I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing

The last couple of weeks have been rather topsy-turvey for me. A lot has interfered with my normal routine. However, I am full of determination, you have no idea how much! I don’t want to miss out, so although it has been absolutely necessary for me to address the legitimate reasons I could not do what I had hoped, I am trying to not be discouraged by some of the interruptions to my life that have cropped up.

All is well…I am happy and determined – one tough cookie! I have three days of work now before I can rest again…and I am determined to get through them.

I am always pleased to take part in the “SHARE-YOUR-WORLD! questions from Melanie B Cee, the creator of sparksfromacombustiblemind.

This was her original post with this week’s questions outlined:

https://sparksfromacombustiblemind.com/2018/11/19/share-your-thankful-world/

This week’s questions:

Are you an Early to bed, early to rise person, a night owl and day sleeper/dozer, or an ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ person? 

I used to be a very early riser. I had to leave my flat by 6.15am in order to be at breakfast and my work assignment on time. Sometimes I would leave the flat at 5.45am and run the three miles to work and shower and dress there. (As volunteers who did not receive wages, our meals were provided.) I used to make an effort to be in bed early.

Since my head injuries – mornings are horrible! HORRIBLE! Until my pain-killers kick in, I am a wreck. I mentioned in another post that for a long time I have been able to just take pain killers once a day, first thing in the morning, which I am pleased about.

I do try to set an alarm to get up in the morning and get myself vertical so that the pain eases off. Once I am vertical my brain seems a lot happier.

I had a strange night on Sunday night. I had pain in my head but it was scary that I was having other symptoms which have caused me to have to pay several visits to hospital in recent months. I was struggling to breathe, my throat seemed to be closing up and it was making me feel sick, I felt like I was going to be sick, but I was not. I had a huge discomfort across my chest and back and my arm and through my jaw. I sat up in bed with my knees lifted – you know that “A” position they teach you in first aid – which eventually helped. My insides are still feeling rather sore and rough. But it will pass.

Please don’t worry…I have had plenty of tests and scans. This has happened many times. Yes, I could have called 999, but I was too tired. Yes, I called my GP first thing on Monday and was sent for some tests immediately. My heart and arteries and lungs are not the problem. The problem is they are dependant on my brain. It seems to be my brain has blips.

Ugh! I don’t really want to explain it all, but I have had over three years of brain blips that have effected by breathing. And of course those blips are causing great strain on my heart and causing damage. Ugh! It makes me sick just thinking about it. I have been seen by some wonderful and lovely doctors and head experts. But they have not been able to figure out what is the problem. I have almost become apathetic about the total lack of answers from the Doctors, but I feel for them. They do not know why this keeps happening.

I just want to stay out of hospital for as long as possible and live live live with every fibre in my body. I was so eager to leave on Monday and get myself back to the little nest. But then I came home from hospital and because I did not want to be alone, I carried on with my plans which was helping on a voluntary project I am delighted to have been working on for the past few months. My chest was feeling rather sore after Sunday night. So on Tuesday I had to rest up.

I wish I could sleep in a vertical position. I wonder whether the pain would be less. I have seen some unusual “beds” that would allow for that.

If I don’t set my alarm, I am in big trouble. I can sleep for twenty hours, or more, quite easily. Several times I have missed an entire day because of being unconscious. When that has happened, I wake up absolutely bewildered and with pain much worse than usual.

I have found that it has worked better for me taking on afternoon and evening work. Yes, it is much better in fact. Although I have an early start on Wednesdays and Fridays…but the other five days of the week I don’t need to rush in the morning. I can wait until the pain has eased before I attempt anything.

I don’t really like talking about all this…and I don’t want a long list of questions or advice. I am well provided for with medical advice. I have an amazing team who are looking after me and my brain. We will have to wait and see.

The most important thing is that I am not just alive…I am full of life and love and joy! 

What are some misconceptions about your hobby, should you have a hobby?

My hobby? Misconceptions about my hobby? Hmm…I am going to have to think about this.

Time often dictates my pastimes. If I had lots of time, I would be down at the local swimming pool more. That’s my first choice of free time. I could swim for hours. But I don’t think anyone would have misconceptions about swimming.

I guess a lot of people would think that baking is a hobby for me. I guess it is one of my hobbies in a way. I often bake something to take when I am visiting friends. I have had lots of appreciative comments and nice feedback from the cakes I have made. Lots of friends say: “You should apply to be on “The Great British Bake-Off”! They might just be being polite. Oh they do not understand! They have a terrible misconception about my baking abilities.

Whenever I bake, I am glued to a recipe. My head for some reason does not retain recipes. Neither do I understand what makes a recipe work, the chemistry behind the baking process.

I am rather boring when it comes to flavours – I like caramel of course! Ooooh and peanut butter! I like some fruit in baking, I like some spices like cinnamon. But my palate is not very refined. I just like naughty stuff.

I would not be able to attempt a technical challenge, and my flavour combinations would probably bore the judges. I like watching “GBBO” but I don’t want to be a contestant.

A penguin walks through the door right now wearing a sombrero. What does he say and why is he here?    

The only penguins I could imagine doing that…

….are these masters of disguise!:

…what would he say?

…why is he here?

…the responsibilities are limitless with these penguins!

Aliens have landed…do they come in peace?

For some reason, the majority of movies seem to be about aliens who don’t come in peace, but rather come for dinner.

Except in kid’s movies…like that one from the eighties – what’s it called? I can only remember the “ET phone home” line…I don’t think I ever did watch the whole movie in fact.

Having said that, I have not seen many alien movies – not my thing – unless they are cute and part of a cartoon movie perhaps. Definitely not scary aliens who want to destroy. Why do people enjoy entertaining themselves with death and destruction? I find life and peace far more gripping.

What are you really, incredibly thankful for this week?

I am grateful for charity shops!

I am pretty skint at the moment. I will be earning more during December as I am going to be covering some extra days because my manager will be away during the holidays. But right now, I am pinching my pennies even more than usual.

However, I maintain my habit of nipping into charity shops just in case there is a bargain. I don’t like to miss out on an amazing find! This week I found a dress that I liked and fitted perfectly and snapped it up for £5.00. Aaaaah!

Goldfinch has seen every other dress I already own, so it is nice to have something he will not have seen before. He doesn’t really care. He has explained his a man’s take on a woman’s clothing several times – he thinks he can shock me!

But it matters to me! So I am very glad I have something new (well new to me) and it has hardly dented my bank balance at all!

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Right…I have in my head a song…but I have to say, I wish the guy singing it would calm down a bit and sing properly. So many couples have chosen this for their wedding song at weddings I have attended. I like the lyrics, but the voice is dire at times.