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Posts Tagged ‘blood tests’

Share Your World – 2014 Week 12

Posted in Blogging, Creativity, Life, Philosophy, Psychology, Uncategorized, tagged #Exodus, #Paul Newman, #Share Your World, Biggles, blood tests, favourite scents, fountain pens, insights on March 26, 2014| 4 Comments »

image from http://www.jossephinewallart.co.uk

What is your most favourite smell/scent?
This is truly difficult: I love the smell of rain on the ground, just after it has started and you can smell the wet earth and new mown grass, I adore the smell of my orchids when they flower, so rich and sensual; I love the smell or gardenias and Jasmin – so tropical and reminds me travel, of laying amongst the bluebells and their gentle fragrance reminds me of the English spring; and of course my two favourite perfumes, Flowers by Kenzo (of course 🙂 ) and Aura by Swarovski.

image from invitaminerva45.blogspot.com The beauty of a gardenia, a scent used in many perfumes.

How do you write: computer, longhand or other?
When I hear write I automatically think of my beautiful pens which I collect. I’ve learned Calligraphy which has become rusty with the push to do so many other things and the computer can send ‘letters’ across the miles so quickly versus ‘snail mail’. I haven’t learned Morse Code but I’m trying the Telepathy but it’s slower than my ‘snail mail’. Oh, the answer, I “write” longhand but I type on the computer. 😉

image from ethanol2323.hubpages.com Beautiful writing does have its share of risks.

Your favourite blog post that you have written?

That’s another hard one to answer. If I didn’t like them I wouldn’t write them, so they all have a lot of me invested in them in one way or another. However, I love the theme I’ve used in this poem series. I adore wolves too so it was great to be able to mingle both ideas. I have a feeling there may be more to come here 🙂 So, here is the link to the poem “Dusk til Dawn”.

https://owlsandorchids.com/2014/02/16/dusk-til-dawn/

image from clipartzs.blogspot.com –

What’s one of your favourite books from childhood?
When I was very young I loved Biggles, all the books, and still do, but my mother gave me a Leon Uris book called Exodus when I was twelve and it has been my all-time favourite since then. Of course being a bookaholic I have many favourites now, all depending on the mood.

image from en.wikipedia.org

image from http://www.mikanet.com Paul Newman – no words needed

image from http://www.biggles-online.com

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Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful for my husband because he helped me hold everything together as I learned what was going on and what I would have to do after my new diagnosis.
This coming week I’m looking forward to getting my new, new computer and starting to use it. (That’s a story for another blog because you wouldn’t believe me if I didn’t tell the whole story).

image from o.canada.com – It’s Red…Red, no wonder the Vampires love it!

Well, that’s a little more of an insight – it’s a scary place to be inside my head- I hope I see you back next week. (Too many scary movies I wonder?)

Blessings, Susan ♥

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The best laid plans…………

Posted in Accidents, Blessings, Challenges, Coping Skills, Gratitude, Health, Life, Life lessons, Lyme Disease, Magic, Motivation, Personality, Philosophy, Photography, Psychology, Spirituality, Uncategorized, Writing, tagged acceptance, Amatuer photography, Bed and breakfast, BEing present, blood tests, coping skills, Fire Tailed finches, Fox, Glasshouse Mountains, Gratitude, happiness, health, hives, ht summer sun, ice cream. local produce, King Parrots, Life, life lessons, Lyme disease, Maleny, Mindfulness, Pael Headed Parrots, Photography, Possum, Rainbow Lorikeet, self acceptance, Spirituality, Susan Jamieson, Wootha on November 21, 2013| 13 Comments »

image from www-arts-wallpapers.jpg

There are so many things I had planned to do this week, from the ordinary mundane of going shopping to the obligatory visit to my Lyme doctor. Yet the best laid plans often go awry. I wanted to inject a little light-hearted anticipation into the week instead of following the same routine as always. Then only feeling tired at the end of getting all the ‘to do’ list done, but nothing that really made me crack that “I’ve had a wonderful experience smile,” which has been missing for too long. It didn’t need to be anything astronomical, or expensive, just something my husband and I could do, out of our normal routine and lighten the everyday routine. Remember, best laid plans and all that jazz.

Okay, this was going to be a little easier than I thought, when I realised my doctor’s appointment was at 7pm. It’s a three-hour drive up to see him, which meant that it would be a long day for me if we made a round trip when we couldn’t leave until after 8.30pm. Checking out the local Bed and Breakfast places in Maleny or close by wasn’t very hopeful at first. It’s a beautiful place to visit and at this time of year, coming into summer, even more so. So when we found a lovely place at Wootha, available for us, it was an immediate winner. At the top of the range and overlooking the valley towards the Glasshouse mountains, I could feel the tension draining away just thinking about it. But I forgot about Murphy’s Law and the best laid plans warning. I sent up my request to my angels for a nice break and off we went.

Wootha towards Glasshouse Mountains

Misty morning mountains

Beautiful old tree

Glasshouse Mountains

Across the mountains towards Brisbane

Huge Bunya Pine

Even in the air conditioning of the car it was hot. I don’t travel well in the heat and the medication has my blood and body super heated at the ‘best’ of times just now. The blazing sun beat mercilessly through the windscreen like a well stoked furnace. I have a magnificent case of hives so the heat was adding a new dimension to the itchy torture. (Best laid plans again). But distracted by the scenery, we arrived and breathed a sigh of relief. It’s amazing what a heartfelt plea for relief can do to ease sorely troubled minds and bodies. Unpacked, a quick refresher and off to the local ice cream shop for one of the most magnificent ice cream cones imaginable. All locally sourced produce and heavenly taste. For one of the very rare times, brain freeze was – worthwhile.

Apart from a long discussion of what’s next, needing to return early the next morning for bloods to be taken, there were no real surprises from the doctor. We had been looking forward to a sleep in and leisurely breakfast, but we could get around that too. Our hosts were only too gracious in offering to let us have breakfast after the test. I was woken through the night by the sound of an unusual barking noise. Not a dog but a fox barking to her young. After a look outside under the full moon, where of course I could see nothing, I returned to my comfortable bed to listen to the possums running across the roof and into the trees, noisily talking to one another.

We awoke to the sounds of the Rainbow Lorikeets making a raucous noise around the bend in the verandah where the owners fed them each day. It really was a colourful display.

Sleeping on a cloud

A beautiful view to the mountains

Giant Tree Fern

Rainbow Lorikeet feeding frenzy

Forest Pigeon

Fire tailed Finch

Off to the doctor and a small procedure later I was waiting for the nurse to take blood. That’s when things went ‘off plan’. My ‘best laid plan’ went up in smoke, but not up the needle. Once, twice, three times and still no blood. Again – once, twice, three times and as she removed the needle the blood flowed freely – too late! I was feeling hot and more than a little bothered. I heard someone say “adrenal surge’ after the procedure and I would have to see the collection office in town. Oh well, it could have been worse I suppose. That was an errant thought which came back to haunt me later. In the interim the nurse suggested breakfast and a drink and get the tests done later. No arguments here, nor from my husband, the gentleman in the peanut gallery offering hilarious solutions to the lack of blood. It’s always funny watching from the sidelines, I know I’ve been there too, but silently!

Welcomed back into the cool sanctuary of the home we quickly went to freshen up. Then it was back into the dining area where we were greeted with a freshly squeezed orange juice and a huge selection of fresh fruit, rhubarb and peach compotes and local yoghurt with the hostess’ own muesli blend. The entertainment from the birds continued as we were served with a delightful cheese souffle, accompanied by fresh asparagus spears and bacon. I have never yet managed to get a souffle to rise as beautifully as this, and it almost melted in your mouth. Refreshed and hunger assuaged we settled back with a cup of tea.

Just to show you how fluffy it was.

I’ll get the fruit next time.

King parrot

Pale headed Parrot

Hibiscus ?

Rainbow Lorikeets

It was hard to tear ourselves away but…. the pathology needed visiting before we could enjoy walking around town. Then we hit a larger snag to our ‘best laid plan’. After waiting quite a while in the surgery, since no-one told us we could just walk up and knock on the door, (usually I wait to be called in when it’s my turn), I went in and after she spent ten minutes deciphering all the requests she pronounced sentence, “You haven’t eaten, eggs, nuts, banana, etc, etc this morning have you?” she said. “It really should be a fasting test!” Well, that was that. Best laid plan up in smoke and not going out that day!
Not her fault but I was thoroughly put out. Finding her in town was one thing, waiting for her another, then to be told she couldn’t do it anyway. UGH! We walked around town, somewhat jaded, and I have to admit I was hot and itchy by now before finally settling for a visit to my favourite crystal shop to soak up those lovely vibes. Not a total waste then. We left feeling soothed by all that crystal energy and set off back to Byron.

I’m sorry to say the strain was too much, I really can’t take the heat and I fell asleep on the way home. I woke up in agony and had to be helped inside the house. Thankfully one plan I made had worked out magnificently. Knowing I would be away I had posts ready and scheduled for publishing, so I met my NaBloPoMo challenge and I’ve been tweaking photos and today’s blog.

It was to be an easy day. My tests are booked in and a mountain of messages have been attended to. Photos are all downloaded and labelled. Have you ever noticed how the names escape you if you don’t label them immediately? Brain fog, that’s my reason, that and the heat which fries my brain.

Here’s a lovely picture of the storm lilies which came out after the storm we had on the weekend. Delicate shade of pink on the edges, just beautiful.

Storm lilies

I hope you enjoy the views as much as we do. Plans are meant to be broken and sometimes you get amazing surprises as a result. If we hadn’t had our plans altered we wouldn’t have been able to spend time watching the birds, seen the King and Pale Headed parrots, which don’t hang around with the noisy Lorikeets. The Fire Tailed Finch was a real treat. It felt like we were being fortified for the disappointment we had no idea was coming. I’m grateful for that blessing.

Blessings to all.

Susan x

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Just a little prick

Posted in Blogging, Challenges, Coping Skills, Gratitude, Health, Life, Uncategorized, Writing, tagged BEing present, Blood sugar, blood tests, blurred vision, dizziness, Glucose, Glucose tolerance test, Gratitude, health, help from a loved one, Lyme disease, Mindfulness, Sugar, sugar shock, unconditional love, vertigo on August 26, 2013| 5 Comments »

image from beginningfromthestart.wordpress.com

I was going to do something interesting today but time was eaten up with a ‘simple test’ , thanks to my Lyme Disease, and by the time I finished, well I wasn’t able to type. Thank heavens for spell check, although I’ve found it doesn’t always make sense either… so many variations today. Ah well……

Without belaboring the issue I needed more blood tests…. you know, “Just a little sting”. Have you noticed they no longer say “Just a little prick?” Beside the point… back on track. The other little test which was slipped in was a glucose tolerance test. Now this really is a simple little test.

After the first round of bloods were taken, “just a little sting”, I was escorted back to the waiting room and handed a bottle and a cup. Unfortunately it wasn’t a pretty orange colour, just clear, but at least I could see there was nothing else hidden in there. Five minutes to drink this little bottle and I had been on a complete fast, except for water for twelve hours. Hmm. It didn’t take two minutes, but OMG it was SO SWEET.

Now I enjoy a ‘sweet treat’ now and again. I’m rather partial to a nice fruit flan or a piece of cream filled Victoria sandwich cake with a good latte. I’m sure you get my drift. This! This, was like drinking sugar syrup, not partially made toffee, but sickly sweet sugary syrup. BLECH!

Add this to the fact I then had to sit for an hour, no burning off the glucose. (hehehe). Sugar had been limited for a while now as I try to work out if it is one of my baddies, so this sudden deluge of glucose was an unpleasant surprise. At first I thought I was simply feeling tired since I’d had no food. I was having trouble focusing. That put paid to reading anything. Staring out the window …. my vision suddenly became blurry. Just hunger I told myself.

image from http://www.dailymail.co.uk

As things began to spin around as I walked back to have the next “little sting” I was feeling decidedly unsteady. One more vial later I was dispatched back to the waiting room for a further hour. The next hour just let all the woozy feelings settle in. My head was going in one direction, my tummy in another. That didn’t even begin to explain why I couldn’t hear very well. (Of course, once my balance went that mean the inner ear was out of balance..D’oh). This was just a lovely dose of ‘sugar shock’.

What felt like an interminable wait as other patients were ushered in and out of the inner sanctum was finally over. I was no longer sure if I was walking on my hands or feet, floating through the air or doing cartwheels, which would have been interesting since I’ve never been able to do a cartwheel before.

So, “just a little sting” later I was allowed to finally wend a wavy way back to my car, my husband hanging tightly onto my arm to steer me in the right direction. I also suspect it was to hold me upright.

image from purnendukumar.wordpress.com

Five minutes later I was ensconced in my bedroom with a cup of tea and my belated bacon and egg muffin laid before me. Apart from some difficulty co-ordinating, which I will leave to your imagination, at least my food lack had been taken care of. Unfortunately I promptly lost my head completely and needed to spend the remainder of the day recumbent. I am so grateful for a soft pillow, a comfy bed and a wonderful hubby to look after me. I am, and I know I am so very fortunate. Thank you darling.

Normal perambulation and thinking should resume after a good sleep.

Til then…. spin me well.

Ciao, Susan x