Mirena

Wednesday:

Jasmine’s trio came 4th overall in the State (level 3A) in Acrogymnastics, an excellent result. They came 3rd in the Balance routine and 5th in the Dynamic routine - they made an error in spacing and Abbey kicked Sienna as Jasmine swung her around. Whoops. Otherwise they probably would have been 3rd overall. Nationals is in a few weeks - but the lowest level you can compete in there is 4 so the trio have a few new skills to learn! They’d already been doing some level 4 skills in 3A. After Nationals the teams will all be reshuffled, Sienna is getting taller but Jasmine is not growing any more - they need to be the same height to toss little Abbey around. And some gymnasts will be ready to move up a level.

My first week off hasn’t been much fun so far. Tim was still home sick until today and Aiden was home on Monday. Flu is kind of gross, and doesn’t allow a bedmate much sleep with all the coughing and snoring going on next to you. Thankfully everyone finally seems well now. Also yesterday I had a minor procedure that left me a bit traumatised. Sorry for TMI in next paragraph.

I finally got to see my gynaecologist, and I had a Mirena inserted. It’s a modern IUD (interuterine device) that works as a contraceptive but releases hormones at a low dose which is better for older ladies like me than the pill. You’d think I’m unlikely to get pregnant at 49 and in the midst of menopause anyway, but it happens! And I got pregnant straight away when I was trying. Also the Mirena might help my menopause symptoms, but it will be hard to tell as the Duromine has fixed that for the moment. She told me insertion might be ‘uncomfortable’ and that was a bit of an understatement. She prised open my cervix then pushed the IUD in through a plastic tube, then it opens out into a T shape. I thought the ‘discomfort’ was over but then my body started cramping in response to having a piece of plastic in my uterus. This is normal, but unpleasant. As well as the pain I felt really weepy. I got myself home and rested, and I’m fine today. Except I can feel the string (that they pull the Mirena out with, in 5 years) inside me, and the end seems to keep jabbing me. I don’t know what it’s made of. If it doesn’t stop very soon I’ll have to go back and get the strings trimmed or something. Am I supposed to not be able to feel it? I have plenty of nerve endings in there! (I just checked online, the strings are supposed to soften and curl up, otherwise you can get them shortened. Some people’s partners complained it poked them during sex!)

Today I’ll be hanging around the house all day as I have a tradesman here replacing lots of light fittings. No matter how many times I close the front door it’s open again two minutes later. It’s winter! Cold AND flies! Hopefully from tomorrow I can get out and enjoy myself.