New Home and Looking for Recipes

Tonight Ross & I went to see the unit we are moving into in 2 weeks. It is absolutely lovely. A lot smaller than where we are now, but lovely. But that we have seen it we have more of an idea of what we can take with us and what needs to go into storage. This weekend will be filled with packing and organising. I want to have everything that is going into storage gone by next weekend. We can then start moving the smaller things over to the unit throughout the week before we move the big things over. I hate moving, but to be honest I want this over with.


On to more interesting things, I have been busy looking for vegetarian recipes. The Taste website is amazing and has loads of great sounding, not to difficult looking, vegetarian recipes. If I have a chance to get to the supermarket on Sunday I will try one or two on Sunday night.


Tonight we were wickedly evil, and ordered pizza. I usually get a chicken one or, believe it or not, a meat eaters one. Pizza is the one thing I really enjoy a lot of meat on. However tonight I decided to try the vegetarian one. And can I just say, it was delicious.

Tomorrow night I have a Halloween Sleepover with my Girl Guide Unit. With everything that has been going on I am completely under-prepared, however my co-Leader has been brilliant and has gotten everything ready. As much as part of me feels I really don't have the time for this, another part of me feels that having a break completely away from everything that has been going on is exactly what I need. But, I have made a commitment so I will be there.

xox

Bob's Farewell

Today we farewelled Bob, my darling Father in Law who we lost too soon. Ross, Di and I were all shown just how lucky we are today, with all the love and support we have received.

The funeral went really well, and I know Bob would have been pleased with how it went. Those that spoke did so with love and dignity. I read a story called Waterbugs and Dragonflies by Doris Stickney (see previous blog post). I made it through with no tears, and only lost my place on the page once. It was scary but I did it for Bob, and for Ross & Di.

Ross made it through the day with dignity. He has shown these last weeks how strong he is. I don't think he knew that he had the strength he does. I hope he can now see that he is stronger than he thought. We have talked about what happens now, and know that he needs to keep taking his anti-d's, as reality will hit soon and he may need the chemical support. He knows that it is okay to need this.

Di is doing well. She is surrounded by family and those that love her, and is doing well. When all the rellies are gone it may be different, but we will be here for her.

And lastly, I am ok. I am so far beyond exhausted that I think we need a new word for exhausted. But back to work tomorrow and I have a Guide Camp on the weekend, so no rest for me. But I am eating well, and exercising so hopefully that will see me through.

Again, from Ross and myself, I would like to thank you all. You are wonderful, lovely, amazing people, and I am so glad you are in all my life.

xoxoxox

Waterbugs and Dragonflies by Doris Stickney

Waterbugs and Dragonflies

by

Doris Stickney

Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with its friends. Clinging to the stem of a lily, it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.

'Look!' said one of the water bugs to another, 'One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose she is going?' Up, up, up it went slowly. Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn't return. 'That's funny!' said one water bug to another. 'Wasn't she happy here?' asked a second water bug. 'Were do you suppose she went?' wondered a third. No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.

Finally one of the water bugs, the leader of the colony, gathered its friends together. 'I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where she went and why.' 'We promise', they said solemnly.

One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up, he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broke through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above.

When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn't believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings...The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly!!

Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by, the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chancd to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs!. There they were, scurrying about, just as he had been doing some time before. Then the dragonfly remembered his promise: 'The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why'.

Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly he could no longer go into the water. 'I can't return!' he said in dismay. 'At least I tried, but I can't keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they'll understand what happened to me, and where I went'.

And the dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.

Thinking about Vegetarianism

For the last few months I have been thinking about vegetarians. I rarely eat red meat (it makes me feel sick if I have too much) and have been eating less and less fish and chicken. So it started me thinking.... To be honest I am probably not getting the nutrients I need but just skipping meat as much as I do. With my bowels problems playing up of late (I have all the symptoms of IBS although I have never actually been diagnosed) and now with the vitamin d deficiency, my diet is clearly not meeting my bodies needs. So it is time to give this some thought.

I have discovered that there are 3 types of vegetarians
- those that eat dairy & eggs
- those that eat dairy
- and those that only consume plant based products (vegans)
I know this much, I would fall into the first category.

Ross and I have discussed it and he is happy to give this a go. I thought I would start by introducing vegetarian meals and foods into our diets. Start cooking vegetarian. I am a very picky eater, so I need to be comfortable that I would not be losing out on any essential nutrients by doing this. I have started researching about the foods I will need to incorporate to ensure we don't miss out on anything. This weekend I think I will do some shopping and start making different choices.

I would love any recipes, pointers, tip, thoughts anyone has, so please feel free to add links or recipes to the comments. It is time to take control of my body and treat it with respect, and who knows, this may be the way for me.

xox

Vitamin D Deficiency

I went to the doctors the other day to get something to help me sleep, as I have not slept a full night in several months. She decided to run full blood tests as well, just in case there was something underlying other than just the fact that my life has been in a chaotic mess for several months now.

Turns out my Vitamin D levels are low. Very very low. Strange considering I ride my bike for half an hour twice a day 4 days a week, plus walk and garden. But there you go.

Some of the symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency are:
- muscle pain
- fatigue
- low energy levels
- sleep irregularities
- symptoms of depression
- mood swings
- and lowered immunity
Hello my life! This is me exactly. And now I know why.

There are also links between vitamin D deficiencies and insulin resistance and also studies that show those with very low vitamin d levels can have extreme difficulty in losing weight. It has something to do with calcium absorption. There is a good article explaining all of this on the Women to Women web site.

Treatment is quite easy. I need to take a super high dose of Vitamin D3 today, then in 3 weeks, then in another 3 weeks. After that I need to take it once every 3 months for a year then go back to be tested. Also I need to ensure I get at least 15 minutes of sunlight – without sunscreen – every day. That part should not be a problem now that it is not dark when I ride in the morning. I will still sunscreen up for my ride home, but I’ll do the morning ride sunscreen-free.

Although I don’t like having anything wrong with me, it is actually good to know why I have been feeling so blah of late, and to know that it is easily fixable. I will go and get my first dose tonight, then put a reminder in my phone for 3 weeks to take my next dose. Hopefully I start feeling the effects fairly soon.

On a side note, I just want to thank everyone for their love and support re Bob.

xox

Difficult Goodbyes and Promises Made

On Thursday last week, my darling Father in Law Bob, passed away. His poor old heart gave up on him. Fifteen years ago he had triple bypass surgery, and all the grafts had clogged till no more blood could get to his heart. There was nothing the doctors could do to help.

The team at the Flinders Medical Centre ICCU were amazing, and kept him comfortable and happy until the end. We were called to go in, but got there about 15 minutes after he had passed.

The funeral is Wednesday.

Tuesday night I made a promise to Bob. I promised him I would start losing weight again. He had been one of my biggest supporters in my weight loss journey. He held my hand on Tuesday night and told me I had to start losing weight again. He said “It’s not worth it”. He knew then, that he was not coming home to us.

This morning I got on the scale, and I lost 1.1 last week. I haven’t had time to exercise really, but the second I made that promise to Bob I started making healthier choices. I am not saying I have been perfect, but I have not caved in to the easy option of fast food during this difficult time. I have made sure that not only I have had healthy meals to eat, but have been cooking for R & his Mum D as well to make sure they eat.

I am now doing this for Bob as well as for myself. He did not want me to go out the same way he did, at only 67 years old. I don’t want that either…

To everyone who has passed on their love and support throughout this period, I thank you. Our strength comes in part from those around us, so please know how very much it means to us.

xox

Offline for a bit

Just wanted to post to let everyone know I will be offline for a little while. Monday night my beloved father in law had a heart attack. He is in the ICU in hospital at the moment. They do not hold much hope for his recovery. I am splitting my time between work and his hospital bed and have little time or energy for much else.

I will be back, but I don't know when.