Health worries

Tuesday:

Things were looking very worrying here this morning. My father-in-law Des was very sick with the flu, and went to the emergency room last night with a high temperature and possible pneumonia. His partner Jo is just starting chemotherapy for her lung cancer which is obviously going to make her feel even more rotten than she already feels, and she needs to be driven to and from the hospital twice a day and probably help with meals and stuff too. Her family lives in another state. So they were in a pretty bad situation. Of course we were all going to rally around and help out, drive Jo back and forth and cook etc. Luckily we have few commitments this week and don't live too far away, Nick and Ping too but they have two young children. But we got news later in the day that Des is feeling much better and they seem to be able to cope without us for the moment. We're available if they need us.

Jasmine is much better today too and even went to her acrogym practice. I think she had hayfever, Tim and I have had symptoms too. All that spring pollen.

Tim and I spent a lot of today in the garden, more digging and digging and digging. My hands are stinging and sore from wielding a shovel, and Tim has a blood blister from using the pick. I rather enjoy wrestling with the stony soil. I hope to buy lots more plants tomorrow.

Rest day

Tuesday:

I decided I needed a rest day today. No frantic cleaning or rushing around doing anything else, and no dwelling on the stressors in my life, just recovery from this flu. Reading and TV and naps.

I was supposed to go to an appointment with my doctor to follow up whether I am successfully absorbing B12 from the tablets, or whether I need injections. Last time I needed to contact my doctor, three weeks ago, they were having problems with their phones and I couldn't get through for a couple of days. When I finally asked them about it in person, they said they knew about the issue and were having it attended to. Today I tried to ring to postpone my appointment (rather ironic I suppose, cancelling a doctor appointment because I'm sick). And tried. And tried. Over and over for more than an hour. Either I got a "user busy" signal or else the phone rang out with no one answering. I guess they're still having issues. After three weeks! Nothing on their website, and no other way to contact them except snail mail.

The big frustrating irony was that the only two minutes I was away from my phone all morning I missed a call from them, saying I'd missed my appointment and to call them! Yeah, why don't I try that... They'd better not try to charge me, I will absolutely refuse to pay. (In Australia the government pays about 2/3 through Medicare and you pay about 1/3, depending what medical service you are using.) I will speak to them in person next time I am at my local shops. If I'd known about the continuing phone problem I would have dropped in yesterday when I was dragging myself through some essential shopping right next door.

It was a grey dreary day, with pea-size hail at lunchtime (I had the idea it only hails on warm sunny days when the weather changes suddenly. Definitely not the case today). Perfect day for just hanging out at home taking care of myself. It helped, I think. I'm starting to feel better, I even had the energy to tackle the laundry in the afternoon. It was really nice to have a day when I didn't feel a lot of pressure to be tackling my to-do list.

I've been doing a bit better with food. Still eating some convenience foods like frozen meals and home-delivery because I haven't felt up to cooking much and Tim is home too late during the week to cook for the kids, but I haven't been buying between-meal junk. Maybe I shouldn't take the credit for that, food isn't very appealing right now, but I'll pat myself on the back anyway!

Random purchases

Monday:

I'm down with the flu at the moment which is annoying but I'll get over it. I did the grocery shopping this morning, feeling yuck the whole time. There is an Agatha Christie story where the dénouement is based on the fact that if you are worried or sick you are more likely to do what you are used to, stay in your groove. But today I was the opposite. Leaning on my trolley handle, dragging myself around the aisles, I was grabbing random things. Oh, a tin of chicken soup. That sounds good. (We never eat tinned soup.) A new flavour of chocolate (lime twist) that sounds a bit nasty but lets try it. Silverbeet, how about some silverbeet!? (I've cooked it about twice before ever.) I bet my kids would like this new flavour of biscuits (yes, they probably will, I think I'm on a winner with this one). I like frozen raspberries best in my yoghurt but I think today I'll get mixed berries even though I don't like the blueberries...

It wasn't all unhealthy stuff, it was just random stuff.  What do you do when you are sick? Stay in your usual rut, or branch out like I did today and probably regret it? I shop from a list so the core of meals are fine, but I got unnecessary things and some weird substitutions.

There is another Agatha Christie that flummoxes me because a key clue turns out to be that a woman named her son Evelyn after herself. Even granted that Evelyn is usable by both genders (although that is the only context I've ever seen it as a boy's name) would you name your opposite-gender child after yourself? Seems odd to me.

I read quite a lot of old-fashioned English books and I often find the names funny. Dick and Fanny. Beverley for a boy (I have an Aunt Beverley). But the racism! I probably didn't even notice it as a child. I felt guilty sometimes for re-reading old favourites.

I'm watching a lot of reality TV at the moment. Cooking shows, weight loss, singing, home renovation, dancing. Love them. Nowadays there is usually at least three things running so something on every night of the week (sometimes several on competing channels, and I have to choose my favourite and/or record one). My mum also loves them although she goes for different ones - Survivor and Race Around the World. My dad only watches sport which I find mind-numbingly boring. My husband barely watches TV at all, he plays computer games in the evenings. But he's just through the arch in the study, so we can see each other and speak to each other.

Urg, why do my teeth ache when I have the flu?

Resisting chocolate

Thursday:

I guess I can be proud of myself for yesterday. I was feeling sick and really wanted some comforting chocolate. But it wasn't part of my plan for the day (I get two little "indulgences" a week) and I didn't have it. I stuck to the plan.

Feeling quite a bit better again today, but this flu seems to have cycles so I am not counting of being completely well yet.

Blah

Tuesday:

Husband, son and I all down with flu. Husband by far the worst. Nothing to write about that doesn't involve mucus.