Month: November 2009

I bought a blue car today

Well, I didn’t actually, but after spending most of the morning crying, I was due for some good news.

The very gorgeous Kate texted to let me know that she was able to get me 2 tickets to see Alan Cumming‘s new show, I Bought a Blue Car Today. If you don’t know of him, do a quick search. He was the dreamy guy that rescued Romy & Michelle from the horrible school reunion, he was the MC in the latest fab production of Cabaret, and he even has his own fragrance – be sure to click the link and watch the video if you don’t mind things being a little bit saucy on your monitor.

Inigo is having a nap, I am catching up on some email and then hoping to have a nap myself, then I’ll cook dinner for Inigo and drop him with Grandma and Papa, and head into the Opera House for a proper grown up night out.

I definitely need a laugh.

Oh, and the other thing…

The other thing that could be causing internal bleeding is coeliac disease.

And the happy thought for today?

I am going this afternoon to visit a friend whose 10 year old daughter is in intensive care at Westmead with pneumonia. She is apparently going up and down, so they are hopeful she will be home within a few weeks, but I can’t imagine how terrifying this is for her parents and her sister.

Whinge…

Moan…

Complain…

It’s all I ever seem to do around here. I feel horrible, I don’t know whether I feel worse because I feel worse, or because I might actually be really sick, and the dr is taking me seriously. Normal iron deficient anaemia happens over time, a gradual worsening with poor diet and insufficient iron intake. But because I gave blood on the 15th of October, I can’t have had low iron then, or they wouldn’t have taken my blood. So I’ve developed this deficiency in less than a month (felt like overnight to me…), and that isn’t normal.

The most likely causes of this type of anaemia (according to wikipedia, the font of all wisdom), are parasites or intestinal worms, gastro-intestinal ulcers (causing internal bleeding), and bowel polyps and cancer. That’s quite a spectrum, and though it would be poetic justice for me to have bowel cancer, I can’t believe that is it.

So, happy thoughts….

I saw the lovely Anna today, and she is spectacularly amazing. Of course, she will never be the same person as she was before Lara died, but she is finding some joy, and life is slowly gaining some colour for her.

Inigo has discovered big and small. Today we have been alternating between small (gentle and quite) cuddles, and big (loud and wobbly and squeezy) cuddles. There is no possible way to describe the joy of a small boy launching himself at you demanding “BIG CUDDLES”, and then collapsing, paralysed with glee in your lap. Or his soft breath, asking with perfect manners, “little kiss please Mama”.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

I’m not iron deficient

I’m anaemic.

Which accounts for my extremely low energy and lethargy. Doc has given me a referral to see a gastroenterologist and a different (chelated) iron supplement.

I cant get in to see the specialist until January, but if I’m not feeling significantly better in a month, well do some further investigations.

I am also going to do spirometry next week and do a proper asthma plan, and possibly see a specialist for that too. Possibly we’ll be able to manage my asthma without daily steroids. And I think that is worth looking in to.

So thanks everyone for your gp suggestions – I now feel like I am on the right track!

If you have a minute

Spare a thought for Squishy this afternoon. We’re off to Westmead hospital for his hearing test. I have no idea what is involved, and they are always lovely at the children’s hospital, but he is old enough now to completely. lose. his. shit. when anyone he doesn’t know tries to touch him. I suppose his over medicalised past is coming back to haunt us.

Anyway, I have a bag full of food that (hopefully) will distract him for long enough to get the test done.

Hellooooooo

CBHH-09OOJIU BVT 09iuhgv

That was Inigo’s post for yesterday, but silly me forgot to post it.

I was at an ABA conference (training) all weekend, so I neglected to blog except for the scheduled posts. On the upside, I did get signed off on 2 and a half units, so it was a really worthwhile weekend. Not to mention catching up with a whole lot of amazing and inspiring women! I had been feeling really down about my training, and even considered giving up.

But now I am re-energised (emotionally, physically I am still a wreck), and keen to power along to the finish line 🙂

Feedback

Sometimes, it’s really, really nice to be told that you look like shit.

Ordinarily, that might be the sort of thing that makes a person feel a bit self-conscious. But tonight, when a dear friend gave me a hug and got me a chair, I felt nurtured, cared for, and validated.

I feel like shit. Today, a pharmacist (at the ABA conference) told me that the iron tablets I’ve been given won’t do anything except make me constipated. Apparently, unless you take chelated iron, it passes through your system without being absorbed. Hooray.

Silly me was hoping a few days of supplements were going to make me feel dramatically better, but so far, I still feel like crap.

And look it too, apparently.

APMAIF

The World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, article 5.5 prohibits seeking direct and indirect contact with mothers of infants and young children, that is children up to 3 years of age. UNICEF has previously stated that: “any form of contact with mothers of children under 3 years is prohibited, irrespective of the motivation behind the contact.”

If you get a free sample of an artificial baby milk, or are invited to join a branded “club” (as is being widely advertised with prize giveaways at the moment), you are witnessing a violation of an international code that is designed to save lives.

The APMAIF is a regulatory body that is designed to oversee the marketing of artificial baby milks in Australia. If you see a breach of the code, you should report it to the APMAIF, and they should follow up and stop the breach, and punish the offender.

But the APMAIF is an industry body. It is made up of all the companies themselves, and they have absolutely no desire to follow up on breaches of the code. The lunatics have taken over they asylum, and are handing out happy pills.

So next time you see formula on special, or grab a parenting magazine with a formula sample in it, complain to your local member. The APMAIF won’t do anything about it.