Prosperous & Creative Soul & MFW Year 3

EssexHebridean

It really sounds like you have turned a corner - I just bet getting back to the normality of driving felt like a massive win!

Would a solution to the food situation with family be to take your own food on the basis that "I'm on a quite restricted diet at the moment" - that means you avoid the risk of offending anyone, but also avoid risking being in a position where you get there and find that the adjustments to "normal" that you need haven't been got quite right? 

As for the various nutrients etc - it takes longer than folk thing to end up significantly low in most things - as an example my iron levels must have been taking a hit for around 3 years before I reached "critical" level. Realistically "poor" diet (measured against the ideal) for a (relatively) short length of time isn't going to have any dire effects so try to ignore the scare stories!   As for energy levels - just think how knackering the first few times out of the house after you've been relatively laid up with a really nasty cold are - what you are going through now is massively above that level so I think it is completely expected that you are finding it tough to navigate back to your usual levels of movement without tiredness! It sounds like the blood tests have given a bit of reassurance too which is excellent. 

We've got just a small lawn too - although we borrowed the mower from Mum last year we've decided against getting one of our own at the moment as it's barely feels worth it so we're going to keep on top of it with shears and the strimmer for this year and see how that goes, With the shears we have quite literally been just lopping the top off any tufty bits we spot as and when we see them - I can't do too much in one go with shears as I develop a hand/arm tremor for a few hours if I do! So far the method seems to be working, but we'll see how it goes when the grass really starts sprouting! 

I'm with you on loving aquilegia - I bought a clump with me from the flat and it's planted in and looking wonderfully happy so I'm looking forward to that flowering - hopefully it will seed well and then next year I'll have more to be able to shift about! 

DaisyCheerings

Hello savingholmes.  It's good to hear you've been able to eat more now and have had your sick leave extended. I hope you're on the up now to a full recovery.  How lovely that you'll also have your DS living closer.  Well done on the refund too.  That took so long!

doingitanyway

So sorry to hear your sickness is still so difficult. You have really been through it. Eating is a good sign.
Look after yourself 

MovingForwards

GP chat appears to have been beneficial.
Work can wait, health comes first.
Doesn't sound like much has been spent on the HM considering how much he has done and the support.
Would it be a bad thing if you didn't see wider family for Easter and focus on recovery rather than potential stresses.

LadyWithAPlan

Glad you are on the mend and you have full sick leave pay. Rest up

It seems your handy man is the current target of many handyman dreams over here on MSE.. I was looking at some flats online and if there was a huge amount of work to do I was definitely thinking --err no...

savingholmes

SandyShores said:

Garden sounds lovely savingholmes, mine is definitely missing colour at the moment.  We've got a ceanothus which is the most amazing blue/lilac when it flowers later, and a beautiful pink hydrangea that won't flower until later too, so I need a few more flowers in the beds - we are missing some spring colour. 

I'm with Beanie and Mark on the handyman -.... if I could find a handyman like yours I would be over the moon

Thanks Sandy. A Ceanothus is on my wish list. I do love them. I have 3 hydrangeas in pots. Spring colour makes a huge difference. It certainly sounds like I should be more grateful for my handyman than I am. I am sad when he takes breaks though - he's not back until next week from mid way through last week.

jwil said:

I agree about the Handyman...I love red robin and want to get some for our garden.

I find the SW meals hit and miss.  I quite like some of the rice ones, and the korean noodles, but some of the others are not great.

I love red robin - at my last place I'd trained it into a mini tree and shaped it to form an arch over a bench - meeting with another tree. I'd also like to find a smoke bush.

I tried SW chips last night - revolting. So disappointed. I also tried the black bean - it tasted awful. Gutted.

lucielle said:

Your handyman sounds like he’s a good worker and pays attention to the detail. 

It sounds like you’re making great progress on the garden and pots. 

I’m hoping to do some pots just need to plant things the deer don’t like. 

L

Thanks Lucielle - your scraper idea was a great one. I worked up a sweat using it on the stairs and landing but it did the trick and looks so much better. Good luck with finding the right plants for your garden.

savingholmes

Blackcats said:

 good news on the blood tests - as you say there is unseen healing and restoration happening as well as the more noticeable improvements.

Thanks BC - yes I was worried about things like my liver and kidney function - but my kidneys were totally fine - and my liver scores were almost back to where they should be. My inflammation score which had been horrific in hospital was also only 1 above normal.

I've had some good eating days recently - but yesterday wasn't one. 

savingholmes

EssexHebridean said:

 I just bet getting back to the normality of driving felt like a massive win!

Would a solution to the food situation with family be to take your own food.... ?

... As for energy levels - just think how knackering the first few times out of the house after you've been relatively laid up with a really nasty cold are - what you are going through now is massively above that level so I think it is completely expected that you are finding it tough to navigate back to your usual levels of movement without tiredness! It sounds like the blood tests have given a bit of reassurance too which is excellent. 

We've got just a small lawn too ....

I'm with you on loving aquilegia....

Thanks EH - driving again is fabulous. I had two days in this week - where I barely did anything but then yesterday I showered and went to a couple of shops which was nice. I got a nice silver coloured houseplant watering can and a crane towel from TKs. I also picked up some food and other bits from the Rng3.

On taking food with me - it's tempting - but TBH it's hit and miss when I try to feed myself currently so there are no guarantees on what I try to feed myself - never mind what others do.

Lots of valid points on energy levels. I'm just impatient to get my body and brain back to normal.

On the lawn - I'm tempted to give it a go after Mr A have dropped off my food shortly. I also want to try and plant up the stuff I bought last week and make sure everything has enough water. Aquilegia are lovely. I tried to rescue loads from my last house but time will tell how successful I was - I'm like you and love to see it spread around.

KajiKita

Aquilegia are pretty tough. So long as the tap root is in good condition and there is some top growth for buds, they should ‘do’ again for you 😊

KK

savingholmes

DaisyCheerings said:

Hello savingholmes.  It's good to hear you've been able to eat more now and have had your sick leave extended. I hope you're on the up now to a full recovery.  How lovely that you'll also have your DS living closer.  Well done on the refund too.  That took so long!

Thanks Daisy - it's DD that will live closer. That refund took scarily long - glad it's back in my account though. It means I can pay the handyman without taking more out of savings. Apparently the stair rail materials are due to be around £170 so with £100 plus for the loft ladder and loft hatch and money for a mirror - my next bill will really add up.

doingitanyway said:

So sorry to hear your sickness is still so difficult. You have really been through it. Eating is a good sign.
Look after yourself 

Thanks DIA. It's been a relief to eat more. It's still quite hit and miss though. I tried to make a bigger portion of porridge today - but all that happened was I ended up leaving half of it so probably ate less than my smaller portion yesterday. I've turned a corner though.

MovingForwards said:

GP chat appears to have been beneficial.
Work can wait, health comes first.
Doesn't sound like much has been spent on the HM considering how much he has done and the support.
Would it be a bad thing if you didn't see wider family for Easter and focus on recovery rather than potential stresses.

Thanks MF for the reassurance on the HM. On seeing wider family - it's a family tradition. It would feel quite lonely to be alone at Easter. I'm looking forward to seeing 3 littlies do an Easter egg hunt etc. DD and DS aren't coming to the event this year but also wouldn't come to me and while my needs for social are low - I've been on my own since BIL came at the end of last week - and I'm ready for some company again now.