Cate's Diary

It's still too stressful to talk about so can wait until Mum is in the home. I'm exhausted & nervy (shaking) and am looking forward to being able to relax again. She is quite difficult.
Had better go. I'm taking mum to the local doctor this morning & hopefully can leave her with my MIL for a while so that I can do some work in her room.
Love to all, xoxo Cate
 
Yesterday- it snowed & after days of torrential rain my LH's golf was cancelled & I was able to go in & set up my mum's room.
Today- he took the day off to go in with me & we got up settled in nicely. The staff in the home have been great! We took the rest of her stuff in, did what paperwork they required(not much really) & went out to lunch, after first buying her a cabinet/dresser where her TV will go, when I buy one. We were really happy with it & so was she. My mum was nervous this morning but I reassured her that everyone would be nervous with such a big change.
We felt as we drove away the first time today that she would settle in, but when we returned we felt even more confident when she came back from the dining room, after having had her lunch there. She seemed really content.
This afternoon-
The builder that we have been waiting on for a couple of years(yes- years!) came around with his wife to discuss our long-awaited verandah. He took the plans & is getting back to us soon with a quote.
Tonight-
I have relaxed & feel like the old me again. Well, one of the old mes. I really need to look after myself & get back into a really good, healthy routine. I'll give myself until next Monday & then I start back on my 30-60 mins per day exercise & may go back on Cohen's food for a while to get myself back on track. I feel out of sorts physically- nothing major, just unfit. It won't take me long to feel good again. TLC. We all need it & we must take responsibility for our own health.
Responsibility-
I feel good that I have brought my mum to live near me & that I have her in a lovely place where she will be looked after well. I don't think I would have been able to just switch off or not worry about her if she had stayed in Victoria. I'm sure I wouldn't have. It feels good. I'm glad that I care. I wouldn't want to be any other way.
It is time to relax.
Lots of love to you all, xoxoxo Cate
 
Cate - I am so glad that it seems things are starting to settle down and that you are feeling like yourself again. It's great that your mum seems to be content with you guys, and that you feel like you have fulfilled your responsibility, or are at least doing what you feel is right. This is fantastic!

How has all of your food been while you've been so stressed? Do you feel like your diet changes when you are stressed like you have been?

xxx
 
Hi dm xo. My eating has been ok but could be better. I have not worried too much about it & that helps too. I find if I have gained weight I am inclined to react by eating something I shouldn't. It is not faintly logical. I do feel that it is time to weigh myself though as my life should settle down again. I hope so anyway.
I think I have Mum in a good place. My responsibility will never be over & I have added to it but I do feel that she deserves to be looked after. It's hard to get everything in balance & I do have a husband, sons & grand-kids to consider as well as my MIL but I think it will all settle soon.
Our YS-
was meant to meet up with us on Friday in Hobart but sent a message to say he was "tied up for a few hours". To cut a long story short he was in the emergency ward as his ankle was badly infected. He said not to visit but we did anyway. He stayed in emergency for the afternoon & into the late evening, when they operated on his ankle to remove the infected tissue. It was very deep but didn't appear to have gone into his bone. We visited him again 1st thing Saturday & it had gone well. They were talking about giving him a skin graft on Tuesday & him being in hospital for a week. This morning they said that it's looking good but they will operate tomorrow to remove a bit more infected tissue & the skin graft will probably be on Friday & possibly a 2 week hospital stay.
Drive home- It was FREEZING in Hobart & we drove back through thick snow for about 40km. This is the coldest winter I remember us having since we moved to Tasmania in 1985. OMG it is cold.
Shopping- I have bought a good raincoat at last. There were half price sales everywhere. I also bought new warm gloves. I haven't worn so many thermals etc since our 1st winter in Tassie. Brrrrr!!
Tomorrow-
I am looking after the 2 older GK's for the day so may not have a chance to pop in.
Lots of love to everyone, xoxo Cate
 
Hi folks. I have had a delightful day with the 3 grand-kids. Our youngest GS did not want to go to childcare & I happily had all 3 for the day. *sigh* Grand-kids :beating:
There is nothing better than grand-kid love!
It's tiring & noisy but mostly pure, unadulterated, blissful love!
I still found some time to frame some photos for my Mum's room, which I will take to her tomorrow.
I also got the courage to ring my wicked Aunt & left a message for her, telling her about moving Mum over here. She rang tonight & said "I'm sure you're doing your best" (Witch & I replied that I knew that I was doing my best & after the phone call I felt fine. She used to frighten the wits out of me as a kid!
Weight-
Hmmmm.
Time to knuckle down again. Weight has gone up again in the last 2 weeks- 2kgs.
I'm feeling the best I have felt for over a month. My life is about to get back on track.
Bye for now folks & love to you all. Special hi to Joh, if you have a look at my diary xoxo Cate
 
:) Here I am, for sure, taking a look! :) It is so great that you are feeling better than you have in a month - this is awesome. Looking forward to seeing how your life progresses now after your mum is with you - you are so strong, Cate.
xxx Joh
 
Hello, my healthy BMI friend. Thank you for your sweet words. :) I feel like I will get back on track now & today I resumed "normal" life again. :D Tai Chi was heavenly, although I was quite rusty. Who would believe that something as gentle as Tai Chi would have me feeling unfit. It's amazing how out of condition I have got & obviously how much it must benefit me. I have been doing TC for over 2 &1/2 years now & this is the first time I have had more than one week off. 3 weeks is beyond the pale! :svengo:
The detail of my life for the last few weeks I have skipped really but I have been running on adrenalin & have felt fairly exhausted. My weight is up a couple of kilos again. I have re-stocked my pantry & from next Monday I will concentrate on losing some weight. I want to get back into routine with my diet & exercise. I am happy to make my health a major priority & will concentrate on it again now that I have my Mum settled in.
I'll be back tomorrow but until then am sending you all lots of love, xoxo Cate
 
Hi Cate I am glad things are finely settling down for you and you have your mom settled in. Did she get the house you were looking at or the apartment. The weather where I am at is bringing me down a little, it has been so humid. But I wait late in the evening to take my walk.

Take care :)
 
Hi AnnaGail- Crisp & very chilly here, but a lovely sunny day ahead. I dislike humidity. Luckily we don't get much of it, here in Tasmania. I have Mum in a low-care nursing hostel not far from where I live. She can come & go as she pleases. She's 86 and getting very frail & did not want to cook etc any more. She seems happy there.
I am starting to feel much better & have stopped shaking thank goodness. It was trying but it feels good to have achieved what I did. Thanks for thinking of me xo Cate
 
Yesterday-
Saw my Mum twice, MIL once, went for a big walk, took our GS to Tae Kwon Do, had him for the night.
Today- Just got a call from our YS. They did his skin graft on Wed & the doctor has cleared him to go home as they need his bed. I was going to be in Launceston all w/e with my LH as he is in the finals of the State 8-ball teams try-outs. It now looks like I'll be home looking after one invalid son instead. I would feel bad leaving him home on his own & feel that I can't do that but I also know that my LH also likes me there supporting him & I drive him home & back in the morning. It's going to make things harder for him & I worry about him driving, tired.
We also only have one car this w/e as our OS needed to borrow his Dad's car as his car needs work done to it this week. *sigh*
Health & disposition-
OK. Was looking forward to this w/e but it has all changed. I had been feeling a bit funny about not being able to visit my Mum but I still won't be able to as I won't have a car.
We can't really complain about our hospital service as our son has received excellent service & has been saved from what may have been a terrible outcome with his ankle/foot.
It looks like I'll be spending the next few days at home, grounded, with our YS.
Bye for now, xoxo Cate
 
I changed things about. I rang a young friend to ask if it was ok for my LH to get a lift to 8-ball with him. 1st thing this morning I drove my LH in to his place, did some early shopping, visited my Mum, then did a little bit of shopping for her & my MIL & am now back home. I'll pick my LH up tonight & do the same tomorrow. I may drive into town & watch a little 8-ball. I'll see how our YS is going. he's moving around quite well on crutches & not in any pain at all.
Monday will be weigh-in day & reality check time. No matter what I'll be able to fix any weight gain. I'm feeling chubby. 1-2 kilos will do that.
Lots of love to you all, xoxo Cate
 
Went into watch the 8-ball in the afternoon, with our YS, which was a mistake I think as he moved about a bit too much & today his thigh, where they took the small skin graft from, is stinging a bit. He was meant to stay in bed.
He wanted to get his hair cut today but I have said a day at home would be best.
I haven't weighed yet. Feeling ok but have asthma. The day looks like it will be lovely so may go for a walk. Love to all, xo Cate
 
Went for a walk yesterday & did about 30 mins Tai Chi. Have felt really fat & unfit for the last few weeks but had been putting in to the back of my head. My priority has changed as of today.
RED ALERT!!
OMG I have put on 3 kilos in the last 3 weeks & it feels awful!! I am going to make myself a new ticker. I haven't had a ticker for years but it is time. I will have my start weight from 2007 & my goal weight, which was the lowest I got down to after doing Cohen's for 36 weeks & losing 36 kgs. I won't do it now as I've been "shaped" to slow speed on the Internet & it's very frustrating.
My Mum-
Has really settled in to the nursing home & is mixing well. I took her out to do some shopping today & she told me that she went on the Monday bus trip yesterday. Excellent! :D
Tomorrow-
Our YS heads back to Hobart & I should have some more time to myself. I have also been without my car the last few days so have been ferrying everyone around. We lent my LH's car to our OS as his needs work done on it.
When will my life get back to normal?
What is normal?
You have to laugh!
Love to all, xoxo Cate
 
Today-
I have had a lovely day today! :D The builders came today & started work on our verandah. We visited my Mum briefly; took our YS to the doc to get a repeat on his anti-biotics & I went to Tai Chi. I walked over to our GD's 5th birthday party in the park & then after that we took our OS, DIL & the 3 GK's for a coffee/drink etc at a local cafe. My LH & I then came home to our house & the work done looked fantastic!! I'm so excited about it. It will be a wonderful space. I'm planning having a Tai Chi class up here in Spring. We talked about it tonight & my DH said he would cook them lunch as well. NICE!
We have our home back to our-selves tonight but it's not that particularly. I feel like life is back on track.
TOUCH WOOD!!
Lots of love to you all, xoxo Cate.
PS Loving Le Tour De France! GO CADEL!!!
 
Yesterday-
We spent mostly doing housework & got the house nicely tidied up, incl. vacuuming. Last night was OGS night & I took him to TKD. While I was about to leave to bring him home our YS rang from Hobart to say he was arriving back home again last night & that the skin graft wasn't healing as well as they'd hoped. I rigged up a bed on the floor in the living-room as we only have one spare bed atm as I gave our OS the singles. I MUST buy 2 single beds. While I'm at it I should also buy a new home phone & a spare TV! Shopping trip soon, depending on the final $ figure for the work being done.
Patio-
It's more a patio than a veranda & it is looking fantastic already. It's so exciting!!!

Weight & food-
Feeling better just by cutting out all the starchy carbs but have not weighed as yet. I reacted to my having put on weight the other day by eating more. From now on I'm weighing every few days to stay on top of it. The not weighing does not work for me . I need to KNOW what I weigh all the time. I'll try not to weigh daily though. I'll get back on top of it. I feel that I am without weighing. I will do a ticker soon.
Lots of love to you all, xoxo Cate.
 
I have had a good day today. Our YS stayed in bed all day & is being much more sensible. The patio is looking great! They have to wait a week to get some more materials delivered, but in the meantime we will really enjoy it even like it is. It is going to be such a nice space. I'll wait a while before we furnish it. My LH has always said he doesn't want a barbeque but today he was saying where it would go. :D Funny. I can see us spending so much time out there. It's lovely.
Le Tour De France-
another late night coming up!!
 
Another 2am bed-time. Ouch. Went to town this morning, visiting the MIL first. Dropped my LH off at golf, did some shopping. Took my MIL's shopping to her, paid some of her bills & then visited my Mum & took her up the street, while she did some shopping & then went back with her to the hostel, where she introduced me to her "friends." It's nice that she feels like she has made new friends. She had wanted to buy a couple of short-sleeved shirts but I told her that she had a suitcase full of them at my place. I'll have to buy her a chest of drawers for her to put them in so she can have all of her clothes in her room. After I left her place I went around the antique/second-hand stores in town to have a look but couldn't find anything suitable. I'll be fussy as I want to get one that looks nice in her room & one that I will like to keep later.

I haven't knuckled down with my diet & exercise yet. I have eaten carefully the last few days but feel that I should go back on Cohen's strictly for a week or 2. My life doesn't feel like it's my own atm & i'm finding it very hard to focus on me & what I should be doing for myself. Hopefully I will soon.
Lots of love to you all, xoxo Cate
 
Had a really good day today. My LH worked & I had a sleep-in. Did some housework & after lunch I went for a nice big walk for 90 mins. I have eaten healthily & feel good. All in all a pleasant day.
My sister rang from my Mum's home & I have decided to have a couple more small pieces of furniture from Mum's home. Now, I just need to get a price for having them moved to Tassie. At least I have a couple of names to ring, with personal recommendations.
Time to watch Le Tour. We are going to sip on a nice Tasmanian bubbly as we watch Cadel & the rest of the tour ride into Paris. The first Australian to win the tour- what an achievement! Well done Cadel Evans. It has been a very exciting tour. Vive Le Tour! I love it!
Cheers to all, xoxo Cate
 
Well we didn't sip on the champagne after all. Herbal tea's the same, right? While I absolutely love the tour I was happy to get a really good night's sleep last night. In bed at 10.30pm, but had already been asleep for ages I think & I didn't get up until 8.15 this morning.

Took our YS to have his wound dressed yesterday & it's still not looking good. Quickly visited Mum. Quickly did some shopping.

Weighed this morning & have dropped 1.5kg. Phew! Still got a way to go to get back to my Cohen's weight range.

I am taking our YS into town today to head back to Hobart & I have a doctor's ap't as well. He will be back again in a few days I reckon as home is the best place to recuperate. I'm getting used to him again & not finding him irritating. I do need an extra recliner chair though!

Love to all, xoxo Cate
 
Instead I rearranged the furniture I have & it will suffice.

I am trying to at least get a quote to move the furniture I want for me, from my Mum's to Tassie & haven't got anywhere with it at all. I may have to hire a van & take it up there, which will be very costly & then I would kick myself for not getting more! Thinking cap on......

I saw the doctor yesterday about my Asthma & he has referred me for a chest x-ray. I have found it surprising that no-one has suggested it until now really. I'll go for one in the next week some time.

It's freezing today & I had better get outside & move. I told the builders not to take away all the left over roofing etc as I am going to attempt to make a sort of hot house over one of my garden beds. It may still end up at the tip, but it's worth a try. It is looking messy out there so I'll have to move it & also bring some more wood up to the house. The patio looks great! It's almost finished & just needs a little flashing to finish it off. That's meant to go on this afternoon :D

Our son is back in Hobart & I have a couple of days without anyone else here. I read a book last night- "The Girl From Baghdad" by Michelle Nouri. It was quite interesting. I have missed my reading lately so it was good to escape into a book again.

Today would have been my sister's 62nd birthday. RIP Jen :beating:
She died in Aug 2005 from Lung Cancer. It's hard to believe it is almost 6 years. I really miss her but also feel that she's always with me, approving of whatever I do.
I'll say bye for now. My internet has been shaped to slow speed yet again. It's a rubbish plan & I must change it soon. I have had enough. I think I'll get a pre-paid USB so I can take it with me when I visit & be able to read out emails etc.
Lots of love to all, xoxo Cate
 
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