Not lazy: smart

Anyone with chronic illness that makes you fatigued like fibromyalgia, will know that part of accepting the new normal is planning to do the most you can with the least amount of spoons. That applies to all housework chores and social activities. 

Lately, Chris and I have been ordering our groceries online. This has so many benefits and is worth the $15 delivery fee. It makes ordering the shopping easier by having a list of previous shops to copy from. Wonderful when concentrating is hard when one has brain fog from fibro or medications...

The delivery guy will even bring it into the kitchen and place it on the kitchen bench. It is then just a matter of putting it all away. So much better than handling it at the checkout, loading it into the boot of the car, bringing it all in.

As a Sacrificial Home Keeper, I have streamlined the inside activities, and now I have streamlined the outside activities. 

With paying for delivery, some may say shopping online for groceries is lazy: I say no: it's actually very smart. Designed with the Sacrificial Home Keeper in mind. I am very grateful for it.

Today's list is simple as I am still under the weather:

1. Do dishes
2. Fold clothes in dryer
3. Make our bed
4. Cook lamb stew in slow cooker for dinner

Be fruitful and multiply!

This morning when I came to open the drapes, I was greeted by this beautiful sight! Pink and grey galahs, King parrots, rosellas and magpies were all vying for top tier of our bird feeder!

We saw that they all had chicks with them, proving that our back garden and that of our neighbours was good breeding ground. The pic doesn't do them and their colours justice. They are beautiful!

I am having a better day painwise, but not many spoons. Still, I will take less pain anyday.

The weather is rather cold today with the whole of next week forecast to be low 15-20C and raining.

On my limited to do list is:

1. Cook a chow mein for dinner
2. Clean the kitchen
3. Sort our pills for the chemist run tomorrow

I just smiled as I realised the birds are being fruitful and multiplying! Just as He ordained. I am glad! 

Done and dusted

So as you know, I spent nearly all of yesterday in bed, recovering from a fibromyalgia flare. When I crawled back to bed last night, I fell asleep dreaming of waking with spoons and planning what I would do in the morning.

When I woke up this morning, I felt just like this picture portrays: today is going to be more of the same.

So on today's to do list is:

1. Rest and medication
2. Prepare a salad to go with tonight's frozen lasagna

I know if I don't rest up that this flare will drag on. My home needs some attention, but I can hardly lift my head.  I want this flare to be like my house: done and dusted.

Fibro is as painful as diseases that can be seen

Today has been a complete fizzer as far as productivity is concerned. I have achieved nothing except cook a slow cooker meal for tonight. In fact, I have been in bed most of today. Fortunately, Chris is very understanding, but doctors over here- not so much.

I have to say that in general I haven't found any real help via my GP's or rheumatologists here in Australia regarding my fibromyalgia. I am on the disability pension because I can't concentrate enough to hold down a job (not mentioning pain because there are some days when it is manageable), but in general the doctors over here seem to think it's something one puts on to get out of work! (If they only knew how we want to be able to work- especially in our homes!)

There was however, one GP who wrote me out a referral to go to a pain management clinic. I haven't been because I do not want to mentally put myself in the chronic invalid basket. If I try not to focus too much on myself and the symptoms it seems to help me mentally at least.  So I am trying self-help. Which truly isn't very helpful!

I have seen a rheumatologist recently who openly admitted to me that rheumies are practically useless in helping with fibromyalgia. I nodded my head in agreement!

I have found more compassion for my heart problems than my fibromyalgia. I wonder if it is because that is something that they can see with an ECG or angiogram? Or is it just the Aussie "Stop your whinging,  Mate!" mentality of some over here? Whatever, I would dearly love people to understand that fibromyalgia is a medical problem every bit as painful as diseases that can be seen.

As the stomach churns

 

Today has gotten off to a good start. Although my fibromyalgia muscle pain is really bad, I can live with it. What I can't live with is lack of spoons, but today I awoke with a bit of energy. It is like winning the lottery!

So far today, I have taken my bloods- 10.2!, done a load of washing, made bacon and eggs for breakfast, made our bed and taken the pork chops out to thaw for dinner tonight.

On my to do list today is:

1. Declutter my computer desk
2. Go to Officeworks for a FOR SALE sign for selling our fifth wheeler
3. Fold the clothes from the wash this morning
4. Prepare a pork sweet curry in the slow cooker for dinner

It was a good day until I noticed Xena our cat had vomited on the carpet. There is one thing I cannot stand and that is cat poop or vomit. Chris has cleaned it up for me and sprayed it with Glen 20. There's no evidence of it now.  

I am so grateful to him for doing that for me: I have enough problem keeping my medications down in the morning without cleaning cat vomit. In the mornings my chapter in my life's book is called As The Stomach Churns.... 

Home at last

When my mother passed away, I was not able to keep a lot of the things she left me. My sister took them on the understanding that if /when I wanted them, they were there to pick up.

As you know, we lived in a fifth wheeler for six months, so I didn't have room for all the things I loved such as Mum's tea pots. When we rented again, I asked for them back.

I have a few household chores to do today, then we are going to clean the fifth wheeler for sale. God willing. I still depends on how many spoons I have today.

Today's to do list looks like this:

1. Do a couple of loads of washing and dry and put away
2. Cook pork chops in the slow cooker for dinner
3. Clean the fiver if enough spoons

I was showing my friend around yesterday, and she noticed Mum's teapots. It was just a small thing, but I felt happy that the teapots that had been promised me since childhood had come home at last.

Ending the chapter

So today we put our fifth wheeler up for sale. We were travelling round Australia but 3 months into it, I tore my meniscus in my left knee and I couldn't manage the 5 steps into the fiver. Eventually I became housebound and 3 months later, we decided to sell it and rent again.

We live in a country township which is quite a distance from my family and friends, so we have made a point of having them over each weekend.

Today my old friend from school days, Ann and her partner are coming to see us. We met when we were 11 and we are both 67 now. I am so grateful to God that we are still close. After seeing the house and a cuppa, we will be going to the local pub for a meal.

Yesterday and today I didn't take the new diabetes medication called Forxiga. It gave me thrush and a kidney infection. Plus my sugars went from 9 to 10-12.3! Fasting... still you have to try don't you?

So on my to do list today is

1. Tidy the house
2. Enjoy my friends

Oh, and check the advertisments to see if anyone has responded to the ads for the fiver. It's sad that we didn't manage to travel like we hoped, and selling the fiver is ending the chapter.

House of happiness

We love our new home, but it sure gets cold up here. This morning we woke to 10C and the windows were running inside. Thank goodness we have a large reverse cycle air conditioner/heater.

Today I plan to vacuum and wash the floors, dust and clean the bath and toilet. This will have to be after the usual morning chores. God willing, I will have enough spoons.

On today's to do list is:

1. Clean the kitchen
2. Make our bed
3. Do a couple of loads of washing
4. Dust
5. Vaccuum and wash the floors
6. Make a slow cooker bolognaise sauce for spaghetti tonight.

I have chucked out some leftover cake for the birds. It is like an airport here this morning. 

I am planning on getting some plants in baskets to hang along the front verandah. Currently, I am doing a google search to know which ones would be not only pretty, but hardy. Our house is a house of happiness and the plants can reflect that...  

Chronic illness: it is what it is!

So the day has started off without any appreciable spoons. However, I have purposed to do some chores in the house regardless. Simply because they have to be done.

With the last two days slack on housework, there are dishes and washing and some other chores that are shouting to be done.

My sugars are still 10.4 this morning in spite of taking the new diabetes medications for a week. So I accept that I am never going to feel really well. Fibromyalgia and angina coupled with back pain also seem to do that. So I am going to just concentrate today on the most crucial homemaking tasks: having clean dishes and cups and some clean clothes and towels.. No lists today, this is all I can manage.

So today's list of to do's are:

1. Soak and wash dishes and put away after air drying
2. Catch up on the washing and put it away after the dryer has finished
3. Cook some lamb stew in the slow cooker for dinner

Granted it's not much to do, but my body feels like it's trying to climb Mt Everest. But enough procrastination: I must push on. No fairy godmother is coming- I'm it!  

It's mundane. It's frustrating. It's tiring! But it is what it is!  It's chronic illness! 

You can't have one without the other!

Having to pace myself yesterday, I woke with some spoons which was just as well as we had to take our daughter to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. She is a survivor of APML leukaemia and she needed her six monthly blood tests in preparation for her visit with her haematologist next month.

As we had to be in Melbourne early, we had an early start from home. We virtually just had breakfast, dressed and ran out the door. So no lists or housework plans were made. That will have to be tomorrow.

The trip was 400kms all told and it was very tiring. For all of us. We all had a nana nap when we got home.  We got some fish and chips on the way home as we just wanted to eat and crash.

In this picture of the Alfred, you can see the room I was in when I had my 3 stents put in in 2007. It's the third level, last window on the right. Chris and I would watch the helicopters come in on the heliport just in front of the hospital. It is built over the road and leads directly to the Trauma Centre.

So, housework wise, it was a dud of a day, but we were able to help our daughter with her cancer journey, fulfilling our promise to her the day she was diagnosed. 

In chronic illness you sometimes have to push yourself to live the life you want. It isn't easy: in fact it takes a lot of determination and prayer.  Lots of both. I don't think you can have one without the other!

It's all about those spoons!

I am so happy to report that I have some spoons! For the first time in ages I have woken refreshed! It is such a novelty.  But the novelty is fraught with danger in that I can overdo it today and return to a flare of my fibromyalgia tomorrow.

Chris and I have been longing to get to the shops and buy some new clothes. He has told me to forgo the household chores I had planned for this morning, and just get ready to go shopping.

So I will just be preparing some bolognaise sauce in the slow cooker for dinner tonight and leaving.

Hopefully, I can get through without another flare tomorrow. It's all about those spoons! 

A land awash in floods

Australia is a land of bushfire terrors followed by torrential rains bringing floods. Today has been such a day with a bushfire near us and then a massive storm bringing rains that have flooded our roads and the little stream at the end of our property.

We are grateful for the rains of course, but the changing weather is playing havoc with this fibromyalgia flare. I think it's ending, but new weather changes make it return with a vengeance. Such has been today.

I haven't followed any list and have had to go back to bed this afternoon. I expect to be in bed early tonight too. It simply is too hard to keep awake. I no longer fight it but go with the flow. It is what it is. False guilt is now a thing of the past...

Today I have only really managed to cook devilled sausages with vegetables for dinner. 

As I look out the back door and see the stream overflowing and the birdfeeder full of water, I realise that that is exactly how I feel with weariness... overflowing with it. A woman awash in fatigue, and a land awash in flooding rains..

Our first guests

As you know, we had guests yesterday and today. They were the first to use our guest room and they confirmed that the new bed and mattress were very comfortable.

We ended up going out for dinner at the town pub, and we had a very nice time with lovely food as well. After the meal, we came home and had a game of UNO and retired around ten o'clock. Which was late enough for me, as I suffer from chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. 

When I woke up this morning, I found that the cat had vomited on our bed, and I had to wash our doona and get it dry in time for bedtime tonight.

My pain was at a high level today so I didn't feel well enough for church. Besides, it gave me more time to be with our guests who were loving our new home.

Today I didn't follow any lists. I did the washing and meals and I plan to have an early night. But tired as I am, I still am glad that I was able to practise hospitality. I sure enjoyed having our first guests! 

We must make memories

There's widespread flooding everywhere today.  One of the roads is impassable still. Fortunately, we are staying home today as we have guests coming this afternoon.

With all the thunder and weather changes, it is playing havoc with my fibromyalgia flare. I am in considerable pain today and I long for a nana nap already: it's only 1pm!

So far I have done a load of washing and am using the dryer. We have had breakfast. Xena has been fed. I will soon be making a ham and cheese toasted sandwich for our lunch. We will be having a big meal for tea tonight.

I am following Saturdays' List as I plan to go to church tomorrow. 

Still on my to do list is:

1. Lunch
2. Change over the washed clothes and put in dryer
3. Cook the defrosting chicken for our roast dinner

I am really looking forward to having my guests come, but I am forcing myself not to go back to bed.

The struggle is real. But I feel if I don't practice hospitality and have people come see us, that my life will be the poorer for it. 

So today, I am taking some paracetamol tablets with my toasted sandwich, and pretending I am having a good day. It's all part of making memories...

Cats and dogs

We have had very crazy weather this afternoon. Torrential rains, which are a blessing with all the fires we have had recently, caused flash flooding, almost blocking the one main road into our little town. This is a picture taken just after the deluge near our place. 

Having been warned of severe thunder and possible hailstones, I brought my washing in, and Chris moved our small white car under the carport. Unfortunately, the Sierra ute and Play Mor fifth wheeler were in the firing range. However, there was little hail and the rains washed the van for us. It is soon going up for sale.

We watched the storm through the back glass sliding door and were horrified to see a fireball come down, almost hitting the shed in the paddock behind us. It was a ball of glowing light with a tunnel in the centre, with swirling energy like the sun in the middle. It was so very bright and was accompanied by the loudest crack of thunder overhead. Chris said it's the worst storm he's seen, and he has worked outside most of his adult life.

Our area is well known for chaotic and harsh weather. It has snowed in previous years and gets very, very cold. I can see a lot of thick socks, minkie blankets and warmed up wheat packs to take to bed in my future.

To be honest, I think I prefer the colder weather. You can always rug up to stay warm, whereas cooling off is more difficult. I even love rain, especially when you don't have to go out in it. The sound of the rain falling on our tin roof was lovely. I love it when it rains cats and dogs! 

We are it!

Tomorrow night we are having guests for dinner. I am pacing myself so as to not use all my spoons today and be unwell tomorrow.

The last couple of days I have had severe fibromyalgia and have had to push myself to get to doctors and chemists. I have let the dishes go a bit and there's about 4 loads of washing to do today. In spite of my resolve to use the dryer, the weather's been so nice today(28C) that I have hung a load of clothes out on my clothesline. 

Today is the second day of my new diabetes medication: (Forxiga). Yesterday I felt a bit nauseous on it, but today is a bit better. My sugars this morning were still high: 9.2. But I guess it will have to be at least a fortnight before I see any change.

The doctor said my magnesium levels were low but he just kept on talking about the other results... I am wondering if I should buy some magnesium tablets. Apparently cramps and muscle/joint pain can come from lack of it...

Tomorrow I plan to serve roasted chicken, potatoes and vegetables in chicken gravy. Followed by creme caramel for desert. I can prepare that tomorrow..

For today I am following the Fridays' List and my to do list looks like this:

1. Do a load of washing
2. Wash dishes, let dry and put them away
3. Cook pork chops in the slow cooker for dinner. I will serve them with Spanish rice and veg

I have run out of spoons already, so I will try to have a nana nap in order to be able to finish the days' few chores. I really don't feel like doing anything, but we Sacrificial Home Keepers can't always act the way we feel: exhausted. So, we push on because we know the Fairy God Mother isn't coming: we are it! 

The life is in the blood!

Today we went to see our new doctor for our blood test results. Basically we are doing OK except for our diabetes. Our sugars are quite high. But I have low magnesium and vitamin D. I will have to get some supplements for those.

So we are both on new diabetes medications with strict instructions to cut out sugar and to visit the chronic illness management nurse next month for a care plan.

I have grocery shopped today with weight loss and lowering of sugars in mind. It has been a busy day and I am almost ready for bed.

Today was a wipe out as far as housework is concerned. I didn't follow any list, in fact I had enough energy to blink my eyes and breathe. Good job it is involuntary.

Hopefully tomorrow will  be easier. Tomorrow being the first day of my new resolve to lower the sugars. 

We like this new doctor and we know he would be genuinely pleased if we did as he suggested. There's no hiding from him if we don't become proactive in regaining our health: the next blood tests will tell the tale- the life is in the blood! 

Flat out in bed

So today is going to be busy for me. First thing this morning a technician from Telstra  is coming to install the NBN for us. Hopefully our connection will be faster.

When that's done, I have to go to the Post Office and request another invoice to renew our post office box. They have overcharged us on the invoice. As the post man doesn't home deliver here due to us living in a tiny country township, we must all have a PO Box. They charged us as having a mail delivery but wanting a PO Box. A lot more expensive! 

I have also to change our bed and refill the weekly pill container for our medications. I will be taking note what medications we need a prescription or a refill for at the chemist,  for the doctors' visit tomorrow.

So todays' list of to do's looks like this:

1. Change our bed
2. Finish cleaning the kitchen
3. Refill the medications
4. Do some washing but using the dryer: it is going to rain for the next 3 days
5. Sweep the vinyl floors
6. Bake a cake for afternoon tea
7. Dinner for tonight is quiche with vegies.

This is a pretty full on day for me. I will have to pace myself so as not to prolong my fibromyalgia flare, or instead of being busy flat out like a lizard drinking, I will just be flat out- in bed.

Like a beetle on its' back

Today I have woken up tired. Fibromyalgia and angina are vying with back pain to see which is going to be the one to send me back to bed.

So far I have taken my medications, made some toast and tea for our breakfast and thrown some fruit bread out to our delightful birds.

I was planning on following Mondays' List but instead I will be following Thursdays which is a day of rest. God willing, I will be able to do Monday's List tomorrow..

I have a pre cooked slow cooker meal in the freezer for dinner tonight. So no need to cook. I don't like using frozen dinners, but I learned years ago to accept what is and not be a perfectionist...

We are experiencing thunder and rain and I am wondering if that is what is causing my renewed fibro flare, or if it was making the effort to go to church yesterday. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure: today I am as weak as a kitten and as helpless as a beetle on its' back! 

Blessed day today!

When we started our new chapter of life by stopping living in our fifth wheeler and renting again, we had to start off  again just like newlyweds.  We had either sold or given away our furniture and most of our extraneous possessions. We had nothing to move into the house.

Eventually we managed to get new furniture and Chris gave me carte blanche to pick out the furniture and decor. It was fun and we have mostly got all we want.  However, the house still needs some pictures etc and is a work in progress.

One of my favourite areas is our diningroom/passageway display of family photos. We have Arkiane's Prince of Peace front and centre with our wedding photos and our children's wedding photos. Directly under Him is my 7 branch menorrah, a gift to me from Chris to acknowledge my Jewish heritage and because Christianity is based on Judaism, and of course, Jesus was a Jew. I see it and it reminds me to pray for Israel.

Today is Sunday and I am talking to you and preparing to go to Church. We have a little church within walking distance. It is alongside the little Catholic church. This church I go to is a Co-operative church which caters for 3 different denominations. This morning we will be taking Communion with an Anglican minister presiding. Last time it was with a Church of Christ pastor. 

I truly am comfortable in any church that proclaims Jesus Is LORD! I feel that's how it should be! 

So today, I am following Sunday's List.  I will be making chicken chow mein for dinner. No extra chores are needed. It's a day of rest. I hope you are well enough to go to church today: if not, I pray you will still  have a blessed day today! 

Another day in Paradise!

This morning I came into the loungeroom to find our cat Xena propped in front of the back door eyeing off the birds feeding in the bird feeder. She looked at me as if to say "I was just watching!" But she spoilt it all by immediately prancing around saying, "Out!"  yes, she talks...

As any cat owner will tell you, when you live with a cat 24/7 they get to imitate words and Xena knows, bed, food, out! She tells us "Out!" when she wants to be let out, she knows who Dad is and she even calls me "Mum!".... with the same inflection my own children used years ago! lol

My fibromyalgia flare is lessening and I have a few extra things I want to achieve today apart from following Sylvia's Saturday List. 

1. Go through our clothes and fold/hang them as per Marie Kondo
2. Cook a Shepherd's Pie with peas as side dish for tea

First, though, I am going to get dressed then fling all the windows open. Today the air quality from nearby fires yesterday has improved with rain overnight. I do love fresh air.

If I can achieve all these things, I will be happy. Not that I can stay sad in this place. No matter what comes my way, it's a nurturing place and every day is another day in Paradise! 

It has to be enough!

Since moving here, there is always something to see in our backyard. It's like a screen saver: it's always changing.

This morning I found some rosellas enjoying the seed Chris put out for them. They were later joined by some King Parrots: green headed girls with red and two shades of green in their feathers, with the boys red headed with the same two shades of green feathers. 

We were woken up with a kookaburra laughing outside our front garden and he was later joined by some magpies warbling. If you love birds, you would love our place! 

I am in need of a nana nap this afternoon to tide me over till tea time. We saw a new doctor recently and we needed to get our blood tests done today. We fasted for these ones and in spite of my drinking heaps of water,  the phlebotomist couldn't get any blood- in three tries, nothing.

So Chris had to drive me to another clinic 20 minutes away and she got it first go. I was praying and sweating as my veins are very tricky. They wimp off at the first sign of a needle.

My spoons are all gone so very little is on my to list:

1. Rest
2. Cook chops, veg and mashed potato for tea

It's not much of an effort, but it's all I can do today. It has to be enough! 

Cat fur and tickling whiskers!

The sun is sinking under the nearby hills, leaving pink streaks in the sky. I have drawn the drapes and lit the lamps. 

My dishes from dinner are drying in the drainer. Xena has been fed and is indoors sitting with her Dad, Chris. 

The weather is slightly cool and we have put our fire on low which gives a cosy effect. I love my home, my husband and my cat... and of course, my God. 

Not only has He  blessed us with a lovely home to live in, but He graciously gave me a few surprise spoons (energy) this afternoon.  I managed to do what was on my list, plus I finished off putting all my clean washing away.

We live a simple life, but it is one of contentment and joy. I am believing for a good sleep tonight. I have already taken my medications and I can retire any time after an hour. I must remain upright and awake for an hour after taking them or my sleep is fitful and sore. I know that if I lay down soon after taking them that I can either have GERD or aspirate some acid and develop pneumonia. I have had pneumonia three times. I don't know why my sleep is fitful and my muscles sore if I don't wait an hour, but I am sick of trying to work it out: It is what it is.

Soon I will join Chris in the lounge room and no doubt Xena will jump up onto my lap for a cuddle and cat nap. As soon as she hears me say I am going to B.E.D. she springs off my lap and nearly trips me up to get there before me.  I have to spell B.E.D. because she knows the word- yes she does. She's a smart girlie! 

As I lay thanking God for the good in each day before I sleep, I can be sure of one thing: my little feline mate will be under the covers, pressed up against my back. She is always purring at night and I have no doubt that she too is grateful for the ending day. And for a Mum who overlooks cat fur and her tickling cat whiskers! 

What I wouldn't give for a good sleep

Last night was a fizzer regarding sleeping. No matter how I positioned myself, sleep eluded me most of the night. I have woken up this morning so sore and tired that I don't know what to do with myself.

From twenty odd years of suffering from fibromyalgia, I know that today is going to be a wipe out. So I will be pacing myself and only doing the bare minimum of chores.

Yesterday I felt like this, but we had waited a week to see a new doctor and we had to go see him. He was good and seems to know his stuff. We have a few baseline blood tests to get done before we see him again next week.

We are into cooler weather with a top of 28C predicted. I have washed two loads of clothes and am too tired to hang it out. Sometimes you have to compromise when you have chronic illness. Sometimes you win, most time it does! 

I shopped online for groceries yesterday: the Woolworths delivery man is due soon... I am saving my few spoons to put the shopping away and mark it off the shopping list as received...

Things on my to do list today:

1. Put the food away
2. Cook my homemade pasta sauce in the slow cooker for spaghetti bolognaise tonight
3. Rest

That will have to do for today as I am having trouble keeping awake. What I wouldn't give for a good sleep! 

Scarce as hens' teeth!

It is quite cold here today: 8C! By midday we should be hitting 24C which is quite pleasant. I have the reverse cycle air con set on 22C which is quite comfortable.  Xena our little white cat got up, used her tray, had some kibbles and went back to bed. Before I came out to the study, she was seen nestled next to Chris under the doona. So when she does that, you know it's cold!

My plans for today are

1. Catch up on last night's dishes
2. Do some washing
3. Go to the doctor and chemist
4. Do some grocery shopping
5. Cook sausages, veg and mashed sweet potato and potato

Fibromyalgia has me aching everywhere but there's no time to go to bed.  Today we are going to see a new doctor here. We only know his name but haven't seen him yet. Our little township has a drought on doctors with the average wait a week.  With all of our many illnesses, we are praying that this guy knows his stuff. But even so, beggars can't be choosers: doctors in the country are scarce as hens' teeth!