Teetering on the brink

EatingBeans

I finally braved getting my spending tracking spreadsheet back up to date today. I like to keep on top of it by updating it every morning (little and often approach), but since dd2 has been so ill it all went by the wayside. I have been meaning to get it back up to date for a few days now but once it becomes a big job it is easier to do on the laptop and my desk was a mess from turning the rooms around so you know, I couldn’t possibly fit it in! 🫣 Excuse much? 

The good news is I decided I wouldn’t start buying any Christmas presents until I’d completed my budget update and I had an actual figure for Christmas shopping on the girls otherwise I knew I would overspend. So, with Black Friday offers everywhere I forced myself to tackle the budget now and I have decided to spend £150 each on them, absolutely no more. To some that might seem like a lot given the debt busting situation I am in, but as mentioned previously, I am choosing to make them a priority. Historically they have had £250-£300 each so this is still a paired back amount for me. It means I can finally buy dd1 a new fitbit (she has wanted a particular one for over 12 months and it is something she will wear everyday which will remind her of me so I am all for it), that just leaves enough for one or two small gifts for her. dd2 also wants a fitbit but is asking for an older model so I can also get her some trainers she is desperate for too. All in all there wont be anywhere near the same number of gifts under the tree as usual, but at least they are both getting something they really want and I wont be getting into more debt to do it. 🙂

in_need_of_direction

can i suggest you look at any available cashback on these?  also, my thoughts, for what they are worth, take the package if you can, clear the astronomical interest rates and then work out weekly outgoings based on not going to work and even one fewer take away a week.  i'd also go with the freezer and fill it with soup from olio veg

Cherryfudge

I replaced my Fitbit recently with the same (older model) off V1nted and I have to say I'm really pleased with it. Of course, buying second hand could have problems but there again, not necessarily so.

EatingBeans

Not much to really report at the moment. 

I had a meeting with HR and my line manager today. I went to the meeting expecting to make a plan to go back to work next week and left with the agreement that I go back to the GP on Monday with a view to being signed off for longer. 😬 I let them both know that I have applied for the Voluntary Leavers Scheme and the relief on the HR lady’s face was plain to see. She said she was glad to hear that I already know about the scheme because it was on her list of things to ‘update me’ about. Awkward tightrope conversation avoided. 🤣 They were both lovely bless them. My line manager gave an ‘update’ on team related things - pretty much a list of all the good people who have now left or on their way out the door, including our Chief! He gave just enough info for me to get a good picture of the sh*t show that he is currently working with, but not enough information that the HR lady realised it was code for ‘get out while you can!’ lol. I will miss my manager. He is so awesome but he also confirmed that whilst the transfer to my new manager has been delayed, it is still planned to go ahead at some point. Fingers crossed they will approve my leavers application, think it not worth the effort to transfer me and I will get him until they just let me leave. 🤞

The only other notable thing of the day was I went to pick up more medication and was asked to have my blood pressure checked (apparently ‘routine’ but they have never asked before). Turns out my blood pressure was high (175/112) so she took it again, and again for good measure. It barely dropped. Cue me trying to justify it as maybe it’s the medication, or stress, or chronic pain… She suggested I wear a 24hour monitor to just double check. So here I am, set to go to bed with my new best friend - I am calling him Mr Squeezy. How anyone sleeps with one of these things taking blood pressure measurements all night is beyond me, but I’m giving it a go. Who knows, maybe that’s why I’ve been having insane headaches this past week. 🤷‍♀️

Cherryfudge

Interesting about the work meeting... sounds as though it's a good idea to apply to leave.

I hope you can sleep with the BP monitor on. I think I'd find it very disturbing, but if it finds a problem then this is the first step to sorting it out. Love the fact you've named 'him'. 

OpalGirl

EatingBeans said:

She suggested I wear a 24hour monitor to just double check. So here I am, set to go to bed with my new best friend - I am calling him Mr Squeezy. How anyone sleeps with one of these things taking blood pressure measurements all night is beyond me, but I’m giving it a go. Who knows, maybe that’s why I’ve been having insane headaches this past week. 🤷‍♀️

I had to wear one of those for 24 hours a few years ago - I hated it! I hate having my blood pressure taken at the best of times, I just don't like the sensation of the cuff squeezing my arm, it totally stresses me out and I am sure it raises my blood pressure!!

badmemory

I'm sure it does mine too.  I had to do it once & at 3 in the morning had to stop myself from throwing it across the room, but I did take it off.  The only time my blood pressure didn't go up when it went off was when I was doing the ironing when you would expect it to go up.

Magpie100

@EatingBeans I was recently surprised to find myself in A&E with a BP reading of 232 (the nurses laughed out loud when they saw it!) after a routine request for a mediation review (that one was 197). Now on meds and monitoring to see what's going on an if there is an underlying reason. Do take it seriously please - uncontrolled BP can cause lots of issues over time and I am sure it has contributed to me being immensely fatigued all year. I know you have a lot on medically already, but don't let this one slide. 

Sounds like a good chat with HR and I am glad you have an option for the future which might allow you to rest and reset. Your dogs and daughters sound awesome! 

EatingBeans

Well, I returned Mr Squeezy to the pharmacist today and she said the results indicated I am stage one hypertensive so I should have a chat with the gp next time I saw them. As it happens, I had a GP appointment booked less than an hour later so I took the sheet with me.

After discussing current progress with the Trigeminal Neuralgia, the GP not only signed me off work for the next two months (I didn’t even realise they could sign you off for that long!), plus he referred me to a Neurologist (separate from the Neurosurgeon referral), an in the meantime he suggested just upping the current tablets even if it does make me sleep. He took one look at the blood pressure report and told me it was all fine and he is not concerned. I got the impression that he decided I had bigger issues to worry about right now and it wasn’t high enough for them to start interfering.

How much debt busting I can reasonably do if I am just asleep all day I don’t know. I think I am just going to do whatever baby steps I can do between now and Christmas and then just focus on having on a lovely quality time with my girls. The rollercoaster that will be next year will come soon enough I am sure. 

ellenvan

Trying to look on the bright side, how much money can you spend when asleep!
Hopefully you will get your leaving package without having to go back to work.