Taking the plunge

Oh @Faith-and-Hope just know that we think you are very special. Seems we are keeping the ally busy.💗💗

Hi @Former-Member

Thank you for your well wishes for my daughter. It can be hard not to worry - glad your daughter is doing better. You are right it is hard not to stress - but best not to. I found this out today - my stress levels have been high these last few weeks and my blood pressure reading was 171 - dangerous. This morning I had trouble focusing my vision. So I am doing my best to keep positive and not worry - otherwise I won't be around. One day at a time.

Hope the counselling session went well @Maggie - sorry to read you were bowled down again. I hope your social worker has helped there - I find talking about issues helps me to put them in perspective and deal with them more effectively. Problem is not all I talk to understand anxiety. My husband's tries and helps the best he can. Your social worker would be a great help there I would imagine.

Sounds like the lunch date was a real hit @Former-Member, it's good to get out and socialise to unwind. Saw my friends today and they are feeling the strain but keeping as positive as they can. My male friend showed me his lung biopsy scan - the tumour is massive 😢.

Myself and husband will be taking time away from our volunteering work in January (while month), to try and de stress and nurture our health for awhile. With today's doctors visit I realise for the sake of my longevity I have to do this. I also urge everyone on here to look after themselves as it's very important for a better now and future.

I am thinking of you also @Faith-and-Hope, you are your family's lifeline as I am, but for the sake of our own health we need to take time for ourselvesand unwind, hope you find your feet again soon, it must be very stressful for you as well; - looking for serenity is a good goal to hang onto, I am going to do the same. Big hugs to you all

@Former-Member@Former-Member@Faith-and-Hope@utopia@Former-Member

@Former-Member Catching up with my counsellor yesterday was so good and the post card arrived in the afternoon. She reckons that's the longest snail mail ever. Lol. The dr also went well. The ct scan shows a something that's not malignant, now waiting for E/N/T, which might take awhile as they are. ' thin on the ground ' was her expression.

I have freesia's planted near my door so I can get their smell, beautiful flowers, also a boronia, I know that's spelt wrong, also smells beautiful.

So you have a resident possum. Amazing Holly knows they are not for hunting, cleaver little girl. Mags doesnt hunt....anything. Just watched when I had a mouse and the blue tonged lizard.

My mornings are quiet now that I'm not out watering or moving the hose around. We have snow in tassie, yes thats correct, snow in summer, and it's relatively cold. It won't last so I'm making the most of the break from summer.

What are you up to today??? I think cricket might be a part time break from nursing duties. Whatever you do,make care.💞💞

@Former-Member Did you get your dryer yesterday???Sorry you are fighting off the flu ,it's draining and makes depression feel worse. Sounds like you and @CheerBear are in the same boat. I hope you can manage some rest in between your many things to do.

We have snow in tassie @Former-Member and it's cold but pleasant. Not sure how long it will last.

Sending warm thoughts your way.😍😍💗💗

@Former-Member You are right not all understand anxiety, that makes it so hard to communicate how you are feeling. The meeting with my counsellor went well. She had a good holiday and is ready to get back into work, she loves what she does. She's the only person I talk to in the real world, from past experiences, I choose very carefully who I share with. Yesterday we talked a little about empathy. Her thoughts I found interesting. She believes it's a highly skilled, intelligent feeling, not shared by everyone. I'll have to think about that for a while, but it's making sense.

Your BP is way too high, are you on meds??? A break for you and hubby from volunteering sounds like a good plan, roll on January. Today might be a good time to curl up with a good book, or some music and self care. Thinking of you @Former-Member sending thoughts, I don't want to say warm thoughts, as it sounds too warm where you are. Caring thoughts, that's better. Take care.💜💜💜💛💛

A big hello to @Maggie @Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member @Former-Member @utopia, and others I may have missed.

@Former-Member Oh yes, your blood pressure is way too high. If you arent already on BP meds, I expect your GP would be trying hard to get you to go on some. High BP causes so many other issues, and its not worth risking a lack of treatment. I dont recall reading what sort of volunteer work you and your hubby do. But it sounds like it is pretty full on. You must both enjoy it? But you still need a break even from enjoyable things, a time to recharge. So good on you for taking that step of backing away from in it January. I do volunteer work as well, I do community visiting. Its fun and makes me feel worthwhile. The people I visit would otherwise not see anyone to have a talk to from week to week. Its really sad that so many people in nursing homes have noone that visit them. Sometimes its because they have no family and they have outlived their friends. Other times its because their family live interstate or a long way away, or their family members are estranged. I only do it one day a week though, and thats only half a day. Besides doing something good for someone else, it also forces me to leave the house.

@Maggie - So pleasing to hear that your counsellor visit went well yesterday. And that the post card finally arrived to coincide with her visit. Oh thank goodness the CT scan showed something non-malignant. Bothersome no doubt, but not life threatening. I'm sure the ENT specialist will fix things up once you finally manage to get in to see one. Its a bit like my Dad getting a cardiologist appointment for his heart failure. Its been about 2 months now and he's still waiting to get in to see someone! Meanwhile he is going down hill daily. I guess many specialists are pretty 'thin on the ground', and if you are not in the larger cities, then its that much harder.

Speaking of Holly and her hunting skills, last night she caught and killed a mouse in the kitchen. I hate mice! Well done Holly. Hubby subsequently disposed of the mouse, I cant touch them. Eeek.

We had some more rain this morning. I was up wandering around the house at 1am, unable to sleep. But finally got to sleep much later and then awoke to gentle rain at around 6am. Love it. It also means I wont need to water the neighbours gardens today. I will still go over there though and pick some nice fresh cucumbers. They are growing madly in this perfect growing weather we've had the past few days. And if they grow too big, they just arent very nice. That feed of beans I picked yesterday morning was beautiful. So fresh and tasty. Nothing like 'pick your own' veges. I miss not having a vege patch. The only garden, other than flowers and shrubs, I have now is a half decent herb garden.

Oh really, snow on the mountain today then for you? I recall one year when we were on the Farm, which was in the Southern Tablelands, we had snow at the end of December. And lots of it, enough that it all settled for the day. It was a couple of days after Christmas. I remember thinking 'ahh a white christmas', how very English. But it wasnt very pleasant for what we were trying to do at the time - repairing some fences. Pretty tough on the poor hands.

This morning I had hoped to make it to my yoga/pilates gym class. But the way I feel right now, I wont be going. I have a shocking headache which is not letting up, and my back is giving me hell with nerve pain running down the leg. A tense and restless night probably hasnt helped much. I think I need to rest up. Will have to wait for @Phoenix_Rising to return and give her eager disciples the new Yoga pose for the week. That will have to be enough exercise I guess. Even if it means simply watching the latest u-tube video of the latest pose. I will probably watch the cricket in the afternoon however. Its getting very interesting, Aussies were on top, but lost a lot of wickets last night. Anyones game now. Thats the beauty of cricket, it can change very quickly.

Okay, going to go see if hubby is awake. Thinking I'll cook us a nice omelette for breakfast today. I will duck over to the neighbours garden and pick a few leaves of english spinach to go in it. It will be good along with some cheese and I think some ham as well.

Have a good day everyone.

Sherry