Diddy update #6

We're back!!! Yay!!! So glad to be home.

What an ordeal. I have had such a good week. First thing I did when I got home Monday night was go to the gym for 1 1/2 hours. I then went to the gym 2 hours on Tues and 2 hours on Thurs. Who would have thought?? BIANCA exercising for fun and stress relief?!? It is weird. I have always hated exercise because I associated it with stupid diets. My whole mentality was that it was a waste of time to go to the gym if you weren't on a diet. I have no idea where that idea came from. But this year I decided it would be a nice escape if I joined the gym and had some 'me' time.

Monday night at the gym was just what I needed. Kylie and I talked and talked our way around the whole circuit and the treadmills while Ben dealt with Diddy at home. I came home feeling a million times better.

Diddy has been really sooky and clingy since we came home. I was a bit teary about it the first few days because she has always been such a happy baby and back home she just seemed miserable. But she is slowly getting better. She knows now that mask means sleep. I think her protests are more about having to go to sleep and less about the mask.

I purchased an oximeter the other day. She has started snoring even with the mask on. The nurses did tell me that the pressure they have given her on the cpap will need to be increased at some point (a task I cannot do - the machine is locked to her pressure) as she adjusts to having it on. So rather than stressing out about her oxygen levels I spent $500 on a machine that will monitor them for me. It may seem a bit excessive, but it's better than stressing about something that may not be anything. $500 is a small price for peace of mind I reckon!!!

We have also had to make some altercations to our caravan to be able to run the machine even when we are not at a powered site. It is actually quite good. We already had a kick arse battery in our caravan that ran the fridge. Now we have power points attached to it so I CAN TAKE MY HAIR STRAIGHTENER on the trip!!!!!!! Actually the power points were put in especially to run Diddy's cpap machine but an added bonus is I can charge the lap top and use my hair straightener!!!! I know, I know.... I usually look like I haven't even run a brush through my hair - let along a straightener!!! (truth be known usually I haven't even run a brush through it). But every time I wash my hair the intention is there to straighten it and do it nicely.... I just always run out of time - or get distracted!!!

I have been a bit down this week, which has made me do a lot of shopping and chocolate eating to ease the depression. I am pleased to announce that it has worked - or HAD worked until this afternoon (I will fill you in on that later). The shopping sprees have led me to discover that I really like Lorna Jane. I always thought that it sold cheap sports clothes for middle aged ladies. I was looking for some new yoga pants and when my usual shopping haunts couldn't provide for me (Target, Kmart - yes I am not trendy AT all!) I decided to go have a look to see what they had available. Oh wow!! It is definitely not cheap!!! I can't believe people pay that much for gym clothes!!! I can't believe I spent a fortune (sorry Ben) on clothes there!! I bought these new pants called 'Flash Dance Pants' and they are the most comfy pants I have ever worn. I feel like I could climb a mountain in them then put on a nice shirt and look presentable for dinner at a fancy restaurant. I bought them in two colours and am seriously considering going back for more. For me fashion is all about comfort. If I find something that is comfortable then I will buy it in every colour available. I'm sure you are all well aware of the 3/4 sleeve, v-neck, light cotton shirts from Target that I have in 5 colours and wear continually! It is all a delicate balance though. I'm still waiting to decide how much trouble I will get in from Ben if I go back and spend more money on 'Flash Dance Pants'. Once I am certain he will not leave me if I buy more, I might go and get them in blue. Hmmmm.... I think I might add 'Flash Dance Pants' to my list of favourite things I wrote on my first ever blog (all about me - and my 4 little distractions). I am a bit concerned that since I wear Lorna Jane now that I might be officially classed as 'Middle Aged' though.

The reason that I am bummed this afternoon is because Kris and I went to visit Sammy. We took Kylah and the babies with us and had a bag full of craft stuff to do with her. When we got up to the ward she wasn't in her bed. So I asked the nurses and they told me she had been moved to intensive care. So down I went to see if I could go in and see her. Unfortunately, since I was not family, I could not go in to visit her. Her own family hadn't been up to see her in intensive care yet so I was quite upset. Kris and I walked around Southbank for a while and then went back in. This time they let me in as they had rang her mum, who had given permission for me to visit. She didn't look very good. She was sedated and didn't look well at all. My heart broke. I couldn't even give her a cuddle as she was asleep. I am hoping and praying that she will be well enough soon to move up to the ward so we can go back and see her. Poor little thing. It isn't fair that someone so young has to experience so many difficulties.

I came home from the hospital all teary and depressed. Ben suggested that to get out of my rut we could do my yoga dvd together followed by some boxing. So the kids Ben and I all lined up in front of the telly and did 25 mins of yoga. Jazzy piked about 2 mins in and Ben didn't last much more than 10 mins. But he said he enjoyed watching me do it - lol!! Then we followed up with me letting out some steam by hitting Ben with boxing gloves. Amazingly, Ben was right. I do feel a lot better now!!!

As far as managing Diddybell I am back to normal now. I don't feel restricted in any way, having to carry the cpap around. I am not easily phased. Kristy pointed that out this afternoon when she said "not much bothers you. Most people would be bothered by the washing pile at your house but you don't seem to be".

Anyway, I am going to sign off now. I have just organised for my kids to have a play with some of their friends tomorrow arvo so I thought I might bake some muffins for the occasion.

I don't think there will be anymore Diddy updates anytime soon but I will aim to keep going with my regular blogging. I have decided to blog my way through the Northern Territory and we leave in two weeks!! I will have to do a couple of blogs about our plans before we go.

Might try to do them after I get the muffins in the oven.

xx




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