NST February Forgiveness

Sweetbriarrose

Grateful for my boss being understanding about my training. nice chat with my friend who is in recovery and doing well, and dinner, egg and chips. You can’t go wrong.

Toni'sfriend

Today was a better day. Got my hair done (just a trim and blow dry). Collected our bus tickets from the lovely cousin at her church coffee morning and came away with a tin full of home baking. Phoned the hotel and booked a table for dinner on Monday and they gave me the number of a taxi firm to collect us from the bus stop.

Himself is much calmer. We've booked him into a hotel at the hospital. A bit expensive but it will save him trying to make the journey to see me every day with unreliable public transport plus he'll be able to pop in and out whenever he wants to visit. All things considered probably worth the expenditure.

He's gone for a nap now and I'm about to investigate the fridge and freeze whatever needs done. xxxx

beanielou

@Toni'sfriend. Good call on booking the hotel. 

I hope all goes well. Xx

Starlight_at_Sea

That sounds like a really good idea Toni's friend. Provides flexibility and allows for little and often if that's what either of you need. 

So pleased for you about the records departing @grandmanerd. Your right @Sweetbriarrose the thread does race by. 

Today....made it to the gym, I enjoy the easy company of the ladies on this class but it's a hard one to get onto, places go quickly. Olio collected, excited to have some little packs of nuts in it this week, that will aid my resolution for pack up lunches whilst travelling and on busy work days. 

Went to see aunt in her care home as DC is away for a few days, was nice to chat and she remembered when my dad met my mum. A bit worrying how her health is changing at the moment, she has a lot to contend with. Will make sure I make time to go again in near future. 

Forgot the two things I meant to do in the town that the home is in/on the way, despite popping them on my list. 

Very excited to get washing out on the line this morning, it's now finishing off in the conservatory on airers, summer mode for laundry has arrived! Unfortunately it's now raining really hard again, but was nice while it lasted! 

Have sorted out freezer contents at two of the houses I am sort of responsible for! can now meal plan for the days I am here this week. olio cinnamin swirl bread and butter puddings cooking in the oven (my favourite way to use then up!) with some jacket potatoes in the bottom too. 

Did some prep at the flat so tomorrow's readiness for Airbnb guests isn't such a rush. Bathrooms all clean now! Beds partially made just going to iron the pillowcases while I watch something with dad. The heated airer arrived and looks really useful. 
New matching crockery bought in sales pre-xmas looks lovely too, I just unpacked one box of it (set of 4,) and put the other in sn awkward to reach l shape cupboard. There is also plenty of eclectic bits matching crockery I have relegated to the higher shelves, so guests should have plenty to use! 

Right, pillowcases won't do themselves I'd also love it if I got one of my gnarly admin jobs done tonight, but I have a bit of a headache so we'll see. (Reader, she knew she wouldn't).

Thrifty_Taylor

Hope all goes well with your first guests @Starlight_at_Sea. A good plan re:the hotel, @Toni'sfriend, you can't out a price on peace of mind & less stress. Plus he'll feel he can support you better too. Pleased you've got rid of the records @grandmanerd, enjoy the newfound space!

Work went well yesterday. The snow had melted enough for me to go the 2 miles shorter route, on the smaller roads. Wrote my shopping list when I got home, did my Norwegian & packed an overnight bag, then headed to town. 

Went to a quiz with 3 teachers from school. We surpassed ourselves & came joint 3rd out of 16!! I was also chuffed to score 28/30 in the music round, with only one contribution from the rest of the team. The Queen of Popmaster strikes again 🤣 stayed the night at mum's.

Dropped sewing off this morning, then did the food shop. Very wet & cold today, my hands were freezing!

Did a sewing job after dinner, then the ironing, followed by an hour sorting through toiletries in our bedroom. Have lots of sachets, etc to use up, which I've collected over the years.

Started a new series & did a couple more rows of my knitting.

Grateful for laughter at the quiz, surprisingly answering questions we didn't think we knew, the enjoyment of the music round, time to knit today, sorting through the toiletries & lighting one of the many candles I've got in my stash too.

Use it up, wear it out,
Make do, or do without

(On the use it up frame if mind just now!)

grandmanerd

Sorry for lack of input, my eyes are still really sore. The eye drops and cream are helping but still very limited on screen time. 

Yesterday I was downstairs early as parcels were coming (bin bags and toilet rolls yay) and DS3 was asleep. Lots of bags out to various bins and I went to the corner of the block twice to collect the collected bins. Three lots of washing done and mostly out on the line (I'm a bit creaky this morning in consequence). New bags for rubbish, paper and cans set up in the front room, kitchen and my room.

Forgot to say that even though I was aching I did side taps, heel digs and back taps whilst waiting for the lights to change on Friday. Still very tired and falling asleep at 7 pm. Yesterday DS3 came down at around 1.30 pm so left him on parcel watch and came back upstairs. I was asleep before 2 pm (I put my mask on if I feel myself dozing - sometimes the extra oxygen wakes me up, sometimes I sleep).

Grateful for toilet rolls and heavy duty bin bags (50 for starters for grandma's house), my bed, getting things done.

grandmanerd

Sunday 11th February 2024

So what do you do when everything aches and you can't do much?
You do what you can
You use your energy wisely (see spoon theory)
You make a start
Just because you can't do all of it doesn't mean you can't do any of it. Sometimes in the past I've started a difficult job and just done the first stage (sometimes it's easier to complete a stage so you know where you're up to) then rest as long as needed. I used to try to work on getting 15 productive minutes in every hour. I have no idea what it is now because it would scare me too much. 

Avoid Despair
Sometimes when you go back you can't see what you've done, sometimes the next wave of junk mail, washing up, dirty clothes has arrived and you're back to square one. TBH that's the nature of housework most of the time, especially when no-one else sees what needs to be done (when you reach the end of the toilet roll, if the bath mat has gone for washing etc etc)

Sometimes you just look at the piles of stuff to be sorted/ cleaned/ moved and give up . Don't go away and cry for a few minutes if you have to and then come back. Make a start. Nibble  away at the edges. Just tell yourself you'll do 10 minutes (you may build up enough momentum to carry on) or focus on one bit (drawer, flat surface, one bowlful of washing up) at a time. Congratulate yourself on that bit, ignore all the stuff still to do. I felt really good every time I looked at the bathroom sink and other bits I'd done for several days.

Every day you get up out of bed instead of hiding under the bedclothes is a win (everyone is entitled to the odd duvet day and if you have a chronic condition there are days when there's no other way to get through the pain/ absolute exhaustion). On bad days getting in the shower and remembering to eat might be all you can manage - on those days showering and eating are wins.


Make SELF_CARE a Priority
Self care is not selfish, it's a necessity.

I have dermatitis and eczema. I need to avoid or limit exposure to all the things that might set it off (washing up  liquid, paint, most 'oil- based' products - even 'natural'  substances like lanolin, aloe vera, apricot kernels).

I  need to take precautions. When DS3 was a baby I had different grades of rubber gloves for everything from washing my hair down to mucky jobs like cleaning out the grid outside. I had gloves pegged to the curtains in specific locations to avoid cross-contamination.  You wouldn't want to wash dishes using the same gloves used for dealing with baby's nappies.

I stick to products I know.  I hate the words 'new and improved' on packaging because 9 times out of 10 it'll be a product I can never use again. The lanolin and apricot episodes where both because my regular products weren't available. Similar product, same range, same producer. I've had actual sheep rub up against me, lanolin will be fine - NO.

I use non-bio and organic products where possible, wash sheets more often (I actually got extra money out of the DHSS for this when DS3 was a baby as I listed all the extras and compared the cost of the products with standard costs for a 'normal' product) and wear natural fibres.

My last bad episode was before DS1 was born. I had to wear rubber gloves for washing myself (bath water felt as though it were burning my skin) and my hands went into claws. I remember crying all over the nurse at an antenatal class after a lecture on bathing your baby. Since then I've been very very cautious.

I have an occasional outbreak but it can be dealt with in a few days. I never ever let it get really bad.

This is not me whingeing. It's a long term condition I've learnt to deal with to avoid serious problems. It's just a demonstration of why we all need to take care of ourselves.

Eating well, drinking lots of water, exercising (or at least moving your body however you can), resting, getting enough sleep are all essential. Cold sores, spots, tiredness and extreme fatigue, tension in your body, stomach aches - all signs of being 'run down', your body is telling you something is wrong. That's just physical aspects of well being. There are also Mental (feeling calm and centred), Spiritual (connecting with something larger than yourself, tapping into meaning and purpose), Social (time spent wwith family and friends and alone), Emotional (nurturing your mind and emotions by relaxing and clearing your head), Recreational (taking time each day or week to do something for your own enjoyment), Environmental (Creating an organised, clean space with plenty of natural light and ventilation)
(Last paragraph is based on 7 Pillars of self care by theblisshunter.com.

Shrewbie

Thank you @f0xh0les for the recipe. I will definitely be making that :-) 

Toni'sfriend

Grandmanerd - Such wise, wise words. Almost identical to what the physio said to me. I'm not good at exercise but I'm adapting and doing it in other ways. You are such an inspiration.

Thrifty Taylor - I love a quiz. Unfortunately none around our way. But my friends are in Spain for three months and they are sending me the picture section from the quiz there. Great fun!

Haven't quite packed yet but everything in laid out in preparation. It'll take two minutes.

The Boy has offered to pay for Himself's hotel accommodation at the hospital. Extremely kind of him but we can manage. I'm very touched though.

So, will be able to read but now post. What is wrong with that I Pad. Hope everything goes well with your brother, Dawn. Be thinking of you all. xxxx

DawnW

Hope all goes well for you @Toni'sfriend . The hotel for your partner sounds a great idea. The least stress for you both, the better.

Shopping today, so still on NSD 5 (I think!). Also sent flowers to niece who has breast cancer and has just come out of hospital after her operation. Fingers crossed they have caught it early. She is only 40, has 2 children and is a teaching assistant in a primary school. She is such a lovely person. She is relieved as it isn't the hereditary type - she was worried about her young daughter.

My brother is feeling better today. He has been struggling a bit for the last couple of days, with what is probably chemo side effects, compounded by 2 additional hospital appointments after the chemo session, one of which took hours. Hopefully he can have a rest next week. I will go to see him tomorrow and take him some treats.

Bought quite a bit today, including reduced / on offer meat in W*itrose for the freezer. We don't eat a huge amount of meat, and prefer higher welfare, either from the local butchers, or from Mr W. I realise I am fortunate to be able to do this. Most of the shopping was from Lidl however - and I managed to get a good £1.50 f&v box. It included grapes, an avocado and a pineapple as well as lots of other things. I have made a fruit salad for dessert

It has been mostly fine today, and I managed to get a load of washing partially dry on the line outside. Now finishing off on the airer.

OH said today how much he prefers the sitting room after my change around / decluttering. Loads more space. He didn't half moan about it while it was happening though    

Grateful today for a reasonable drying day, getting the shopping done and my niece loving the flowers that I sent her.