3 Too Many

“Keep your head up, as God gives his biggest battles to his strongest soldiers” – Jacob Edmonds

“Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t.” – Erica Jong

Sleep in till 10:25am today – this is becoming a bad habit!  Almost becoming over tired with sleep.  Wake as Sue is heading off to footy with Lachie.  Jacob has only just woken too so he is staying home as well.  Head downstairs, take my meds and get ready for the day.  No plans – just cruising.  Days shaping up to be a warm one too.

Sue and Lachie return home about an hour later and Lachie tells me about his indoor footy game  – they won 16-3!  Well done.  Just muck around at home, working on the computer, and bikes.  So really a slow day for all.  A good day for it as not feeling overly flash today so staying near home is probably best.

Mum, Aunty Colleen and Uncle Phil stop by to visit seen as they are in town briefly. Very nice to see them. Have a good catch up and yarn about lots, before they they head off. Head back to keep working on the bike. Looks like the great selector is shot! Bugger it! Hopefully I can locate one on TradeMe.

Quiet day had by all.  Boys to bed and blog underway, while watching TV.  M&D time then bed.  Bit of a nothing, boring sort of day really, but they are good recovery days in theory.  If that’s the case then it is not one of these days for recovery, or if it is then I missed out, cause I’m feeling that bloody shattered now it’s crazy.  Trust a good day has been by all.  Take care, be good, and have a great week.

Kia Kaha.

“Each choice we make causes a ripple effect in our lives. When things happen to us, it is the reaction we choose that can create the difference between the sorrows of our past and the joy in our future.” — Chelle Thompson

Sleep – yes a full 8 hour straight, uninterrupted sleep.  Really quite novel but almost a paniced feeling to wake knowing that you haven’t been up during the night –  well at least that I can remember anyway.  Everyone is still asleep so head downstairs and take meds – a little late but that won’t matter too much.  Make a cuppa and go back to bed for a bit to read the news on my tablet.  Get up about an hour later, along with everyone else.  The day is turning into a fantastic one – it’s going to be hot.  Jacob and Jake implore to go to Washington Way skate park and Lachie puts on his best I want/need sale pitch over scooter parts.  We agree on helping out with some basic bits – grip tape, wheels, etc, but not the expensive stuff like forks, etc.

All up then  and ready for the day.  Having another day where the head is feeling funny and I am not sure why.  Have some magic mist to see if that helps sort me out.  If that doesn’t work then maybe resort to the hammer and see if that works instead   Sue and the boys head off.  I stay home for some quiet time and to get on with a couple of chores.  Just sorting out bikes at the moment as both boys need new bigger ones this year, and Dad had got a couple of bigger near new bikes from the auction so giving the boys a choice of wheels.  Jacob has already claimed my bike anyway, so it is down to Lachie and I now.  I have fairly much got my next one sorted too so just Lachie to go.  Then we will sell the remaining unused 4 bikes!

Clear some emails, do all the washing, sort out taking my bike computer off my old bike and do Friday’s blog.  The day seems to run away quickly – probably just how I am feeling actually.  I got my MRI appointment letter finally today – Monday 18 Feb.  It is a relief to get that as I was on the wait list, so thankfully something is happening with it.  Sue drops off Lachie, and then takes Jake home.  Lachie and I stay home and just cruise.  Get things ready to go tonight as we are heading to the Booth’s for dinner tonight – I know, busy social weekend!

Have a fantastic evening catching up with the Booth’s.  Sorry for drifting off for a bit.  It seems ages since we last did this.  A good evening had by all.  Not too late a night either as Lachie has indoor tomorrow morning and both boys have pre-season training as well, so have to be fair to him.  Thanks for a wonderful time Greg and Wends.  Hope all have had/having a great Saturday and doing everything enjoyable they want to do.  Take care all, I need you here tomorrow to read up.  Take care – cause I do care about you all.

Kia Kaha.

” I’m not afraid of storms for I’m learning how to sail my ship.” — Louisa May Alcott

Pain back – well yes pain is back in my back (pun intended).  Restless sleep as just can’t get comfortable with my back hurting like it does.  Get up and take good pain killers then wait what seems forever for them to kick in.  Fall asleep on the Lazy Boy for a bit until I get restless on there.  Head back to bed then.  Manage to doze the rest of the night.  Up at 6:30 and into the day – crikey a week down already.  Time is flying by at the moment.  Get ready to face the day and pack the boys off to school. 

Sue and I hit the road for work.  Enjoy the stroll into the office, as an OK morning. Nice to be back in the office again.  Have a good morning at work. Head around to Re:Start at lunch time – another cruise boat is obviously in as tourists everywhere.  Good to see, but I wish they would remember that there are locals still here an people trying to get places so walking 4-5 wide on a munted footpath forcing people to walk on the road is not good.  Anyhow – moan over with.  Get back in time for Sue to collect me, and head for home.  Starting to feel rather odd – latest thing is I get odd almost lightheaded feeling in my head.  Usually followed by small tremor bouts in legs and arms.  Probably the MoFo’s have a little shuffle round.  Long as they don’t do a to big a shuffle and touch something that causes a bigger tremor or worse. Stop by the chemist to pick up more drugs and repeats – on 38 pills a day now – heading in the wrong way.  And that is only the basic minimum.  If I have a lot of pain then the total can top nearly 50!  Wonder what would happen if I didn’t take any for a day or 2?  HHmm – I don’t think I’ll try it but are guessing it would be a ticket to hospital.

Get home and Mum stops by to see how I/we are going.  Have a coffee and a chat, then she heads off.  Boys then arrive home and in full rush mode as Lachie has indoor footy at 4pm.  Go and watch the game – they win 17-2  so a good result.  Head home then and the boys get showered and changed as we are heading to Melissa and Robs for a BBQ tonight (hence no blog posted last night).  Head over to their place and have a great night chatting, relaxing and just enjoying a generally social evening.  Thanks so much for the good time guys.   Jake comes home with us to’ stay the night as Jacob and him want to go to the skate park in the morning.

Get home about 11pm.  Get the kids off to bed, and do M&D time.  Think about the blog but honestly not in the right frame of mind, and to bloody worn out really to type anything sensible, so flag it.  “Watch” in on the SBW Boxing fight via live streaming on one of the News sites.  What a bloody have the whole fight was.  Need a rematch to prove that Botha was the better fighter.  But good for SBW to get taken to the limit.  Still don’t think there is a future for him in it really – but thats MHO, what would I know.   Hope all have survived the week well and had an enjoyable Friday.  Have a fantastic weekend – looks like the weather over NZ is going to ensure that most have perfect days.  Trust it is good for you where ever you are reading this.  Take care, keep having fun.

Kia Kaha.

“I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.” – Unknown

Back pain returns to interrupt the new sleep pattern Bugger, bugger, bugger!!! Just when I thought the body was starting to settle and adjust to its new pain managed sleep providing state – along comes the old enemy. Can’t wait for the MRI scan (which I am wait listed for at the moment) to try to give me some answers as to what is going on with my back. So up at 1:45 til about 2:30am waiting on pain killers to kick in. Restless sleep after that, so wake feeling worn out. Up and into meds, cuppa tea and shower as the Nurse is coming to do my IV antibiotics at 8:30am again today.

 

Boys head off to school – swimming sports today, should be a nice day for it. Nurse arrives and checks me over then gives me my meds. Fortunately no dramas with IV lines today, so all straight forward – load another lot of liquid meds into me. Then hit the road to work. Nice walk into the office – the weather is rather pleasant actually. Have a specific task to do today so get on with that, but have issues with my back a couple of times, with the pain having me break into a cold sweat, and breath deeply. Good day at work all up. Make progress on the task at hand, and will continue working on it later. Sue collects me just after 1 as I have a Doctors appointment to get to at 1:30.

 

Doc goes well and decides that I can have the IV antibiotics stopped and go back to oral ones. The Cellulitus infection in my leg is healing really well and I’ve made huge progress in the past week. The hobbit foot has nearly disappeared – Yay. And is not as sore as it has been. Drop off the script for the new meds, then head off to collect the boys and one of Jacob’s mates from school. Sue is taking Jacob and Jake to Washington skate park this arvo as a treat for Jacob. Lachlan stays home with me – not that I need 24 hour supervision. Login to work and do a bit more investigating of file transfers. Deb drops over some fresh veges – thanks Deb and Glen.

 

Get dinner ready in time for Sue and Jacob’s arrival home. Head out for a bike ride to burn off some energy. Manage to cover 6.5kms then get home to put my feet up. Sit down then to do the blog as the site is back up for now and want to get it posted while I can still.   Just so you know that i have no control over the blog site and when it crashes like it did yesterday, I can not do anything to restore it, and just have to, like you folk, sit and wait and check periodically that it is back running again. Hope all have had an enjoyable Thursday and not to many dramas but plenty of laughs! Take care, stay strong and keep smiling.

 

Kia Kaha.

 “Time is the best teacher; Unfortunately it kills all its students!” – Unknown

“Dear Maths, Please stop asking me to find your X, she is not coming back.” – Unknown

 Only a 25 minute waking in the night for a spot of pain.  Too cold to stay up any longer anyway.  Wake then with the alarm at 6:20am, feeling exhausted still.  Up and on with the day, get the meds, brekkie and cuppa sorted and then ready for the day.  Boys slow to drag themselves up this morning too, but manage too.  Dad comes over to pick up the boys to drop them at school as Sue is going to’ drop me at wo0rk on the way through, but we have to wait for the Nurse to come and do my IV meds at 8:30am.

Nurse arrives and has to put another new line in – top of my hand this time – ouch!!  That is now 10 different locations on both arms I have had IV lines put in, or attempted to be put in, in 5 days.  My arms are bruised and look terrible (like a druggie track marks).  The meds are in a different form today so will take longer to go in too.  Thank goodness only 2 more days of this and I should be clear to go.  Leaving just tumours and a broken pinky to deal with.  Sue and I hit the road for work.  Bloody chilly walk in the drizzle to the office – still nice to be heading back in there and feeling , well, normal again. 

Great to see all my colleagues again too.  Seems like I have been away for months.  Do the customary catch up with everything, then get on with some work that I have to do.  Bernard gets in just as the cafe start making coffees again – perfect timing!  Catch up with Bernard with a couple of things that he has been doing too.  And go and see Valerie and find out how her holiday went.  Thanks for the t-shirt too Valerie – really love it.  Dad comes and collects me at 1pm and drops me home.  I have a 3pm meeting with Nurse Maude.  Get the thumbs up from the Nurse, and she heads off.  The boys do their homework, while I get on with work.

Cook dinner and Sue gets home as about to serve up.  Head out then for a 4.6km walk – no scooter tricks this time or broken bones   Home again and do the blog, and watch some TV.  Fight off the sleep monster as best I can so at least I can sleep hopefully all night tonight.  New Zealand day tomorrow, but no sleep in as I have the Nurse turning up at 8:30 to give me my meds.  Hopefully the weather plays ball and warms up a bit more.  Hope all have had an enjoyable Tuesday and if you have tomorrow off then have a great day too.  Take care.

Kia Kaha.

“Our real problem, then, is not our strength today; it is rather the vital necessity of action today to ensure our strength tomorrow.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

 It seems I might have or at least be on my way to having a sleep pattern of sorts as I only to up twice during the night, and the longest was for 20 minutes to make a Milo and shed a tear, then back to bed.  When I say shed a tear, it literally is that – crying.  Yep, I’m not to scared to admit it, as crying is good for the soul and for letting out the pain.  In this case it was emotional pain, as the past week has weighed down heavily on me mentally, physically and emotionally.  The second waking was due to pain in my head so resorted to meds for that. 

Wake at 5:50am as boys first day back at school and even though I’m not heading into the office today, I have a busy morning (actually busy day) with people coming to check me up, prod me and make sure that all damaged bits are repairing as they are meant too   So get myself ready for the day, make a cuppa then and head upstairs to see who else has risen yet.  Find Sue awake and Jacob walking around in a daze.  I get dressed and head downstairs to iron the boys uniforms.  Get brekkie sorted and boys hit the road for school by 7:45am.  The Nurse arrives at 8:30 to check on me and give me my IV meds.  Feeling nauseous and emotionally flat.  Still put on a happy face.  Sue hits the road to work, and I login and get on with my work.  Steady day with a few things breaking but the other guys in the team are on to them quickly already so I plod on with my stuff.

Sue gets home and collects me and we head off to the doctors appointment.  All good there.  Number of bandages and plasters is getting less so looking more normal than a walking First Aid practice dummy   Head from the Doc’s to get the boys from school as it is peeing down with rain.  Hear all about their day – both quite excited so nice to listen.  Great that Lachie seems very happy and settled at St. Thomas’ and it seems that Jacob is enjoying been the big bro and keeping an eye out for him.  The lads chill out for a bit.  Then Jacob starts talking to the big white telephone (aka – vomiting in the toilet) he had been complaining of feeling ill – bugger!!!  They then get on with their homework, while I get on with getting dinner ready – Butter Chicken.  Trying to build an appetite but just not really happening.  I guess the 20 plus kilos I packed on are going to disappear quickly at this rate.

Quiet evening planned.  Blog, relax and put my feet up as instructed by the Doctors, and watch some TV and duly fall asleep as normal.  M&D time then bed at a reasonable hour, and the hope of a full nights sleep.  Emotions are still at there peak so wouldn’t be surprised to be up with them during the night again.  Trust that all have had a good Monday and are enjoying the week so far.  If not then why not?  Life is too short to waste not making the most of each day – trust me I know!  Take care, misbehave, and cause chaos because you can – it makes life fun   Till the morrow.

Kia Kaha.

“Before you start to judge me, step into my shoes and walk the life I’m living and if you get as far as I am, just maybe you will see how strong I really am.” – Unknown

If I was granted one wish in the world then it would be this, If this is what living with and dealing with cancer is like and about then I want to quit now and go back to my life without it please.

A quick blog today as emotionally and physically exhausted so not up for much rambling really.  Sleep was ok but not brilliant, and managed to get some.  I wake before my alarm, as I have to be up before 8:30 for the Nurse.  She is coming to give me my IV anti-biotics and check that I’m tracking along OK still.  Pass all checks and get my drugs.  Take the rest of my meds then and have some brekkie.

Get ready for the day, and get the boys ready for their first footy training run of the year.  Head down to Halswell.  Boys head off, Sue takes the dog for a walk and I have a chat with George from my team.  Go get a coffee and watch the teams training.  Bit to early for old pro’s like us to be starting training

Head home then, and have some lunch with Joh, and just cruise until time to take her to the Airport.  Head off to drop Joh off in time.  Have a coffee and a chat then say our final goodbyes (not like that) shed a couple of tears and Joh is off home.  We hit the road then for home again.

Get home and get ready to go on a bike ride with the boys to school so Lachie knows the way to and from school.  Unfortunately my gears on my bike break about 2km into the ride so I have to turn around and walk the bike home.  Sue and the boys continue on their way, while I stroll home.  Get home and are absolutely exhausted so probably a good thing that the gears broke really.  Kylie and Mark arrive just as I’m puttting the bike away and decide to continue on their way and stop in later on their way back past, so I can rest up a bit.  Sue and the boys then get home , all looking rather puffed. Fridge and Nutty drop in then for a visit.  Sorry I fell asleep.  Also sorry I missed you second time round Mark and Kylie.

Have dinner then get boys to bed.  Do blog, M&D time and bed as shattered and emotional so happy to put today behind me.  Hope all have had a fab weekend and totally enjoyed themselves.  Take care.

Kia Kaha.

“Sometimes it’s not what we say or do that makes an impact, but what we don’t say or do!” – Unknown

Well I did promise a blog for Thursday yesterday, and I didn’t deliver on that.  I have a really valid excuse though – I ended up in hospital for the night and not with a laptop at hand.  But also  feeling that crappy that really the blog was the last thing worrying me.  Firstly, how did Friday end up with me in hospital?  Well it seems that I don’t do high strength anti-biotics to well.  I woke with a head ache rating about a 6-7 in pain and that topped out about an 8 occassionally.  None of my normal pain killers were really doing there thing and I kept reaching and trying to hold back the nausea often due to the pain, which was making the head pain feel even worse. 

I head off to my 10am appointment to get my IV anti-biotics to deal with my cellulitis in my ankle.  I am barely in the door of the clinic when I have 2 nurses looking very concerned about me and next I am been put into a bed in a room, all my vitals getting checked, etc, and explaining how I’m going.  The hospital I’m at is the little 5 bed ward that is the acute admission ward above the 24 hour clinic in Bealey Ave that I never knew existed).  Explain everything, and bugger me if within an hour they have said I’ll be in overnight at least and they have fluids going into my arm along with anti-biotics, dressings changed on the left foot, blood tests taken, IV pain killers loaded, and a cold flannel on my head (which helped the most).  I text Sue and tell her what’s happening.  A bit shell shocked I think is the best way to describe the reaction.

So about the sum of Friday is Joh brings up my meds from home so I have all I need with me, and stays with me until Sue and the boys arrive.  Joh heads off then.  Sue and Jacob head off to get Domino’s for tea for us – no point having hospital food.  Have a lovely, totally bad pig out on pizza – What, its not exactly going to kill me – sorry black humour Family stay for a bit longer then head off.  I watch some more TV and promptly fall asleep.  The nurse still checks in to make sure I’m OK.  I eventually wake about 11pm and head to bed.  The nurse comes in connects my next lot of meds and fluids, reads me a bedtime story, and tucks me in – not quite that good a service but does hook up the meds. 

Wake up several times during the night and have a general crappy hospital sleep.  Determined though to be well enough to be set free as we have Edmonds family photos arranged for today.  Get my last lot of meds about 7am and get up, shower and eat some brekkie.  Sue arrives about 11:30am to get me, and I get the go news that I am allowed to go home.  They will come out to the house at 8:30am on Sunday morning to give me my next lot of IV drugs (fantastic service) so I don’t have to worry about getting across town to the clinic to get the meds.  Feeling very spoilt really.

 On with Saturday – get home to find the boys are out with Joh, so Sue and I head to the Old Vicarage for lunch and a catch up with life, and where everything is at.  Sue takes Summa (the dog to the vet as she has developed an infection on her leg.  She gets home and hour later (and $220 poorer) with a dog looking sad for herself with a cone on  her head. Then head back home, as the rest of the Edmonds whanau are due to turn up. We are meeting at our house then heading off to Victoria Park to have Cath take some family photos for us. Hence Joh’s visit home.  It is also the first time (and sadly probably the last time that all of the Edmonds from Mum and Dad will be together as a whole – the next time will be at my farewell I would hope and say).  So needless to say trying to keep my emotions in check as to that aspect of it.  Though I also think that others also know that is the reality of it all too. Cath is waiting for us when we get up there.  Head off and do the photos, have a great time and everyone is relaxed and enjoying it too.  Glad no West Family traits (Outrageous Fortune) came out, and all were well behaved.  We all head back to our house for a family BBQ.  Norm joins us too.

I man the BBQ and try to watch the 7’s at the same time.  All have a good evening and Nick comes over to drop off a present (a lovely china mug with footballers on it) from Aunty Viv and Uncle Col – thanks so much guys.  Hope you’re feeling better Colin.  Nick stays for a bit and a chat.  I do my best to stay awake but sleep wins me over – sorry Dad, Norm, and Nick – thanks for visiting.  I wake up about 10pm.  The boys are just heading to bed, and I am thinking it is Sunday and they have school tomorrow so make a fool of myself telling them to get to bed as they’ll be shattered at school – doh Dad!!!

As for Friday – thanks to Aubery for the attempted visit – I had a valid excuse for not been home (as above).  Thanks for the good wishes Craig, and Nutty and Fridge, and everyone else that has commented or txted me.  It has been a trying week for me with my health, and it finally broke me this morning when I realised just how stuffed my immue system is, as well as how physically beaten I am too, as I can barely walk any distance now without pain or exhaustion taking its toll.  I know it is just a phase and I am determined to beat it but it takes a huge effort.  I need to just mentally regroup within myself and start pushing myself that bit more again so that I can regain what I am loosing.  Maybe not full fitness or health but definitely better than I am now!

One last bit of news, if you remember the story I did about James the man that was in the hospital ward with me back about 4  December whom dislocated his hip,  and old nurse bitch knickers, well it turns out the James is related to Jo and Tony Knudsen (on Jo’s side).  Unfortunately James passed away last week due to his illness.  RIP – Jim, no more bitch knickers to deal with man!

I hope all are still rocking on well out there in blog-world, and the weekend is going smoothly for you all.  Take care all, and have a great time.  I want you all here tomorrow (yes I will try to make it tomorrow) for the next blog.  Not intending any health downturns at the moment

Kia Kaha.

Will do a blog tomorrow as to ill today to do a proper one.  Betweeen the IV anti-biotics and head pain as well as everything else I am getting a fair workout.

Trust all are safe and well.  Till tomorrow.

Kia Kaha.