, cheese cake with passion fruit sauce drizzled over it and another pastry - was laughing too much to remember what it was.  Not long after the bloke opposite me got wheeled off for surgery and his wife came over and offered me the magazine she was reading which was a lovely gesture.  I was given a tablet to help relax me (Right!) and then it was my turn.

As brother Brett said, it was very Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason, being wheeled through the corridors, through doors until I was parked in the pre-op waiting room (you would need to see the video of this to understand but I got it and had thought the same myself, lol).  I was ok up until the time I left the ward, and then uncontrollably my eyes (firmly shut) started leaking which continued throughout the procedure.  I got asked if I was ok, - yes - leak, leak. Just so you know, this happens when I have xrays on my teeth, lol before I even open my mouth for the dentist to look in, so I figure it is my body's way of coping with whatever - slight nerves to full blown, lol. 

Now a small note by way of explanation that will make sense as you read further.  When Mum first started doing homecare and had a young bloke with broken arms and legs to shower, their conversation about how to manage it went something like this.  Mum told the bloke she would wash him down as far as possible and would do up as far as possible and he could manage possible - if you get my drift......

Back to the op.  The wheeled me into where the op was going to happen - it is a little hazy but my impressions are of lying on a table, night gown lifted with "possible" well exposed and then something that sounded like black polythene sheeting put over me and some " possible" sized cloth being placed into the appropriate position.  There was then some warm liquid gushed over both groins - interesting feeling to say the least and then they said the procedure was beginning - that I would feel a little prick (eyes leaking too much to laugh and respond, heh, heh) and ouch then I jumped as I felt something like an electric shock go down my right leg - great.  Trying to lie still and feeling an unusual sensation as I guessed the dye was being pumped through,  when bam another pain, me yelling for oxygen, the world slowing down (it seemed, nobody jumped quickly so had to ask again) as the pain intensified, someone finally put a mask on and sprayed some GTN under my tongue and SLOWLY it felt though probably about a minute all up, the pain started to recede.  Much more eye leakage and was told that my heart had just gone into spasm  but everything else looked good and it was all over.  I was taken back to the preop room for an hour I think and pretty much dozed, weird jumble of thoughts and then I was taken back to my room.  I either had underneath me or was somehow put on some thin mattress thing that was then blown up around me like a hovercraft underpinnings and was somehow lifted onto my own bed and told I could not move my right leg for 3 hours - and there was some sandbag contraption placed on my upper thigh, groin area to make sure plus my leg felt like a concrete block anyway from the local anesthetic I supposed.  Once again dozed, got a message out that I had survived and was in recovery by txt and dozed again.  Now while I am cast like a ewe in bed, the chap before me is up, dressed and ready to go home.  Flipping heck, an older bloke, plus had previous heart history and though shaking like a leaf was mobile, which I could not even fathom doing.  Bless, he tottered over and offered me his newspaper and some grapes.  His son owns a fruit shop and the old digger helps out at the markets etc and said I was welcome to them and to say good bye to THE orderly when I saw her next.  Was blown away by the kindness of him and his wife.

They bought me my dinner - one slice of roast pork - I had already told the orderly, even if I wasn't up to it, they were to save it for me regardless and could give me double if they liked, lol, so was pleased that I was awake enough to manage it, single lice, salt less helping that it was, lol.   The next thing I knew friend Shelly had arrived for another visit which cheered me up no end and helped to snap me out of the feral place that I was in.  Some nurse had come to tell me earlier that my angiogram was all good, and it may have been the tablets they had put me that had induced the spasms, Told the stupid bint (feral mode), I was having the pains before they put me on tablets and though they had increased since I had been in hospital, what was causing them in the first place and how did I know they would not come back again, grrrrr.  She told me she would get the Dr to explain.....

Before Shelly had arrived, I had thought I wanted to go to the loo and because I wasn't allowed to move they said I had to use a bed pan - no worries.  Along the nurse came and with a bit of a juggle, managed to eventually land on the pan and ........ nothing.  Brain said I wanted to go, bladder thought it wanted to go, but as much as I tried to get there, everything was snapped shut and just could not go.  Drank more water, whistled, tried sheer will power but the lower end was ignoring all efforts.  The nurse said I could wait till I could move to the bathroom myself and removed the bed pan.  She also checked my groin area at the same time - said it was nice and soft, no bleeding - great - like I could have cared  at that point.

After Shelly left, more drinking and a cup of coffee - with biscuits, lol they took the sandbag thing of my leg and I gingerly got up to go to the loo.  More fiddling as they had to catch this one, so with the bed pan now in the loo, away I went, eyes receding back into sockets and thinking there were horses I have known I could have put to shame - obviously all parts still working after the procedure, another tick on the post op list and back into bed.  I skyped Kay around 2am NZ time to let her know I had survived and pretty much went to sleep.  I felt a bit of tightness in my chest but nothing that rated, though was a leeetle anxious when they took the oxygen away from me and the peg on my finger as  my pattern was to drop oxygen stats a bit during the nights.  I hoped the telemetry would work enough if I did get another blast of pain - not entirely trusting that I would be totally ok.

All went well, woke up to meds and had to ask nurse over again what was going on with me after yesterdays procedure - it was going in one ear and out the other it seemed, not a lot was sticking when a woman turned up to take an ekg.  She was extremely chatty, came from the Isle of Man, had been teaching but changed to this job and was loving it, loved nz and was heading over for a month at the end of Jan.  Snap I said.  She is going down the SI then staying at a B&B owned by friends in Ponsonby and said we should catch up for coffee,  so came back with all her details after finishing the ward round.  She also offered me to stay at her place if I needed somewhere before heading back to Geraldton!!!!!! Talk about friendly.

No sooner  she was done than a bloke turned up (Irish) with a fancy machine who said he was doing an ecocardiogram (I think that is what it was) - an ultra sound of my heart from the outside after the angiogram had done the inside.  There had been a shadow on the angiogram which might suggest a leaky valve (thoughts of pig valve replacement flashed through my mind - might not be able to look at pork in the same way again).  I had to lie on my left side, left arm above my head and be still for 20 mins - fully topless again - I tell you St Tropez here I come, wouldn't bat an eyelid anymore, (laughing fit to kill myself at that picture, heh, heh), while he gelled the end of the microphone/camera thing and off he went.  Very interesting experience hearing the beating of one's own heart and seeing it pulsating away on screen which was what I was able to observe once I had to lie on my back for different view.  Same technology as ultra sound for babies but not as ooh er gasp of excitement unless I guess your heart is more likely to be stopping than going, lol.  He spent some time and went over me with the proverbial fine tooth comb as everything looked normal first sweep over and he needed to make sure.  All good I said. 

A small pause for morning tea by then and along came the Drs.  The gist of what they said was that my inside heart was little cause for concern that there was some slight build up of cholesterol on one of the arteries, my outside heart was good and what had happened was that one of my arteries was clamping shut which was causing the pains  - then drew a picture on one of my serviettes to show me what he was talking about.  He said I had coronary artery spasm (google it if you like) which was perfectly able to be managed by meds, no surgery required, and I could be discharged, hey ho and all good.

Got some messages out to family that all was good, then it was lunch and a shower after the nurse had changed the dressing on my groin.  I mean I hadn't been near naked for at least an hour by now, lol.  I remembered the nurse said the night before that I should check it to make sure the INCISION site was still soft, - I also remember looking back at her thinking she was crazy to expect me to be doing anything like going near a wound and what was she talking about INCISION site, I thought they had merely used a needle thingie to put the wire and dye into my groin and FAR too much information.  This nurse said everything was fine and she would give me two bandages to cover site on discharge - great there is no escape...... if I wanted to do stuff like this, I would have become a nurse myself.

At long last, I finally was given a pair of pyjamas to wear, hellaflippinglujah, and where were they when I had wires everywhere that necessitated full frontal nudity or "possible"  being shown to the world, lol.  Mind you, they were blokes pyjamas so had them well hoisted so as not to be gaping at the world as I trotted to backwards and fwds to the bathroom.  I had to wait a little longer and eventually the leur was removed from my hand, the telemetry came off, I was able to go get dressed in my own clothes and I was wheeled down to the reception waiting area.  The Dr's wanted me to stay in Perth for at least 24 hours in case anything went wrong (hmmmm) so I had sent txt to Shelly and rung Mo to see if I could stay with them which was fine except Shelly was at work and Mo did not know how to find the place.  With the open sesame I had forgotten about hospital access to people and places, by the time I had got down stairs they had found Shelly at Rockingham hospital and they were sending me by taxi to save her the trip up, with me arriving at the same time as Shelly was coming out of the door at the end of her shift. They had bunged another woman in the taxi who was going further down than me so maximising their resources.  All was paid for by the hospital.

I had arrived at the hospital with my voluminous handbag and laptop and left with two extra bags and flowers.  I took the orchids out my my NZ bunch and added them to Shelly's bunch and left the lillies which had opened (and one had dropped its petals), with the woman opposite from me who was very sick and didn't appear to have many folk come to see her-  in the spirit of having had things given to me.  It was nice to get to Shelly's and sit, felt a bit light headed but ok and after a couple of cold drinks felt much better.  She decided she didn't want to cook so she and I with her youngest son went to the local Dome for dinner - had salt and pepper squid and a lamb salad and then home again.  We were talking and I said I just had to put my head down and woke up at 5.30am this morning.  Had slight tightness in chest but started my pill regime - am taking 4 a day - and am all good since.  Shelly has gone to work, have got Mo all hooked up on skype after he saw me talking to Kay and Viv,(waves), then Mum (waves again) and am about to go have a shower.  Am having to borrow some of Shells clothes as only have the one pair of spare knickers and what I was admitted in. 

I am here in Rockingham until tomorrow - my flight is booked from Perth to Geraldton at 4pm and Bronwyn or Gerard will get me at the other end.  Tonight is New Year's eve which feels a bit surreal and the plan is to go down to the beach to watch the fireworks and a barbeque tea.  I was all set to go find me a GP on Monday on my return to Geraldton but forgot it is public holidays until Wednesday.  I have off work until the 14th of January and have to have a medical clearance to go back which shouldn't be a problem.  This will give me time for the tablets to bed in so to speak as I believe some of their affects are cumulative until body is adjusted to them.  I will also be referred to a travelling cardiologist who comes to Geraldton once a month I think they said, to monitor progress or the lack thereof. 

Will sign off now, go delete the half post that happened when I pressed the wrong button and leave the fuller unexpurgated version behind.

Update from CCU :)

Thanks for the comments on previous postings.
J & J : please thank Margaret for the prayer circle - doesn't hurt to have people with friends in high places covering my back
Kay, Viv and Mum:  Yup, not for the faint hearted and I was on the receiving end (literally, lol) of all this attention and Viv loved your "mowhawk" comment on skype.

I have been skypeless today as have overused my allowance and the hamster in the wheel has gone on strike. Once I had trawled through info to find my user name and password I was able to increase allowance but not until midnight tonight - pfffft to telstra who cannot do it immediately!

Well, after the trauma of my "close shave" this morning, drip in arm, and fasting, (for two whole hours, lol)  one of the nurses came to tell me I was off today's list, on tomorrows list and I could now eat.  Whoop, whoop.  Got given roast turkey with fruit crumble and custard for lunch and some sandwiches and coffee with 2 biscuits for afternoon tea so am not starving. The orderly (not sure she recognises my face lol) went and told the chap opposite what I was having as he was still on fasting for this afternoon's list so she has a sense of humour at least. Have been wheeled through the bowels of the hospital again to have a chest xray = felt very possum in the headlights or in the cross hairs down the barrel of a gun as they fiddled and pointed the xray machine for side and front shots of my chest.  I was wheeled down by a different orderly and accompanied by my nurse from the ward.  I was hitched up to a portable machine to read my heart rate and it wasn't till later I realised the other bag on the bed was like a portable crash cart (in case of a heart attack on the way down I guess)  It all feels a bit over kill as my read outs continue to be normal.  No more chest pain , no more blood noses, no more injections,  so on a win  this afternoon. I do not have to have oxygen or the peg on my finger and the monitor seems to be wireless so I can move about freely  on the ward here - I guess they have everything to hand and  do constant updates.

The office lady turned up a short while ago with a beautiful bouquet of flowers done up in a box.  It is made up of  orange lillies, two red gerbra (large), some purple rose looking flowers I want to say winter rose or some such thing but they are not (hellebore comes to mind)  and six stalks of reddy coloured slipper orchids - thank you so much and please thank all who were involved in the sending - totally unexpected so all the nicer for the receiving. 

Pause for snooze:  Back again and I am to be on the move to a cardio-thoracic ward as I seem to be fairly stable (no rocket science there) and they no doubt need this space for someone sicker than me.  I guess that will mean portable machines to transfer me unless around the corner.

Later:

Well that was all a bit optimistic - I had been to the loo, had packed my laptop away and got handbag (voluminous) out of locker and got back on my bed for dinner and had a bout of chest pain - was given oxygen and my new best friend - half a GTN tablet - which makes the pain go away.  It was all over in mins and only got to about 2 on the pain scale.  It was enough though to stop me being transferred out of the ward.  The nurse asked me was it because I was anxious about moving out of CCU - said it was hardly that as I had been good most of the day so no I was not anxious. Not sure they entirely believed me but as I have hardly been sick apart from the odd pain, compared to others in the ward, I have felt almost a fraud at times as I have said before.

Had a lovely visit from friend Shells and her two boys last night.  I recounted her my mornings exploits and it was good to have a laugh with her.  Bless her, she came with survival package of toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, Pringles, chocolate cappucino chocolates, pkt of roasted candy cashew nuts and a tin of biscuits for Christmas.  Talk about spoiled :):).  More supplies for my illicit contraband but at the rate of one thing a day I have enough to last some weeks. No sooner had she left when I got another pain or not so much of a pain, more and indigestion feeling so was definitely here for the night.

Had a lovely txt from Donna at work earlier in the evening after I missed a call from her - the two little boys - 2 yrs and nearly 3 yrs wanted to talk to me - the 3 yr old telling her "hello, Lynn ( said Lean, which is Aussi for Lynn) and thr 2yr old saying  "Lean, hello goodnight".  Bless their little hearts.  Its those moments that really make the job worthwhile.  Also received a lovely email from No1 grandson telling me of his trip to Picton with Mum and Dad, feeding Blue cod and seeing eels.  He did some canoeing where they went and told me he was very good at it as was his Mum.  Great to see him enjoy the great outdoors and lots of lovely memories to grow up with.  He also played "petonk" (his spelling) with Dad so it sounded a great few days away.

Thursday:

Just as well they didn't do a mini mental on me this morning (what is the day, what is the year, who is Prime Minister, count backwards from blah blah blah) as I could have sworn it was Friday today!!! oops.  So this morning have had a bit of drama.  Was woken up for early breakfast pre fasting for the day - very condemmed person ate a hearty meal stuff as you can have as much as you like lol or seconds at least.  I went from lying to sitting up and started to feel pain coming on.  Got to be about 3-4 before the oxygen and GTN kicked in and then faded to nothing almost instantaneously.  So now it would seem two mornings in a row waking and sitting up have been enough to set things off - total pain in the pixie.  Once it was all over - they wanted to give me morphine but I refused it as there was no pain once they had got organised and one less injection to cope with, fired up the trusty lap top and yay, skype is back on and managed to touch base with brother Brett who can skype with his phone, and of course Kay to give the latest updates.  Had a good catch up and was just going to start posting this when along came another flipping pain.  I pressed the buzzer, and again and again but couldn't hear it go off so yelled for a nurse and they came flying from everywhere.  This one was a doozy, about 8 so I  have someone giving me oxygen, another putting tablet under tongue and then while that started to work, blood pressure was being taken, the travel pack telemetry whipped off and the leads from the main machine replaced - and they did give me morphine this time, through the canular in my hand woohoo, so no injection after all.  The nurse referred to me having unstable angina after the first bout this morning as I am getting pain at rest - have told them at the moment I am soooo rested, any movement qualifies as exercise, lol.  I had been off oxygen for about 45 mins when I got the second bout as I was heading to the loo but skyped instead.  I had my laptop on my knees when the second pain started so shoved it down the foot of the bed for safety and bless when I opened my eyes, the nurse had moved it to a chair - first question - is my laptop ok, probably not what they were expecting.

THE orderly has been about this morning, went past and told the other bloke fasting with me that the coffee was perked today and she had chocolate biscuits on the trolly - I burst out laughing at that and then she dropped by bringing an empty cup, placing it on the bedside table to rub it in.  There are probably despotic regiemes out there that could use her for refined toture, lol.  I suppose it helps to have a sense of humour in her job.  Had a visit from the blood bitch this morning who actually drew blood without pain.  As soon as she said she wanted some, I said, I hoped it would be better than yesterday, showing her the bruised site she had left - she had the nerve to say it was difficult to find a good place like it was my fault.  Not impressed with her bedside manner at all.  .  There are Dr's about so will sign off for now.  Hopefully the next post will be,- "Post Op".

I

Woohoo Flying Doctors here we go.

This post is coming from my new bed, (bed 12) in the Cardiac Care Unit (ccu) in Fremantle hospital.  Mid morning yesterday after a shower, another injection in the stomach and a change into another fetching grey (this time) hospital pyjamas, I had caught up with various txts, finished my first book and was having a visit from friend Donna - debrief on work - all the usual stuff, lol when lunch was served.  Had finished lunch and listening to stories of Donna's Christmas when the nursing staff came in and said I was on my way to Perth, that the ambo's would be there at around 1am and I would be off to Perth with the Flying Doctors!!!  Right then.  Quick scurry into the cupboard to get handbag and laptop sorted and packed - stuff given to Donna to drop up to Gerard and not long after two paramedics arrived to load me up on their transportable stretcher.  This is not an elegant way to travel.  The stretcher is about as wide as a coffin so built for practicality not comfort, lol.  I had to lie down and was then promptly trussed like a turkey for Christmas with shoulder and waist safety harness/belt, and lifted in two stages to a comfortable walking level for the guys to push me.  Meanwhile Donna is taking photos of my plight, lol. 

I have now seen yards of hospital ceilings as I have been wheeled to and from E.D to the ward, ward back to E.D and out into the waiting ambulance.  A few jolts over the entrance doorway frame, a blast of hot air from the great out doors and I was shoved into the ambulance, oxygen, blood pressure etc taken and off we went.  Kingsley - the paramedic who sat in the back with me, was full of wisecracks and kept a good patter up on the way to the the Flying Doctor base near the airport.  We drove into what resembled a huge haybarn and parked beside an old helicopter that didnt look as though it had seen the light of day for some time and I met the crew who were taking me to Perth or Jandicot to be more precise.    I was transferred from one stretcher to the next, base boards shoved under me then four blokes lifting the sheet I was on, and on the count of 3,  they hefted me from one to the other (of similar width to the first one ). Again, lots more banter between the paramedics, and them all chipping me. It was like they had all read Keep the Patient distracted: 101 - build good rapport to allieviate nervousness etc(which I wasn't).   There was some wait for the plane to be ready or some other details to be sorted and then I was wheeled out on the tarmac and loaded onto the plane.  Do not ask me what sort it was - small, white, with wings is about all I remember from my prone position.  Once I was locked into place on the right side of the plane (three windows worth, lol),  once again  hooked up to bells and whistles,  we were off.  Had another paramedic sit by me the whole way down with a learner Dr on board (he was doing a work placement with RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service to give the whole correct name, for those playing at home).  I kept trying to remember what the plane looked like in the TV programme "The Flying Doctors" which we used to watch avidly and knew Mum would be thinking about the programme when she heard I would be travelling with them - sure enough - mentioned in her email and I laughed out loud at that - great minds thinking alike.  No Rebecca Gibney though but the guys were ok - and of course in uniform, which is never a bad thing, - and young enough to be my sons with the exception of the pilot and a couple of paramedics at Jandicot. lol.

The flight seemed to go for ages instead of the hour that it was.  Having so much oxygen in my system meant I wasn't overly sleepy but after being asked frequently if I was ok and YES, I was, I closed my eyes and semi-dozed a good amount of the way. There was several bouts of turbulence and a good drop before coming into land.  Again, lots of concern but I told them I was used to landing in crosswinds at Wellington airport and was all good.  The chief concern seemed to be that my blood pressure was low and this seemed to bother them.  I said what did you expect when I had done nothing but lie about for the last few days, any more rested and I would be dead (not sure whether you are meant to joke about the d word with paramedics, lol).  The paramedic who I think was called Andy, chatted about his recent trip to NZ as we were landing.  He had spent a month in the SI during the world cup and raved about the scenery, the friendliness of everyone (even though it was in the middle of the rugby WORLD CUP, lol), the devastation of Christchurch with the earthquakes, the scenery at Tekapo, Wanaka and Queenstown and Speights (beer, for those who do not recognise the name ). Unusually for a WAustralian, he loves rugby (most over here follow Aussi football madly and would not know rugby if it bit them).  I liked his comment that it was something to watch two teams go head to head,  looking each other in the eye.

I had wanted to go to the loo when I got to the RDFS base, in Geraldton - must have been the fresh fruit salad I bolted down before I left, but did not see anything resmembling conveniences in the barn/hanger so decided could last an hour, but by the time we had landed I was marginally uncomfortable and asked if I could go before being transferred to the hospital.  I was transferred from stretcher to stretcher with barge boards and hefting lift again ( I was perfectly ok to have hopped on and off myself so was very weird being treated like an invalid, hem hem).  One of the blokes said yes I could go, then there was some conferring and I was asked if I could wait till Freo and very assertively I said NO, after ascertaining that it was a 30 min trip to the hospital (and who knew how many bumps on the way, lol).  Immediate consternation to the four blokes present as by now they had hooked me up with another cannister of oyxgen AND a drip - still blathering on about my low blood pressure.  I was WHEELED on the stretcher to the door of the toilet/shower within the base building, helped off the stretcher and like a bridesmaid, one of the blokes came in with me carrying aforementioned paraphenalia, this is while he is telling me I should have been catheterized before the trip - arrrrgh, glad I missed that one, lol.  He asked me if I needed any help (I had leurs in both hands that were bandaged up for travel but said I thought I could manage, so after him lying the oxygen on the ground etc I waited for him to leave, not quite cross eyed but warming to that end, when he moved behind the curtain of the shower area adjacent to the toilet and said he would sit there to give me privacy. OMG talk about performance anxiety, lol, but there was not much else to do but go as he was not budging in case I pegged out, I guess.  Flipping heck, its up there with giving birth (but wait, it gets better, heh heh ....). 

Comfortable (at least on the inside)again, I was popped back on the stretcher, and loaded into my second ambulance for the day.  Up until that point the paramedic who had flown down with me was going to come on with me to the hospital but finally hearing from me that I was STILL ok, he handed me over and off to Freo hospital I went.  I have been to Freemantle - home of the famous Jail, where the America's cup was held and the Docker's football stadium resides, and the hospital is at the back of the old prison.  Could see lots of old buildings (the tops of them anyway) as I lay flat on my back yet again in the ambulance.  Checked in through E.D  and then what felt like miles of corridoors and a trip through the bowels of the hospital before arriving at "room" 12 in the cardiac care unit.  It is not a room but a curtained off space, though I do have the corner spot opposite the loo and nurses station yet again.  Dinner was served when I arrived - very cardiac care here - served on a small plate, no salt OR pepper this time and no coffee and biscuit for supper afterwards.  A piece of hard (Italian) kiwi fruit for dessert was on the tray, so I left that and ate an apple I had bought with me, which had been in my handbag prior inital admit back in Geraldton.  (Then I had two mini whittikers choc bars for supper that they knew nothing about later in the evening which was just enough to fill a gap).

No sooner than I had dinner, skyped home, than I had another blood nose, bleeding on my forehead where I must have knocked myself or scratched at some stage by my eyebrow and then later in the evening, the bandaged area where they had given a clexane injection yesterday, sprouted a leak and had blood seeping down my pyjama bottoms.  Go blood thinners - am feeling very princess and the pea or is that sleeping beauty, one prick and instead of sleep, gushing like an oil well ( slight exageration, but you get my drift).  Got an icepack and did the pressure thing for the nose, and had bandage replaced on stomach with new pressure bandage which seemed to do the trick.  The eyebrow bleed was sorted with a tissue and pressure applied.  It was a tiny bit  disconcerting a little later in the evening to cough up a large clot of blood that must have gone down the back of my throat from my nose (I know ick, but I was there, lol).  Also disconcerting was the woman next door who was coughing, throwing up, moaning in pain who had several episodes during the night but hey I am in hospital where there are sick people, lol.

As I had my snooze on the plane I was still wide awake at midnight but after nurses coming in a couple of times, thought I should try and get some sleep and managed despite everything to drop off.
Earlier in the evening had a Dr come in and explain procedure today which I pretty much knew already from my previous life as  social worker on the cardiac care ward at Waikato Hospital. They have to go through all the risks and I had to sign a consent for the angiogram, for stents or balloons if I need them, for open heart surgery if I have a heart attack and something goes wrong and for a blood transfusion, again, self explanatory.  I said I preferred option one to the latter options please and she laughed.  I could suffer bruising around entry site in the groin, they could nick lungs or other organs, could instigate a heart attack, lalalalalalala and of course worst scenario is the D word.  Have had to put this conversation from consultants to patients many a time so was pretty aufait with what she had to say.   Part of the procedure is fasting - so after being given breakfast this morning about an hour ago, AND being offered seconds - had an extra wholemeal  roll slathered in margerine (gotta grab the fats fix where I can now, lol, - and it was heart tick margerine at that) after porridge, peaches and a drink of oj followed by a coffe, that is me done for the day until dinner tonight.  They have promised me a drip to keep my hydrated.  (Pause for shower)

Before breakfast, just to keep the by now illusions of all modesty shattered -( given gown last night pretty much open to the four winds which necessitated the wearing of underware to provide a smidgen of decency), a nurse came in brandishing a razor - yup a close shave of the nether regions was requried for the groin entry of the angiogram.  GREAT - haven't had this much fun in 38 yrs since No 1 son was born.  Was tempted to ask for a  heart shape, (laughing to myself here) but thought better off it so have a mohawk now as they did left groin for good measure in case the right groin was no good for angiogram.  And wouldn't you just know it, it the ultimate comedy routine that my life seems to be, whilst lying on my back, razor buzzing, me lying still, heh he, everything displayed to the four winds again (lots of it about on this ward, lol) whoosh goes the curtain as one of the women orderlies (thankfully, I suppose)vmade her entrance, realised in a nano second what was happening,  did a John Cleese spin and about face,  before whooshing the curtain behind her again.  Hmmm and all the nurse could say was "it happens"!!!!!!  All dignity by now out the window.  (Knew it would make a good story though, lol).

This was followed by a blood test that hurt this morning.  Am bruised black and blue on inside right elbow, right hand is puffy from leur that was turning red when it was taken out last night,  so the blood bitch (resuming term from Waikato Hosp days for this nurse) JABBED me on the left side of my right wrist - enough to bring tears to my eyes - not happy.  Had also had mild chest pain this morning so probably some reaction from that too - the nurse thought I might be anxious about procedure but I said it was just the pain from blood test.  Will not be happy if the some one comes again for anything as everyone else taking bloods, giving injections have been great. 

The Dr has now been and after all that prep, I am to have a dye put in my arm!!!! to see if there is any blockages and then maybe the groin if they find something to put a stent or balloon in - so the new trim may not be wasted yet, lol - except that would mean two procedures instead of one.  Hey, ho. Am on the roller coaster now and will just have to take what comes.  Have had some tightening of the chest a couple of times this morning - on the 1 - 3 scale and dissipated with a tablet and oxygen so all good. 

Just a quick message here to all those who have txted, emailed, rung, skyped - thank you for all your well wishes, they are much appreciated.  Bless sister Kay who asked if I needed someone to come over - there are people about here and would rather have folks over to visit when I am hale and hearty to make it worthwhile but again, it is the thought that counts.  Bronwyn and Gerard rang from my place yesterday - were doing my dishes, and finishing the job of cleaning my fridge I was halfway through and were going to take the worm farm home with them so they do not die while I am away (if they haven't perished already).  My friend Shelly from Rotorua days, who went to university with me when we moved to Hamilton 16 yrs ago, is now nursing and living in Rockingham which is further down from Freo again by about 30 mins from memory or maybe closer - she is coming to visit this evening so we will have a good catch up.  Jude is circling in Perth too as she is bringing her Mum home from spending Christmas with her and will stay the night resettling her back into the resthome she lives in.  My phone is going red hot from txts and Donna is keeping me in the loop workwise so am feeling very supported. 

Am going to see if I can catch someone on skype now so will give you the unexpurgated update of the procedure/s  next post.  :):):):)

Christmas 2011 and Boxing Day

Yo, ho, ho, despite all the odds, I had a good Christmas day.  I had to fast from 10pm the night before for a fasting cholesterol blood test which they did first thing in the morning and then I was given scrambled eggs, bacon and grilled tomatoes for breakfast with toast and orange juice.  NO salt! but pepper at least.  Bronwyn, Gerard and kids had been to my place to pick up presents from home  (NZ)which were under my tree and bought them up to me to open which was wonderful.  Bronwyn took photos - me very fetching in my salmon pink hospital nightgown and wiring, opening my NZ gifts and the pottery chook and two chickens that they had given me.  I loved the NZ theme in my parcels and will savour them all when I get home again as I sent them away except photos, comic strip booklet and diary from the two grandchildren and their families, and the bag of mini Whittiker's chocolate nut bars from the parcel that sister Kay organised.  I am allowing myself to eat one a day and figure that is ok.  Bronwyn also bought me up three books to read as I finished my emrgency one - the other lifesavers apart from having my laptop.  Against all the odds, I have been able use it and my cell phone,  whoop whoop.  I was meant to have the laptop checked before I used it but that would not happen until Wednesday at the earliest so I think the staff took pity on me being Christmas and all.

Working out the time difference, I thought I would chance skyping Kay as she was having various family members there for Christmas day and bonus,  managed to connect and say a quick hello to most who were there.  My phone was going flat out with txts and emails so was kept busy replying to them.   Had a nice lunch, slice of roast turkey, cranberry sauce, roast potato, beans and carrots, followed by mini Christmas pudding and brandy custard.  Not long after lunch, a nurse turned up with a trolley and offered me a Christmas drink - I had the choice of beer (must be in Australia, lol) wine, sherry or soft drink and received a Coke Zero at my request.  Not only a drink but she said she had a gift for me too -" get out of here, you're joking me" - but no she wasn't and  I was given a face cloth with body lotion and liquid soap which was perfect.  I had just had a shower before and realised although the hospital gave me towels and there was soap in the shower, I had no face cloth so was rapt with my good fortune. I was also given a change of attire and am now wearing purple shortie pyjamas in a large sizing.   Full tummy, more obs taken and I was ready for a snooze and slept like a baby for the next few hours. Woke up in time for dinner - roast veal except I think it was older than that and distinctly more beef like, but who is to quibble when it comes with more gravy and veg.  Was given fat free ice cream and an individual little apple pie for dessert - (can you tell how easy it is to slip into institutional living again - meals being the highlights  and gloriously on schedule each day, lol).  Managed to touch base with Kay again for a debrief of the day and evening and more emails, txts and calls to answer and another good night's sleep.

Woke up this morning just before breakfast and zoomed the bed up so I was sitting upright.  Had eaten my wheatbix and was halfway through some youghurt (skim and low fat ) when pow I was in the middle of a decent chest pain.  I called the nurses who gave me some GTN spray and when that didn't seem to work got given some milky white medicine, followed by tablets which seemed to take some time to work.  Got to chat briefly with Mum, Kay and friend Vivienne (waves) and her family in my intermission phase as I got more pains after going to the loo.  The one in the ward was being used so had to walk out of the ward and down the corridoor and by the time I got back, I was feeling tightness in my chest and arm again, and as luck would have it, the Dr was on the ward at the same time.  Got given more GTN spray, tablets and lucky me, scored another injection of Clexane into the stomach.  The nurse was laughing out at the desk at my going ouch, ouch afterwards,  so I told her karma would get her, lol.  The Dr rang Perth while he was here and is organising for me to have an angiogram so will have to be flown down - most likely by the Flying Doctors, lol.  Never expected that in a million years.  I guess I will know more tomorrow.   

Have spent most of the day reading, poodling on the computer in between skyping, and a short snooze.  Was sitting mid email this afternoon when I felt wet on my face which turned out to be a gusher of a blood nose.  Yelled out to the nurses who came running with tissues and left me to sort it while I got them to fetch me a cold pack.  It stopped after about 8 tissues worth and a period of time without the oxygen prongs in my nose.  The oxygen has been turned down to force 1 instead of the force 3 it was on so hopefully that should be it and I will not get another one. 

Gerard called in after work tonight with some homemade Christmas pudding, brandy custard and some cherries which I ate before anyone said I couldn't have it, lol.   It's 11.30pm so I suppose I should wind up for the night.  Will keep you all posted as I can.  Not sure whether I will be allowed the laptop in Perth but will keep fingers crossed :)

Twas the night before Christmas .......and I am in hospital.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, Nothing was stirring, not even a mouse (or cockroach, because I have killed them all, heh heh).  The other reason the house is quiet as, is because I am not there, - I am reposing in HDU at our Regional Hospital where I am writing this post. But to go back a bit. 

It was a busy week last week as is any week leading up to Christmas.  I had worked the weekend and held up really well.  I had Monday off to get some last minute shopping done and have an anti-hag treatment at the hairdressers.  I had a belting  chest pain in the morning and was debating whether to go to the hospital again but had made the hair apt and had lots to do plus work the next day, so sucked it up, took some asprin and carried on once the pain subsided.  Got everything done and started to try and sort out gifts to be wrapped but got sidetracked into finally putting up my Christmas lights in the front windows and some outside around the front side porch. 

Late in the night i realised I was working a morning shift instead of the afternoon shift that I had got fixed in my mind,  which stopped me in my (by then),  wrapping tracks.  Finished work Tuesday and then returned to work to help one of our toddlers celebrate his 2nd birthday.  He was soooo funny.  Nothing would do but he had to sit on my lap at the table while he fed me off his plate - managed some fruit and carrot sticks before thankfully he was distracted by his presents as I was none to sure about the cleanliness of his hands ......  All he wanted was a ball and he was thrilled with the one he got plus a new trike (one of those plastic ones with basket and tray on the back) and lucky me, I was allowed to push him hither and yon round thr back yard.  Then it was time to blow out the candles on his cupcake cake which he did with aplomb.  I think it helped that two of his brothers and two of the others had recently celebrated their birthdays as well so he knew what to expect.  I put some snacks and  a piece of pavlova on a plate and then had to zoom to Weight Watcher's to weigh in.  Whoop, whoop, lost 1.6k so 9.2 altogether now :):).

Worked Wednesday and Thursday morning and Thursday decided I HAD to get the family parcels done and posted the next day no matter what.  I was uncommonly tired and ended up in bed by 8.30pm, woke up at 11.30pm and turned off Christmas lights and went back to sleep again.  Luckily, woke at 5.30am following day,  and got cracking with parcels again.  I was wrapping them on the table in the sunporch when movement caught my eye over the opposite side of the table, and there was yet another  flopping cockroach waving its feelers just sitting between the table and the side door.  I continued wrapping for about three parcels and then the damn thing moved.  I ran out into the lounge and grabbed a can of flyspray and gave it a blast.  It then went nuts running all over the place and I thought it was going to make a dash for me in the lounge so poured in another amount of spray.  It then ran under my lap top which was sitting on the floor so I gave it another blast as would not have coped if I had picked the laptop up later and have the damn thing run at me again.  It then ran  towards the door but stopped just before it and somehow ended flipped on its back legs in the air.  Hugging the far wall,  I snuck into the room and on the opposite side of the table gathered gifts, paper and tags and hightailed it into the kitchen/ games room to finish things off.  Yay, finally it was all done, then after getting everything posted, I headed for thr Camel Bar for Bronwyn's birthday lunch. 

Bronwyn was very excited as Gerard and the kids had clubbed together and have bought her a series of diving lessons in which she will earn her diving ticket.  Her boss and owner of Maccas, gave her a tandem sky dive so she was utterly wrapped with her day. I had work at 2pm till midnight so left them there still at the restaurant.  All was good until about 10.30pm when I got up off a couch after feeding one of the babies and putting him to bed and zap - a chest pain out of the blue.  It was a decent one but soon over so finished the shift and home did trot.  Up the next day to tidy up, clean out fridge, wrap last min parcels and then decided I needed some things from down the road when I started to get another pain.  I grabbed my laptop (priorities) in which I had packed a toothbrush and a pair of nickers the night before and zoomed up to the hospital where I was admitted straight away.  It was almost like old home week as the same nurse that looked after me the last two times greeted me.  I was put onto "my bed" in same corner as last two times and the usual procedures took place. I knew I was up for and 8 hour stay between blood tests but somewhere mid afternoon I was told there were some minor changes to my ekg and I was being admitted to HDU.  Seemed a bit overly dramatic as I thought I would go to a normal ward and I got a room to myself off the ward so was all good.  I am directly in eyesight of the nurses station and am wired up to telemetry machine, oxygen and bloodpressure cuff.  I have had enough blood tests to qualify for a frequent flyers card and my arms are resembling a pincushion. 

I rang the workmates family as I was to have Christmas with them and Bronwyn called in on her way home from work to get my car keys and with Brianna got my car from the carpark and back home.  Despite having leads and bits and pieces hanging off me, I managed to have a reasonable night's sleep.  Pt 2 coming :)

Ups and downs and pests, lol

Am sitting in my sun porch area with side window open to catch some of the brisk southerly that is keeping things cool as we are a mere 32o Celsius today.  There are white caps on the waves though the sky is clear and the sea is greeny blue.  The drive to and from work this week was amazing, ships lined up on the horizon - I think the most I counted was 10 at one stage.  Apparrently the tide was not right for some of them to come in hence the back up but most days there are 5 - 7 waiting as I drive to and fro.  For such a small place the port does a roaring trade.  There will be tonnes of wheat being loaded and canola from the harvesting that has been happening around the district.  I have just seen a two trailered road train loaded with wheat as I type this,  head to the port on the artierial road from the eastern acces to the city - again from my window. 

Time is fleeting as Christmas draws ever closer and I am nowhere prepared for it yet.  Am surrounded by xmas lights that need putting in my window.  The house two doors down must be plugged into the national grid - a full sleigh and reindeer on the roof and an amazing hodge podge of xmas lights stuffed into the front windows and around the house.  My stumbling block is that I have not been struck by the creative muse yet as to how I want my display to look.  Hopefully once this is written and I have had some lunch, I will feel more motivated.  I have got parcels away to both grandsons which was my top priority and after the lights its time for wrapping and tagging for the next lot to be got away. 

My life with insects and vermin issues continues.  When  I had my special little lad (from work, now fostered after his first placement broke down) help me put my Christmas tree up  (mentioned last post) the lights didn't go once I had switched them on, so  I took them off the tree and left them in a pile on the floor (as you do) as by then my back had had enough.  After the lad had left and later that night, I walked to the sideboard adjacent to the tree when I caught movement out of one eye just as a flipping cockroach scuttled from somewhere near the sideboard, ran across the floor and hid in the lights.  After a girlie squeal and leap backwards, I dashed to the laundry to get my "you beaut" can of spray, and stood well back and let at least a minute blast of spray off at the lights till I could almost see the mist settling in a blanket over them.  In a pleasing move, said bug crawled out of the lights and flipped about on the floorboards with its legs pointing upwards.  Just as I was composing an effusive letter of thanks in my head to the flyspray people that it finally worked at ONE spray, like the can says, the damn thing flipped about some more and ran across the floor to a corner by the front door and seemed to scuttle up behind the curtains over two small windows.  RIGHT (again think John Cleese when you read that), go to second can of spray.  This time, still standing well away I blasted the area from the ceiling down as I believe these insects now try to get above the spray line to fresher air .... No insect body fell to the floor but I lived in hope as by now I had to leave the room to breathe.  I could do no more, so as the spray settled I moved to a different room with laptop for the rest of the night. 

Had work the next afternoon, so at 11pm when I got home,  came through the front door, kicked shoes off, walked to the kitchen through one door, heading back into the lounge through the second door and nearly leapt into the air when I realised I had almost stepped on the by now dead cockroach!  Gave it a wide berth and did not use that door again that evening sweeping it up the next day.  The next morning I had a fit of spring cleaning in my bedroom, changed the sheets and took the duvet inner out of its cover as it was finally hot enough to have just the cover on the bed.  Went to stuff the inner in my wardrobe but a bit like cinderella's ugly sisters trying on shoes, it would not fit.  What to do.  I remembered the spare wardrobe in "Jude's" room so walked into the room (bare feet again) with the duvet squished in my arms, shoved it into the cupboard, turned around to walk out of the room and there in the doorway was another flipping coackroach.  (I forgot to say these are not your snivelling little things seen at home but at around 3" long, - you can just about throw a saddle on and ride them!!). This time it was more than a girlie squeal, more like a banshee shriek and a leap onto the bed as I contemplated what to do next as its feelers waved in the air and the rest of it was not budging.  I decided to lift the beside cabinet to thump it on the floor so hopefully the dratted thing would at least run out of the room so I could get out, at the same time wondering how long I would be stuck there if it didn't.  Lifted and dropped the cupboard and it didn't move so just as I was contemplating what I could throw at it,  the doorbell went and I heard friend Donna's voice call out.  Naturally I yelled back to come in (by some luck the door was actually unlocked which is very unusual as I am usually hemetically sealed in and all greeblies hopefully sealed out).  She came inside and yelled again, following my voice, a bit nervous not sure if I was karked out on the floor somewhere in the house (re chest pains - also previous post).  As I called her down the hallway she got to me just as I was telling her about the cockroach and she bent over double in fits of laughter at my predicament!!!  Luckily she is not scared of bugs, went and got the broom and shovel and dealt with the beast and disposed of it.  Thus I was able to make my escape for a recouperative cup of coffee while I had to listen to Donna laughing again wondering how long I would have stayed in the room - as long as it took was my reply.  The worst part of it all is I have no idea how they are getting into the house, so have now got the outside spray to cover all doorways and new cans of the perpetual spray in place.

You would have thought that was enough excitement for one week but no, last but not least I had one more surprise in store.  Once again home from work, into the lounge and about to venture into the kitchen when flipping heck, a dead MOUSE lying in the middle of the doorway.  What is it with vermin having to die in doorways!!!!!!!! or is it just in my house, lol.  Luckily mice do not worry me.  I used the other door and after I got whatever I needed, went to bed for a sleep, thinking if the beast was not truely dead, another few hours would be the test.  Sure enough, it had not moved, so into the rubbish bin it went and then out to the main rubbish bin.   I reckon that mouse had cost me between $40 - $50 to kill after the various baits I had left about the place, trying to find a flavour that worked.  Have found one more dead cockroach in the sunporch since and again after a day of leaving it to make sure it was well and truely dead, that too has gone to the tip via the rubbish.  I had to make sure about that one as it looked like its feelers were moving when I first saw it but on retrespect I think it was movement from the breeze coming through the (screened) windows.  All of this has caused much mirth at work and I have been told repeatedly the cockroaches are harmless, -  well and good, but I cannot stand them, could not get close enough to hit them and kill them -  so am left to my multitudinous cans of spray instead. 

In between all this I have continued to go to the chiropractor and finally last Friday I almost felt back to normal.  I worked two 12 hour days on the weekend and was sensible mostly about lifting babies and toddlers, using a cold pack when I sat down so all good.  Yesterday I was told that my upper and middle spine were in  alighnment  and have one apt next week and probably one more in Jan before I come home to NZ for my holiday to keep adjusting the lower back which is taking longer to retrain.  I have had oodles more energy this week and had not realised how much dragged down  I had felt with the constant ache in my lower back. The whole exercise has made me more sensible about the weight that I carry so now take the trolley to the car with bags of groceries and have had other folk pass me babies from the floor or lift heavy objects at work.  I am able to mop the floors again and this afternoon hope to mow the back lawn and will see how that goes - it is totally flat.  Will wait another week before I tackle the front which is all slope.

Re the chest pains.  After thinking it was maybe connected to my spine I have had several more episodes since my initial one.  Everyone has been nagging me skinny to do something about it - I had the cholesterol test done but could not do the treadmill or bike stress test when I could barely walk.  I rang the GP I visited earlier in the year for a medical test to update the F endorsement on my licence (means I can drive a certain axle weight van) only to find he has moved from the practice and they had no xrays or blood test results in my name arrive in the past two weeks. I followed up by ringing the new practice my Dr was at only to be told, I couldn't get an appointment for over a week (how do sick people manage I wonder) and to go to the hospital next time I had chest pains.  I have been taking an asprin when I feel the heaviness coming on in the meantime and the pain goes in about 10 mins mostly.  Anyway long story short, I had been out and about yesterday, got home and had a nana nap on the couch whilst reading a library book (fell asleep while reading lol not able to do both at once :) and got up to have dinner, remembered clothes on the line so changed direction got them in and got pains in the chest again while I was taking things off the line.  I got back inside,  turned lights off, switched fan off and drove up to the hospital only to walk into a shut down as they were dealing with some bloke who was drunk in the emergency area.  Another woman and I were taken into side rooms and not long after a nurse came to get our info.  By then the pains had gone pretty much but I was taken and wired up for another ekg, blood test and blood pressure was taken.  All were normal.  I was then seen by a Dr who came and asked more questions followed by a nurse who bought me asprin, then some about 6 pink tablets which she said were like asprin and said I needed to have an injection in my stomach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ye gods and little fishes, I said you have to be joking and did I have to have it.  She she no and no, but if I had a clot near my heart or anywhere else, that and what I had taken would dissolve it.  A woman in the next cubicle (once again having real angina but different woman to last time) yelled over the curtain to take it, so couldn't really argue with that.  I must say, the nurses here are excellent at taking blood and injections, felt nothing either time but OMG as she was walking away whatever she injected started spreading to wherever and did it smart. Once initial obs had been done and a couple of other patients dealt with, I was moved into the side room for the night.  I had put my library book in my bag on the way out (priorities, lol) so at least had something to while the time away until was tired enough to sleep again.  Had to sleep flat on my back as had a leur in one arm and was hooked up to automatic blood pressure sleeve and ekg machine with the other.  I  went to sleep with the tv remote/sound thing on my chest so woke up to the World News at 5.30am, and then switched to a local channel to find that Molly Meldrum was in a critical condition in hospital in Melbourne after falling three metres while putting up Christmas decorations at his home. He has head injuries, broken ribs, pierced lung and though he made it through the night, and is in an induced coma,  it could go either way.  For anyone who doesn't know who he is, Molly Meldrum is an Australian icon in the music industry, has interviewed all the biggest stars, been in several tv music shows over the years etc. 

Had a new Dr call round this morning to say the morning bloods were all fine and I really need to do the stress test now so they can see how my heart works under exercise, that if I get any pain then, they put me on an ekg straight away and I would be looking at having an angieogram to rule out angina.  In the meantime it is all a mystery but I have done what I was told to do, does not appear to be heart so unless there is massive pain involved, I will take an asprin next time until it passes and get onto the stress test.  Hopefully I can book it in for next week.

Have just seen sister Kay on skype (waves) briefly, and now need to go have lunch and get some sleep for night shift tonight.  Am thinking I will take some Christmas cards to get started at work once all the jobs are down as today has eked away with phonecalls as I try get this written.  Am going to have my own homegrown tomatoes for lunch - I have not bought any for nearly three weeks now as the cheery tomatoes have been prolific, with the Italian ones just ripening beautifully now and the beefsteak ones slowly coming on.  I just remembered too I need to go water the worm farm lol - it is so hot over here the paper on top dries out very quickly and then the soil starts to as well. Also eating lots of mangos $1.98 this week and nectarines  $3.20k so cannot complain at that.  Bananas are down to $3.45k so can start buying them again rather than one or two to go on with.  Catch you all later.

Back to back.

Found this photo taken across the city from my front door patio of the yachts racing in the clipper ship race.

Am sitting in my lounge slightly sweltering - the temp must have been in the mid 30's today so I resorted to having the air con on for a period of time.  I just realised I could move the fan from the corner of the lounge where it has spent the winter and bring it forth to cast a breeze, but at the moment, that would mean moving which could just possibly break my train of thought, as my brain is in wilt mode, lol. 

Another week has passed in an almost blur and now Christmas is officially just round the corner, 23 days and counting.  Last Friday whilst I was in bed lurking with a book, I got a ring from the person who now looks after the little lad I was particularly fond of  to ask if I would like to have him for a visit Sunday.  It came out of the blue and as I had not seen him for over 2 months I immediately said yes.  We decided after lunch would be good and so it came about.  The lad himself was not 100% well but found the toys he had played with last time and we got the playstation 2 out having a go at sing star and another game I had in between playing pirates and putting up my Christmas tree.  I had started the morning by going to the Farmers market looking for some fruit and veg but didn't fancy much there and bought a lavender rock salt heat/cold pack for my back instead.  I then shot into town to find there were stalls all up the main street with about three other shops open and I decided to buy myself a Christmas tree.  Oh the decisions, as the size goes by how many tips to the end of the branches each tree has - the higher the amount of tips, the denser the tree.  I cut to the chase and said I would have the $20 one which suited my budget and just happened to be mid tip range.  I had the box in the lounge so the lad asked what was in it and when I said a Christmas tree, he asked if he could help put it up - no problems.   I found some tinsel and ornaments from the tree we had in the boarding house at Tardun, and had bought some little candy canes to go on the tree and away we went.  I did the top bits and the lad did the bottom bits more with enthusiasm than talent I have to say.  On one branch I have 5 ornaments hanging down the bottom and there are empty spaces in other areas but what the heck, a bit of juidicious placing of tinsel and hey ho, good to go.

On Saturday evening after grocery shopping, I had decided with some trepidation to fire up my barbeque to see if it still worked.  I say with trepidation as there have been programs on tv re explosions after barbeques being left over winter and leaking when first started again.  I moved the barbeque away from the house a bit, turned on the gas and then the switches - they had been left switched on so it started automatically with a bit of a whoosh, and then had to watch as this moth (large) that had camped under the grill over winter tried to fly out, failing to do so and then being cremated on the spot - not nice.  On Sunday, with food in the house, and the house splendidly clean and tidy I decided to invited the  workmate and family to barbeque dinner - only to realise half way through the day, it was a year ago on the Friday that I moved into this house.  Threw a lettuce salad together,  made a tabouleh salad, home made hummus and home made parsley pesto to go with a raw vegie platter and did baby potatoes with fresh mint from the garden  with chops, sausages  and steak that the boys cooked for me while I finished the salads off.  It was all very tasty and well received.  Bronwyn's mum and dad came too as they were heading back to Philip Island on Tuesday so it was a bit of a farewell for them too.

I had been to the chiropractor on Thursday last but my back continued to ache with a nagging, dragging ache that was only mildly dissipated with pain relief.  I had my next appointment on Monday morning and told the chir practor I was not impressed, that I had not seemed to be getting any improvement.  He said the only thing that would help would be to take time off work completely until it got better which was all fine and good but a tad unrealistic.  I had three afternoon shifts starting that day then two days off so we agreed to taking the three days off to see if that would work and I was to do next to nothing, lying down rather than sitting otherwise moving about as best as I could.  I have used cool packs on my lower back area and at last ( a very quiet yay),  yesterday I felt better than I had in weeks (after another treatment too) and today I am the best I have been yet.  I have two 12 hour days this weekend so if it all goes to custard, not sure what next.  The chap I have been seeing is a locum so get the main guy back from holiday next week and a review at the same time. 

Friday 16th
Have just realised I never posted this one so will do so now and write an update to follow :)

What a difference a week makes :)

Just to let you know I AM still alive and slightly kicking after my "heart" episode which on some further investigation has uncovered a non-life threatening but progressive pain in the anatomy none the less.  I worked the previous Monday night without incident though with my back still aching from the weekend/week before.  By Wednesday (which I thought was Tuesday, due to sleeping a good amount after Monday's night shift, and duh) I had a pain in the chest again, took asprin and breathed through it and decided to make an appointment at the chiropractor to sort my back which was not improving.  I have to say, this experience could not have been more different to the last torture chamber episode (written up in earlier post during the year) although I was a touch apprehensive at the start of the procedure.  I had to get down to nickers and don one of those gorgeous gowns all things medical seem to have a preponderance of.  (Knickers were on the right way this time so off to  a good start, lol).  A young bloke  (slightly older than Doogie Howser as most people are these days, lol) appeared and started by introducing himself with a firm handshake (scored points right there!!) and then proceeded to get me to answer a range of questions about various parts of anatomy and their workings.  He asked if I had had many falls - yes I said, from horses as a child, and lots of trips and falls over the past few years which I put down to clumsiness and multi-lens glasses.  He then asked if I had ever had a car accident - I haven't I said (he was most surprised at that) and then got me stand in front of a mirror facing him while I had to do some balancing tricks with my eyes shut, before turning me to face the mirror while he explained how out of wack (my words, not his medical term, lol) my spine was.  He said my pelvis was twisted (like the Brunhilda of my last experience had told me)  and my left leg was about 2" different to my right which was throwing my whole posture out, most likely causing pinching of nerves.  Good oh.  He got me to get on the purpose built table in the office and placed a pad of something under my right knee and something under my left lower thigh and left me like that for a few mins before using the staple gun thing a couple of times on my upper spine.  In the short space of time it all took, my pelvis had straightened somewhat and I was sent off to get xrays of my spine and a further appointment booked the next morning. 

I hied myself off to St John of God hospital and within about 10 mins was once again getting into another hospital gown before being led into the xray room where the woman asked if it was possible I was pregnant (before she took my xrays).  Bless, after laughing out loud and thanking her for the compliment I had to stand still, breath out, breath in and snap after snap was taken.  Front, back and side views all loaded onto a CD which when I was dressed again, I took back to the chiropractor so he could read them before the next morning's appointment.  It was around 11.30am and I had had nothing to eat at that point since about 10pm the previous night so decided to head to the Geraldton Regional Hospital to get my fasting blood test done but damn, the fates were against me.  After circling all the car parks twice and starting to feel light headed with hunger I gave it a miss and delivered the CD instead, before heading home for some sustenance. 

The short version is basically my spine is in poor shape.  The chiropractor has seen worse but it would seem time is of the essence.  I have mild spondylotic changes in the lumbar, thoracic and cervical vertebrae (curvature of the spine).  He drew a line on my xrays  where my spine should be, and I could definitely see the curve well below the line.  The front on view of my spine looked a little zig-zagged to my eye, and the tilt of my pelvis was again obvious to the untrained eye.  It would seem I have degenerative disc disease, mild osteoarthritic changes in both hip joints, and shading on my spine in several places would indicate arthritis happening in neck, middle and lumbar regions of my spine - who knew!!  So, after all this, because of my tilt and right leg compensating for the left leg, he could pretty much put all my symptoms of the previous Sunday (my imagined heart attack/angina all down to skeletal issues.  The plan is to have two sessions a week for four weeks which hopefully will put me in better shape and then a review.  The first two sessions did not make much of a difference to the by now chronic back ache but am feeling much better after yesterdays session.  Rather than the brutal crack, thump and wallop mode that I previously experienced, this practice follows a much more holistic and gentle approach by letting the body right itself as much as possible.  I am also on light duties at work for the next two weeks and he suggested mowing the lawns on my hill was probably not the wisest as I am trying to get spine functioning how it should.  So for the first time I am pleased that my back has given me enough gyp to see someone about it instead of taking pain killers until it went away.  I would never have had an xray to say the least or thought that I was so out of wack except once again, it was obvious when I was stood in front of the mirror with my shoulders on a complete tilt.  When the chiro told me that this was all part of the aging process for me now my response was, that I had had a good time getting to this place, lol and forewarned is now forearmed.  Thoughts of do I want a long time or a good time sprang to mind but I think with some minor changes I can do both, heh heh.  I had my first night back at work after a day off on Sunday and managed ok.  I had babies changed and delivered to me to feed, then picked up from me and put to bed, was able to sweep the floors but did not have to mop, and did folding and surface cleaning that did not involve bending or lifting and felt good at the end of the shift this morning so will see how we go.

Because of my confusedness with the Tues/Wed timing, I missed going to Rotary last week and did not go this week because of my shifts at work but have received an invitation to join so will organise having a coffee with the membership director later in the week.  I had a chuckle because the person who invited me along referred me to the chiropractor I am now going to, and would you know it, another woman from Rotary is one of the receptionists there. The small world of Geraldton!  

Last Sunday  one of the women from work came over for a scrap booking day which was fun.  She has done heaps and I have lots of resources, have just needed the prompts to get going.  It was a perfect day, nice and sunny even if blowing a southerly wind most of the day and we sat in the sun room overlooking 180o of the Indian Ocean whilst working at our respective projects.  I have No 1 grandson's 2nd birthday just about sorted, lol. 

I had a laugh earlier when reading niece Laura's blog,  http://www.hungryandfrozen.com  describing costumes various members of the family wore to a dress up 21st last weekend midst her food blog.  I had a moment when reading that her mother went as the ugly sister when the thought - she needed a costume for that, flashed through my mind lol.  It was a fleeting thought and a comment I am sure Kay would appreciate with the wit in which it is said, heh heh - ahhh the days of sibling rivalry that make such good stories now at family gatherings. 

Have just looked at the time and I need to get some sleep before tonight's shift so will stop and hope to finish this off at work early next morning.

Later:
Have just fed one of the babies and he is back in bed, all the chores are done except some school lunches so have snuck on here while we have a movie on the telly to pass the time away before the next baby awakes. Its 4am and have to say I am feeling a tad weary. I am thinking of having something to eat or maybe a coffee and that should ping me awake again. I weighed in earlier tonight and have officially lost 7.2k woohoo which is timely re my back, so all good.  I need to move before I doze off so will post this now. Looking forward to another warm day today, it was 36o yesterday and too hot to walk outside in bare feet.

What it takes to have a night off work, lol and minor car blip :)

Posting is top of my to do list today, so here goes.  Have just got to remember I have the sprinklers on outside watering the garden so that hopefully my new lettuce plants survive.

Speaking of survival, both the car and myself have had near misses so to speak,  this last week. I was driving back from work just after midnight last Thursday night, admiring all the twinkling lights at the port, thinking how great it was to see lights on all through the night, much like the steel mill at home (kind of pyschological support when you live on your own and yes it was a long thought, lol) when glancing down, I noticed a light that said "engine", was on.  Eeek!!!!  Thinking that I was about to cook the engine, the dilemma was to keep going or stop,  but as I was still aways from home and not wanting to walk  at that time of night I decided to put a few words upstairs and crept home - about a mile.  I was going so slow it took me three goes to get up the hill which is my driveway,  and when I stopped the car, ?smoke/steam was pouring out from under the bonnet with that horrible rancid metal smell that indicates something is extremely hot.  I stood contemplating the car for a moment once I was out, pulled all my things out in case it was smoke not steam in case it was going to burst into flame any moment, then when it didn't immediately do that, left it over night to cool down.  The next morning I checked the oil and water - the radiator was nigh on empty and the oil was ok so topped up the radiator, nothing appeared to leak out anywhere and with a certain amount of trepidation, turned the engine on.  No light appeared, the car kicked over and woohoo it gets to live another day.  I need to get it to the garage for a service I guess as the last thing I need is for the engine to go bang on the way home from another night shift.

Had a nice evening on Saturday as I was invited to the exworkmates' place for dinner to celebrate their eldest daughter leaving school - where did the time go!!! ( and she has her full licence now).  Barbeque dinner and a fierce game of scrabble afterwards with Nana (as the grandparents are visiting for several weeks) Gerard and family friend.  The tiles were reasonably kind to me, I haven't played scrabble for ages and it was fun with all the banter around the table.  I was moving gingerly as after spraying weeds with roundup earlier in the week, then sitting for two days at a work conference, my back had gone out.  I was coming right but unthinkingly had lugged several heavy bags of groceries into the car prior to dinner and by the time I was ready to go home I could barely move.  Decided to have an earlyish night, took voltarin,  and woke up bright and early the next morning so thought I would check out the state of the nation on the computer for awhile, whilst  the rest of the world woke up.  I remembered I had washing to hang out so at 7am went out to the line and while I was (slowly) hanging out various items I started getting a pain in my chest.  It started as a sort of pressure and then seemed to get more and more somewhat back labour pains (for those playing at home) or an elephant with its foot on your chest .... Great I thought, I am standing here outside on the lawn with just a dressing gown on (was about to have a shower as well), and I am going to drop down dead on the lawn in all my glory, lol - charming indeed.  (I figure if you go to the worst scenario and work backwards, it is never so bad, lol).  I got back inside (phew) and not only was the pressure getting heavier, I started getting pains in my jaw and pressure/pain in my left arm and for good measure felt like I wanted to throw up.  Went to go to the loo in case of being sick and decided I needed to sit instead.  Great, now I am in another position where I could die in extremis as have heard tales that a lot of people die on the loo with a heart attack ( it is getting better and better by the moment).  I have also heard that if you think you are having a heart attack you should cough, so there I was sitting and coughing and when able to move again, hied myself out of there.   OK, now I was getting a little more concerned and as I was thinking - drive or ambulance to the hospital to get this checked out, friend Donna rang.  She was being smart on the phone at the start thinking she had woken me up until I groaned and as soon as I told her how I felt, she dropped everything and zoomed over to take me to the hospital.  I opened the front door (again in case I karked it on the spot, lol) and went to throw some clothes on and not long after Donna arrived. Fortunately I had piles of laundry on the bed, grabbed knickers, threw a sleeveless dress/long top and a pair of jeans on.   Got to the hospital which is not far away and after explaining symptoms, was whisked straight into A&E and into a bed. They put an oxygen mask on me (nearly made me gag and felt very claustrophobic at first), then put my finger in something like a peg (I think that reads oxygen stats) and a blood pressure gizmo on my arm that continued to take my blood pressure automatically every 15 mins or so for the rest of the day.  Someone came and took blood and was so good at it, I didn't realise till later that she had put a leur in as well.  While that was happening, another nurse started placing these round plastic dots  with what looked like a dome in the middle about my person and then was hooked up by a variety of plastic wires to the heart monitor.  The good news is that the results were pleasingly dull and boring, all was well.  The nurse came to explain what they were doing by taking bloods and apologised for using technical terms to start with.  I said I knew exactly what she was talking about as I had worked on the heart ward at home (albeit as a social worker but I learned the lingo, just not how to read the heart monitors which is no bad thing for a social worker, lol) and to fire away.  I knew that if I had had a heart attack it would show in the troponim levels in my blood - an amazing diagnostic tool that can  tell when and if an attack  has occurred - something to do with enzymes in the blood.  Mine were negative but the hospital protocol is you have to stay there for 8 hrs for another blood test to make sure before you are sent home.  Somewhere around 10.30am I asked if I could pay a visit to the loo as my eyes were about crossing and after being unhooked, got there and had to laugh - a whole new meaning to not getting your knickers in a twist when I found that in my daze, I had mine on back to front.  I thought they felt a little unusual but on a scale of 1 - 10, at the time, that was not the end I was most concerned about.

I have to say, the staff were amazing and I felt I was in very good hands.  I was moved to a side room as time went on with another woman who was having angina for real and who was later sent by air with the Flying Doctors to Perth for more specialised treatment ( she had been having angina for three days and was diabetic to boot !!!).  I was given asprin early in the piece to take and by 11am was feeling a little peckish.  Was given sandwiches and then must have dozed and missed lunch so was given more sandwiches with apologies late afternoon.  Got to experience watching tv in hospital - the screen fixed from the ceiling above the foot of the bed, hand controls much the same as the controls to move the bed and the speaker/volume of the tv is in the hand control so several people can watch different channels and nothing can be heard much further than the bed you are in - brilliant, can I take one of them home, lol.  Dozed in and out of watching a V8 race - part of the series which finishes this coming weekend,  and then the beginning of the "Return of the Pink Panther",  which looks so dated now. As my 8 hrs were coming to an end, another blood test was taken, all normal and was allowed to go. They took the blood from the leur and unfortunately the protocol for doing that is the first 5ml is thrown away and the next amount drawn up can be tested (in case of impurities), so that was a bit of a challenge to lie still while needles were about my person.  This week I have to have a cholesterol blood test done and have to do a stress test.  I have to say I felt a complete fraud after the first hour with nothing further happening, not even a twinge of anything but was reassured I had done the right thing at the time.  They gave me a medical certificate for work for that night and then it was time to go home again. 

The workmate had said the night before, why didn't I ring them when the car was on the blink the previous night, they would have come and got me, so I had promised if I needed help again I would ring,-  so rang her phone - no answer, rang Gerard - no answer, rang eldest daughter- no answer and last but not least rang the home and this time got Nana who said everyone was at work but Grandad was out and about picking one of the boys up and he would come and get me.  I found a seat outside the hospital and was happy to sit in the afternoon sun which warmed up my bones without being unpleasant and was just day dreaming away when   popped up one of my ex Tardun neighbours beside me.  She had been driving along the highway, past the workmates car which had broken down just after picking up the others from work and even though she was on the way to a birthday party with her two young boys, she deviated to come and pick me up to drop me home. Bless.  Am happy to report all is well since.  Had an early night Sunday, slow day Monday with an afternoon sleep then worked night shift and then slept again yesterday afternoon and am now back in sync again.  One of the nurses at the time said there could be a variety of reasons for the pain/pressure I experienced, reflux, gall stones etc etc so will just have to see how things go.  The other thing I am thinking is that my whole system is out of whack with my back out, so it could be something to do with that.  Watch this space.  The good thing is if I get a similar pain again, I will take an asprin and if not gone in half an hour, will have to do the whole process again.  Forgot to mention they took an xray as well so not sure when I will hear about what that indicated if anything.

Have just rung for an apt at the chiropractors and realised it is Wednesday, not Tuesday like I thought and I have missed the Rotary meeting this morning - buggar.  (small pause while I go and turn the hose off).  Donna and I both weighed in at weight watchers last night and despite all odds I have lost 1.2k over the past two weeks.  I was extremely surprised at that as last week I was at conference for two days (previously mentioned) and the food there was rubbish.  All scones with cream, pastries, and very unappetising dinner of buttered chicken and horrible braised steak, lots of bread and pasta and bowls and bowls of lollies on the tables during the day.  The venue was sited right on the coast on the main highway to Perth with beautiful views of ocean, port and sand dunes.  Inside think 1970's budget hotel as to decor etc.  The conference itself ranged from tedious to slightly interesting though the murder mystery dinner the first night was a lot of fun.  We all got dressed up, most were Hollywood stars or other famous musicians and you had to ask one and all who they were and what was their clue to piece it all together.  It was great to see all the costumes and watch people get into character.  My CSI training came in handy, lol, I guessed the who but not exactly how.  It was reasonably obscure and I thought it had to be from exactly the clues we were given which it wasn't.  All good fun though and a great way of mixing people up.

Big news of the day today is the visit by Barrack Obama to Australia.  He will be in Canberra today which is pretty much in lock down mode by all reports on the tv, and is flying to Darwin tomorrow where he and Julia Guillard are announcing closer military ties of some sort - again according to the reports I am listening to with half an ear - have just heard next report and marines are going to have a base in Darwin -- hmmm wonder if any jobs are going up that way, lol.   He has bought his Presidential limo with him, all bullet proofed etc but egg on the faces of the men in black, who left info in a rental car with most of the President's movements today.  Big oooooops.  It was noted he comes with more security people than the Queen did when she was here earlier in the month ....

Am about to go out into the garden to peruse and clip dead heads of some plants.  Am eating cherry tomatoes daily off my plants and I see a couple of beans are ready.  Have planted new bean plants and am hoping the locusts have all moved on as about three plants only survived from the last batch.  I want to mow the lawns but not sure how sensible that is with my back being the way it is.  A pox on feeble body parts!!!!  I did carefully, spray the weeds out front yesterday morning as it must have been the only windless morning in weeks.  Did not lift the container of spray this time but moved it about on the ground slightly bending to spray - all good with no ill effects afterwards that I noticed.  The weeds out the back are dead or suitably dying so have been picking them out of the path which is beginning to look great again.  Have forgotten whether I mentioned the purchase of a worm farm in my last post and am happy to report the worms appear to be growing and multiplying and I have fed them the first lot of vegetable scraps.  Am disposing of all poisoned weeds at the tip so none of those going in the compost or to the worms. 

Am feeling peckish and it is time for lunch. Will go harvest some more tomatoes and work from there - have some ham in the fridge so may make a mini pizza, hmmmm choices.  Air Force 1 has landed, 20 mins early as he arrived with a tail wind.  Non-stop reporting on telly for the afternoon such is the newsworthiness of it all. 

And just in case anyone is concerned about my dramatics above: I AM ALL GOOD :):):)

T'is me again :)

Good grief, another month has passed, so this may need a cuppa tea and a sit down to read :):).  When I checked in to write a post today, the format has completely changed which has thrown me a bit but hey ho, will see if this is the new and improved, lol.   The last time I wrote I was in the midst of a lurgy - well it took four days to come right and had the energy of a wet noodle.  Back to work for two 12 hour days on the weekend after having used two of my days off being sick,  grr , and was ok but still not feeling 100%.  I worked Monday as well and came home, and had cold corned beef ready to go with a new salad I was creating with courgettes and hazelnuts, followed by FRESH mango for dessert.  I ate my dinner but it felt heavy on my stomach, nothing to worry about, just did not feel yippity skip like I thought I would after having such a healthy repast.  Can't remember now what time I went to bed, but remember still feeling a bit meh so read for a bit and tried to get comfortable.  I believe I did doze off but woke around 3.30am having gone from feeling meh to distinctly queasy. While the neurons and synapses of my sluggish brain were trying to do a check through 1000 diseases I could have been suffering from, I had the distinct urge at 3.45am to propel myself henceforth from my place of repose, in a lightening dash to the loo whereupon I was sick.  Ok, I thought to myself heading back to bed, hopefully that was it, but oh no...... for the next four hours I alternated at each end spending very close acquaintance with the porcelain bowl by which time I stopped throwing up but for most of the next day, kept the seat warm with my various trips back and forth.  There are 25 steps from my bed to the loo, (for those playing at home, lol) - that is what I was reduced to as there was not much else I was comprehending at the time apart from muttering imprecations and a pox on those staff members who had bought the gastric bug to work.  So, twice in two weeks I had two days off sick - the shock of that was nearly enough to carry me off.  I spent the next 24 hours, apart from trips hither and yon to aforementioned porcelain, flat on my back in bed.  I think I may have had a couple of sips of water - before friend Donna, bless her, delivered a bottle of lemonade to my door step (I was asleep at the time I think but she would not have been allowed in regardless, lol, all very prevent the plague behaviour at the time).  The next day, I also lay in bed again, this time sipping lemonade and nibbling on some plain biscuits I found in the cupboard.  I dropped 2.7k during this time !!!! and even now am not feeling like a whole lot of food at any given time, sticking mainly to fresh if possible.  If I thought I was unwell at the last time of writing, this time I thought I was dying.  

Several things have happened over the past weeks that now give me regular dates to affix to my calender.  I am not sure whether I mentioned going to a psychic fair some two months ago now.  Friend Donna turned up one afternoon and on a whim, we decided to shoot out to have a look around at the fair. After looking at several stalls, I decided to have a reading from one of the clairvoyants sprinkled around the main room and having fixed my eye on someone who seemed to be doing a roaring business, I wandered round the room and ended up in front of someone completely different.  The reading was interesting, I was told I was lacking in energy (ya think) that if I had a list of things to do, I may get the first one done but maybe not.  After a few more observations from the woman concerned I asked if she was living in my head as she was accurate in all that she said. She did a brief healing on me as I was leaving and I decided to go back the next day and went to a different person who did used crystals for another healing re-energizing blast.  I was so tired that day by the time I got home I did nothing but sleep but OMG the next week went like a dervish about the place. It transpired that the first woman I saw  (Judith) was in fact a Kiwi and in the old six degrees of separation, had attended Waikato University, doing an art therapy course with a woman I had worked with at the then Presbyterian Support group (during my social work training).  It also happened that Judith was going to run a weekend course on alternative healing which coincided with one of my weekends off, so I attended that and had a ball.  The very short version is that she holds a group once a week so that folk can continue building on their skills which I have been able to attend in and around different shifts (doing the course was where we made the Waikato connecton).  Through that course I met another woman who in idle chat said she was going to attend a Rotary breakfast meeting (a couple of weeks ago now) and lo and behold,  has presented me with the opportunity to attend her group for the past three weeks. 

I belonged to the Fairfield chapter of Rotary before I began the Aussie segment of my life and at the back of my mind over the past few months has been the thought to get involved with a community organisation again so was more than happy to be invited along.  The meetings are held at the Geraldton club which is a big old building across the road from the waterfront so we begin the morning with a coffee on the balcony watching the town start the day.  The meeting gathers at 6.45am finishing at 8am so its an early start, lol. I was introduced around to several people on the first morning and then as we gathered to start the meeting, I was struck by a horrible thought, OMG am I going to have to sing the Australian national anthem each week, and if so, can I do it....... At home we always finished our meeting standing singing God Defend New Zealand so there was my rather large dilemma the only words I know to the aussie national anthem are "girt by sea" and "advance Australia fair".  Michelle, who took me laughed when I asked her and said no they didn't do that, (phew) I was more than relieved as we had just beaten the Wallabies the weekend before where I had loudly been singing our national anthem with the telly on full volume at work, with a baby in my arms, telling him to be very afraid when he heard that song when he grew up, lol.  They do toast the flag to start off the meeting and I can drink to that without too much worry I think though it has been so quick I have almost missed it to date.  I was made very welcome and had automatic friends  at the next weeks meeting when three other members arrived wearing All Black colours to celebrate the World Cup win, woohoo.  So now there are four kiwis infiltrating the ranks, heh heh. 

Last meeting, we had a chap come and talk to us about being part of the yacht race following the path of the old clipper ships, navigating the world right now.  All the yachts were docked in Geraldton for several days last week before leaving for Tauranga, NZ their next stop.  Each yacht is built exactly the same, with a crew of 18.  The captain of each yacht is a professional sailor and all the others are volunteers or people who want to experience either the whole race or segments of it.  It costs forty English pounds to do the whole race so not for the economically challenged.  Whilst the yachts were in port here, they were open at times for the public to visit and also took folk out on the ocean for short trips under sail to have an amazing experience.  It was fascinating to hear how 18 folk managed their days and the minimal space, two people rotating sleep in the bunks provided as the other was on deck sailing.  The chap who came to talk to us had lost 13 kilos in weight since leaving England, as meals were mostly rice or pasta and consumed quickly.  The yachts had sailed through the roaring 40's to get here and he said it was so cold that he sais wore 9 layers of clothing to bed and was still cold while sailing through there. 

In between all this, in a bid to try and manage a more healthy approach to life whilst being a shift worker, I have once again trekked back to Weight watchers.  Donna (I know, she appears in most of these life changing moments, lol) wanted company to go along to meetings and again fortuitously, it was at the same time I was wanting to get things back on track.  They have changed the program since I last was on it probably about 5 or 6 yrs ago now and while I love it that fruit is free points, have not got my head entirely around the new way of doing things.  I must be doing reasonably ok as have managed to lose 4k along the way.  It makes life much easier at work , having to eat three proper meals a day with any amount of fruit that I want in between if I am hungry instead of cramming food in on the run.  I have picked up energy (a small amount, lol), and am eating more fresh food, without getting hungry in between and not even wanting rubbish food, not when you can have enough of it to fit in your eye instead of  nearly your body weight in the foods that are good for you.  Have been having fun with smoothies - 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, 1/2 cup skim milk, frozen banana with a variety of other fruit to hand (strawberries, peaches etc) drop of vanilla and have been putting dollops of ww jelly in and then blitzing with one of those hand held whizz things.  Makes massive amounts to drink and it is like a meal all by itself.  I was told the trick of peeling bananas and wrapping individually in glad wrap to freeze and it works a treat to thicken without having dollops of ice instead.  The jelly gives colour and sweetness, and when blitzed and drunk immediately, you would never know it was in it.  Things took a bit of a hiding this week as I have just been at conference for two days with work and all they offered was prepackaged, pasties and such like,  but back on track this morning so all good.

Am back at work this afternoon after having a week off for annual leave which was when I had planned on going south with Jude which unfortunately did not come off in the end.  She got offered two weeks work cooking for a shearing gang which she couldn't refuse and in the end it worked out well for me as I have been catching up on a heap of things off my to do list.   I am in the process of getting four years of taxes sorted out - that involved four days going through receipts and papers going back to my arrival - two rubbish bin sacks full of rubbish and on the fourth day, found the last two papers I needed for my Aussi paper work.  Got two new tyres on the car, the front right hand wheel had a slow leak so kept needing to get it pumped up, so decided it was a good time to get things checked out.  It transpires that the other two back tyres need to be upgraded as well and that will be on next weeks list.  They do not have Warrant of Fitness over here so no cause to get your car checked for safety any time unless the car is over a certain age.  The chap at the tyre place said all the tyres were in a parlous state and if stopped by the cops for anything, my car would have been yellow stickered as unsafe so a lucky save there and should be set for another year at least after the upgrade. 

Am looking at the time and need to make tracks to get ready for work, can't wait to catch up with the kids and see how much the babies have grown while I have been away. Was going to add some photos but will leave that until the weekend I think when I have more time.  Will aim for another post by next Monday with photos :):)