Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Iron Maiden

Good afternoon folks


I thought I would post about my little procedure yesterday. We awoke a little later than we had hoped to. After a fitful sleep I prised my eyes open to see it was nearly 6am. As I am quite slow moving,especially in the mornings, I didn't want to rush. Anyway after a shower, a quick toast brekky, we set of for the hospital. Upon arrival we soon discovered that the 'larger' than usual wheelchair we loaned from the hospital Occupation Therapy Dept. was too small and what was worse the feet plates would not move to allow my feet to rest below me in a lady like fashion.
Picture this if you can; then again if you are easily shocked, perhaps not.
Here we are the bloke and I right out the front of the A & E Dept. of the hospital,where the admissions is also located, freezing wind blowing on us, people arriving for work, and this fat woman jammed into a too small wheelchair legs akimbo pointing toward her ears, voicing her discomfort in a rattled, manner. Yes this is just another regular day in the life of this author.
I was embarrassed, ashamed and verging on tears when the bloke, god bless his little heart, decided to raid his toolkit in the back of the Statey (our pet name for our Holden Statesman car).With his trusty wrench he managed to adjust the feet plates and off we went to the day surgery, a little late, but there all the same.
After being checked in and assigned a corner of a room, I choose what I think is a most comfy chair for the duration of this procedure. However after only half an hour I discover that it's not a good fit, and so I move across the room into another not big enough chair, but at least my feet touch the ground.
Finding chairs that can accommodate me is a huge problem for me and one of the major reasons I don't go out.


Anyhow although I was required to report to the unit by 8am it is nearly 10am when the a doctor comes and tries to insert the cannula into the back of my hand. I say OUCH here, but this is not what I was saying under my breath. I have had quite a few of these large needle things over the years but this was the most painful. After pushing and pulling she gave up, telling me that my vein had blown. Oh naughty vein, why did you do that? So she had to use another site. This time there was a short sharp pain and luckily it was in. The nurse came along soon after with the life force serum-iron infusion and put it on the drip stand. They ran it very slowly something like 45 drips per hour. I received 2 grams of iron, which they told me is not the norm so it was going to take quite a while, and it did, as I left at  about 5pm. A long day for me and the bloke who stayed part of the day with me.
In the afternoon I had two day surgery patients join me and we began the usual chatter, reserved for roomie strangers. You know-what are you having done, is that an iron infusion? Oh that looks painful. It's amazing the instant bonding that can occur in this situation. Telling complete strangers the most personal matters. I experienced that yesterday. One woman introduced herself and within 15 minutes had told me about her religions beliefs, her husbands sacking, what she did for a living, her relationship status and her previous fiancee, and that she had not long returned from an extended overseas holiday. Whew!
Of course when someone shares such intimate details with me, I nearly always feel that I need to reciprocate and disclose some of my own personal information. Does anyone else ever feel like this?
Oh. okay, might just be me then. *blushing*.
Don't get me wrong, I love making new friends, and she was a lovely friendly woman but something was saying take it easy here, she seemed quite exuberant.
One thing that did annoy me was my reaction at the usual interest shown by people toward my size. Two staff members and the friendly woman all asked if I had considered WLS. When I told them that I had already put myself through that mutilation and it had failed me, they all suggested other types if self mutilation. Why do people offer these 'helpful' ideas? 
 The super friendly lady asked me the most silly question, not new to me, but silly all the same "Have you always been this big?". Now really what does she mean? What is always? Since birth? When?

I was disappointed that I did not have an answer ready for just this occasion. I have come across many good comebacks in recent months but I don't remember them at the time.
To answer the friendly ladies query I told her no I just grew this big. *shaking head*. 

I feel okay today but they they tell me the full affects of the transfusion will be felt in three to four weeks. I am optimistic that this will work and it will give me the boost I need to take the next step in regaining my health, firstly by resuming my exercise (walking with my walking frame on side verandah), and undertaking the sleep study.
Surely these will help me? I am feeling quietly calm, very tired but optimistic today.
It has been some time since I felt this way. I am grateful.


On an aside, I was in the same ward and even bed area that my
dear mother was in when she passed away last August. I didn't work that out until I was leaving the unit. The room bares no resemblance to the one mum had been in. It has been made over to the day surgery unit now and the palliative care patients have their own unit.

I did feel a sense of calmness and harmony whilst sitting there. Maybe mum was looking out for me? I like to think so.
Images from blinks.of.life

Take care people,


Monday, September 26, 2011

Feeling thankful

 
Just a quick drop in to say that I am all set for tomorrow morning's

iron infusion. I intend to enjoy every last drop, of the life giving juice. I send thanks to the kind person who donated it so that others can use it.
We got the results back of my blood tests and lets say that the bits we could read make for thrilling reading. Some very low levels there which explain many of my current challenges.






Anyway, I will let you know how I get on.




Take care


Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sleepyville


I am trying to post using my ipad2 and it is a little different to using my laptop, so if this ends up looking a little stranger than usual you'll know why. (Okay this is now me on my laptop as I can not figure out how to put pictures up via the ipad2).

(The following was Saturdays chat)

Today has been quieter than usual, and I never thought that was even possible as I spend many lonely, quiet days on my own. The young one was at work the old one, sorry I meant to say the bloke was out shopping and then once home he planted himself firmly in front of the Telly to watch the football, sadly his team lost.
I had a little nap, not refreshing when you have a blocked nose thanks to a head cold. Oh well its getting better I think.

Had a mini tidy up today. I have been telling the bloke that I was missing some stuff from my sewing. "What stuff" he asked. " Ahh... my sewing stuff". "like what", "um dunno but if you find some sewing stuff and then I'll know". Ha ha. Yeah I know; the logic of a goldfish!
Anyway he carted a few bags and baskets out and lo and behold what do I spy? The stuff I was missing that I could not even name, but it was a good find. My bag patterns because I have a hankering to make a bag after a friend showed me the pile she has made. And then I came across the pattern for a star quilt that I have had in my mind to try for months and months.

So after than delightful find I now need to stay awake long enough to do it.
As regular readers might know I have often written about my tiredness and not so good health. And the last two months have seen me hit the bottom of the barrel. Sleepiness so bad that I am unable to read my books, sew, since completing the last projects. I sit here on my couch nodding off all day. I have been awake since about 2am.


There are various reasons but one major one is sleep apnoea, still awaiting my appointment in November to sort that one out I hope.
But my other major issue is anaemia. I want to put in a TMI alert here in case some people don't want to read about my plumbing problems.
For many years now, I have been having trouble with my periods in that I bleed very, very heavily and can do so for months at a time. This has led me to be anaemic. I can not take the iron tablets, so a couple of weeks ago my doctor finally suggested I have an iron infusion. This is happening on Tuesday 27th, next week, and never have I been more excited to have a great ruddy cannula jabbed into my arm. :)

If it helps me I will be a very happy woman. Some other symptoms of anaemia are restless legs, extreme sleepiness, headaches, memory loss, breathlessness. I can hardly manage to walk from bed to my dining room some days. I struggle to get enough air, it truly is atrocious.

The biggest question is why hasn't this been offered to me before?
So I was just coming in to say hello and keep you up to date on my little world. I am ever hopeful that things will change for me and I can stop whingeing so much. I don't like to suffer in silence.

Take care,

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Non quilty blog post


Hello readers


When I last posted I was thinking that I would be here chatting about some different aspects of my life than previous posts have only alluded to. Now while we all try to keep a modicum of privacy within the social networking sphere,  I feel the time has come to disclose to my regular readers more about the person they are reading about.
So with some misgivings but with a great deal of optimism (I have always felt well supported by those who choose to visit my blog) I want to discuss some of the other things that make me who I am.


I came late to the quilting and sewing world and I took it up at a time when I needed a distraction from the disappointment and on-going depression I felt from resigning from my job.


In 1999 I went back to school full time after my youngest went into pre-school. I completed a  12 month bridging course that allowed me to apply to study for a degree at university. I wanted to study in the social sciences field. I had to do my degree by distance education as the local uni wasn't running the course. Over the years it was a struggle to study and still care for a family of five kids and a husband as well as work casually for an organisation who supported people with disabilities.
But I managed it, as my family were great, especially the bloke who it must be said went beyond the call of duty to support me.
Anyway through out the years of study I also carried some fairly big life limiting health issues.


In 1994 I made the now regretful decision to undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) and had my stomach stapled. I thought it would end my days of dealing with a larger than optimum body and allow me to participate in life more.
You see I was/am according to the medical professionals 'obese', 'super obese', or even worse bariatric. I am not keen on any of these descriptors and in fact prefer to be just a fatty. Mind you this is when talking about myself I don't really think anyone will have a need to address me as this is Jan the fatty!
Anyway, what is my point here? Over the past 12-18 months I have been reading a lot about fat acceptance (FA) in the blogosphere. It has made interesting reading to me, a person who has for the most part of her life lived with the 'shame' of being a fatty.
What is the FA about you might ask? In simple terms it is a movement that directs its efforts at changing societal attitudes toward people who are fat. In their work they are also attempting to alter internal and medical attitudes, and reduce the hatred and discrimination faced by many big people.

Another movement, Health at Every Size (HAES) promotes that health is independent, not dependant on body weight. Individuals can pursue mental and physical health regardless of their physical appearance or size.
Okay that's the end of my little essay. Plenty more time for further posts on the subject and I certainly don't want to come across as the know all of either the FA or the HAES movement. I am still finding my away around the movement, the actions and the people, and I have made some great new cyber friends.
I intend to blog more about this subject, amongst the quilting and sewing posts. These things are important to me right now.
What do you think, if anything, about the whole idea of it? I have probably been a bit too brief about this very important discussion but I must be honest and let you know that mentally I remain tired, strained and non to clear in my thinking.So this is all I could manage.

Hope I have not put anyone off with my meandering ways today.

Take care

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Quilts & More

Here I am again. I have even managed to bring some pictures with me.
The first is a picture of our pretty ornamental plum tree. It took us three tree purchases before we managed to keep one alive. So you can understand our pride. 
 The next is a common old marigold but I love them. So vibrant and tough and they coordinated well with the baby quilt following it and that is why I chose it. :)








Not sure if you can read what I have written on the label, I didn't have the patience tonight to play around in the picture editing program.
But here it is:

A baby boy for Brooke and Shaun
and for Kye a little brother.
I hope this quilt keeps him warm and let's him know
he's loved like no other.

I like to write a personal note it makes the quilt more special.


I love bright colours and could not bring myself to make the regular blue for boys or pink for girls. They are having a boy but on the off chance the scans were wrong this will be fine for either sex.


I made it much larger than the usual baby quilt. I don't think I am able to make a small quilt.
I quilted it simply with straight stitches.
This quilt has been built to withstand many washes.


Regular readers have seen the following quilt in its infancy. Thankfully it is now done. I am so glad it was very time consuming.



And another large quilt completed. This is for my bed and featured a most beautiful fabric by Moda called Chrysalis.
 It was a real challenge for me, but I am pleased it turned out okay. A few mistakes that I tried to quilt out but I'm not concerned. 



Swinging in the breeze.


I will be back soon for another chat, and I warn you it may be 100% different to tonight's. :)


Take care






Saturday, September 3, 2011

What do you do on a Saturday night?

Well what do you do? If your a tired old girl like me you might be sitting at home. The bloke is watching his favourite footy team playing on one T.V and the princess daughter is watching DVDs of "The Office".  
Well not for me tonight, I am not interested in any of it. So here I am bashing away on the keys writing a new post, checking my facebook page-which really hasn't changed since the last time I looked, reading other blogs and eating my evening meal whilst sat at the computer-ohm ah, don't tell will you?


Had a lovely small family get together BBQ here last night. We have a young couple (from the blokes side of the family) visiting for a month. They live in a small town called Einbeck, Germany and to say they find the contrast of our wide brown land a shock is an understatement. Marlene, is a newly qualified teacher and she is the one related to the bloke showed us photos of her family farm where they breed the beautiful Hanover horses. The farm is of course lush and green and refreshing. Oh if only...
They have come to us as the partner of Marlena is a mining engineering student, looking to carry out some work experience. Unfortunately for him it is not that easy to just walk in and work Strict policies prevent this. But anyway they are keeping themselves busy and the girls are taking them to various places.


Source: Wikipedia-some of the historical timber buildings


I absolutely love to find out how other people live and so it is a real plus for me. We are hoping to foster a relationship between out kids so that they may have a place to go should they travel to those parts. We are fairly sure they will.
I am what you could call an armchair traveller. :)

Well this is a quick post as I have only just managed to have the quilts photographed and they still need to be loaded on.
I really hope that whatever your doing it's done with a smile on your dial.

Take care lovelies, till next time,