Cate's Diary

lol that's funny I just wrote about yoghurt on my diary and come here and loads of info on it .
Cate really sorry you don't feel great . Did you wear a BP Monitor for 24 hours before you started all the meds ?
 
That is funny, Petal. How often does that happen though?
I didn't wear a BP monitor this time, but my BP has been high for years. I feel a bit better this afternoon xo
 
Ok just thought I would ask as my BP was high on and off but the 24 hour monitor showed perfect night time readings and doc happy leave me be for now.
Glad you feel a bit better .
 
I hope you feel better soon, Cate. If not, you might want to have your doctor readjust the dosage because it might be to high. My doctor told me if I started feeling dizzy or light headed with my blood pressure medication to break it in half. I am not suggesting that for you, just an encouragement to talk to your doctor about the side effects you're experiencing.:)
 
Hey, Cate, thanks for the replies on my diary. I get so busy with life that I don't get to read through everybody else's journals a lot of times and honestly, I'm not sure where to start on yours! It would be like trying to read a novel! Lol

Keep up the good work!
 
Thanks, Petal, Shell & Kimmy :grouphug:
I'm trying to give the cardio time to check out my CT scan before I ring up. My BP is not so low now, but it was quite high before & my body probably does need to adjust. I'll be very careful & I'm not going to drive.
We're heading off today to buy a box of salmon & be interviewed by a guy who normally comes to us each year. We participate in a living in Australia survey & have been doing it for about 20 years. He was coming here tomorrow but couldn't so we're going to him instead. Instead of meeting in a cafe he's invited us to his home. He's a lovely guy.
Kimmy- my diary is an epic. It would take you forever!
Almost time to go. I don't have time for all the diaries this morning.
Hope everyone has a good day. There was a frost this morning (-1°C?) but it's a lovely, sunny day.
 
Wow, for being in a life in Australia survey! An academic study? Or government? That's very civic-minded of you - I know this sort of thing takes time - and now takes a bit of travel-energy as well. Nice that you're meeting in his home this time, after years of working with him. :)

Your weather sounds exactly the sort I like best - a crisp, sunny winter day, and good snuggling weather at night! Have a lovely, gentle, take-it-easy day!
 
Happy salmon and interview. It must be interesting doing something like that for decades - sort of like a time lapse of your life!
 
My grandparents were in a longitudinal bone-density study (interviews and scans every so often) and it was interesting even just for the information about themselves (Grandpa had the bone-densitiy of a 25-y/o at 88). Do you get summaries of where you are compared to your cohort sometimes?
 
Wow, for being in a life in Australia survey! An academic study? Or government? That's very civic-minded of you - I know this sort of thing takes time - and now takes a bit of travel-energy as well. Nice that you're meeting in his home this time, after years of working with him. :)
Your weather sounds exactly the sort I like best - a crisp, sunny winter day, and good snuggling weather at night! Have a lovely, gentle, take-it-easy day!
Thanks, Amy. You may have heard it mentioned on the news recently. It's funded by the Australian Government, the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey — also known as the Living in Australia study. It's a longitudinal household-based study that began in 2001 & we have participated in it since the start. We went to him today as his wife said he didn't have the use of his car tomorrow. I said we were going down his way today anyway, which wasn't true, but I did want to get some salmon. It feels like we have become friends. His wife is lovely too. We went out for a Chinese meal afterwards & it was delicious. I am having a very lazy day.
Happy salmon and interview. It must be interesting doing something like that for decades - sort of like a time-lapse of your life!
I don't enjoy doing it much as I often have to answer the same questions & struggle to remember the answers :blush5: I wish they would fix that, but they change some of them about each year. Some of this year's made me laugh. "Do you ever say anything inappropriate"? That would be a yes. I like the fact that you know it is helping governments plan for the future. It feels worthwhile.
My grandparents were in a longitudinal bone-density study (interviews and scans every so often) and it was interesting even just for the information about themselves (Grandpa had the bone density of a 25-y/o at 88). Do you get summaries of where you are compared to your cohort sometimes?
Now, that would be interesting, LaMa. G & I have signed up to participate in a dementia study in Tasmania. I think that will be really worthwhile. We got a copy of last year's study given to us today. A lot of it is to do with health & well-being. One of the sections was how tall you are, what you weigh, what you would like to weigh in 12 months & what you think you will weigh in 12 months. That also made me laugh out loud. I put that I want to weigh 11 kgs less than I am now & when I got to the last one I said "Ha!" & put 6kg less than now, not 11 :blush5: A lot of it you fill out & put in a sealed envelope so he doesn't see it.

I'm glad we went & bought the fish. It felt so wrong not being able to just take out a couple of salmon fillets when you felt like it. We also popped in to see an old friend who owns a whole foods store & picked up a few things.
We got back home & I changed into my home clothes (very well rugged up) & we both kerplunked into our chairs & have done SFA (choice of 2 interpretations here, although I'm not sure who sweet Fanny Adams is or was). I had felt really light-headed while we were out & about & G had a bad night's sleep & we are both tired. I feel much better now.
Did I say our Chinese lunch was delicious? It was :)
 
Glad you had a nice time in town. Chinese sounds really good - getting hungry thinking about it. That's great you have a friend who you can ask about health foods! I took part in hearing experiments for the Veteran's Administration. My hearing is really good, so they liked using me as a test subject, but I was allergic to the gel they used to get the diodes to stick to my forehead - it took the skin off in perfect circles the size of the diodes, so I had to stop doing the studies. I really liked talking to the experimenter about her work.
 
Thanks, Marsia. It was a nice day, but no exercise!
it took the skin off in perfect circles the size of the diodes,
:eek:
I am limited in what I can participate in, because of my fragrance sensitivities, but answering questions online or with an interviewer who is fragrance-free is good. One thing I have is time. I'm not sure what the Dementia study will involve, but I'm a little bit wary. Do I want to know? Not so sure about that. I'm happy if it helps others down the track though.
I need to go for a walk today as my mood has deteriorated & I really do think that walking & meditation was helping more than I realised. I occasionally think I may have BiPolar 2, but have never been officially diagnosed. I think I have done that myself. I'm somewhere on that spectrum I think. I have managed it myself & am much more aware these days. Eating really healthily, getting enough sleep & getting outside is SO important. Yesterday I felt as high as a kite & then last night I felt a bit down. You have these "whoops" moments when you try to think if people notice how nutty & excited you may have sounded. I'm well aware of it & have managed all my life without medication, but sometimes I think how whacky I must sound to others. I told my GP so that she might (?) be on the lookout in the future. Most probably our son will be the one who will pick up if I get really manic. We are very well in tune with one another.
Anyhow, it's time to do the dishes & when G gets back from dropping our GS off a load of wood, I will go for a walk on my own. He went to leave without his phone & I pointed out how important it is that he has it with him all of the time! I'll get through to him.
 
Hi Cate, I wonder if you could maybe have a touch of seasonal affective symptoms - does the low mood come with winter? I can get like that, too, where I say things that people think are a bit loopy when I am very happy. I have found that meditating every day has really really helped with mood, no matter my stress level, but particularly helps lately because my mom's stuff stresses me out especially. If you can't get out to meditate, maybe try meditating in front of a fire or candle or with something that brings nature to you, like a bouquet or plant or something. Even looking out the window or bundling up and sitting on your porch might help. I sometimes even just sit and appreciate the natural light coming in a room and find it very soothing. The Buddha did a famous sermon once where he held up a single flower and was completely silent. Only one monk got it and laughed aloud with happiness. The sermon was about just deeply appreciating what is in front of you.
 
. I occasionally think I may have BiPolar 2, but have never been officially diagnosed.
I think there are a lot of older adults who have never been diagnosed with a variety of things that now get picked up on better by the system. As you know my boys are all on the Autism spectrum, many of their behaviors that had them diagnosed I also see in myself and friends also see in me, but when I was young Autism and ADHD we not something you ever heard anything about, you were just a naughty kid who needed a good flogging.
 
I had to laugh at the question "Do you ever say anything inappropriate?" I wonder if there's ever been anyone who's answered "No" - and how on earth they manage it? :D
I really like that the survey is ongoing, and so lasts through different governments - it has some chance of being used for the general good, therefore, and less open to lobby group manipulation. I'm glad, too, that by taking in your voice (and G,'s! and doubtless others) it's getting a rural view. I think so much in Australia is focussed on urban areas, and if the money runs out before they get thirty km from the GPO, well, too bad for the sticks.
Ahem! Sorry, got a bit soap-boxy. :blush5:

I also think Marsia's words about how to find nature-meditation when you can't walk far are really good - I'd add the sky to her list; there's so much beauty and variety in watching cloud movements, or the moon - it's nearly full, too, which means moonrise at sunset, if not tonight, tomorrow. :)
 
I wonder if there's ever been anyone who's answered "No" - and how on earth they manage it?:D
If there is and they´re not deluding themselves (maybe it´s a question meant to figure out how up-tight the surveyee is?) that "no" is the first example of a case where they did.
 
Hi, Marsia. Oh, I do get SAD but feeling physically unwell hasn't helped at all. I agree with you about meditation. I timed a walk today so that G would be finishing his wood gathering as I was ready to start back up the hill. I went right down into the bush & I took the antique walking stick that flips out into a stool & sat on it for 5 mins & meditated. I have found a spot where I would love to have a little bush hut with a small verandah. I almost always end up there to meditate. I walked 1.6 km & will get my steps today, <1800 mg sodium, <1500 cals & won't have a glass of wine.
I took it easy & didn't get dizzy & am feeling much better this afternoon. Thank you, Marsia xo

Hi, Tru. :iagree: about how many adults there would be undiagnosed with all sorts of things. My family were/are quite eccentric. I think having R diagnosed with Bipolar 2 really confirmed what I think I already felt about myself. It doesn't change anything or me. I can manage it, as do you.

Hi, Amy. It was such a funny question as only last week I said something quite outrageous & actually embarrassed myself. I'm sure I know some people who don't do that. My brother for example. :iagree: with you about the urban slant on almost everything. It does feel good to contribute from a rural perspective. I loathe & detest almost all politicians I see on TV these days. I am quite political & left-leaning. Gough Whitlam was one of my heroes. I try not to get started about politics these days as I despair of most of them these days.
Your mentioning of a full moon coming up reminded me that I usually have trouble sleeping & often feel weird around a full moon. It is a very strange thing. It sounds so whacky.

Hi, LaMa. I do think there are some people who actually don't say inappropriate things. Well- not often anyway & not outrageously inappropriate :blush5:

Hi, Petal. I'm good this afternoon now thanks, hon. Happy Birthday to your daughter too :beating:
 
Hi Cate
Glad you are feeling better . I am sure over time your meds will sort you out . That little hut sounds like a lovely idea . Can you get one built easily do you think ? I love the idea of a Japanese tearoom hut .
 
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