Difficult Days

The past few days have been very difficult. I have been struggling with blinding headaches and haven't been able to get much sleep at night. Yesterday afternoon I decided to have a "detox" bath in the hope it would help to calm my system down. 

I managed to get out of the bath and lie down. I then went on oxygen but it didn't seem to help much and I went into full on "Crash" mode. I was feeling so ill, my blood pressure plummeted, my heart was pounding and I couldn't move. As I lay there weeping it felt like my body was shutting down on me. Eventually it settled and I was able to get off to sleep and actually slept through the whole night.

Today it feels like the crisis is over. I am doing better than yesterday and the headaches have stopped, which is a great relief. However I don't have much time to regain my strength before the trip home. It is only three days till I start my long journey back to Australia. 

I'm in the Apartment on my own today, as my granddaughters are back at school and my daughter is at work. I have spent the day resting but I still feel exhausted and have very little energy. My health isn't as good as it was when I arrived and I must admit, I am getting a bit nervous about the travelling.

The weather here is still beautiful, the sun is shining and the breeze is cool. At times like this it is the simple things which lift my spirits and help me to get through the day.

Lazy days

The past few days have been quiet and peaceful. The weather has been so stunning I've been able to enjoy being outside, either lazying away at the pool or having picnics near the woods.

Our little picnics have been so peaceful and rejuvenating to us all. We just throw our blanket down under the pine trees and relax for an hour or two.

The view is so calming. I just love to feel the soft breeze on my face and hear the birds chirping.

I took this photo while looking up into the branches of the pine tree.

A couple of days ago a little chipmunk was scurrying around in the pool area munching away on some dropped cookie crumbs.

Yesterday I found these gorgeous petunias which had been planted in the car park at some local shops.

PEM & Payback

Yesterday I had a PEM day (Post Exertional Malaise) and spent most of it in bed in crash mode. Today has been a little better and I was able to spend the afternoon in the lounge room on the recliner watching a couple of movies.

I know the PEM is a direct result of doing too much on my extended birthday, but I think I would do it all again! It is often said that there are "no free lunches" with ME and payback is certainly a very real part of it.  

On a brighter side, I thought it might be nice to show you some of the things my Granddaughters and I have been doing while I've been here. Because of my limited ability to get around, the only place we can go if I am feeling well enough is to the pool. Apart from that we occupy our days with crafts and sewing. Cushion making, card making, origami, crocheting, baking, writing poems and home decorating.

Some of the cards we have made.

Our home decorating.

Cushions for their beds and yes, Shirley is still with me!

More Butterflies.

Birthday Madness

I'm having a fabulous time with my Birthday this year.

Because I was actually born in New Zealand, I looked up the time for Auckland a couple of days ago and it was already the 14th!

My Daughter and Granddaughters gave me presents and we went for a lovely drive into the country.

We had lunch at this quaint little cafe.

This lovely old house is now a gift shop called "The Black Swan".

That night I got an email from Australia saying it had just clocked over to the 14th, so, "Happy Birthday". Later that night the email continued ..."Your Southern Hemisphere birthday went well. We are having gluten free ham steaks with tomato and cheese. No cheese for you". "Most of us only have a local birthday but yours seems to be global".

It was still the 14th here so I had my Birthday all over again today.

I got woken this morning with breakfast in bed and my Granddaughters had decorated the house just for me.

This has been my longest Birthday ever and so much fun!

Seasons

My days here are passing like the seasons. One day it is hot and sunny with Summer in full swing. The next day I find a leaf on the ground, the first of the thousands to come. Autumn, or Fall as it is known here, is silently creeping up on me.

On the way to the pool I found this beautiful White Hybiscus in full bloom.

The colours of Autumn and the first of the many leaves that will fall.


My health has been as changeable as the seasons. I'm not exactly sure how the B12 is effecting my body. Some days are spent in bed, others relaxing down by the pool. I've crashed and recovered, lowered the dose and taken a Detox bath.

Today I am on my own and though the weather is lovely outside I chose to stay inside quietly resting. There are days when I long for the energy and vitality to climb mountains and run along the seashore. Other days, like today, I am content to just be.

As the saying goes, "Life is beautiful".

B12 Finally Arrived

The shipping of these two little vials has been a huge issue for me. Each 5ml vial contains B12 as a Hydroxycobalamin concentrate of 10mg/ml. The whole package only weighed 0.28 grams, was sent by DHL "Express Flyer" at a cost of Aussie $93.95 and should have only taken three days.

They were sent from Melbourne, Australia on July 24th (Aussie time) and I didn't get them until today, August 2nd (US time), nearly ten days later.

It seemed to be taking so long, I was beginning to think that maybe Tom Hanks and Wilson had my package with them on some deserted Island in the Pacific.

The ice had long melted and although I'm not sure of the integrity of the B12 now, I immediately gave myself a 0.2ml injection in the stomach.

Stabilised

After seeking advice from a local Wallgreens Pharmacist I started on a 2,000mcg B12 tablet.

I experienced a couple of ups and downs but seem to be doing OK now, although nowhere near as good as when I am giving myself the B12 injection daily.


I seem to have stabilised over the last two days and even went to a BBQ at the pool this evening.

It was great fun just lying back on the deck chair watching everyone enjoying themselves.

No sign of my B12 vials. Not very impressed with DHL at this point in time.