Thu 28th Feb

Rain, rain and more rain, still stinking hot though.

Been having some lovely online 3 am chats with my nephew's girlfriend Jess and I am so proud of her, she's working nights and in between doing things, she's popping online and checking up on me, such a sweetie and I have gotten to know her a lot better.  Currently she's also studying for Cert 4 in Disabilty.

Today's photo challenge was "upside down" and Toni decided to show off how flexible she is by hanging upside down on the arm chair lol very funny and great photo opportunity for me :). Thanks Toni!

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Wed 27th Feb 2013

Just a quickie post for now, its 5:30 am Wed morning and I still haven't been to sleep, since stopping Clindamycin on 26th and starting Keflex, my body is really  struggling, I'm exhausted, hot / cold, headache and legs are burning again and painful, but so far no actual cellulitis attack woohoo :). Just finding it impossible to sleep longer than 1/2 hr at a time if that, so for now, just resting with legs up till I just fall asleep.

Back later with some photos from my birthday night plus the photo of the day pictures

See my birthday slide show here 

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Mon 25th Feb - my birthday :)

Just a quick note for now and I'll be back later tonight with lots to say hopefully :)

Was a sad start to the day though as it hit me really hard early hours this morning that this time last year was the last perfect day I spent with my sister - we went up and spent the day / night with her for my birthday and she was sitting up in the lounge room, feisty, alert, talking, arguing even at some stages :) was a bittersweet happy memory which made me cry for quite a while this morning, remembering.

Sun 24th Feb 2013

Took a few photos today of clouds, most interesting as from one direction blue skies with wispy clouds, then from another direction stormy clouds, was fun to try and select the few I wanted for the photo a day challenge.

Anyway, went to the Dr's today and she agreed that with Michael's leg we need to get the Leg Ulcer clinic to have a look to either rule out an ulcer or come to some other diagnosis as at moment we are stumped.  So got the relevant paperwork filled out and I will post it tomorrow for them to get back to us with an appointment.

Me, well we had a long discussion too about what to do to either prevent future cellulitis attacks, learn how to minimise or at least lengthen the time in between attacks to help give me a break and to let my body heal.

So my current course antibiotics of Clindamycin ran out yesterday but she agreed that I can stay on them till Tues 26th so I can be well for my birthday tomorrow 25th lol then from 26th Feb - 12th Mar I'll be going on a low dose of Keflex antibiotics.

Goal is to NOT have another attack of cellulitis within that 14 days, after that I'll go back and see her and decide what I'm going to do then, ie stay on the low dose for longer period or come off completely and see how things go

Of course if I get sick within that 14 days then who knows :(

Woot tomorrow is my birthday :)

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Sat 23rd Feb 2013

Wet, wet, wet yep it's rained pretty much non stop today with some really windy heavy rain throughout as well.

Unfortunately looks like the rain and wind has damaged the roof of my temporary gazebo out the back yard so we'll probably end up taking it down for now and maybe later on we'll buy a replacement top and put it back again but for now, sorry doggies, its coming down.

Feel great apart from sore arms lol after yesterday's boxing session at gym though have to admit, I've been resting most of today, well it is sleepy weather too which doesn't help.

Today's photo of the day challenge was "word" so a photo of a word, title, graffiti etc and I chose from "The Stand" book / movie by Stephen King; as in I'm taking a "stand" for my life now, to get control back and I absolutely adore this book and movie and how they took a stand to better their lives

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Fri 22nd Feb 2013

Went to gym again today feeling much better about things since Mel my trainer and current owner had a few words to me, it's out of my hands, but she's confident if the person that's interested in buying goes ahead it will be a few months anyway and she's a member herself and Mel is confident that she will understand my unique situation, so today since it was my Boxing Day, was fantastic to really let go of all my frustrations and worries and just punch away.

Hehe love Mel's pose for my photo of the day challenge lol

Got home and after another long shower, I've basically rested the rest of the night hoping for no side effects and so far feeling great but very tired, so now I have had my tablets, I'm finishing typing this and then off to bed.

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Tue & Wed 19-20th Feb 2013

Highs and lows Tuesday and even though I had started writing this I actually did not feel up to finishing so decided to combine Tues and Wed.

Tue we went to gym first time in months and was a really good workout but when I arrived I was told that the gym was in process of being sold which could mean my arrangement I have with Mel the current owner and her staff will be stopped and since I'm not technically using the machines even though I still pay the same monthly fee as everyone else but I instead sit in my chair in the middle of circuit and do upper body exercises along with my weights that I provide and boxing, Mel or whoever is on stands in front of me and does the exercises with me or instructs / motivates me during the 30 mins that Toni is going around the circuit, during this time the instructor is also monitoring other members, answering phones etc and if she needs to go be with a new member she does, keeping an eye to make sure I'm doing the right exercises etc

They tell me they love doing this and helping me to get fit even though its not the traditional Curves circuit and now I'm scared / worried that the new owner will not allow this to continue which of course is their right

I don't want to have to stop :(

Photo of the Day Challenge

  "lose2liveAU"

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Mon 18th Feb 2013

Beautiful sunshine in the morning, stormy, lightning, rain and thunder in the afternoon - bliss :) 

Woke up as usual to have my 3.00 am tablets (or round about) and when I realised that today's Photo of the Day challenge was "something I don't like" it was a no brainer I had to take photos of my tablets - yep, I hate having them every 6 hours especially during the early hours of the morning, I struggle to get to sleep anyway, then having to wake up just to have these then it takes me FOREVER to get back to sleep again, it's just suckie :(

Oh before I forget, "happy birthday" to Jackie (Jaxx) hope you had a fantastic day and was thoroughly spoilt by hubbie and kids.

Me well, after enjoying the storm this afternoon, it got really hot and sticky again which meant closing doors and putting the air cond back on ... sigh.

Tonight off to lounge room for TV night with Toni-Maree, first My Kitchen Rules, then Masterchef that we will be taping then for me I watch The Block which I will be taping in my room - lol 3 shows all same time but I think we have it worked out LOL 

Can't wait for Biggest Loser to return plus Offspring and a few other shows my brain is not letting me remember at moment LOL

Got all my study stuff worked out between PC and iPad I think I have it covered and even if I'm stuck in bed I will be able to attend my online class on Wed using the iPad so that's good

Ok, I'm off to lounge room and if I don't get back on to add more, well, I'll publish this now just in case.
 

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Sun 17th Feb 2013

Not a very exciting day as per usual, but rested, read, watched tv with the kids etc lol still was a day without drama or being sick and that's always a GREAT day in my opinion.

Felt off later tonight so after dinner I headed off to bed and slept till 1:00 am then a splitting headache kept me awake till now 3:00 am but tabs due in half hour then I will try and sleep again

Hopefully I can publish this now lol

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Sat 16th Feb 2013

Slept pretty well last night which was great, I kept waking up, but managed to re adjust my legs and fall back to sleep again pretty quickly which meant I probably had around 5 - 6 hours without having to get up.

And even though I am back to taking two Endone tablets every 6 hours, I don't feel as dopey as I did couple days ago plus the leg pain is more controlled so win win for me right now.

Today I felt well enough to get up and have a really long shower, washing my hair and generally taking care of myself a bit better today and the whole shower thing might sound so simple and everyday routine to everyone but for me, well that's a whole story in itself but I won't bore you suffice to say its a challenge that has often beaten me but not today, one to me, zero to lymphoedema!

Today's photo challenge was "perfect" and I really struggled with this, perfection is such an elusive item to portray, by very definition of the word itself, to strive for perfection is a goal that is almost unattainable but I found a quote by the famous actor John Wayne and I combined it with a gorgeous photo I took a while ago of the most gorgeous sunset and the perfection aspect was the story behind the taking of the photo, I had been unable to fit in the car because of my legs for so long that I was becoming dangerously depressed and one day after being sick with cellulitis / lymphoedema yet again, Toni persuaded me to try and see if I could fit in the car yet and lo and behold I could this one evening, so she drove us around just nowhere in particular and as we were driving along, I saw this most beautiful sunset ahead of us and I was able to take some gorgeous pictures that embodied how happy how "perfect" this time out was for me.

One win for me, zero for lymphoedema!

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Fri 15th Feb

Not great news today, turns out they have stuffed up the order of the new wheels for my wheelchair and didn't bother telling me, but when I rung up today demanding answers there was a lot of apologising but not much action.  They say the supplier overseas sent the wrong size wheels in 22" instead of 24" so the need to reorder them and it will be mid to end Mar before they expect to receive them THEN they'll need to book me in to get all the repairs and servicing done which could be April!

Considering it was the 15th Nov 2012 (3 months!) when they placed the order? Yes I can use the chair thank goodness but its getting harder to push, noisier and I'm sure using a wheelchair at my weight is also doing damage to the chair, I mean it has a buckled wheel plus bald tires etc, sigh.

Anyway, I have to be patient and hope the chair lasts till they can fix it otherwise, I don't know what I would do?  So scared that I could be completely housebound soon.  Didn't realise how completely I depend on that chair.

Photo of the day is inside my fridge lol sad thing it is, I really need to do a massive online grocery shop and fill it back up again, but I did the photo, my fridge in it's dying glory (really need a new fridge too lol)

Otherwise today as per usual is as boring as normal, rested, studied, watched tv, talked to the kids yada yada yada lol

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Thu 14th Feb 2013

Tired - so tired all day, I'm really struggling at moment with staying asleep, my legs are in so much pain that's waking me up every 1.5 - 2 hours and I just can't roll over and go back to sleep no matter how much I try, I've tried soothing music, kept lights off etc but nothing, my mind is wide awake, my legs are aching and I'm up.

Normally I can deal with a couple hours sleep at a time but this week, actually since I've been sick this last attack, my body is in shut down mode and I'm trying hard to work around it.

One thing different this time round is they put me on 10mg endone every 6 hrs and that could be having quite an effect on me as I normally was lucky to have one tab every 12 hrs, but the pain this time round has been much more intense hence the stronger dose, but I've had enough of feeling so out of it, tired etc, so will start weaning myself off the painkillers if possible - I can put up with pain if it means I'm not so tired ALL the time, catch 22 situation I know

Today's photo was " love is ..." And to me, love is my family, simple, without them, well, can't imagine.

So below is the picture with my two kids, Toni and Michael,plus Toni's boyfriend Paul, then my brother in law John my nephew Andrew and his girlfriend Jess, my niece Kate and my mum.  Also there are my animals lol, Jordan, Shadow and Charcoal the cat.

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Wed 13th Feb 2013

To clear up any misunderstanding, I still have my wheelchair, its just not very easy to use as you can imagine with buckled wheels and bald tires to say the least, so just very careful using it so as to not damage it anymore.

Needless to say, they didn't ring up today either so still not sure if they will indeed turn up tomorrow or not, will be plenty swearing going on in my room if they do not :(

Today's photo challenge was "walking" - to walk short distance and take a photo showing what's around you, hmmm that was a challenge for me, but decided to take it tongue in cheek and on my "daily" walk to bathroom, stop and take the photo lol, well, it was a walk right and it was short? lol.

Had my first online class for the semester tonight from 8 - 9 pm and I tried logging on via the iPad and that worked brilliantly, could see and hear Cale every well but wouldn't you know, I just couldn't login via the PC no matter what I tried lol but finally worked out the kinks and now I'm set up for class whether in chair on PC or in bed on iPad.

Really tired tonight so might log off and get some sleep, hopefully longer than 2 hours, making sure its black as night, no noise apart from my storm sleep radio, air cond on low so I don't overheat, tablets not due till 5:00 am, I'm all set so night all :)

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Tue 12th Feb 2013

Wheelchair not fixed today, not even a phone call to say why they didn't turn up, not happy!  That wheelchair is my lifeline outside the house, without it I'm literally stuck.  Been waiting since Oct last year and god knows how many phone calls trying to organise the company that is responsible for the care, service and repair arrgghh

Will ring tomorrow and try and get some answers.

Today's photo not very exciting, just where we ate lunch today, for me was my recliner chair out in lounge room.

Tomorrow will be an interesting photo, "walk" now that's a challenge in itself for me, we are supposed to walk somewhere and take a picture of what we see hmmm.

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Mon 11th Feb 2013

Mon morning, Toni was off for first day at Tafe for this year and I fiddled around on ipad seeing what I could or could not do in respect of my own course I'm doing this year: Website Development Course and I can do a fair bit of the reading portion plus the online class through Adobe Connect on Wed evenings (to be tested this coming Wed) so no more excuses about being bedridden etc, I can still keep up and if I plan my time properly each of the hour blocks that I am at the computer I will already know what I am doing - see, time efficient :)

Gotta love Flexible online Delivery @ Tafe plus my course being at same Tafe. Toni, she's been a real help in taking and picking up stuff for me.

Today's photo of the day challenge was "entrance" and we took a fantastic photo when we had the bathroom renovated, with the door on but no handle, looking through the hole into the bathroom, well, I thought it would be good for today's word.

You ever had a situation where words you've challenge someone else with come back to haunt you?  Well in my case, my daughter decided to issue the same challenge back to me for Feb, so I guess I have to suck it up as well....

Good to see though that certain diet coke drinking people (waves to that stubborn NZ woman who drinks that ghastly drink (think of swapping to Pepsi Max eh? lol), very proud of how you've picked up this challenge and running with it and yes, I will be fiendishly planning March's challenge hehehe sigh, as long as Toni doesn't then throw it back to me, I think you and her are in cahoots lol)

Listening to Glee, writing this entry early hours Tues morning 2:00 am, and I'm bouncing my legs around, waving my arms clapping etc generally just bopping around and I realised something, I was happy, don't get me wrong pain was still extreme, still on antibiotics, but I was .... happy :)

               ...... And I'll remember the strength that you gave me

Now that I'm standing on my own

I'll remember the way that you saved me

I'll remember ......

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Sun 10th Feb 2013

Being sick, stuck in bed all time and not sleeping, came in handy for today's photo of the day challenge being "3 o'clock"

Easy as I was playing Minecraft on the iPad in bed at 3:00 am this morning :)

Hardest part was getting a clear enough picture lol

Long night again but managed to doze here and there in between medications, bathroom breaks and reading, listening music etc on iPad

Hehehe glad to see my challenge accepted by a certain stubborn woman in NZ :)  don't worry, I already have the next few months worth of challenges up my sleeve, helps having a LOT of time to plan and think :)

On serious note, I'm tired of sitting back while life just passes me by, always watching, never able to fully experience it for myself, well that stops now!

I need to tackle back control of myself by whatever means available and to put myself first otherwise, I'm just existing through life, not living it.

I might have a lot of problems etc but I can do this in spite of them just takes some creative thinking on my part.

More on that later

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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Sat 8th Feb 2013

Saturday, finally fell asleep at 9.30 am this morning, been struggling to get some sleep for couple days now and thank goodness my body just crashed and I got 4.5 hours in one go :)  Hopefully tonight I will not have such a hard time falling asleep again - just wished the legs would not keep waking me up once I do fall asleep though that's the major issue.. oh well, least I am at home, that's what really counts.

Today Toni's boyfriend is over for the day / night again, lol for some reason he finds our couch comfortable - go figure LOL, still hmmm what are those two doing?  They're running back and forth on my front patio lol I can see them through my blinds OHHHH they let the dogs in hehehe must mean oh Paul's bringing his bike around to the window for me to have a look at, how sweet :)

Be back later :)

Photo of the Day Challenge

"lose2liveAU"

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