I Must Be Unwell - I Don't Feel Like Crocheting

Would you be shocked to know that I have not picked up my crochet hook since the middle of November? That it's been around six weeks since I put my hook down? That the last project I made I wasn't even interested in making but I only did it because a friend asked for a baby blanket.

To be honest I have felt no inclination to begin a new project and I haven't even missed it.

I have to be sick or something. Perhaps in the new year I might get my crochet mojo back but for now I don't feel interested at all.

An Unwelcomed Medication Side Effect

Far out I have had such a bad night last night. My (new) GP gave me a sample of an anti-inflammatory to help with all my joint pain. I have had such pain upon waking. I had been wondering if it was arthritis or perhaps even psoriatic arthritis considering I have had psoriasis for 40 years. (Although I am only 29 it surprises me :P )

Anyway, I took some of this new med on Friday night and also last night. Within 3 hours of taking it my stomach was feeling rather horrid. The first night I though okay maybe it's just colic or something I ate. It wasn't too bad just lots of grumbling and some belching but last night was definitely worse. It was up and down all night in pain and I hate to say it but I was throwing up too. I have to admit I did feel better after I had been sick. I did check my BGL afterwards and it was within my 'normal' range. It is also fine this morning when I checked it. Although I am a little worried about eating anything.

I still feel yucky and tired. I decided that due to this I am unable to attend Church today. Which is upsetting me. I am unable to teach my Sunday school class, again. I hate to say this but I feel I am becoming very unreliable where that is concerned. Those poor kids will be placed in another class for another Sunday.
Also, last week I arranged to talk with the Bishop this week. I needed to talk with him and now I am unable to. He will probably think I dodging him on purpose. I don't him to think that at all :'( Gosh I feel like I am always letting others down. I hate it.

Back to the new medication, I will NOT be taking another dose tonight. I am not going to put up with that horrible stomach pain again. Mark suggested I phone the surgery and speak to the practice nurse tomorrow and see what she says. It is probably a really good idea. I just want to be pain free.

Taking A Sick Day ... He Better Not Be Faking It

This morning I got a phone call from Angus's school before school even started stating how he has been sick while walking to school and could I come and collect him. The thing is it's the second week in a row on the EXACT same day (Monday) that he has been unwell. I don't know if he is pulling a sickie or not. He's very clever to state that he vomited on the way to school. He walks alone so it cannot be verified.

To be honest I seriously think that there is a class on Mondays that he dreads. Although he has stated that he likes ALL of his classes. I mentioned this to the school nurse, Maureen, so she let me speak with Angus. I told him that I would collect him today. That I am suspicious about his being sick each Monday. That when we got home he would be going straight to bed. That if I find out after he's slept for a while that he is a fraud he will be cleaning the bedroom for the rest of the day! Let's see if that makes him feel better or not!

So now I sit here wondering if Angus is a fraud and just suffering from Monday-itis or if he is truly unwell. He's asleep at the moment. I guess I just wait and find out what he's like once he gets out of bed!

Sick Kiddo

I had to go collect Brodie from respite early this morning. He phoned around 7:30am and asked me to pick him up because he had been sick overnight. Brodie got angry with me when I told him that I would be there in an hour. I don't think he realised that he had woken me up. I wanted to shower and make a cup of tea before I left.
Once we were in the car heading home I spoke with him about it. He assumed that I would immediately jump into the car and get him. He thought I was angry and was going to make him wait so he hung up on me. Brodie soon realised that not everyone is wide awake when they first get out of bed.

Being picked up so early put a dampener on Brodie's plans for today. The kids at respite had organised to go and see Harry Potter this morning. I could see he was disappointed so I told Brodie that I can drop him off at the cinema after school one night this week. He could ask a friend from school to join him. At least that way he wont be on his own. I don't think he's actually seen a movie by himself yet.

Right now Brodie is in bed. Probably on his laptop talking with friends via Facebook. Lets hope he feels well enough for school tomorrow.

A Better Start To The Day

Yesterday I was hoping that Brodie would be in a better mood when he got off the bus after school .. well that didn't happen. Not because he was in a bad mood it was because he didn't catch the bus home. I got a phone call around 11:30am stating that Brodie wasn't feeling well could I come & collect him. I didn't want to get him but being the nice person that I am I did.

I wasn't happy about driving the 20km to get him but what can you do when your child isn't well? Leave them at the school for the teachers to worry about? It would be nice but its not something I would really want to do. He didn't look ill to me or I wouldn't have sent him. I told him on the way home that there would be NO facebook during school hours. Brodie didn't seem too fussed. That was my first clue that he really wasn't feeling too crash hot. I mean this kid spends a seriously HUGE amount of time on facebook & for him to not whinge about it is unusual. Either that or he has finally learnt not to mess with the MUM when it comes to facebook during school hours when you should be at school. I'd like to think he's learnt but I doubt it :P

Once Angus got home from school though things changed a bit. Mr Grumpy Pants arrived at the same time Angus did. In fact I think he was wearing an Angus skin! They looked almost identical! Another thing to be grateful for .. the fact that both boys spent time apart from one another after school at opposite ends of the house. Brodie was back on his laptop (and on facebook of course) and Angus was watching cartoons in the lounge room.

At least this morning was the complete opposite to yesterday. The boys were laughing and joking about (and talking about body functions like boys do). I would much rather have days like this than ones where they wish to rip each others heads off.

Migraines

My poor baby is home from school again today :( He has another migraine. Maybe its time to get his eyes checked again or perhaps a visit to the GP.

Would You Believe ..

Would you believe that I have both boys home from school today?

Poor Angus has a migraine. I've never had one myself but I see how badly he suffers from them. He is extremely light sensitive at the moment & us currently asleep.

Brodie has more tummy troubles. He gets them way too frequently but absolutely refuses to take something like mylanta to help settle his stomach. He has them so often that its time to get them investigated!! Brodie was also complaining that he is feeling tired. Serves him right in some ways. He's up at 6am every day and on his laptop by 6:30am. If its a school day he gets straight back on his laptop once he comes home & is on it until 10:30pm. He even gets stroppy sometimes when he has to 'get off' the laptop for his dinner! I know that the psychologist said that he needs time to unwind & that may mean hours on the laptop or play station but I don't think he meant this much time!
Anyway he too is asleep right now.

I've been trying to phone the doctors surgery on & off for the past 90 minutes. Each time I phone the number is engaged. I guess I wont be getting Brodie an appointment any time soon. At this rate they will be totally booked until tomorrow!

I'm crossing my fingers that when the boys finally wake up they are feeling much better!

Sore & Sorry Kid

Brodie went to Mt. Baw Baw on Saturday & had an absolute whale of a time in the snow! He even saw some people from Church there & Adam who is his respite carer on Mondays after school.

Brodie has now found muscles that he didn't know he had. It seems that he over did the running & playing while he was at Baw Baw that he was awfully sore when he got home. The sad thing is that on Sunday he did absolutely NOTHING and stayed in his room on his laptop like he usually does. He hardly moved ALL day!!
Now he is paying the price for it. His body is all stiff and he has trouble moving.
I had asked him to move about stating that if he remains still his muscles will stiffen up. That he needs to motivate himself and work the kinks and stiffness out. But NOOOO!! he wouldn't listen.

I sent him to school this morning know that he would HAVE to move about. That moving would be the best thing for him at this stage. The teachers there had other ideas stating that it would be best if he was home since he was so sore. I had to drive the 20 km trip up the mountain to his school to collect him. I am a bit pissed off because I KNOW that Brodie will not want to move about much. He did however admit to me that his walking about a bit while at school had helped him a little. So maybe, just maybe he might move about more at home. I most certainly don't wish for him to be at home again tomorrow. He's a senior now and he cannot afford to miss too much school work!

The Stress of Miss Piggy Flu

With all the stuff on the news about the swine flu Brodie is becoming more and more upset about the possibility of getting sick. How do I help ease his stress? I know that our psychologist said let Brodie get stressed its better than me getting hurt but it makes me upset that he is becoming so distressed. Oh I know I can't wrap him in cotton wool but still there has to be something I can do.

To be honest I thought that Brodie would freak a bit more this week because Angus hasn't been feeling 100%. I even kept Angus home from soccer practise and also from school today.

Honestly how do you put a kids mind at ease when you see all the hype on tv about this piggy flu? I had to remind Brodie of when Mark had the flu last year. Mark was awfully sick and bedridden for days. He had no energy to do anything. Even eating a little was an effort. Once I explained this to Brodie he understood a little better (I hope). It's so hard to know what he is thinking.

Brodie is such a sensitive kid. I would hate to see his reaction if the flu came a little closer to home. Let's hope that we don't have to worry about that ..

Will I Survive?

Here it is only the first day of the school holidays and I am jacked off already with the kids fighting. I swear I will become physically ill before these holidays are over!! I'm not a hundred percent at the moment as it is. Thank goodness for codeine tablets I think I can feel them beginning to work ... yay!! I might cruise through the afternoon at least until they wear off.

Oh and before I forget while Angus and I went shopping this morning the boys father phoned. I was only thinking the other day that it has been a few months sine they spoke to one another. Not that it worried me. Their father has come up with another *coughbullsh!tcough* story for the boys. He said that with this stimulus package money he'll be able to come on over and visit them. Yeah well we've heard all this before. I will only believe it when I see it. Personally I have visions of him be so drunk he wont even be able to stand up! Seriously he should stop getting the boys hopes up and letting them down. He probably wont get the money anyway.
To top it off Brodie said that he didn't want to talk to him anyway.

From Bad to Worse

Would you believe that this week has progressively gotten worse. After what happened on Monday I would never have thought that things would get worse. I now have three sickies on my hands.

Yesterday I got a phone call from the High School. It was Brodie saying he was still not feeling 100%. So I told him that I would come and collect him. I ended up making a doctors appointment but it wasn't until after I picked Angus up from school. It turns out that Brodie has the flu and that he should start feeling better soon (so the doctor said).

As the night progressed Angus began feeling ill too. Complaining of feeling hot and then extremely cold. Looks like he has the flu too. During the night Mark was vomiting and he already has an infection. He too was feeling hot and cold. So it looks like I have all three of my boys sick with the flu. I just hope that they keep their germs to themselves and I don't get it. That's the last thing I want or need.

Surviving the School Holidays

Well I'm surviving the holidays. In fact the boys haven't been too bad this time round although it does help when Brodie goes away for camp for three days. He left yesterday morning and he's not due home until tomorrow afternoon sometime. I'm not exactly sure when.

Angus and I enjoyed some time together yesterday. We went to visit the old caravan park where we used to live. Our old neighbours are the new managers and they are doing a wonderful job looking after the place. It looks 100% to what it was when we lived there. Angus and I also did some baking & he helped prepare dinner. He's really enjoyed it especially since he is able to eat it lol.

We all went to the cinemas earlier this week, Mark included, to see Evan Almighty. What a great family movie to see. It was so funny. The whole audiences was laughing a lot of the time. I'm so glad that I chose this one. It was nice to see a movie that didn't involve violence and destruction. I know the boys like those sort of things but it's really not what they should be watching anyway.

I've been feeling just awful for the past week and a half. I've had tonsillitis (Angus too) and I've got my period on top of that. I've been bleeding for about 8 days now and it doesn't look like letting up yet either. I don't know if I should be worried about it yet or not. Maybe if it I'm still bleeding next week I'll go see the doctor (or not). Dr. F did say that I probably had PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) so maybe I should read up some more on it before I do anything else.

I have been waiting for my sewing machine to be fixed. It's been at the local fabric shop for about a month now. I phoned earlier this week but the bloke that was working on it had it in parts on his work bench and he wasn't there. Maybe I should phone them again. I've been waiting for ages to make up some boxer shorts for Mark and the boys. I guess a few more days wont hurt but maybe I should just pop in there tomorrow morning to see if he's finished working on it or not. If he hasn't I reckon I should ask for a discount on the repair and service!!!

Knock On Wood

Over the last 10 days things have been relatively good at home. Apart from the occasional sick person (including myself) not much has happened.

The big fella finally got his new reading glasses that he was tested for almost a month ago now. He only got them last Wednesday. In fact the optometrist never even ordered them when I paid for half of the cost on the day he was tested. There was a mix up and somehow the optometrist had taken the file with him or placed it somewhere else in the shop and the receptionists didn't know where it was. The apologised profusely when we collected the glasses on Wednesday. In fact it was only last Monday that they ordered them and marked them urgent. See what can be done in two days when you finally get your act together!?!?!!

I hope I haven't jinxed myself with the big fella either. He has been reasonable these past few days. No major dramas like usual but there have been several smaller explosions. Like when I got a phone call from the High School last Thursday to say that he had been inappropriately talking to the little Primary School kids that catch the same school bus as he does. I hope we've nipped that in the butt because I told him in no uncertain terms do I want him to be suspended at all this week especially because he is home three days next week. Get this next Monday he has the day off so the teachers can do some professional development, Tuesday is Melbourne Cup day so both boys are home! and on Wednesday it's his regular day off school!! What a short week he is going to have!!!
Okay maybe I spoke too soon!! While tying this .. I just got a call phone the HS. I recognised the Principals voice straight away! He was phoning to check whether the big fella had his meds this morning or not. I know for a fact he did. I heard him take them this morning (the container/dose box is a little noisy when you open it at times) and I also checked the box to make sure that this mornings dose was gone. The principal said he wasn't having a good morning so I let him know that I had a disagreement with the big fella in the car this morning about the inappropriate way he was talking. Perhaps he has carried that over to how he will behave at school today??

On a brighter note. Last Thursday was the little dudes team games sports day! It's the tenth year that they have been holding this particular even for a trophy/plaque. And I am happy to say that the little dudes school won! This is the 9th win (we only lost the trophy by 2 points in 2004 to the school who usually comes runner-up to us in other years). I think the parents were more excited with the win than the kids were lol

For me however I've been a bit crook over the past few days. I thought my throat was sore from shouting our support for the kids on Thursday afternoon but it turned out that that was not the case. I almost lost my voice on Saturday (I think the boys loved it rofl) but Mark was having such a hard time trying to understand me with my soft voice, especially with him being hard of hearing! It certainly made the day interesting lol. Yesterday I was fine though but this morning is another thing. I hope I don't feel sick for too long. I can't afford to feel unwell!!

Dare I say it? ... I had a quiet weekend!

I don't believe it I've had a relatively quiet weekend. To which right now I think I have jinxed by saying this.

The big fella has hardly been home ALL weekend. He went to a Young Men's activity on Friday night and came home at around 10 p.m. He went out yesterday morning around 10 a.m. to another Young Men's activity and then went to stay with a family from the Church last night.

It has been so peaceful and quiet without the fighting and carry on that normally happens over the weekend. I have really enjoyed the break.

The little dude and I spent some quiet time just talking and watching some DVD's.

We finally caught up with the big fella at the chapel this morning. We ran late today though. It seems that Lily does NOT like having her car door slammed by the little dude and we couldn't shut the door at all. Thankfully Mark was able to ask one of the neighbours up the road for something to do with the bolts in the door and he managed to finish fixing it rather quickly. We just got to the Church as the first hymn was being sung.

The big fella said he didn't get much sleep last night because he had an upset stomach. He didn't look one hundred percent but he said that he didn't want to go home yet so we stayed. Which was good because I didn't want to go home early anyway. I don't have any female friends around home so to spend what little time I have with the sisters at church is better than nothing at all. Even if I don't talk with them much.

I think things went well at church. The boys didn't complain, well only the little dude did because he was hungry but he is always hungry of late. Mark wasn't feeling the best but that seems to be a regular thing with him at the moment. I'm not sure why but he doesn't want to go to the doctor when I suggest it.
Even the ride home was relatively quiet but that was because the big fella fell asleep once we hit the highway. Of course that changed a bit once we got home. Young Mr hothead started raising his voice at everyone and wonders why I got mad at him!! But the little disagreement didn't last long he went to bed for a sleep for a couple of hours. He needed it mister grumpy!!

Baptism Interview

The boys had their baptism interviews this afternoon. They did so well! Although I wasn't with them during the interviews they came back full of smiles and laughter. So it was ALL good! Not that I doubted a thing. Even though they didn't always seem to listen they were taking the information in so WTG boys!!

The little dude was so cute. He gave the missionaries a quiz. He was so adorable and even handed them prizes. A little card and a marble. You just had to see it. It truly was wonderful!!

The clothes have been organised for them. They will look so cute in their whites. One of my concerns was finding some white underwear but we went to the warehouse and found some without any problems. So YAY something finally went smoothly for us!!
Tonight I'll organise the bag we need to take with us .. with things like towels, combs, etc. Hopefully I wont forget anything but I'll check again tomorrow to make sure I don't.

I'm outta here. I've got a head cold and I'm feeling rather yuk right now. If Mum was here she would say have a hot lemon drink, a couple of panadol and go to bed! Well I don't have any lemons but I do have the panadol (well a generic version of it) and a lemon herbal tea. So I think I'll have those and annoy the boys a bit before they go to bed!!

I Hate My GP

I've decided that I HATE my GP and I NEVER want to go back and see him. Only trouble is that there are NO other doctors that I know of who will bulk bill. I cannot afford the $30 - $40 to visit a doctor every time I need to go! It's NOT fair! I'm just so upset right now! Even the 20 - 25 minute drive home didn't help me cool off!

I suppose I had better explain what happened. My appointment was for 9:45 this morning and I arrived about 5 minutes early. Mark was meant to come along this time but he didn't. It hurt a little that he didn't but he did mention that some 'ME' time would be good especially since the big fella is home AGAIN because of ANOTHER suspension!! This time he is suspended for 10 DAYS!! I am so NOT impressed with that. What does the school think they are doing when they suspend him for so long? Do they honestly think that having this much time off school is beneficial to him??? Do they think that he understands what it means to be away from school for so long? Gosh I had better get off this school soap box or I'll forget what I was talking about in the first place.

Back to the part where Mark said that some 'ME' time would be a good thing. I could see his point. I could use some big fella free time. He is pretty demanding with our time when he is away from school. Not a constant demand but it's enough to stop you from being able to do what you want during the day. ( for example ~ organise Easter eggs etc). So I took the little dude off to school and drove straight into town for my appointment.
Well the doctor was LATE as usual. No apology for making me wait for 40 minutes! How rude is that? At least the paediatrician says sorry if he is running late! I thought it was just common courtesy!

So I am now in his pokey little room. He said how are you? Well der I am here to see you what do you think? I didn't say it out loud but I did think it! I have no idea why I felt so annoyed, well I wasn't really annoyed at that stage.. .. that comes later. He tells me that the pap smear was normal okay so that's a good thing. ALL that worry I've been doing over that was for naught. So I though okay I'll do the right thing and tell him about my arm and how it has been sore for the last two weeks. He looks at it. Presses on my arm and makes me try to lift my hand. It hurt a little but not much. Then he holds my arm differently and makes me try move it in a different direction. That hurt for sure. Then he said oh its just tendonitis .. Tennis elbow! Well that explains a lot!! (like the sarcasm???) He then said take some nurofen it will help! Sheesh! What a nice sympathetic doctor I have!!

I also told him about the extra stress I have been under due to the big fella's suspension and having him home again. How he has spent more time at home this school term than he has at school. I told him how I worry so much since he is getting such a big boy that with this aggression he has that he might punch someone out and send them flying across the room and perhaps that someone may be me. I told him I worry about anything and everything. I worry about everyone else except me .. well mostly. My GP didn't say much. he nodded his head.

Then my GP makes some comment about a care plan. Didn't say what it was for but that we needed to do one. He doesn't say much just sits at his computer clicking on all these buttons. Says something like you lost any weight? NO was my reply but I wouldn't have a clue if I have or not I don't get on the scales at home or anywhere else for that matter! He took my blood pressure which was in my belief LOW 107/78 either the reading was wrong or its just extra low. Never had a reading that low before but it may explain why I get dizzy of late. Not that I told the GP. He doesn't need to know everything!!

Where was I? .. oh yes the stupid care plan that he was organising. He said you been to counselling .. UM NOT for years I said. He says nothing to that. Then he said you walk? Not really I replied. He said you must walk. Hmmm ok maybe ... He asks you eat healthy? I said YES of course I do .. how can you not when you are on such a strict budget that it doesn't allow for buying chips, chocolate, biscuits, etc. I explained to the GP that the boys get ticked off that I no longer buy them all this junk food for them to eat. I don't cook in fat or lard. We dry fry and use the health grill, we eat loads of fresh stuff when we can get it. He said your last cholesterol .. was that good?? YES I said!!! I even told him I quit smoking but do you think he said way to go or anything. NO he said nothing. You'd think he would've at least say that's wonderful or something! Gosh I could use a cigarette right now!! But I wont go smoke or anything!

Any way he prints this stupid care plan. Hands it to me and says hang on to that! Well hello what is it for??? What am I meant to do with it? I was so ticked off when I got home I showed Mark and then screwed it up and threw it in the bin.
Oh I know you're probably thinking what was the problem with that? That wasn't so bad. But you had to be there. For your Doctor to not show any proper concern or care just isn't right. Am I just another number to him?? Just another name on the computer screen?? Am I just being silly?? I no longer know what to think. With everything that has been happening I just don't know anymore.