Health

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February 22, 2009 in Friends, Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | 2 comments

Sorry to  have been absent – I swear, this sinus/migraine headache pattern is NOT FUN!!  And I have been doing a lot of sleeping again, which is ever so boring to blog about.

However, I did play photographer for Sue one day last week – her sewing is awesome, I think she’s just getting better and better!!!

I took a heap of patterns around to her place the other day to sort out – and discovered that I keep buying similar things!  So it’s WAAAAAAAAAY past time to make up: *deep breath* A pencil skirt, a pinafore, a puffy sleeved blouse, and a tailored jacket.

Possibly this is next up: Do you think the straight skirt or the swingy flared version is that way to go?

Simplicity 3673

Simplicity 3673

Migraine

February 16, 2009 in Health by Caitlin | 2 comments

after months of no migraines – 2 in 3 weeks.

Pardon me while I go throw up again.

Apparitions and Non-Appearance

February 14, 2009 in Friends, Health, hjørse, møøsejacking by m00se | Permalink

Møøse has been sighted here and there.

  • Hitched over the top of the big wall map in the Krappenhause;
  • Hidden in the folds of an apron hanging on the pantry door;
  • Lastly in an undisclosed location (Caity does not know where Møøse may be).

moose

Hjørse is far less subtle, and has been found in many places, even vexing the Teabot 5000™ by impersonating a lump beneath the covers, while the cold-blooded Teabot 5000™ slept on top of the bed again.

Indulging his propensity for bedclothes, Hjørse retreated to an unused quilt, only to be discovered by a cold, sore Caity…

… the very same Caity who has proved impossible to dislodge from bed this morning. It would seem Caity gets lunch in bed, as well as breakfast, today.

At least her new hair colour is Teabot 5000™ approved.

And way of Møøse is subtle.

More positive news!

February 4, 2009 in Friends, Health by Caitlin | 2 comments

Went to the pyhsiotherapist yesterday, who said: WE CAN FIX YOU!!

YAY!!

Turns out that a lot of my hip problems are caused by very weak deep muscles – hence my balance probelms and arlaming tendency to fall down and hurt myself.  I now have a new regiem of strengthening exercises – some of them obvious, like being able to stand on tip toes with eyes closed for increasing amounts of time; and some that look like I’m just lying down but in fact I’m making very controlled movements to work deep muscles in my hips.  Cool, eh!

And my Personal Training session is today, so I can ask Gwennie for help in getting the exercises right.

(Have I mentioned how much I’m enjoying the gym?  I LOVE THE GYM!)

Ok, I'm not up to star jumps in heels yet, but I LOVE GYM!

Ok, I'm not up to star jumps in heels yet, but I LOVE GYM!

Off to lunch with the girls today – photos to follow later!

Australia Day. Ugh…

January 26, 2009 in Health, Mental Health by Caitlin | 1 comment

I slept through most of Australia Day.  Don’t know if I ate something wrong or just picked up a bug – but it wasn’t pretty.  So – I’ve got nothing to report, AGAIN.  *sigh* Terribly boring of me.

Trying to get in to see a doctor tomorrow – should my back really still be hurting this much eight days after a fall?  Then I’ve got the psychologist AND the psychiatrist to see this week.

Psychology and Psychiatry

Yep. That’s always FUN.

Tomorrow HAS to be better, yes?

The Price of a Lesson….

January 20, 2009 in Books and Writing, Gym, Health by Caitlin | 1 comment

Falling over at step class: free.

Supports to help heal the injuries: $120

Ankle brace

Ankle brace - not MY ankle, obviously!

Feeling like a TOTAL TWONK: PRICELESS.

*sigh*

An expensive lesson in not pushing myself QUITE so hard quite so fast.

Still feeling quite cross with myself, but I need to keep going.  Pilates class tonight – normally I would do this on Monday mornings, but my ankle and calf were not going ANYWHERE yesterday.

Not much else going on – just about finished reading this:

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale.  Interestingly, the same Great Detective, Mr Whicher, was a key investigator in the case of the Tichborne Claimant – something of a celebrity connection with my home town of Wagga Wagga, NSW!

And now, I’m off to the libary, because I’m about to enter into that most dire of states: I HAVE NOTHING TO READ!! Then to Pilates class… ouch ouch ouch ouch….

The Utter Awfulness Of Mirrors

December 24, 2008 in Family, Health, Memes rants and silliness, Mental Health, Vanity, Weight Loss by Caitlin | 4 comments

… so back at my house, we have only acquired full length mirrors quite recently.  And I generally manage to avoid them by keeping them strategically filthy, so I can’t REALLY see myself in them, just a quick passing glance.

But here in my brother and sister-in-law’s house, the room I am staying  in has MIRRORS.

The ubiquitous "shot in the mirror" picture

The ubiquitous "shot in the mirror" picture

BIG mirrors. The kind you CANNOT AVOID.

Uggggh.

Naked Caity is NOT something even *I* want to witness first thing in the morning, let me tell you!

And I just got out the scales. NOT GOOD. *sigh* I didn’t think I had been over-eating, but obviously I was wrong.   Thing is, I FEEL better.  I can walk more – in fact, as soon as it’s a little bit cooler, Bidgee is taking me for a rousing game of Stick in River.  I’m still tired all the time, but feeling a little bit stronger, y’know?

But the weight loss stuff needs to get back on track.  SERIOUSLY.  (Not that I’m going to be all prissy tomorrow – you should SEE the feast my lovely sister-in-law and Mum have been working on!)

My lovely sister-in-law, Eunju, peeling prawns for the feast

My lovely sister-in-law, Eunju, peeling prawns for the feast

*sigh*

Well, time to stop moaning about it and go out and do some interval training with the dog.  (In my interpretation, we walk for a bit, then run for a bit, then both stop and pant for a bit, then run for a bit….)

Later,

Caity the waddler

It had to happen eventually…

December 12, 2008 in Health, Home and Garden, Memes rants and silliness, Mental Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | 4 comments

Here at Chez Beloved, we’re fighting a (losing) battle against these rotten little buggers:

!)@*(#&@*& PANTRY MOTH!!

!)@*(#&@*& PANTRY MOTH!!

They are EVERYWHERE.  And it’s going to be very expensive to get rid of them – not because it’s an expensive process per se – just some pheromone based traps from the supermarket, and a good wipe down of everything – but because you have to THROW OUT EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE INFESTED.

Oh sure, some of the food can be frozen, that kills the blighters. Unfortunately, even though we have an insanely large fridge/freezer, there is NO space in the freezer section at all.

So MOST things  -  like flour, spices, rice, pasta, etc etc etc – basically anything not in a TIN (although I believe the moths are secretly breeding a mutant SUPERMOTH to even get around that difficulty) have to be tossed.  *fume*

MOTHRA!

MOTHRA!

And the moths are, of course, in my sewing room as well.  Which is why my grabbing the lidless can of this

Spray Starch

Spray Starch

and attempting to spray it around the room -INSTEAD OF THIS

FLY SPRAY

FLY SPRAY

was inevitable.

However, those moths have the CRISPEST, MOST CREASE FREE WINGS you ever saw…..

*headdesk*!!

PINK! And other happy things

December 9, 2008 in fabric, Friends, Gardam's, Health, Mental Health, Other Sewing Projects, Vanity, Weight Loss by Caitlin | 10 comments

Ok, just so we’re clear, I don’t mean THIS Pink -(tho I LOVE her!)

I mean THIS PINK!

Yep, I was bored at the hairdressers today – bored with being grey.  So – if I’m going to colour my hair, I thought, why not COLOUR it?!

Pink! I like PINK!

Pink! I like PINK!

And although the weight loss is still slowed waaaaaaaaay down, I’m feeling better about it and back to counting calories.  I thought you needed to see me posing in front of our suburb’s emblem: the abandoned car surrounded by unmown lawn.  CLASSIC!

AND – I had the NICEST thing happen to me today!  You know I just ADORE our local fabric heaven, Gardam’s, right?  Well, I went in to pick up a layby (pics to follow soon, I promise) only to have the lovely manager hand me an envelope and explain that it was a gift certificate from Mr and Mrs Gardam!  YOU COULD HAVE KNOCKED ME OVER WITH A FEATHER!

Of course I spent it immediately on more yummy fabric, LOL!  Seriously, their store has the best service and fabric – there were some young things in there today making choices for bridesmaid dresses and I promise you, these would NOT be  “Bridesmaid Dresses” – you know, the ones that are so unspeakably awful that you look at the photos and cringe – no, these girls were playing with  gorgeous silk chiffons over some luxe duchess satins – soooo pretty!

And now I must go and retrieve my new fabric from the washing machine – by the time Miss Constance and I get back from our walk, it will be ready to iron, cut out and sew – wheeeeeeeeeeee!! Another iteration of the fabulous trapeze dress from McCall’s 5583, this time in a rayon/poly/nylon blend that has an interesting (almost looks like velvet but it’s not) texture in black – prefect in case I get to go out some evening on holidays.  And now I know that dress doesn’t need a zip, it’s even quicker to make.

SCORE!

November 17, 2008 in Health, Mental Health, Vanity by Caitlin | 8 comments

3 new pairs

3 new pairs!

Reddish/burgundy leather round toe slingbacks: $230 $40

Red patent leather, wood stacked heel, basket weave at toes: $239 $40

(One can never have too many red shoes!)

Black kid pointy toe quilted flats: $299 $40  (my concession to having to occasionally revert to flats.  At least these are kind glam, with their nod to Chanel’s delish quilted flats…)

SCORE!!  Should I go back tomorrow and get the pink sandals? Hmmmmm….

All from Arabella Shoe Boutique’s back room sale.  Normally all I do at Arabella’s is leave nose prints on their windows… cos I can’t afford even to walk in the door!

Sue got the most fabbo pointy toe burgundy pumps for $20 – I mean, how could you POSSIBLY not get them at that price?

In other news… I now am the proud owner of a copy (in almost my size – will have to enlarge the waist, grrr) of this beauty:

Simplicity 4260; ©1953; Misses’ and Women’s One-Piece Dress: “Simple to Make” dress has short kimono sleeves and bodice underarm section for freedom of action. Concealed pockets in flared skirt are optional. View 1 buttons down entire front. Collar and cuffs are contrasting. View 2 has wide shaped neckline. sleeves open at outer edge. Buttons close dress to hipline with a pleat below closing. Saddle stitching trims the dress.

Simplicity 4260

Simplicity 4260

The envelope for mine is really tattered, but the instructions are there and the pattern has been neatly cut.  Which to do first – the super cute crisp white collar and cuffs (perhaps in a white pique if I can find some?) or the lovely shaped neckline with the shorter sleeves with slit?  Oh decisions, decisions….

And in health news: the swelly belly isn’t going down.  In fact, it’s getting worse.  *sigh*  Ultrasound of my liver tomorrow morning (cue Monty Python’s Meaning of Life Liver Donor Sketch running in my head…) and reverting to gluten free diet (even though the gastroenterologist swears up and down that I don’t have coeliac. Grrrr.)

And my fabulous primary health care doctor has made arrangements for me to see a psych about my OCD issues.  Woot. I’m – thrilled?  No really – it will be good to get some help.  It’s just that – well, if it’s not one thing, it’s another – when will I be FIXED?!  (can’t get the parts, you know, out of warranty…)

*sigh*

Oh – and thanks for those who were worried, but Toowoomba didn’t get the big storms that really hit Brisbane  – as usual, the storm went around the hill.  We only got some heavy rain for about 10 minutes and drizzle since then. Some suburbs in Brisbane were severely damaged.  Our roof leaks in one or two small, manageable spots, but apart from that we’re fine.

Hoping to do some sewing tomorrow…

Blah.

October 16, 2008 in Health, Mental Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | 3 comments

Think I overdid things in the last few days.  Hiding in bed today feelng particularly blah. I want to be sewing, but I’m too achey.

wheeeeeeeee!

*sigh* just pretend this is me having fun, ok?  I’ll be over here in the corner chewing painkillers and whimpering…

GIRLY DAY!

October 9, 2008 in Health, Mental Health, Other Sewing Projects, Vanity, Weight Loss by Caitlin | 15 comments

Sue and I had the BEST girly day out today!  We were originally booked in with a make-up artist who was coming up from BrisVegas – for whatever reason, that didn’t happen.  But we kept the booking with the cosmetics counter and ended up getting much better value for money!

First thing: I’m not a warm undertone at all – I’m COOL? (Yeah, you always knew I was cool, eh?!)  In fact, I’m not an Autumn at all – I’m a WINTER!!  Look, here I am in pretty pinks – looking HEALTHY!

Pink lips, pink blush, turquoise(!) eyeliner

Pink lips, pink blush, turquoise(!) eyeliner

And look how far I’ve come: this photo was one I posted in May this year: (Admittedly, a less flattering shot, with too much flash, but still…)

May 2, 2008

May 2, 2008

I’m bloody AMAZED! So you’ll be seeing me in more of these colours:

Winter colours

Winter colours

(Someone who happens to be one of my very dearest friends and who IS an Autumn is going to get some fabric, LOL! but not that Japanese piece, I’m planning on cutting into that TONIGHT!)

Sue and I both DESPERATELY want to go see Kerryn and get our colours and image style done - I think that it would best the absolute BEST treat once I reach my goal weight,  don’t you?

After the whole skincare and makeup stuff was finished, we went for a coffee and then a little shopping – until all of a sudden we realised it was quarter to FIVE! (our appointment was for 12:30!)  We both tried on a new perfume (which I am totally in love with, the mandarin and pepper notes are just gorgeous) and went to the discount cosmetics shop for quick drying nail polish (bare toes, need polish!).

And we did a lot of sneak shopping – I wish I’d though to whip out my camera phone for some details: tops with masses of pintucks; a shirt with a lovely wide collar shaped by an inverted pleat; covered buttons and beads embellishing another pricey jacket; colour combinations to reproduce.  All things that we could add to our sewing…

I had the nicest day!  And now I’m feeling much more confident about going for  new colours – I just want to get sewing! And now I know what colour make-up to buy,I’m saving up and veeeeerrrry gradually getting myself new things.  WOOOOOOOO!  Look out world, Caity is BACK!

Doctor, and fabric

September 25, 2008 in Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | 1 comment

(Well, my 6 week (only 5, but who’s counting!) check-up with the doctor was GREAT!  He’s very pleased with my progress; when I said how much better I was feeling, he said “I’m not surprised – I’ve been inside your pelvis and it was a MESS!”

I mentioned that my belly was still very sore.  He said “well, we did have you open right up to HERE” [pointing to the bottom of my sternum].  OW!

So I’m cleared for swimming, sex (yay!) driving, housework, gym – just so long as I take it gradually.  He’s given me a script for oestrogen, which I can start on November 11 (12 weeks post surgery) and then I see him two months after that to see if it’s working ok for me.

Apparently the oestrogen will help with the excess hair (mops up the free testosterone) as well as the bladder owies – who knew that your bladder was so affected  by oestrogen? And will also help with my skin.  Yay!! Not to mention the hot flushes, irrational crying, and insomnia…

Here’s the fabric for the trapeze dress – artfully (!) draped over the ironing board.  It’s freezing cold here tonight and I’m a leeeeeeeeeetle concerned that I have chosen a high summer sort of dress for the Frock Up… time to think of a Plan B! (TeaBot5000™ just read this over my shoulder and commented “Well, just have a hot flush, you’ll be right!”  *sigh* sad but true!)

Told you it was LOUD!

Told you it was LOUD!

Just sayin’

September 20, 2008 in Health, Memes rants and silliness by Caitlin | 3 comments

Or actually, if you could hear me, that would be more like “jutht thayin OW OW OW!”

Mouth ulcers? Weren’t.

Nope, another fabulous side effect of recovery from surgery/wonky hormones: Oral Thrush.   (Trust me, do NOT look that up under “images” on google.  Nuh uh.)

It’s treated by letting prescripti0n* fungicidal lozenges “dissolve slowly in the mouth.”  Ever had zinc lozenges?  Well, imagine those except grainier and flavoured with artificial lemon. ICK!

Better than a mouth and throat too sore to swallow…

(yes, I’m eating yoghurt, lots of yoghurt, plain low fat greek yoghurt.  The coolness is helping more than the “probiotics”, I think.)

I’ll be the one here in the corner, whimpering…

* ‘o’ replaced with ‘zero’  in an attempt to stop spam bots… who particularly enjoy that word.

Machine Rebellion I – TeaBot 5000™ temporary takeover.

September 15, 2008 in Guest Post, Health by Caitlin | 1 comment

Transmission begins

TeaBot 5000™ was built before those silly pollution laws, but even this unit must admit that the subject of Going “POOT!” has been constantly on-topic of late at Chateau Haphazard.

The nasty adhesion thingies were definitely having a profound effect on the efficiency of Caity’s tucker processing system, and the ozone layer was the worse for it.

TeaBot 5000™ is excused from putting broccoli in the bubble-and-squeak as part of the Kyoto Protocol.

Immediately after the operation, when Interchangeable Nurse Unit Number (Whatever) annotated the bed-end chart “Patient is passing wind freely“, and Herself snorted, “Free? For a show like this, I should bloody well charge admission!”, the subject of finding a cartoon by Patrick Cook was raised.

At the time, TeaBot 5000™ was unable to comply. A TeaBot unit has one of the best memory arrays available, however… While doing some houseworky things quietly, in order to let Herself sleep (bad night again!), this unit was uncluttering a bookshelf, and turned up an old book of Mr Cook’s cartoons.

No flatulent koalas (for that was the initial request), but here are a few Cook koalas. Caity does not know these are being posted: I hope she likes them too.

End Of Transmission

Boring… and I have nothing to wear

September 13, 2008 in Health, Other Sewing Projects by Caitlin | 10 comments

… here we are, day 26 after the operation. I’m still super tired, and needing painkillers every 4 hours… unless I sleep though, which is nice, I guess.  My tummy is GINORMOUS – seriously, from standing up I can’t see my feet.  And sore -  yikes, is my belly sore!

I’m also worried about being careful and not lifting stuff, or overdoing things – not easy, when just doing the dishes (Poor Teabot5000™ was exhausted, and it was something small I could do…) wears me out.  The big fear is developing more adhesions – I do not want to EVER have to have abdominal surgery again, since I now know what a low pain threshold I have! (Hardly surprising, given I’ve been in chronic pain since 1992 – yep,  16 years will really burn that message into your neural pathways, huh.)

Also – I can’t have hormone replacement therapy for at least another 2 months – arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!  Anything that acts like estrogen (ie, anything that works to stop the symptoms!) could trigger any remaining little bits of endometriosis  – and then we’d have to do this all again.  No thanks!

The hot flushes are much worse at night (why?!) When I can sleep during the day I might only have one or two, but at night they’re ALL THE TIME – just far enough apart for me to hope that I might actually get some sleep and then the next wave hits.

(I’ve put the picture for this post and more sewing stuff below the cut, as it’s got nudity.  (Not mine!)

Read the rest of this entry »

Ugh. Three weeks Post-Hysterectomy

September 8, 2008 in Health by Caitlin | 4 comments

And I feel like my belly will never un-swell!

Still quite crook.  And tired.  (insomnia + the newly installed HotFlash© technology + irrational crying which I KNOW is irrational = BLAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Look for a further update from the Teabot5000™ soonish.

Two weeks…

September 2, 2008 in Health by Caitlin | 2 comments

First time I’ve felt able to post, and it will be a short one!  Thanks so much for all your good wishes – it’s going to be a while yet before Bouncy Caity™ is back, but I’m making progress.

I have to hold on tightly to my tummy when I walk or it feels WEIRD – like it’s going to wobble right off!  And “gas pains” – yeah, let me tell you about “gas pains”.  That’s my second favourite piece of nurse-speak in this whole thing.

Cos when they tell you “You’ll experience some gas pain for a while” what they MEAN is: “A sharpened cast glass tornado will rip your insides out from your bum to your breastbone.  Then if you’re VERY lucky you’ll make a teeny weeny fart.  Repeat.”

Ouch.

My favourite piece of nurse-speak was written on my chart (yes I read it, wouldn’t you?!) and was an observation written by staff in the recovery unit before I was moved to the ward: “Patient no longer screaming quite as much.”

Lovely bit of understatement there, eh?

Everything is EXHAUSTING, just taking a shower puts me back in bed for the rest of the day!  Short visits might be nice soon though.

And thank you notes are going out in the mail asap – really, this whole process would have been MUCH worse without your love and support!  Of course, thanks most of all to the Teabot5000™, who I’m sure will keep you all updated. Mit pretty pictures, even!

Best way to get in touch is on my mobile – SMS is good.  If you need my number, send an email.

I’m off to take the next round of painkillers (YES – GIVE ME PAINKILLERS!!) and collapse again for a while.

CaityStatus 01SEP2008 1347HRS

September 1, 2008 in Guest Post, Health by Caitlin | 4 comments

Transmission begins

TeaBot 5000™ is here again, for Caity’s little friends and playmates, with another update.

The outer bits of The Incision are looking pretty good. There is less angry red among the stubble. Both this unit and Caity wish they knew of a solvent that is capable of shifting whatever diabolical gorilla-snot adhesive was used in the dressings.

Even the old faithful orange-oil based cleaner didn’t quite remove the sticky stuff, which has now gone dark grey with accrued fluff.

Inside, there are ominous thumps, grindings, and the occasional shower of sparks, as the amended version of the Works settles into its new configuration.

The thermostat of the Caity is also suspect, and it may become necessary to remove this component and soak it in white wine vinegar for a couple of weeks to remove scale and accumulated tea deposits.

At least she’s reading again…

this unit will need to make a library raid very soon. The sheer volume of books building up round the bed has caused this unit to wonder if there is not some ulterior motive…

The challenge of providing interesting food which doesn’t breach “diet kosher” is a constant one. Teabot 5000™ did some peculiar things with a lemon, some chicken breasts, and various herbs, which was voted Pretty Good. Tonight may default to Soup, as the Teabot battery pack is a tad faded.

End Of Transmission

Low-power CaityStatus report 27AUG2008 1300HRS

August 27, 2008 in Guest Post, Health by Caitlin | 4 comments

Transmission begins

TeaBot 5000™ and Caity are both in need of a recharge!


Flatter than these!

Yesterday was Caity’s visit to Dr Girlybits, where Staples Were Removed…

[CaityQuote] “Gee, staples in my middle: this is the only time I’ll get to feel like a centrefold!”


How The Staples Got There

And things were done to make the poor lass feel a bit better…

[TeaBot 5000™ transcript] No, darling, you’re not really falling apart. It’s a nice, neat, clean piece of work. You should get the fellow quilting…

No, I’ve always looked this pale. I am NOT looking like I’ve seen a ghost.

Caity is still in deep recovery mode, as can be seen from the fact SHE IS NOT READING. [Now you are looking a tad pale, Gentle Reader.]

She’s asked me to thank the people who sent the flowers and reading matter (with especial gratitude for the potato thingy).

TeaBot 5000™ will now close down temporarily. Can you say “Nanna Nap”, little friends and playmates?


Yes, content has gone downhill in Caity’s absence…
End Of Transmission

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