22 May 2008
These last months have been horrendous for me. I had to take time off from my PSP group to spend all of my time with my mother. I had a feeling we didn't have much time left. She passed away on the 15th March this year, leaving a huge void in my life.
Her last 4 weeks were the worst... and the best....
The worst because she was on oxygen 24/7. We discovered she had cancer in one lung which was causing difficulty breathing. Just going to the bathroom exhausted her. We had to get a wheelchair to lessen the stress and I wheeled her back and forth. She was frustrated at not being able to do things she had been used to doing. In the end her pain was so bad she was on liquid morphine during her last week. It broke my heart because she was always so active.
She also got news that she was going to have her eyes operated on (cataracts) at no cost to her. We were quoted $7,000 last year. BUT she was too sick to keep the appointment.
The best.... well... knowing time was short we had many chances to talk and I had the opportunity to tell her how much I loved her. I lied about how I would be OK when the time came. I reassured her that we would all cope and she wasn't to spend her remaining time worrying about us. Yes, she used to drive me crazy sometimes but as I always said, I would rather have her bugging me that not have her at all.
The day she passed our doctor was away so she was taken to the hospital morgue... something she would have hated... she despised our local hospital. She had to remain there until a Cause Of Death certificate could be signed. By that time Easter was upon us and her funeral couldn't be held until the Tuesday after Easter.
I was a total mess during that time. I now know what it means when people say they need 'closure'. I'm still a mess.... tying up loose ends takes so long. It took 7 weeks to get her Death Certificate!! This must be the most backward state in the whole of Australia! In every other state here the longest it takes is 5 days. Since some time in April this year that changed.. too late for me of course.
Then it took 6 weeks to receive the insurance money to pay for her funeral! Tying up her bank account has taken over 2 months and she also has an account in Scotland which still isn't finalised. They need a copy of her Death Certificate and apparently a copy of my father's Death Certificate (he passed away in 1999) to close the account. The bank wanted them authenticated by the British High Commission here before they do anything. Turns out that according to the BHC here they don't need to be authenticated since we are still part of the British Commonwealth.
Anyway I turned the house upside down looking for my father's Death Certificate... no luck.. so I sent for a copy and paid extra to have it done quickly. It was here in 2 days!!! They are both now with a solicitor waiting for him to make notarised copies so I can take care of the last bank account and maybe finally get "closure".
You know, when someone has been in your life every day for all of your life except for 12 months when I was in the U.S.A. in 1968-1969 it's so hard to go on without them. I was totally devastated when I lost my Dad but I still had my Mum around for company. Now I have no-one.
Yes, Jason and Jared are living with me, but Jason is at work all day and is in and out at the weekends. Jared is at school 3 days a week, on work experience one day a week and not here the other 3 days, except to eat and sleep. So 90% of the time I'm by myself. My car died, so I can't get out unless Jason drops me off and picks me up. I've been totally depressed with the lack of company, my gain in weight and feeling like the only thing I'm here for is to cook, wash and clean up after 2 lazy sods.
Jason does (what he considers) his best, he means well and has a good heart. He takes time off work to take me for doctor appointments and for blood tests. But to get him to do anything around the house is a major operation.
I developed a disgusting rash a couple of weeks after Mum passed away. An allergic reaction to the Methotrexate, Mobic and Prednisone and on top of that I had the flu which Jared passed on to me. Having no immune system because of the drugs I was a mess. I was throwing up every morning and coughing all day. I had to go off everything except the Prednisone and take antihistamines to get rid of the rash.. that took 4 weeks. Now I'm off the Methotrexate and only taking the Prednisone and Mobic.
Maybe if I felt healthy I would be able to cope better but with one thing on top of the other depression set in. I burst into tears when there's no-one around. I never understood depression before but now I totally sympathise with anyone who is or has gone through it. Time will heal, I refuse to take drugs to feel better, I have enough with the arthritis drugs.
I was going to be back in my PSP group just after Mother's Day but wouldn't you know it my computer decided to add to my misery. I was getting strange messages... of course Jason wasn't around to ask about them straight away. I managed to 'fudge' access after entering my password by holding down the CTRL key. BUT that didn't last.... the alarm went off!!
I was looking forward to coming back and meeting all the new people and catching up with all my old friends. Jason has been trying to repair Windows so that I wouldn't have to reinstall programs. But he's been at it for so long, because of work and interruptions like 'call-outs" ...he works for a local funeral/crematorium, also interruptions which I can't whine about... "fishing" because he's caught so much fish we have enough for the next 2 months left.
Good fish here is between $25 to $35 a kg (2.2lbs).
He also goes off periodically to visit with his mate Tim some nights. So I have to wait quietly for him to fit in repairing my computer. Could be worse... he could have a girlfriend taking up his time *S* He's decided that he'll have to reinstall Windows. So I'll have to reinstall programs... not looking forward to that... hope I still have the codes...
I'm writing this on my laptop... which only has the basics. In the meantime I'll go to my server and delete my emails from the past
months. Trying to sort through them would take me until Christmas.
You know, when I watch the news my problems seem so insignificant.Those poor people in Burma and China have lost everything... so many orphans. The people in the United States who lost everything to tornados.... I have to keep telling myself I at least have a roof over my head and food in my stomach.
I look around my home and see my mother's 'treasures' everywhere. Beautiful things with wonderful memories but what use are they to us once we are gone. Things that seem so important in life pale in death.
I've learned that little things don't matter... life is too short and we never know when it's going to end.
13 June 2008
I read the riot act last Tuesday night and didn't think it would have such a quick effect.
Jared I thought would take the longest.... but he's outstripping his dad! *S*
His room is clean... he vacuumed today before he went out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I created a list for both of them.....
On Jared's list I also said.....
Stop treating me like an ALIEN. I’m a human being with feelings. You may not miss Lena… but I DO … she was the only ‘company’ I had. I feel as if the only thing I am good for around here is housework, which hurts.
Don’t suck up to me just when you want something. You change your attitude and I’ll change mine.
Well....... both of them have changed. They don't disappear directly after dinner. We're actually having conversations, jokes etc. Even when I pulled Jared up on his dishwashing ability ...I had to tell him that a casserole dish doesn't just need
washing on the inside... it has an outside too. I left the dish from the night before
in the dish drainer to prove I wasn't making up the story just to complain. He rewashed it perfectly... no smart mouthed remarks....
I do have a dishwasher... but don't use it often... a waste of water *S*
We're actually behaving like a family.... hallelujah!
I shouldn't have bottled this up for so long... I could have saved myself some stress and self pity.
Jason on the other hand.... I'm still waiting for him to start on his room. BUT he's been working all week. I'm hoping the weekend will be fruitful. *S*
If he leaves something lying around in the kitchen he assures me he'll clean it up.... He left a cutting board and a knife this morning ....I hadn't even seen it... too busy on my laptop doing stuff for my PSP group. I laughed and asked if he had a case of the GUILTS!!
So... it looks like there's improvement on the homefront *S*
Oh joy!!!!!
15 September 08
A week or so ago my doc changed my meds back to the same ones I was using prior to my scripts running out. Result.... same as before.. I ended up with a rash starting all over my body..flaking skin and red welts and pain. So I got another appointment before I ended up in as big a mess as the last time when I was on anti-histamines for 2 weeks to get rid of it..... and she put
me back on the Prednisone and Mobic until I get an appointment with the specialist(to change my medication to one she can't authorise) . Every joint I have ached, my neck kept crunching every time I moved my head. My hands and feet hurt no matter how little I moved them.
The old meds (the ones I wanted in the first place) finally took effect... then Jason was doing a mass trim in the garden.... tree branches, bushes etc... I went out to have a look at his progress.... I tripped and fell ... got a soft landing on a pile of trimming off bushes but couldn't get up. He was busy with the tree lopper making lots of noise... so I had to wait until he stopped so he
could hear me yell and help me up.
He couldn't lift me because I'm a dead weight not being able to put pressure on my hands and feet. So he got a big bucket, turned it upside down, I rested my arms on it, he pulled me so I could get on my knees... that was painful and put his shoulders under me because I couldn't push on my feet.... got me up on my feet finally. I could barely make dinner, just standing in one place hurt.
Today I am going for x-rays on my feet, hands, lower back and am getting a bone density scan. The bone density scan is needed because of the Prednisone I've been taking. Apparently the cortisone in it can affect the bones. That's why the doc wants me off the Prednisone as soon as possible but it's the only thing that reduces the pain at the moment until I see the specialist.
Jason will be able to collect the x-rays for me on Tuesday. I'm not going to tell them about the "needle like object' in my left foot... I'm going to wait and see what they say about it. *S* I have no idea what it is or how it got there but between that, the spurs and the arthritis I sometimes wonder how I can walk at all *S*
To cap all this off Jared was suspended from school on Thursday until 22nd October! It didn't bother him at all.... after his dad picked him up from school he went out! On Friday he decided he didn't want to live here any more and left. I was furious and upset BUT where we live isn't a big city and Jason calmed me down in the knowledge that no physical harm will come to him.
Jason reckons that his 'friends' will only put up with him for so long. They all live at home. He's sure their parents will get sick of him bludging meals... being untidy.... being dirty (he has no clean clothes with him)... he has no money, so can't buy anything. He'll miss the food and treats. He'll
give them the usual story.... that he's been tossed out of home.... if they believe him they're as
dumb as he is. Thanks to government interference kids can leave home here at 15 years and 9 months old. Jared will be 16 on the 25th of this month. How many kid of 16 years are capable of taking care of themselves??? Especially boys of that age???? Jared doesn't know how to boil water and if he was starving... wouldn't make a sandwich for himself!!
He was supposed to fill out forms to give to Centrelink (govt. pension and unemployment agency) for his Youth Allowance (while he's going to school only) but he's been too lazy, hoping his dad would do it for him. Fat chance!!! The forms are still sitting on his desk along with the homework he's supposed to do while on suspension. Don't know if he realizes that once the forms are
presented to Centrelink he'll still have to wait for 6 weeks before he gets any money! So the longer he takes...... the longer he'll have to wait.
Jared told me that this wasn't a normal family.... he lives with a dad and a grandmother who bosses him around like a mother! Lord... he's the one who always calls me "Mum" and I keep telling him I'm not his mother. Would he rather live with a Mum and Dad who are always fighting???? I got no response. I told him his biggest problem is that he doesn't talk about how he's feeling. Every time we try to have a conversation with him he gets up and walks off. He doesn't listen to advice.
Jason says that most of Jared's friends live in one parent situations, he's hoping that he'll see how well off he really is after a few days of wearing out his welcome at their places.
He should watch the news... he's better off than the poor people in the gulf states who are homeless because of the hurricanes, better off than the starving kids in Africa who would swap lives with him at the first chance. Better off than the kids who live in so many war torn countries today... who have no idea what the future holds for them. I miss the happy, fun loving child he used
to be. I wish the sullen teenager he's become would get the message that life is what YOU make of it.Nothing is handed to you on a plate, no one knows that better than me.
So between my rash, my falling over and the hassles with Jared I'm at my wits end. I really don't need all this crap. I thought things were supposed to get easier as you got older. I realize I have to put up with the health issues but I don't need all the other stuff with Jared. Oh... the house is a lot tidier since he's been gone! A lot less work for me! I'm beginning to hope he stays away for longer! Is that mean????
Went for the x-rays yesterday morning.... took one and a half hours of pulling, pushing and twisting into all sorts of positions, especially the one
for my lower back.... I ended up in tears... not sobbing, just tears rolling down my face. It hurt like hell.
When I was finished I tried to call Jason to pick me up... couldn't get his mobile (cell phone) he loaned me, to work. It was stuck in text mode and wanted a password...aaaargh!!!! I'm not 'mobile literate' !!! I just know what buttons to press to contact him.
I stopped a man who was passing and asked if he could help. He didn't know how to get it out of text mode because we didn't have the password, but offered to call Jason for me on his mobile.... pity I couldn't remember Jason's number!!! Duh!!!
So I went back into the x-ray place, explained my situation, and asked if they could contact him. When I told her to call the 'crematorium' you had to be there to see the look on her face!! LOL!!
I got the crematorium, Jason was out in one of their vehicles but Eddy would call him and let him know I was ready to be picked up. Jason arrived about 20 minutes later with the van they use to pick up bodies! The step you put your foot on to get into the seat is about 3 feet off the ground!
I couldn't pull myself up on to the seat!!!!!! I couldn't put pressure on my foot to push myself up. So after what seemed like 10 minutes (but it was only a couple)
I stretched across the passenger seat, grabbed the other side of the console, and wriggled myself up on to the seat on my stomach. Wriggled my tangled legs into the cabin and somehow pushed myself upright... exhausted! Lord... I hope no-one saw the performance! Thank God I was wearing slacks!!!
Got home, aching, had a cup of coffee and collapsed in a heap on the sofa and fell asleep! Jason was home from work when I woke up. So I lost half a day. Everything ached... dinner was something I could stick in the oven, vegetables in microwave bags, and just had to peel potatoes (for 2) .... so I didn't have to stand for very long....thank God! Then I died again after dinner. Woke up at 1am...
The chap who did the x-rays was really nice, and very apologetic for hurting me. He was a Londoner whose son was born in my hometown, Edinburgh 24 years ago. So we reminisced as he yanked me into different positions in a smock that covered nothing!
The only good thing I can think of for the moment about this country is.... that I got 15 x-rays plus a bone scan and it cost me nothing. I hate to think what it would have cost if I'd had to pay for them. Jason will be picking them up on Wednesday. All I'm waiting for now is an appointment with the specialist.... no word yet.
I hope the rest of the week is better!!!!!
A friend, who was treasurer of the golf club when I was secretary is dragging me out for lunch on Thursday. She seems hell bent on getting me out of the house every second
Thursday and won't take any excuses! LOL!!!
Last time we went out we went to the Boat Club. Being a member she went in for a lucky draw they have. When the time came for the draw I was silently praying that her name would be called and just before the first name was called I put my hand under the table to "touch wood". Guess what??!! Her name was called !! She won $100!! We screamed when we heard her name so they didn't have to go far to find us to present her with the prize *S*
So what is she doing with her winnings?????? She's taking me and 2 others to a show at a theatre in a neighbouring town on the 9th of October. See, she deserved to win! She's not in the least bit selfish.
Some metal 'pin like' object inside my foot
My hands and feet!!!!!
25th September 2008 (Thursday)
I have had a few bad days since Sunday... I wish this would stop...
Sunday was shopping day, didn't have to get as much with Jared not here any more but felt lousy to start with and didn't improve with shopping. Monday was worse and I was praying I would get word from the specialist SOON. I couldn't stand the untidiness
here and got stuck into it on Monday and paid for it on Tuesday!
My prayers were half answered on Wednesday... I got a letter to say I was on the specialist's 'waiting list'. That's a start I suppose.
As you know Jared left home, he moved in with a girlfriend and her mother. I don't think there is any "romance' here... I think it's just an excuse to live with someone else. Jason has talked with the mother (Barbara). Jared lied to her... said he'd been
tossed out of home. Apparently she's quite sensible, knows that telling Jared to go home won't work, he'll just find someone else to stay with. So, she keeps in touch with Jason and figures Jared will come home eventually. She had the same problem
with her daughter..... she left for a month before deciding home wasn't so bad.
I was woken up on Tuesday night... 11:30pm with LOUD banging on the door. Jason was sound asleep... I woke him up because I was terrified. It was the damned police looking for Jared! Jason told him where Jared was staying.... Barbara texted Jason
saying the cops had been there and Jared had been home all the time. So they left.... Lord.... it sounded like the door would cave in when they banged on it here! She didn't know Jared had been out ....... he lied of course.
Apparently Jared and his partners in crime went on a spree over 4 or 5 nights breaking and entering local businesses and in one place the owner had left his keys in his 4WD so Jared's mate BJ took the car and they drove around Hervey Bay! They didn't do any damage to the businesses but took things. Of course the idiots were caught on CCTV.!!
Today is Jared's Birthday... he's coming home for dinner tonight. Jason is going to take him out tomorrow (Friday) to get new clothes for his birthday. Jason really misses him .... told me he'd rather have him home being messy than not have him
home at all.... I wish Jared would realize how much he's hurting his Dad. As for me, yes I miss him, but don't have as much to do with him not being here.
Jason's birthday is on Monday, I'm hoping Jared will come home for dinner that night too.
27 October 2008
Jared is back home under police orders.... after his escapade last month.
He was supposed to go to court on the 24th of this month but his solicitor needs more information so had the case adjourned for a couple of weeks. He's still on 24/7 curfew and can only leave the house accompanied by Jason. He's back at school,
thank God!! He goes Wednesday to Friday and on Monday and Tuesday Juvenile Justice comes and collects him for a workshop and they drop him back home.
He told me this morning he's bored. I told him that maybe the next time he considers doing the wrong thing he'll remember how it feels when he's caught and how he's confined to home ( which is better than being in a Juvenile Detention centre).
I checked out the Detention centres on the internet.... then phoned his case worker and
told her that wasn't the answer for Jared. Apparently 73% of detainees re-offend and end up back in the detention centres. I told her that what would FIX Jared would be to have him work physically for the community. Setting him up with other kids in the same situation will only make him worse. He needs to pay with hard physical work and not just for a few weeks.... it needs to be long enough to make him not want to do the wrong thing again.
She did tell me that the Detention centre was an absolute 'last resort' and she has to put in a recommendation to the court. Since he's doing the workshops, that will go in his favour. I told her that I wasn't calling to get Jared off.... he needs to pay for his actions but not in a place where he'll be easily influenced by those "smarter" than himself. (They're so 'smart' that they're back in detention!)
Of course Jared wouldn't be doing the workshops if his Dad, Jason hadn't gone into Juvenile Justice and demand to know why they had wasted weeks doing nothing with Jared. The case worker at that time didn't even know why Jared was going to Juvenile Justice! All Jared had been doing was signing in and was allowed to leave. Lazy sods!! They are supposed to work with him to make sure he doesn't re-offend but they did nothing. Public servants!!!!
He has a new case worker and she can see the 'real' Jared, even if she has to dig deep to find him.... at least she's trying.
He and his Dad worked in the garden this weekend. Jason cut back a lot of trees
and bushes a couple of weeks ago. We had it all mulched on Thursday and they were spreading it over the garden beds. There's still a ton left to be moved. I was going to try to help spreading the mulch but my back wouldn't let me :-( The grass is going to be dead when the mulch pile is
gone... but it will grow back)... at least they were working on something other than Jason's car for a change and doing something "together'. I spent the day on some much needed housework.....
The lady that Jared stayed with for a couple of weeks has been cleared of any involvement in Jared's 'activities'.
So, all we have to do is wait for the court case and keep fingers crossed. I hope the Magistrate gives him hard labour in the community to pay for his offences.
All this has made me so depressed at times. I DO love Jared, but he just breaks my heart. I sit and cry sometimes when there's no-one around. What an awful world we live in.... I wish all the teenagers of today could know what it was like to be a teenager in the 60's.... life was so different then. No computers, no violent video games, no mobile phones, no pornographic commercials on
T.V., no terrorists, no drugs, few assaults, few murders etc., Life was basically great. They are missing so much. Technology has a lot to answer for..... so have politicians.
OK... off my soapbox!!
3 November 2008
First, I called the specialist on Thursday to find out how far down 'the list'
I was for an appointment. His receptionist told me he categorises the referrals! Cat 1: Urgent - Cat 2: Medium need - Cat 3: Can wait.
No need to say which category he has me listed under!!
Apparently they didn't receive the referral until mid September even though it was dated early August! They hadn't received a second notice from my doctor (she told me she would send another letter when I visited her in September). Looks to me
like she didn't send the referral in August as promised. I was furious! That's probably why the specialist thought I was a "can wait" patient.
The receptionist told me I could have another 2 or 3 months wait!!
I called the doctor's surgery immediately but she had gone for the day and has changed her day off from Wednesdays to Fridays, so they wouldn't be able to give her my message until Monday morning.(Today) I told them to tell her I can't wait for another 2 or 3 months... it's been a 3 month wait already!!
So... yesterday, Sunday, I did the shopping (Jason turned up just in time to unload the basket at the checkout... and pack the bags for me.... he wouldn't let me help at all... I hadn't even called him) Then at home was finished scanning but hadn't yet put
everything away, when I just couldn't stand any more. My right ankle especially felt like
it was broken, my foot felt like it was going to explode, the skin felt like it was stretching and my foot felt like it was on fire.
When Jason came back with dinner I was crying. We had the dinner while it was hot and then he bundled me into the car and took me to the hospital. I told him to go home and I'd call him when it was time to collect me. He knew it must be bad for me to want to go near the hospital
They sat me in a wheelchair. About 10 minutes later a male nurse came to take me through to take my blood pressure (fine 140 / 75) and my temperature (Normal). Though with the new blood pressure machines they have I ended up yelling with
pain... my hand was turning purple and it still hadn't got to it's top pressure! So he used a different one on my forearm instead. It was painful too but I shut up because I wanted it over and done with.
He wheeled me back out to the waiting room. I was sure I was going to be there for hours BUT after about 20 minutes a doctor appeared and called my name. Now... I had never used a wheelchair before... I just remembered how hard it was to push Mum around in hers. So I told him I didn't think I had the strength to wheel it into his 'room'. He looked at me stupefied! He told me to follow him! I told him again I couldn't walk.... had never used a chair before and DIDN'T THINK I COULD CONTROL IT! Then I burst into tears.
A girl, waiting for a friend got up to help me... then a nurse arrived on the scene...
the nurse started to wheel me into his room. He finally decided to wheel me himself!! I think because of the stress I was under.
After a lot of questions... and me telling him the specialist didn't think my pain was sufficient to put me Cat 1, he got me 800mg of Neurophen. While that was taking effect he questioned me about depression. I told him OF COURSE I GET DEPRESSED!
Some nights I go to bed and knowing that the rest isn't going to help, depending on how bad I feel, hope I won't wake up. NO I DIDN'T take medication for it! I have a hard enough time popping pills for the arthritis. I started crying again!!!!
He asked how long I'd had the arthritis.... since October 2001. He was shocked that it had progressed so quickly. Because of his reaction I was angry that I had been on medication for the last 7 years that was supposed to slow it down and according to him
it hadn't worked. Then, he'd been checking my records and said I didn't visit the hospital very often.... I told him I don't come to waste doctor's time... I only come when I'm totally desperate! He also said I should walk more.... I told him that "walking more" is
the reason I was sitting in his clinic room in the first place!!!
After the medication took effect he wheeled me back out to the waiting room. I called Jason to come and collect me. A man in the waiting room said to me "What a b#$#&rd he is!!" (Meaning the doctor) He was disgusted that he had acted dumb when
it was obvious I was stressed.
Well I got home and felt half way reasonable.
This morning I rang my doctor's surgery and asked the receptionist if my doctor had got my message from last Thursday. She had, so I asked the receptionist to also tell her that I ended up in Emergency at the hospital last night.
Within 10 minutes she called back... I have an appointment at 1:45pm today. Jason is going to take his lunch late at work so he can take me.
I'm furious with her for delaying the referral for a month when she promised me she would send it that day. I even went on the following Monday to get the 15 x-rays in preparation for the specialist and we all remember what an eventful day that was!!
There's a new drug out... a once a month injection, that is supposed to stop arthritis progressing. At the moment it costs over $1500 a jab BUT the minute it's put on the Pharmaceutical Benefits I want to be first in line.
4 November 2008
Got to the doctor... asked first why the specialist didn't get the referral until Mid September.... she had no idea.... right!
I asked her to write again to Dr. Jones and stress that it was urgent!
In the meantime she has me on NORSPAN patches. One on the arm is supposed to last 7 days. I have to call her on Thursday and let her know if I'm getting any relief.
I put one on when I got home... so we'll see if it has any effect.... It's 3am Tuesday here... I fell asleep watching TV and am off to bed now but I can't feel any relief. I can barely lift my arms ... they feel like they weigh a ton.
The only medication that ever made me feel human for a month was Prexige BUT it was taken off the market because patients on it for 6 months or more were dying from liver failure. I have to tell the specialist, Dr. Jones, that I would like the new ACTERMA
injections when they are put on PBS. My doctor wouldn't be able to authorise it. She has a friend who was in the clinical trials for Acterma and she apparently has a new lease on life. Wish I could have been in those trials.
6 November 2008
I'm a happy puppy today!!!!
The patches the doctor prescribed are working! It took a couple of days but I felt great the whole day today. I just had the occasional twinge in my foot and as soon as that happened I sat down. Only problem is the one patch is supposed to last 7 days and it wasn't sticking properly. It was coming off with the heat.... Jason got me surgical tape... the stuff they use when they stick that ball of cotton wool on your arm after drawing blood. He taped it back on my arm.
18 November 2008
I was offline yesterday (Monday) because after my fortnightly grocery shopping expedition on Sunday
I was almost in as big a mess as two weeks ago. I didn't want to return to hospital this week... so I took a couple of painkillers which knock me out. I tried to work yesterday but my eyes kept closing so I gave up.
Even with Jason arriving in time to help me unload the shopping at the checkout at Aldi and packing for me and his accompanying me in Woolies (first time ever), and running around after checking my list to pick up things to save me the walking... by the time I scanned the groceries (for Nielsen Homescan) and got them put away my feet felt like they were on fire and exploding again... so I popped a couple of pills and was asleep within an hour.
We had a huge storm predicted.... it wasn't as bad as we anticipated, thank heavens. But I left my computer off all night because I could still see lightning flashing. We had high winds for a while and heavy rain but it lasted a little over 2 hours.
Brisbane, which is around 300k (186 miles) south of us has had storm after storm, after storm. Last I heard there was half a billion dollars worth of damage. Some people have been hit twice or 3 times in the last week. On one night 200ml (8 inches) fell... so the city is flooded as are the surrounding areas. Some people's homes are destroyed completely. All this was initially caused by 'supercells'.... Blew off their roofs!! (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_cell) It's scary!!!
Jason said hail was predicted for us last night so he took his precious car down to the crematorium.... under cover and stayed until the storm was over. Someone in Brisbane has a hail stone in his freezer 7" in circumference... about as big as a 'shot put' !!!! So Jason didn't want to take any chances with the love of his life *S*
22 November 2008
Some places in and around Brisbane are as devastated as New Orleans after Katrina.
I don't know how they count this... but there were 3000 lightning strikes in one hour the night before last in Brisbane. Seeing the devastation on TV is gob-smacking and I feel so sorry for those people who have lost everything, especially at this time of the year.. But it seems that it has brought people closer together. Strangers are volunteering to help strangers.... Neighbours who didn't know each other before, have become friends. It's brought the best out in people.
Win, a friend in Bundaberg, and I were lucky last night... I don't know if the weather bureau got it wrong or they were trying to get us to prepare 'just incase' but all we got was strong wind and rain, not as bad as was predicted. Thursday night
Bundaberg was hit but I've heard from Win and it bypassed her thankfully. The area surrounding Bundaberg caught the brunt of the storm.
Strong winds, thunderstorms and rain are predicted for today. No "severe" warnings. I'm so relieved the last 2 storms were less severe than expected. I dread to think how I would feel if I lost everything.
We've had a 7 year drought here in Queensland and our Premier (like your state Governors) has been pushing to build a dam near where I live to supply water for Brisbane in the future. Everyone is against it because we'll lose many of our endangered native fauna habitats and 100's of people will lose their homes. She's so bloody minded she doesn't care. She's also insisting that we will be drinking purified effluent (sewage) in the future!!!
We could be drinking desalinated water instead.... desalinization plants probably cost around the same as her sewage purification plants to construct. I'd rather drink seawater than sewage. There's already so many chemicals in our water that I have a purifier for drinking water under my sink. Some days with the ordinary water the chlorine smell would knock you out.
Why have I rambled on here.....
Well I believe God has had something to do with this havoc in Brisbane (where she lives) to make her think twice about her ridiculous decisions. Their main dam is full and the others that supply Brisbane are filling quickly.
This woman was NOT elected by the people. The Premier who was elected resigned not long after the election and she, as his deputy took over. She'll be out on the street after the next election!!! I hope. *S*
I'm so glad I don't live in Brisbane... I'd be petrified!!
Hey... don't get me started on what's going on in this country.... I could write a book! LOL!!!!
This Premier is so stupid.... she says there's no chance anything could go wrong with the effluent purification... famous last words!!! Name one factory that has never had a breakdown.... She's been seen on TV drinking what she says is purified effluent... right.... she can have it all pumped to her home!!
8 December 2009
We had the case worker from Juvenile justice here with us asking questions to help with her report for the 9th of January. At the moment things are looking O.K. The fact that Jared has been on 24/7 curfew for so long and hasn't broken it will go in his favour. She said Juvenile Detention is a last resort and because Jared is involved in their activities, counselling etc and does it without complaint, plus the Magistrate he has is very fair as long as Jared does his part will make a difference to his final decision.
Also... I had phone problems which took almost a week to get a technician here so
it could be fixed. The crackling on the line was so bad I couldn't hear anyone who happened to call AND it interfered with our internet connection. I gave up trying to stay on the net... I kept dropping out.
THEN.... I think these patches I have to reduce the pain in my feet are knocking me out! I have sleeping sickness... LOL!!! I get tired and drop off at all times of the day! Jason woke me at 9am today because he knew it would take me a while to get ready for the case worker..... I went back to sleep and woke at 12 noon!!!!! So I rushed a shower and got dressed.
Oh yes.... I got a huge surprise when I left my bedroom today to go make a coffee...... Jason usually keeps the door to his pig sty closed.... it was open.... I couldn't believe my eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could actually see the carpet.... all of it!!! I was in shock!
I even got Jared to check it out to make sure I wasn't seeing things. LOL!!! All the wires and cables, car parts, boxes etc were gone! I don't know when he got stuck into it but it wasn't before time. Things are looking up!!! *S* Thank you God!
I might even get in a Christmas mood now and put up some decorations!! *S*
24 December 2008
I've never been so depressed, alone and unhappy in my entire life.
It's Christmas Eve ... where is my son going to spend the night??? Not here!!
My grandson spends all his time in his room with the door shut.
I haven't put up any decorations.... I've been waiting for someone to offer to help since I can no longer get them down myself from the top shelf in the cupboard. They don't even seem to have noticed! Apparently tomorrow is 'just another day"!!
My excitement for today was making a Christmas cake and washing the kitchen floor. I actually thought about getting down some decorations and brightening up the place until Jason told me he wasn't going to be here tonight. That was the last straw. He probably won't be back until noon tomorrow.
I thought this was a time for family..... guess I'm stupid, stupid, stupid !!
I received a card from a relative in New Zealand today which was addressed to my Mum.. I'd sent a letter telling her Mum had passed away in March and I sent her a Christmas card... but to the wrong address. So obviously she received neither. I started reading the letter she wrote to Mum and I started crying, couldn't finish it.... I miss my Mum. I lied to her before she left us.... I told her I would be able to cope.... I can't.
Most days I have no-one to talk to. My son and grandson hang around long enough to gobble down dinner (which I make almost every night) and then disappear to their rooms. I suspect they expect me to make dinner tomorrow... and as soon as it's over... they'll disappear again. Merry Christmas Mum!!!! The dishes will be done some time the next day....
I'm contemplating writing both of them a letter to put inside their cards telling them how I feel and telling them THEY can make their own Christmas Dinner. I'm insignificant, just someone to wash their clothes, buy their food, feed them and clean up after them.... unloved, unpaid help! Apparently I don't have feelings..... they're both too busy entertaining
themselves to bother about anyone else.
I don't wonder that Jared has had problems this past couple of years. Jason has no time for him... just himself and his car. The only time he takes an interest is when Jared gets into trouble...... and he wonders why Jared keeps doing the wrong thing.. hah! Maybe if he'd been more of a father to Jared, Jared would still be a good kid with a conscience.
I pray that the Lord to give my 2 boys some common sense and feelings for someone other than themselves. I don't like either of them one little bit today BUT I live with eternal hope and will never stop loving them no matter how much they hurt me.
"Be kind to each other"
Catch you next month *S*
