Hello there. It’s been a while! My blog has been a little neglected this month but it has been necessary for me to take some time out from it. Sometimes other things in life kinda need more of your attention. I love my blog, love blogging, adore my readers, and still have some exciting plans for the future of Write of the Middle, so I’ll be back in form again soon.
Anyhow, I thought I’d pop in to say a big HI and let you know a little bit of what’s been happening lately around WOTM parts:
- My daughter who left me for overseas on New Years Day has now been to Paris, all around Italy (she actually studied for 4 weeks in Florence: Media in the Fashion Industry), Salzburg – Austria, Prague – Czech Republic, Berlin – Germany, Amsterdam – Netherlands, and at the time of typing this she is currently on her way to London where she will spend the last days of her overseas adventure. She returns home on the morning of 29 February and this mother will be so very glad to have her home again. Cannot wait to hug her tight!
Riomaggiore, Italy. One of the ‘Italy’ photographs my daughter has sent me.
- My various health conditions have been causing me havoc (the details of which I will spare you!) and it seems that the only way that could possibly alleviate the bulk of the problems is to have a full hysterectomy. However, that will put me straight into menopause and we need to know whether the symptoms of menopause will be better or worse than what I currently suffer with. So, if I go ahead (still pondering actually), I am to become a guinea pig, having an injection once a month for three months that will switch off my ovaries and put me into ‘fake’ menopause so that I can assess how it is and decide whether to go ahead with the hysterectomy or not. Recovery from a full hysterectomy is 6-10 weeks. Oh boy!
- I am very concerned about my old dog Chelsea. She is due to turn 16 on 3 March. She is very old and these days she needs a lot of caring for. I am unable to leave her at home alone for any longer than a couple of hours (you’ll know why soon). I’m pretty sure she has a bit of dementia. Her eyes have a white glaze (cataracts) across them. Her back legs don’t work so well so often she can’t get herself up and outside to go to the toilet. I need to take her out at least every couple of hours or else we have a situation *ahem*. She’s not been in pain or suffering but it seems she might have had a bit of a turn for the worse late this afternoon. She was extra wobbly on her feet, her balance seems out, and she seemed very disoriented. She’s asleep now but I fear what the morning might bring. I’m not sure that I am ready for what is so obviously coming.
- Twin1 has done something to his neck. Muscle spasms or some such thing. Can’t turn his head. His whole body is stiff as a board. Oh boy and he is CRANKY! He is home from work with me until at least Thursday. Took him to a physio today. He has some exercises to do several times a day and he goes back again on Wednesday. Today I found him in the kitchen attempting to get a cup out of a cupboard with his FOOT coz he couldn’t (wouldn’t) bend down. Gross! Cranky pants didn’t like me telling him not to do that. I do hope his neck is better really, really soon!!
- You may wonder what the feature photograph of the pink gerbera has to do with anything I’ve talked about above? Well, I was nominated by the lovely Lyndall of Seize the Day Project to participate in a Nature Photography Challenge where I was to post a nature photograph every day for 7 days. This all took place on my personal Facebook page and the timing was pretty much perfect. I’d been feeling quite down and this little exercise really pepped me up, so thank you Lyndall! The photograph of the pink gerbera was my Day 6 and appears to have been the most popular. I took this photograph way back in September 2014!
Oh there’s so much more stuff going on but that’s enough of my rambles for you. How are all of you? Tell me everything! Anyone had a full hysterectomy and got stories to tell?
Ciao for now,
Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT
28 Comments
Lovely to read this catch up post Min. I’m glad you’ve been able to take time out, but I do hope you can find the right solution for your health. And how gorgeous is your dog? She’s gorgeous. She’s done so well reaching 16 years. x
Thanks Bec! Chelsea seems better today than yesterday afternoon and last night. This is happening a lot. Very confusing! xo
Oh wow Min, that is a whole lot to take on board! No wonder your blog has been neglected, there is only so much one can deal with at one time! Good luck with your decision on whether to go ahead with the op! #TeamIBOT
Thanks Haidee – yep I’ve got a bit on my mind! 😉 xo
I’m much the same, needing time out and not really back to the blogging party 100%. Health issues and life, mainly our 23rd move have created a bit of chaos which has me distracted. I’m back blogging this week but taking things slow.
Sorry to hear you’ve got health issues too Raychael. It’s a pain in the @*&! isn’t it?! Cannot believe how many times you have moved. You must have it down to a fine art by now! Take care of yourself. xo
Sounds like you’ve got a lot on your plate at the moment! Good luck with the experimental injections. At least you have lovely holiday snaps from your daughter to gaze at… 😉
Thanks Bec – yes just a few things to ponder and decisions to make. I wish I could have shared some of the snaps with my daughter in them but she doesn’t want her photo on the blog so I’ve got to respect her wishes. Can’t wait till she is home! 🙂 xo
Hello! I missed you! Sounds like you have your hands very full, but yay you for taking time out when you need it! Winter always turns to spring, it’s the law of the universe, so hope all the bumps in the road smooth out for you very soon. The countdown is on until your adventurer comes home – imagine the tales she will tell!
Hello! Oh thank you Sammie. I’m very much looking forward to that spring coz the bumps in the road are interfering with my plans. Can’t wait to hug my adventurer tight. I’ve missed her so much. xo
You sure are busy Min, though it’s wonderful to see you’ve dropped by to let us all know how you are. I am sending both you and Chelsea a really big hug in the hope it makes each of you feel better xxx
Thank you for the big hug Nicole. I love hugs so much appreciated. Chelsea is doing better today than last night. This has happened before. It gets very confusing. I’m not so much busy but got lots on my plate/mind etc. xo
Hey MIn! Thanks so much for the special mention in your post. I’m so pleased you took up the challenge and posted your lovely pics each day on Facebook 🙂 I’m so pleased it helped pep you up and I love the pink gerbera too. Hope your health soon improves and your poor old doggy is OK xox
Thanks Lyndall – the challenge was a lovely distraction. It made me revisit some old pics and memories so yep it did pep me up a bit – thank you! 🙂 xo
You sure have got a lot on your plate at the moment…..I have had a hysterectomy but as I was 44 when I had it, my surgeon kept my ovaries in place so that I would not be thrown into full menopause. Almost 7 years later I still have not had a single hint of it heading my way anytime soon. I fought having the operation because I would not be allowed to drive for a few weeks etc, etc, but honestly I am still cross with myself for putting it off for so long, because life without a period is damn awesome. Good luck xxxx N
Thanks for sharing your experience Nikki! Oh I know I would love not having a period anymore – I’ve had those since I was a young girl in primary school so I’ve well and truly done my time! I do have to have my ovaries taken as well though, in order to put an end to all the horrible things I’ve been enduring for some time, so it will be straight into menopause for me if I have a hysterectomy. I’m older *cough* than 44 though so I don’t mind at all coz it is probably just around the corner anyway. May as well cut to the chase. I really don’t think that the symptoms of menopause could be any worse than what I go through nowadays though but who knows – hence the trial run (injections)! 🙂 xo
Hi Min, great to read your update! Nice to know you’ll be hugging your daughter soon. Sorry about the hysterectomy news but these days, judging by my daughter’s in 2014, it’s nowhere near the “major surgery” I had in 1988. In no way am I reducing its impact though! Her op was done “internally” mine was a large abdominal cut. They also left parts of ovarian tissue for me (& her) so no premature menopause at all. Yes it took me 3 months of recovery. My DD was back teaching with 6 weeks. Take care! You are in my thoughts . D xx
Thank you Denyse! Yes I can’t wait to hug my daughter. I’ve never been apart from her for this long before. Six (6) more sleeps! Oh I’m glad I didn’t have a hysterectomy in 1988 – instead I was having fun visiting Expo’88 (sorry to say) regularly with my season pass! I’ll be 52 this year (I’ll just pretend that is a 3 in front of the 2) so menopause wouldn’t be far away anyway – just all depends how I react to it as to whether I will go ahead or not. Oh what joy being a woman *sigh* !! I don’t look forward to the long recovery time! xo
Ooooh, poor Chelsea. The same thing happened to our rottweiler when I was a teenager. Poor thing eventually could not get up at all. Glad to hear from you and hope that your health issues don’t cause you too much grief.
Thank you! Poor ‘ol Chelsea is so, so old these days but wow – cannot believe she is nearly 16! I thought I’d be taking her to the vets today but again she surprises me and was much better today. xo
Glad your daughter has been having a great time. Sorry to hear about your dog. It’s never nice when you get to this stage with a pet.
Thanks Jess. She’s been having a fabulous time – lots of pics with new friends and always laughing and having a ball. Yep – it’s hard when our dogs get old. This will be the third time for me. It doesn’t get any easier. xo
Dogs can require so much care. My dog needs a needle and two tablets every 12 hours. It’s times like that which make it convenient that my husband is too sick to work – he can take care of the dog. Fingers crossed for Chelsea.
They sure do need a lot of care – particularly when old! Chelsea needs a tablet morning and night and these days I have to make sure she gets outside regularly to the toilet + more demands she makes in her dotterage. She’s nearly 16 so we know her time is limited. Either she’ll just go or we’ll need to know when it’s time. It’s not nice. xo
Wow. So much going on Min. it will be amazing to see your daughter again and hear about all her travels. But it will be so hard to say goodbye to Chelsea. We have a 13 year old lab, and although he’s still in pretty good health, I can’t bear to think about saying goodbye.
Hope you get to the bottom of the best solution for your health issues too.
Thanks Jodi. Yes just a few things on the go at the mo. Cannot wait to see and hug my daughter next Monday! As much as I think I’m ready to let Chelsea go – I know I’ll be devastated and cry for days. I’ve lost two previous dogs. They are all like my children. Hopefully your lab will have years and years left yet! xo
I’m glad to see you back. I hope that your health improves for you soon. Chelsea is absolutely gorgeous too.
Thank you Tegan! 🙂