Catch Up

It's been awhile so time to update!  We are home and will be home now until we leave for our big trip to the South Island in two weeks. The motorhome is in for a minor repair and there is lots to prep for being away for so long.  I need to consider what bedding to take for example... it's hot here now and we are only sleeping with a sheet and an empty duvet cover.  Once away though the nights will get colder so I need to consider that without taking too much weight or bulk.  First world problems.

Stu has gone over to stay with his father tonight.  His Dad has a medical appointment this afternoon and wanted Stu to be there with him.  We don't know if it's good or bad news. I was going to go but have decided a break for a day or two from Stu would be good for us and also spending a couple of days with my FIL might do my head in!!  

I also had a fight with Stu the other night.  We were video calling his niece who is now doing the cleaning for FIL and while chatting Stu tried to shut me down.  It was when we were discussing cleaning a dishwasher so not private talk or gossip.  He said 'don't talk about that, we aren't discussing that etc' and really tried to cut me off very rudely.  I said basically 'hang on, I'm just telling Laura something' and he kept at it, shutting me down.  Well I just exploded and yelled 'stop telling me what to say'. 

Yes, he'd had some wine but I have noticed that this behaviour of his has been creeping in lately. Telling me what I should think or say... um no, that's a BIG NO from me.  Anyway we talked about it yesterday and he is very apologetic and I seriously don't think he has realised that he's become so controlling.  I look up to him for many things because he is very wise and clever in certain areas but I have a fully functioning brain and my own opinion and thoughts. Perhaps being older than him he is starting to kind of 'look after me'?  Well that stops right now.

So there you go, a break for a day or two to reset :)

We had the boys over the weekend which was absolutely lovely,  Charlie one night and Cole for two.  I taught Cole how to make pikelets so now he comes home from school and makes them to share around.  The boys seem to get on much better these days which makes us happy.

OK that's my news, life is good and I have a day or two on my own!!  I'm off to drop stuff to a charity shop and then go shopping.  

~ Lynda

When Cole got home he whipped up another batch of pikelets for the family... he was very proud of the final product!

Art Deco Festival

We have just had the best few days at the Napier Art Deco Festival.  For those who don't know, back in 1931 Napier (and surrounding areas) was destroyed by a massive earthquake and many people died.  The city had to be rebuilt so the style of the time was art deco and now Napier has the largest concentration of art deco buildings in the world!  

The city has played on this to it's benefit and now holds the festival every year.  It had to be cancelled last year due to flooding and previous years were affected by covid.  This year though it has been in full swing, literally!

The costumes worn by almost everyone have been amazing.  There have been vintage car parades, big bands, air displays, posh balls and events and numerous other activities.  We have only been to the free stuff but it's been so much fun.  We have been staying in our motorhome on the Napier foreshore in a space specifically set aside for campers.  We have also done a ton of exercise from bike riding to walking.

Tomorrow we'll be back to visit my friend and then we are off towards home (but not headed straight there).

~ Lynda

Oh look, we found an Irish pub :)

The bike riding was fun.

First day car line up.

Dressed up for the Art Deco evening.

Big band performances in the soundshell.

Fun times

We have visited my friend Anna now a few times and yesterday she was pretty good.  She seemed to recognise us more and there was also a friend of hers visiting from Wellington so it made for a much easier visit.  I came away a little more happy yesterday but overall it is just incredibly sad to see my friend who was so vibrant and full of life, to be stuck in a rest home like that.

The other friend and her husband were staying at my friend's husbands house so we all got a Thai takeaway and chatted well into the evening.  We all agreed that Anna may not live long as it would only take a brain bleed or another seizure.  She is on a 'do not resuscitate" so anything that happens will be final.  It's so incredibly sad because her first cancer was in 2006 and she's had years of illness and recovery and then this brain cancer has been with her for the last ten years or so. It's growing all the time which is why her functions are becoming worse and worse.

On a positive note, this weekend is a massive one for Napier—It is the Art Deco weekend and there will be thousands of people descending on the city.  We are incredibly lucky to have a waterfront spot near the centre of town where we will stay for a few days.  It should be amazing!!

~ Lynda

My dear friend of 47 years... she is the same age as me but sadly has not had good health now for many years.

Craggy Range winery with Te Mata Peak in the background.

Craggy Range

Parked up at Napier on the foreshore ready for the Art Deco weekend. That's us on the left.

There are bike trails all over this place and they run right beside our park, hopefully I'll get out for a ride before too long.

A sad day

Today we went to the care home to visit Anna, my best friend since I was 20.  We have been through so much laughter and sadness throughout our lives.  She has suffered the effects of tumours in her brain for many years after years of fighting cancer throughout her body.  It is hard to imagine how much suffering she has been through and now she can no longer speak or move. 

Her days are spent reclined in a chair and her husband goes in everyday to feed and care for her.  The last time we saw her she could laugh and say some words and you really knew that she was aware of who you were. Now she is like a mere shell of herself.  Much of her memory seems to be gone and while I could tell she did remember some things, most things drew a blank.  I think/hope she remembered me.

It really was one of the hardest visits I've ever had.  I can only compare it to visiting my Dad who was in a similar situation after a series of strokes or to my Mum before she died.  

Other than that sadness today we are having a really lovely time here in Hawkes Bay. The freedom camping sites are fantastic—last night next to the Clive River and tonight at a reserve right on the beach.  Tomorrow hopefully we'll get a good bike ride in as there are bike trails all over the place.

~ Lynda

Our park for the night over looking the beach.

Cape Kidnappers just up the road.

At Elephant Hill winery (across the road from where we are staying).

Finally away again

Well that little health scare was very interesting but I seem to be much better now.  I do have a follow up with the cardiac unit soon (virtual call) but I'm thinking it will be good.

We left home on Monday and are now on our third day literally in paradise.  The first night was spent at Lake Whakamaru Reserve camp which was lovely but very busy being a long weekend.  Yesterday and today we are on the shores of Lake Taupo at Whakaipo Bay.  It is absolutely breathtaking.  Gorgeous native bush hills surrounding the clear fresh water of Lake Taupo.  We had planned on just one night but today is just too beautiful to move on.

On other stuff Cole is miserable at school.  He hates school but I think the reason is that he is not doing well ie, he's not keeping up with class work and is at a loss with his learning.  I feel he should have a private tutor just to give him the bit of help needed to understand the work better but my daughter seems to think it will just stress him more and put more pressure on him.  I disagree but then I'm not the parent.

Stu and I worry constantly about that boy.  He's too old now to be lagging behind and we know his behaviour will spiral out of control as a means of covering up his inadequacies at school.  He's not stupid, we know he's very smart in many respects but if he can hardly write (he reads very well though) and is falling behind in the basics then it makes it very hard.  He has always been a difficult child and has had various things diagnosed.  ADHD, Autism, some sort of defiance disorder... the list really goes on but he's just my lovely Cole and I just want him to fit in and be happy.

I don't need this worry at my age. 

Anyway, back to the slog of sunshine, relaxing and swimming.  

~ Lynda

First camp, Lake Whakamaru.

The beach at Kinloch, next bay over from where we are now staying.

Our camp at Whakaipo Bay (that's us on the left).

Lots or people here yesterday but today hardly anyone. School is back so it's quiet.

My first swim of the year, it was beautiful and I'm about to go in again.

Sunset last night.

Much better

I felt a lot better yesterday and by the evening I had virtually no symptoms. We went to my daughter's place for Cole's birthday dinner and I felt fine.  I even drove home so that Stu could have a few beers.

Today I feel pretty normal and I am so happy and pleased!!  Hopefully this will carry on and whatever happened to be is in the past.  

We are hoping to leave on another motorhome break on Monday.  The plan is to head to Hawkes Bay to visit an old friend. The weather is looking great so I can't wait to 'escape' the city again!  I'm also very glad that I did go to the doctor and hospital that that anything serious has been largely ruled out.  

Stu's father is doing much better and says he is back to normal.  This is really good news :) He is even still planning on travelling to Melbourne in June a Lion's convention.  He's all booked and is travelling with another old friend so I'm sure they'll have a blast.  Thankfully he has taken notice of my suggestion (insistence) that he take out travel insurance.  He was under that misunderstanding that he wouldn't need it for Australia but I put him straight on that.  What if he broke his hip? Heck, any kind of medical event could cause problems (he will be 88 years of age).  

I'm off to enjoy a quiet Saturday night, just me and Stu at home.

~ Lynda 

Cole looking over a very special (and expensive) box of chocolates we bought him for his birthday - they are called "Colestown", he just loved that.

The first one to try.  He had one other and then the box was squirrelled away for another day.

Happy 12th birthday Cole

Improving?

I will use this update as a kind of diary today and update it to record how I'm feeling.  Yesterday morning I was pretty bad... very dizzy.  Stu drove me to my hairdresser for a haircut and while I was there I had to tell her what was going on because I was feeling quite dizzy. 

Later on it all seemed to pass and I can honestly say that I felt fairly normal.  I took my blood pressure and it has gone back to normal as well.  Given that my blood pressure has been quite raised I was rather surprised (and pleased).

This morning I have not felt like I will pass out and am still able to sit and type this.  My blood pressure just now was 116/75 so very normal.  It was going up as high as 149/106 which scared me although they weren't too worried in the hospital because it wasn't in the danger zone as far as they were concerned.  

Today is Cole's 12th birthday, Charlie is still staying with us and we are going to my daughter's for dinner to celebrate with Cole.  

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions.  It's nice knowing that I have my online friends out there and I do appreciate your friendship and feedback.  

Anyway, let's see how my day goes... I'll be back.

Update: Well I've been pretty good today.  A little dizzy and a foggy kind of head but so much better than yesterday.  I do believe it is probably related to my ears (as you've all suggested).  I do have tinnitus that is a little worse than I normally have although no nausea.  

I've read through all the symptoms for the conditions you have suggested and they just don't fit. I don't have vertigo, just a woozy kind of feeling.  I don't have any hearing loss (that I am aware of), I don't feel sick at all, movement does not make the dizziness worse, I can keep my balance etc etc.  The hospital checked for all of these things.  I suppose one of these conditions could present without all of the symptoms so I'll just wait to see what my GP comes up with.  Hopefully it will just go away :)

Anyway, I've just been enjoying a reasonable normal day and even went out and about shopping with Charlie and Stu. 

Fingers crossed I'm over the worst.

~ Lynda

Back home

Well that was an unexpected treat (not) being in hospital for the night! I was incredibly impressed with Auckland Hospital ED though.  My GP wrote directly to them with a referral and when I arrived all I had to say was my first name and the receptionist was on to it!  I was asked to take a seat and within a few minutes a lovely orderly came to get me with a bright pink wheelchair which she called her "Pink Cadillac".  Lovely touch I thought.

I was taken to the Emergency area and waited for a cubicle.  The staff told me that this was the busiest day on record (it was a Tuesday after a long weekend).  Given how busy it was, I was still seen pretty quickly.  I cannot praise the staff enough, every single person was wonderful.  This is when my 24 hours of tests started.  First the nurse checks, ECG and bloods and then a doctor's visit and a specialist.  

After that it was decided that a CT scan would be needed but the funniest thing was when the neurologist looked at my age and said that I was "at that age"??  Meaning what?  The age you start passing out?  The age you are too old to get a scan?  Haha, no idea what that meant but indeed he did order further treatment so I must have passed the age test.  

I had numerous doctors do various tests on me, more bloods were taken and a heart monitor put on me.  No stone was left unturned in the effort to find out what is wrong with me.  They even put a vitamin drip on me). Anyway I was discharged with a ton of notes about the tests done etc and a 24 heart monitor on me.  I'm pretty sure it's not that (as are they but hey, they have to cover their bases).  I have a follow up virtual consultation in a week and following that, if I'm still not good, I presume they will get me in for more tests.

I am still not good by the way.  I have nearly passed out this morning while typing this and also when hanging out the washing.  I really had high hopes that I was OK but it seems not. Bugger. I don't feel confident to drive at all so thankfully I have Stu.  

From now on I will document exactly when I feel good and when I feel like passing out.  At least that will be of some help going forward. 

OK dizzy now so I'll sign off.  Stu is out with Charlie taking the motorhome for a service.  They had breakfast out and Charlie is just living his best life.  Cole is back at school so Charlie is enjoying some individual Poppa time.

~ Lynda

I just knew Charlie would choose a breakfast like this! Pancakes and a butterscotch milkshake (which he's obviously devoured already).