I'm ready!

 

Just 2 more sleeps and it's moving day.  

I'm ready!

I'm ready to get my retired life up and running.

I'm ready to get my health and fitness back to full strength.

I'm ready for the next phase of life.

Can't wait!  Watch this space 💖

Normal

 

I had a check up with my GP.  I got a thorough prodding, poking and she listened to everything that could be heard through a stethoscope.  And everything is normal.

In the last 4 months I've had a scan, an x ray and loads of blood tests and they all came back normal.

So why am I soooo tired all the time and why am I still breathless on exertion??

She really doesn't know but maybe if I lose weight and get my fitness levels back up to where they were pre pandemic it will go away.  Easier said than done 🙄

*SIGHS* 

Hayfever aka The Snotty Club

 

I would like to publicly issue a heartfelt apology to all hayfever sufferers.  I did not understand how awful it can be for you.  I am now one of those sufferers.  As my young colleague said "Welcome to the snotty club!" 😭

I've been sniffly for a week or two and thought I had a bit of a cold (again!)  I spent some time last weekend on the plot and in the garden pulling weeds and grass.  By Sunday night I was floored.  Looks like grass and weed pollen are now my arch enemies.  It explains so much.  On Sunday night I took my first ever anti histamine tablet.  I've struggled at work all week thanks to an all day Sports Day, 2 Nursery Transition events outside and a full day of Outdoor Learning.

It's been suggested that since my immune system has been severely damaged thanks to Covid and the subsequent chest infection, my body has over reacted to the pollen and produced too much histamine.  Someone also suggested it's another menopause symptom 🙄  Either way it sucks and warrants further investigation!!

Following on from my last post I can report that the cheaper coffee actually tastes rather good.  And the beans were ok, definitely less sweet than Heinz so I guess that's no bad thing 😊

April Spending and health catch up

I'm a week late with April's spending analysis but I had a good reason last weekend!  As expected (and sort of planned for) it was a spendy month thanks to the wedding.  I haven't added up every single item as it was getting scary 😱 but items to note were increased food costs due to having my middle son home for a week and putting fuel in my car for the first time in 3 months.  I have a hybrid car so don't use much fuel.  And wedding 'stuff' is crazily expensive!

Me and my Lovely Mum

The short answer is I have nothing left to put in savings this month!  But I'm ok with that, this is a long term project and I'm back on track already.

Savings account at 30th April still has £3598.96.  

The week before the wedding I had my follow up doctor appt.  Unfortunately my own GP was off sick so it was with a different doctor.  I didn't have high hopes and was prepared to have to re book one with my own.  But she was amazing!  She checked out everything from my previous appt and updated all my prescriptions.  

I have a chest x-ray booked for next week (to check out the breathlessness) and I had bloods taken earlier this week.  I've already had the results back and everything is normal except for my cholesterol levels.  All I know is they're a 'bit high' but I'll find out more next week when I have a nurse appt.  It's not rocket science, I'll be told to exercise, lose weight and watch what I eat.  I am determined I will not go on statins (unless they're dangerously high right now!) and I'm pleased to report that my BP is completely back to normal! Phew!!

I've completed my 4 week phased return to work.  I've been summoned to an attendance meeting with HR (completely normal after a long term absence) to talk about my health and my work.  As I'm the union rep in my school I normally accompany other people to their meetings.  I get to have my union's  Local Secretary at mine!!  It's also being lead by the Head of HR and not an assistant!  It's normally just a box ticking formality but we're hoping to use this opportunity to raise our concerns about teachers (and others) feeling the pressure to return to work too quickly when they've been ill.  I wrote about it HERE

It's now the season of report writing, Parent Contact meetings and transition events for the Nursery children coming into P1.  School finishes here on 24th June so there's a lot to get done in the next 7 weeks!

Always read the small print!

I was double checking my Fit Note (the certification from a doctor so you get your Sick Pay) before handing it in to work and discovered that my GP has actually signed me off work until the end of this month.  On my way out she did say make another appointment to see her again in 4 weeks.  But I didn't put the 2 things together 🙄

I don't think I'll need to be off that long but it's a relief to know that I have that time available to me to fully recover!

Snow and other stuff (bit of a chatty one!)

 

Finally got some snow that's hanging around!  A couple of inches overnight and it's currently snowing.  I'm noticing I'm really cold today (I guess it's the not moving around) so I'm fully tucked up in my bed.  Tuppence wasn't happy this morning when I let her out.  I stood in my dressing gown trying to clear a patch in her enclosure so she didn't need to stand on actual snow.  She just shouted at me!! 🐔  Emma did a few zoomies and came straight back in!

I had my in person doctor appointment yesterday.  My lungs/chest seem to be clear, I just have a stubborn infection that won't shift.  So I'm on stronger antibiotics.  They've really knocked me for six as I'm actually feeling worse today.  Hopefully it's the whole 'needs to get worse before it's better' kinda deal.

My GP was actually a gynaecology consultant before she became a GP so is an expert in women's health.  She's very much in demand at my surgery and you have to wait several weeks if you want to see her.  We had a long chat about my recent general health, immune issues, tiredness, lack of quality sleep etc.  Without going into too many details I'm also now on estrogen.  I've felt for ages that despite my healthy eating and trying to stay active something was 'missing.'  I never thought I would need HRT.  I (wrongly) thought it was for women who were having terrible menopause symptoms like mood swings, hot flushes or depression.  I have no symptoms or so I thought.  Tiredness, weight gain and immune issues are in there too!!  I'd never have thunk it! Always good to keep an open mind and I do trust my GP. 

So when I went to Te$co to collected my prescriptions I had a 20 min wait.  "I'll just have a wee look round while I'm here" turned into me spending £30 on a dress, goats cheese, a bottle of Diet Coke and a tub of guacamole (I absolutely love guacamole!!) 🥑  Instead of getting a plastic bag I spotted this Emma Bridgewater reusable tote and couldn't resist!!  My spending this month is still well within budget but I didn't plan this wee splurge.  Hey ho!

I'm still keeping busy.  Now got 8 flower hexies sewn together and 5 single ones.  Next step is adding them to the quilt.

I've reached the heel flap stage of my sock but I've had to stop.

I broke TWO of my Brittany Birches needles and had to order a new set.  Hopefully they'll arrive today or tomorrow.  Annoying but I have had these needles at least 10 years and they're well used!

I also frogged a jumper I started knitting ages ago.  My style has changed over the last few years plus this was definitely too small!  If I'm wearing a jumper now I like it to be big, baggy and comfy.  I still love the design (Owls by Kate Davies)  but would rather it was a baggy style.  The yarn is a lovely pure natural wool and I have a plan for it plus the remaining unused balls.

Bit of a chatty blog today.  I feel I'm finally on the way to feeling a lot better than I have for ages.  I think I'll be off school for another week (or at least part of next week) as I want to go back when folk can say "You look well" instead of "You look terrible, should you be back?" 🙄

The lost art of convalescence

 

Convalescence (noun): time spent recovering from an illness or medical treatment; recuperation

Convalescence is a very old fashioned term, a lost art.  It conjures images of those wealthy Victorian ladies visiting spa towns to take in the sea air and drink the waters.  Even poor working class Victorians had the luxury of seaside or countryside convalescent homes, thanks to the foresight of Florence Nightingale no less!  Back then it was TB spreading rapidly causing people to be ill (hmm, I'm sensing a bit of a parallel here!) Rest, fresh air and nutritious food were what the doctor ordered.

Then antibiotics appeared on the scene and the need for long recovery periods has gradually disappeared.  And somehow we've ended up in this situation where it's expected that we take the drugs and soldier on until our bodies (ok my body) refuses to cooperate with this theory.

I typed convalescence into Google and fell down the rabbit hole of fictional 18th century heroines in bed for months and Victorian sanitation and housing issues.  But it was interesting to note the shift in thinking for the 21st century.  How quickly patients are discharged from hospital charged with a bottle of pills and a leaflet of instructions.  When I had my first baby in the mid 80s I was in hospital for 5 days.  When I had my 3rd in the late 90s I was back home within 24 hours.  And I believe it can be even quicker than that now!

Even when the illness has been dealt with, it's the immune system that needs to be looked after. And it takes a pounding if you rush straight back to the environment that made you sick in the first place! In my case, 3 times within 3 months!!! Antibiotics deal with the nasty guys causing the infection but we know they also kill off some of the good guys in your system too. 

So, once my antibiotics are finished (tomorrow) I'm starting on a course of super strength probiotics.  I have an actual in person doctor's appointment on Wednesday to get a thorough check up.  Weather permitting I'm going outside as often as I can to breathe in fresh air.  I'm eating a ton of good fruit and veggies and I've found this useful website HERE I'm being really proactive this time so I don't get sick again.  Third time lucky, eh?

I also have a plan to speak with my union and the other local school reps.  I really want to investigate this toxic culture of feeling guilty and pressure to return asap when we're off work sick.  It's actually making us more ill in the long run.

*steps off*

Eunice

 

The stormy view from my bedroom window this morning!  You can just about see the Gargunnock ridge in the background.  Luckily Central Scotland seems to be missing out on the worst effects of Storm Eunice.  We're used to this run of wind/rain/sleet/snow in Winter so are well prepared.  Although my son had to turn back home this morning as the motorway into work in Glasgow was down to one lane and there were several accidents! It took him 90 mins to travel just a few miles. I hope everyone manages to stay safe where you are!

I'm still feeling pretty rough, waiting for the antibiotics kick in.  I'm not sleeping well as I can't lie down without choking and coughing.  I'm exhausted.  I'm spending most of my time resting propped up in bed, watching stuff on my laptop while knitting or sewing.  I found a pile of hexies so have stitched them into flowers for my ongoing quilt project.  I need to lay it out to see how big it's getting!

I sent a message to my Headteacher this morning and said I wouldn't be in school next week.  I have to really focus on my health and get my immune system functioning properly again!  To be fair to her she was suitably sympathetic and told me to take care of myself but I know she's given people a hard time about being off work in the recent past.  

I'm sure it applies to many professions but dragging yourself into work when you're not well seems to be encouraged and applauded by managers.  They say things like 'self care is important, just ask for help' but you're made to feel guilty (implicitly or explicitly!) for taking any 'extra' time to get back on your feet.  I know I returned to work in November a week too early and definitely should have taken more time last month after having Covid.   I'll be summoned to a meeting with HR when I return as I now have had 4 spells of absence in the last 9 months: fractured ankle, chest infection, Covid and  another chest infection.  Interestingly all directly caused by where I work!!

When I was off with Covid last month, the first time I left the house after my positive test was to go back to work.  How dumb was that!!  Next week I'm going to try to get outside (weather permitting obviously!) and go for a wee walk or go to the shop.  If I'm still not able to do that by the end of the week I'll be taking another week off.  I'm taking this very seriously!

More drugs

 

I finally got to speak to the Advanced Nurse Practitioner yesterday on the phone and she prescribed antibiotics again.  I don't like taking them but right now I need to kill off all the nasties in my chest.  I've written before that healthcare and prescriptions are free here in Scotland (obviously paid for through our taxes) so I count myself blessed and lucky to have such quick access to the drugs I need.  Although you have to wait weeks for routine DR appointments so it's not perfect.

One of the things I like about blogging is that I can go back and see when I've written about being ill in the past.  It's an occupational hazard of teaching wee ones that you pick up lots of bugs and viruses.  Most primary teachers have a higher than average count of annual colds etc.  But I'm concerned that in the last 3 or 4 months I've picked up 'bugs' that have floored me and made me take time off work.  And I'm noticing that it's taking me longer to 'get over' them.  That's a big change and apart from the impact of Covid, I need to work out how to boost my immune system again and keep healthy.

Rather fed up that I'm currently tucked up in bed listening to yet another storm brewing (Dudley I think!) instead of getting on with painting my bathroom ceiling.  At least it's only me that sees it!

Making time

My lovely friend who is my mentor/coach/counsellor posted this in our wee FB group yesterday and it hit home hard.  I've been forced to stop and make time for being really not well all week.  And I've said to my Headteacher and Occupational Health I'll probably not be back next week either.  No point going back to teach 19 lively 4 and 5yos when I'm not almost 100% fit and well.

When I fractured my ankle earlier this year I took the time to pause and reflect on life.  And for a while I did slow down and make more time for myself.  But oh how quickly I slipped into bad habits and let the job and teaching a new stage dictate my life.

Clearly the universe decided to give me another wake up slap!! 😂  Ok I'm listening and paying attention now!

Starting with breakfast this morning, I'm going to make sure I stop and eat one instead of grabbing something on my way out the door with my travel mug of coffee.  And because I've not been eating breakfast at home I stopped taking my morning supplements.  Taking them on an empty stomach with black coffee makes me throw up!  So I made some porridge and added home grown blueberries from the freezer, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, some nuts and turmeric infused honey.  Then I took my supplements.  Instead of coffee I had a herbal tea.  Cutting out coffee normally gives me headaches but since I've had a permanent headache for 8 days I figured a few more days won't hurt!

I wasn't hungry at lunchtime as breakfast was late so an early evening meal of gf toast, avocado and egg went down nicely.  I've slipped a bit recently and not been as careful at sticking to my gluten free and dairy free eating.  I think my body is telling me to get back to it!!

I also bought something a few weeks ago that will help with my lack of exercise.  Ironically I haven't even opened the box 😳 but I will soon and report back!  Eating well, taking my supplements, exercise and generally making more time for myself are the priorities.

So as we gain an hour tonight (clocks go back!) and head into Winter, I am making time for my wellness because frankly being unwell sucks!

When, not if...

We've been told that despite Boris saying schools in the UK will not be closing, here in Scotland it's a case of when, not if we close.  Today we've been preparing home study packs of work for children to work on and been told to organise admin tasks that we can work on at home.  Tonight I brought home my big planning folder and I uploaded a ton of data to my USB stick so I can make a start on my report writing.

I went to Sainsbury's last night as I hadn't been for 2 weeks. There was a ton of fresh fruit and veg available but no regular pasta, rice or flour.  Luckily I was able to get my GF pasta! A pallet of toilet rolls was being put on the shelves and a manager was patrolling that aisle!!  I took my usual 9 pack.  I got most things I needed for the next few weeks, nothing excessive.  I have a well stocked cupboard and freezer so I'm not panic buying.  If I have to self isolate it won't be too difficult as I'm an anti social introvert at the best of times!

I've got loads of paint so I can continue decorating my house.  I've got seeds and compost so I can start planting.  I've got yarn and fabric to play with and a ton of unread books.  If I can stay healthy I'll be absolutely fine and in a position to help my neighbours if needed.

Stay healthy everyone and don't panic!

What a week!!

So this week we've had truly horrendous weather thanks to outgoing Storm Ciara and incoming Storm Dennis. I've had yet another nasty chesty cough virus. And to finish the week off, my school has had a Norovirus outbreak.  And it started in my classroom!!  By the end of the day yesterday I only had 7 children left 😷

Thankfully it's now half term for the kids so next week the whole school is getting a deep clean.  I have 2 staff development days on Monday and Tuesday then I'm on holiday for the rest of the week.  So far none of the staff have caught it.  We have been meticulous in washing our hands!!!  Hopefully by the time we go back it will have died off.

Never a dull moment!

Reducing my environmental impact

I popped into M&S as I had vouchers to spend and had a good look at their 'new' plant based range.  The problem with a lot of meat replacement products is that they're not gluten free.  So I was rather pleased to find these!  I don't think I've mentioned here that I did Veganuary, a whole month of not eating meat or animal products.  I managed to stick to it most of the time and found it was surprisingly easy to do.  I challenged myself to eat as many different plant based meals as I could last month and found I saved money as well.

There are loads of bloggers, vloggers and writers out there far more knowledgeable than me so I'm not going to bore you with any facts and figures.  But reducing meat consumption has a bigger environmental impact than cutting down on flights or using an electric car (I have considered both these options!) Even eating a few meals a week has an impact.

So, although I wouldn't describe myself as a vegan I am consciously not buying and eating meat or dairy products.  I'm still going to eat the eggs my own chickens produce and for now will still eat local honey as it has so many health benefits.

Eating a plant based diet will save the environment, save money and has many health benefits. So I'm hitting 3 of my 2020 goals in one!

Jet Lag

"Jet lag, also called desynchronosis, is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across multiple time zones. It is considered a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, which is a disruption of the internal circadian clock."

Yep and it's a horrible horrible feeling. Over the years I've travelled to the US, Australia and Singapore and have suffered a wee bit from jet lag when I got home.  But this week has been a whole new ball game. I've been wide awake at 3 am every morning and not able to get back to sleep.  I've HAD to lie down/go to bed at 6pm because the room is spinning and I kept falling over.  The best way to describe it is like being so drunk you can't stay upright.

I managed to go to school every day, thank goodness but I'm so happy it's the weekend now!  Last night I stayed up to 9pm and slept until 6am.  So I'm almost back to my 'normal' sleeping pattern.

Despite the lack of sleep I do quite like being up early before work.  Some mornings I was able to get the household chores done, do a guided meditation and have a long hot shower while deep conditioning my hair! And Emma has enjoyed the extra time I spent with her.

She was 8 this week, officially a senior dog now.  She was well looked after while I was away but it's taken all week for her to get back into my routine.  I'm not sure I'll ever leave her that long again.

I've survived the first week back.  Our new headteacher has arrived, so things are changing.  I'm reserving judgement so far. Oh, and I'm full of a stinking rotten cold already 😒

Here's the Skinny!

Saturday morning is my club weigh in.  I know it's not for everyone but I need the accountability.  So far I've lost 5lbs 😊 I really have been eating well and haven't felt deprived at all.  I've even eaten chips and crisps this week and had gin (!!) and Prosecco.  It's all about balance.  I think the digging at the allotment helps too.

On the way back I popped into TK Maxx.  They've just had a load of Skinny Syrups delivered.  I'd read loads of enthusiastic comments about them so thought I'd give them a go.  Yep, all true!  Just a wee splash of syrup and squirt of foam turned my healthy waffles and plain soya yoghurt into a breakfast treat adding zero calories.  I'm a convert!!

Lurgy

I've picked up the latest lurgy going round school.  Tonight when I got home form work I pretty much went straight to bed for a couple of hours.  I have a stinky rotten cold that's making me grumpy and irritable 😩

So for the next few days it's plenty of honey and lemon drinks and paracetamol to keep me going until the weekend.  Eurgh!!

Filling the freezer for less

One of the things I enjoy about being on holiday is having time to cook for the freezer.  I love it!  OH actually said to me this morning "Are you cooking again?" Lol!!  I find it very satisfying to see those boxes pile up especially when I know it's saving me money.

Top picture has 6 portions of cooked chicken breast (plus 1 more I ate at the time) that cost £5.25 for 1kg (Sainsbury's frozen chicken.)  That made 7 portions of chicken @ 75p each.  I made 4 portions of cooked minced beef with veggies.  The mince cost £3.50 for 500g making each portion 87.5p although I have discovered Lidl's steak mince is £3.15 for 500g that would make it 79p a portion. And I made some goat's milk yoghurt which worked out around 80p for 400g (shop bought is £2.40 for a similar amount.)

I made 3 portions of Chicken and Coconut soup and 3 portions of Shakshuka (a sort of spicy tomato stew)  that gets served with 2 eggs and little yoghurt. There are 2 of each in the freezer now.  I also made 4 portions of Chicken Jalfrezi but OH thought it smelled good so we ate it last night (3 of us!) with a little leftover for my lunch today.

The only thing growing abundantly in my garden is rhubarb so I used 1 kg of the stuff to make...

...chutney!! Love the stuff 😋

I made a double batch of Almond and honey pancakes.  One for breakfast and one for the freezer.

All the above meals and portion sizes are from my Body Coach plan.  I'm trying to stick to the portion sizes I was given. I'm back on my healthy eating and exercise plan as I'd like to lose a bit more weight.  I put on 0.5kg on holiday so I'm still on track to my target.

I've also signed up to try a 1 to 1 class in Pilates (half price offer) to see if that will help with my aching bits!  I'll report back on that 💪

Quitting is not an option

I am so tired.  If I wasn't on holiday I wonder if I would even manage to go to work.  This nasty cold has floored me almost as much as the flu did.  And on top of that my knee is still very painful.  I can't walk the dog far, can't go down stairs, can't do the garden, can't stand for too long etc But I have to keep going as I have too much to do.  Luckily my physio appt is tomorrow morning so fingers crossed I'll get some exercises to get me fully mobile again!

I'm resting as much as I can then doing the essential stuff in between rests.  I'm saying no to social things (even cancelled a rare date night with OH) and not initiating anything myself.  I'm still on my 90 day plan so I'm eating well and doing modified HIIT workouts when I can.  I've already lost 9 inches, most of that from my hips and waist!

Chicken and kale soup, blueberry muffins and Thai green curry with prawns 

 Pea risotto , crispy beef wrap and almond and honey pancakes

But my favourite meal so far has to be the breakfast pizza! 😋

I love cooking and am so pleased I'm still motivated to cook even if I'm feeling crap.  Unfortunately the cost of food on Cycle 1 on this plan made my March supermarket spending double!!  So far this month on Cycle 2 it is nearly back to normal as I have lots of the new stuff in cupboard already.  But it was interesting to note the huge jump in my spending due to trying to eat more healthily (see Mad March on my sidebar!) This is something I'll be investigating a bit more the further I go into the plan.

In other news eldest DS moved into the flat yesterday with help from my lovely mum and aunt.  DS and I can clash easily when we're both tired so having them as a buffer worked really well.  There's still a lot of cleaning and sorting of broken furniture to deal with in his old flat but we have until the end of the month to deal with that.

Sorry I've not got much interesting news to share.  As I'm getting older I'm appreciating good health even more and am willing to focus on just that when I'm under the weather.  Hopefully normal service will resumed soon.

Stay well wherever you are!

Ups and Downs

 Frittata, Prawn Burger and sweet potato fries, Roast Cauliflower and Chicken Salad

Why do Mondays to Fridays drag and Saturdays/Sundays whizz by in a flash?? *sighs*  Last week was a dreadful one work wise ending with me being punched by one of my pupils *sighs again*  Ah well, just 3 more weeks until the Easter holidays.

In a effort to get myself fit and healthy before going to Australia in July (I don't want a repeat of 'She needs a bigger wetsuit!!') 😲 I've signed up to do The Body Coach's 90 day Plan.  I already eat healthily (most of the time) and I go the gym but I've not been able to shift the weight I wanted.  So something had to be changed.  It's a programme of nutritionally balanced meals tailored to me and 5 different HIIT workouts.

Bagel with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, BBQ meatballs and NY Style Steak and Eggs

So far I am loving the food!!  In fact there is so much food I sometimes struggle with the portions.  I already meal prepped so that bit is easy.  I've adjusted my gym workouts to HIIT sessions and do a couple of extra ones at home when I get in from work.  It's not a weight loss plan, more of a lose fat/gain muscle plan!

It's not for everyone but I need to do something to shock my body into action.  My weight has been yoyoing this past year and I just feel I need a completely different approach.  I'm one week into the first 30 day cycle and so far so good. 

Flu

I tried fighting it off but with OH getting it over a week ago it was inevitable.  I have the flu and am off work.  All I want to do is sleep and drink hot drinks so that's what I'm doing.  Ah well, looking at the positives.  I've no appetite so should hopefully lose some weight.