Thank you, Covid
In my most sarcastic voice ever. Thank you Covid.
You messed up a whole year of Zander’s swimming. He worked so hard and you took away a whole year.
Last year, he qualified for SA Level 2 on the very last race of the season. He was SO happy and we were all so very proud. The weekend before levels though the country was locked down thanks to Covid.
They could only start training about 3/4 months later? Then they had two “drop and go” galas where we couldn’t even watch them swim. He did very well in those galas, qualifying for level two in all the freestyle, breaststroke and 200m back. He trained extra hard in the gym and then training in the afternoons. He was extremely motivated and ready.
Then he got Covid. Funny thing to put here. He tested negative even though he had ALL the symptoms. After Covid he has been battling with extreme lung pain and we couldn’t figure out what was causing it. Well, we saw a Cardiologist who picked up on a heart condition! and he sent us for an antibody test. Guess what, this mom was right after all. He did have Covid. The lung pain is from the Covid and now, a year later, he will be missing out on his SA Level 2 gala again. I’m so upset for him. Especially knowing how hard he worked to get there.
Life can be so darn unfair 😦 I whole year. I just hope that this pain won’t linger much longer so that he can go back to training.
Still sick…
Or should I say he is sick again? I’m losing track. He has been sick so often 😔
He had all the symptoms of Covid but tested negative. He has been sick for almost three weeks now though and he is not near better. His symptoms aren’t the same as when he got sick originally but he has been ill 🤒 for almost three weeks now.
At this stage he has, in his words “excruciating pain in his lungs”. He was diagnosed with bronchitis last week. He is worse, so we had a follow up xray but it shows healthy lungs now. Now what…
My mom had a good idea that I check the side effects of the medicine I use when I ventilise him and I just had to laugh. The one is “pain anywhere in your body”. Well that pretty much covers it all! 😂
So… It might or might not be a side effect. We will never know!
Grade 9
Children attending government schools and even some private schools, cannot go to school yet. Not surprising the schools aren’t ready to handle all the children and be Covid compliant…
However, this does not influence homeschooling. Zander started on Monday.
Unfortunately, no second day of school for him. He has a horrible middle ear infection. Hopefully tomorrow we can continue again.
No swim training though and that is the worst thing that can happen in his life. 😅
Stressful week
This week has been hectic to say the least.
Tuesday Zander went in for his operation. Even though he was so unhappy about having to go, he is doing so well now. He has not complained about pain once. Taking it all as just one of those things. I am very proud of him.
Then however he got a rash. Didn’t bother me at first since it looked like an allergy. It got worse though and looked more and more like German Measles. Now that in itself is not a problem but my brother’s wife is pregnant and has seen Zander since he has had the rash. I would be devastated if she got German measles from him!! I can’t remember when last I stressed that much. Just the thought of what could go wrong. I took him to TWO doctors who both said it is an allergy. In the end my SIL also said that is immune to the virus. Oh my soul. That morning was horrible.
That was also on the same day Tommie went in to hospital to have skin cancer removed. Thankfully that went well. He is sore but the doctor is happy that he got everything out.
I have had to catch up on a lot of things at work. I was also alone in the office, with my dad working in Louis Trichardt.
I have also been really sick and in a lot of pain thank to the meds I took for an allergy.
I am glad we survived this week…hectic.
Now I just need to do Christmas shopping……
Staying home
If you know me real well, you will know that I don’t easily stay home when I’m sick. I have a true believe that feeling sick at home and feeling sick at work is pretty much the same. You will still feel sick. At least at work, you get stuff done. However, I’m not getting better and coupled with an epileptic attack, I’m not “firing on all cylinders” – like my sister-in-law said - so maybe staying home is not such a bad idea.
As I’m sitting in bed though, I actually got thinking about this staying home thing. ‘
I’m home now. It’s cold in the mornings, so that is a good thing.
However, this afternoon I have the kids run. Zander has extra classes, Jason has tennis matches. Quintus thankfully nothing for today. I’m going to be out and about anyway.
So I’m having a sick morning. Back to full-time mom mode this afternoon.
We have something in common
I like to watch people. a People watcher I am
When I sit at oncology every morning, I do the same. I watch people. I watch the interaction between the staff and all the patients.
I notice how every single person is friendly. (Except for the b!tch at reception)
The staff is friendly because they want to create an environment where people feel more relaxed. Where they try to turn something horrible into a situation that you can cope with.
The patients are all friendly as well. Friendly with each other. With the staff.
The interesting thing is that it seems as though race and culture differences are left at the front door. Black people and English are spoken to by Boere Afrikaans people as though they are their long lost family. There is no “I got cancer thanks to apartheid”. It cannot be blamed on someone else. There is no looking down on another person. It’s almost like one would like South Africa to be. Everyone treated equally.
Why would this be? Because they all have cancer? Maybe. I think that being vulnerable, being scared and unsure – that is what makes everyone equal.
Fighting for and against the same thing. That is what makes everyone equal.
It’s not my story
I am too honest on my blog. I’m mostly not afraid to share my story. We all have a story, right? However, if it’s not my story to tell I don’t tell it at all.
Since things have happened that’s not my story to tell but that has affected me directly, I have not blogged. It felt like I would lie….blogging as though everything is just dandy. I miss blogging though. So I will blog.
Jason has been feeling ill since Wednesday. I picked him up at school and he had SUCH a high fever. Terrible headache. He also had a test the next day and wanted to study. I felt so bad for him. He was lying on the floor in my office, with a cold cloth on his face and answering all my questions. When we got home Tommie told him that he couldn’t go to school the next day but he insisted. I picked him up yesterday and again he had fever.
Last night I decided to keep him home today. There’s no test today. He should rather stay home and rest. Well, he woke up and there they were. Many many little red spots. Some he scratched during the night. Some just starting to blister. Chicken Pox. Urgh.
As soon as he realized he would miss the rest of his exam, he started crying. He was SSOOOO upset! He is doing SO well with his exams and wants to write the last three. Well, I’m sure there is no way he would be able to do so. I feel so bad for him. I know where he is coming from. I used to be like that as a kid.
Nothing we can do about it now though. I just hope the headaches go away now that the blisters have come out.
Gatvol
I’m so sick and tired of not feeling well. To make matters worse, I hate complaining (and I don’t use the word hate lightly)
My back has been acting up for no reason. This morning I was just sitting in bed and wham … nerve pinched.
Yet another ear infection … where are we now? Number 8 since April? Three weeks I think since the last one.
My hand….I actually don’t even want to discuss that. To say that it was a mistake to have it done is a mild understatement. It hurts every day. All day.
I’m gatvol. Gatvol of not feeling well.
I’ve been sleeping really badly. Kinda like having a baby in the house again lately. That’s a whole other blog for later.
I’m looking forward to going away next weekend. Klein-Kariba for a long weekend (or like Jason says – Kleintjie Kabba) We just love it there.
We bought a boat a month ago and since then have not been able to ride on it once lol Quintus has been writing exams (so proud of how well he did) and then last weekend and this weekend it’s been too cold (what with overwhelming heat during the week!)
I know it all gets better again. This is just this moment. But now, this moment, my ear hurts, I battle to type and I can’t sit any longer.
So cheers. I will complain no more!
My mini-laptop
While in pain and feeling very sorry for my own self, I made the final decision about my cellphone upgrade. Definitely not an easy one since I did love my BB.
It is great in what it does. Social networking doesn’t get better.
I wanted more and got that with the Samsung Galaxy S2. Wow. Speechless.
Almost makes me forget the pain. Although not at all. I’m in such pain. 😥 Honestly didn’t think it would hurt this much. Even didn’t go to work on Friday. I don’t easily not go in because I’m feeling sick.
Anyway, I love my phone. Thanks to my Boetie for doing all the research!
Tantrum
and by tantrum I don’t mean the one a child has. I mean the one two I had today that would make any two year old jealous.
Firstly, I have ear ache AGAIN. This means that I pretty much have no patience. Really. Someone is trying to stuff a hot needle down my ear, every. single. second. I’m sick of it. I’ve been painless for a week. This is NOT funny. I’m sure my family is gatvol of it too. Can’t be fun living with me when I’m feeling like this. But they love me and say nothing. Or they are scared. Probably more scared.
So back to my tantrum(s)
First one at Pick ‘n Pay. Staff shouting at each other from one isle to another one. Stock not available. Just plain bad service. Then off to the tills to pay and there is THREE tills open! In the whole of Pick ‘n Pay!? Three!? I stood for 0.2 seconds, then threw the stuff down on the closest possible stand and left.
Went to Ackermans at the very same centre, to get Kyla a couple of vests. Small Ackermans, so normally we don’t wait too long. I get to the till. Three people ahead of me. I have precious little time before I have to be at the doctor for said ear. Very impatiently waiting. In walks this woman, right past everyone in line to the till. Puts down her pile of clothes and gets her wallet out. WTF!? I stare …. then says that she should get to the back of the line. She looks at me like I’m a small bit alien. Then starts talking to the other cashiers. That was it. My tor het afgeval. I just grabbed the clothes I wanted to buy, walked past everyone and threw my clothes on top of hers. Walked out and decided that I would never again put my feet in that store.
Did the tantrums help? Not one bit. My ear still hurts.
This is the life
When you are 5 years old and don’t feel too well.
When it’s very cold outside and you don’t want to go to school.
Where’s the best place to be?
In Ouma and Oupa’s bed of course!!!
Bad day at school
I picked the boys up at school and sure wasn’t met with two happy faces.
Jason looked as though he had been in a fight. Half the skin of his face is still somewhere on the school grounds, since it’s no longer on his face. Thankfully it wasn’t due to any bullying. He tripped and fell.
To add to the sad face, his teacher took his yo-yo and he can only get it back at the end of the term. Poor kid wasn’t even playing with it. Another child took it and played with it. This is when the teacher decided to take it. I understand her point but shame man…my kid is very upset.
Then Quintus got to the car as pale as can be. He is nauseous and his stomach hurts. Head ache and all. Clearly some or other stomach virus. Poor kid. To make it worse, he is busy writing exams 
Some days, their days are way worse than mine!
I’m alive
The past five days was no fun, I can tell you that. BUT we seem to have come out of it now. First the boys got a horrible stomach flu but thankfully for them it was over in 12 hours. I of course, sat in the bathroom with little boys crying (in Jason’s case screaming – I do feel sorry for his wife).
Just as though got better, I got it and even now I’m not feeling 100 %. At least now I can eat and drink some. It was nasty.
We put in another offer on a house. This one we will have to wait some time to hear if the offer will be accepted. We live in hope 🙂
Rugby season has started in full force. Jason unfortunately didn’t make the team (they choose the team yesterday) but he seems completely fine with being on the bench as a reserve player. I’m very proud of him for handling it as well as he is. Especially after going through all these injections to try and reduce his allergy problem, just to be able to play rugby.
Quintus is still stressing about his place in the team. They will hopefully know on Thursday who has made the team.
I have convinced Zander not to play rugby just yet. There is more than enough time once he starts school next year. It took some convincing but he is also fine with it now. I’m just scared that he’ll get hurt. A year makes a big difference at their age.
So so selfish
*Warning* If you smoke, be prepared to feel upset about what I’m going to write.
I can write this because this is my reality. Again. I have 1st hand experience in this and you won’t be able to change my opinion. I know that this doesn’t happen to other people. This happens to real people. So don’t try.
************
Smokers are selfish.
Yes, you’ve heard this many times.
Yes you say it’s your personal decision what you do and what right do we have to tell you what to do.
Of course it’s your decision. It’s your decision to be selfish. The fact that it’s your decision, doesn’t make it right.
We all know that smoking causes cancer. Right?
You know that if you smoke, the people around you can get cancer.
Babies exposed to second-hand smoke are two times more likely to die of SIDS. Second-hand smoke is associated with 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations of infants and toddlers annually, leads to 136 to 212 deaths in children 18 months of age or younger, and contributes to 8,000 to 26,000 new cases of asthma in children each year.
Not selfish? What is it then. A gift to those you love? “Here…let me give you asthma. Cancer….
So yes, that’s not selfish. That’s your choice.
You know that you can get lung cancer from it right? Throat cancer.
Cigarette smoking kills more Americans than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, homicides, suicides, illegal drugs and fires combined
Yes, your grandmother who smoked her entire life didn’t die of cancer. I’m really truly happy for her.
- Smoking causes many other types of cancer, including cancers of the throat, mouth, nasal cavity, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix, and acute myeloid leukaemia.
- People who smoke are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smokers, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking also causes most cases of chronic lung disease
But, this is your choice. You know that you have a risk of dying and you are willing to take that risk. So if you ignore the fact that you harm those around you, yes …. this is your choice.
Do you ever think what it would do to your family and friends if you did get cancer? If they had to watch you die from cancer. If they were left without a Dad, a husband, a son or daughter?
Yes it’s your choice.
Poor and sick
That’s how I feel after today. Poor and sick.
I did go to town and buy all the clothes and stationary the boys need. Including a new school bag for Quintus. I could feed my kids for a month with that amount of money.
Then my ear infection got much much worse. I’m so sick of being sick.
One more day till school starts….
During holidays …. during summer
Why oh why do I have a sick child over Christmas? Poor Jason really has it bad. Whatever it is. He has a fever on and off and sore stomach on and off. This from Christmas day.
My throat (only on the one side!?) feels like I’m swallowing a small knife every time I swallow. Of course the good old ear ache goes right along with it.
Wouldn’t it be real nice if we had a doctor in the family? Well…we do but he doesn’t live near us. Wouldn’t it be great to just go for a cup of coffee AND a check-up? Coffee and cookies, check-up and prescription. All in one.
I could really do with that today instead of waiting till tomorrow.
Rough week
I’m so glad it’s weekend. It’s been a tough week…actually starting last Saturday with me having to take Jason to ER due to a bad ear infection.
I worked all of Sunday, since there was a big dead-line looming. As with any deadline – there’s loads of added stress.
Monday I had a small fall-out with my father-in-law, that ended with him shouting at me. I don’t like people shouting at me. He apologised to Tommie the next day but not to me. Since he shouted at me, I expected him to apologise to me. Anyway ….
Then Quintus got sick. He didn’t want to go to school but is writing tests and I felt he needed to be there. Getting him up and ready, was no fun.
Every morning this week, we ended up doing some or other school project that was only remembered at 6:30 am.
Zander got sick…as in high fever sick. Not lekker at all. He is still sick. Now I have three children on antibiotics. At least one of the three is feeling better now.
Work was hectic and still is hectic and will be until December some time. I should be used to it by now but it seems to hit me unexpectedly every tax season.
Last night Quintus and I stayed up late to study and we were up early this morning again. I think he must be so tired. I hope he doesn’t go to bed too late tonight. (He is sleeping over at a friend, since they went to a church thing together tonight)
Tomorrow Jason has his first cricket match of the season (did I mention I’m cricket coach as well!?) I’m hoping that it will be fun and I am so thankful to have my dad help out as well.
House of sick and injured
Zander has flu and has had flu all week long. It’s pretty amazing that he never shared his germs with my mom, who just had an operation done on her shoulder yesterday. Her muscle had torn loose from her bone and the whole operation just sounds extremely painful to me.
This morning Zander woke up with tooth ache and by now he has a swollen cheek from it. Our dentist / friend has not been answering my calls and frankly I might have to kick him when I finally get hold of him.
Then tonight, Quintus’ hamster broke his leg. Yes…you read that correctly. He broke his leg. His little tiny bone has pushed right through his skin. We did take him to the vet and we tried to get it back in it’s place and bandaged up. Unfortunately it didn’t last that long. Tommie though, managed to redo the bandage later at home and it seems to be holding.
I must say that seeing my husband (already in his pj’s after taking an early shower) rush out to the vet, was very sweet. (not to worry…he stayed in the bakkie when we got out) The vet was so sweet. I honestly didn’t think he would be that soft and caring towards a hamster but he was.
Quintus was in tears and even my ‘tough’ little Jason couldn’t handle it. He walked away, crying.
When we got home, the little thing just slept in my chest for hours. Felt so sorry for it.
Tonight before bedtime, Quintus said that he now believes the old people were right. Friday the 13th is a bad day.
It’s all in my mind!
So it’s not my teeth (checked that out yesterday) and my ENT says it’s not my ear either.
I have found out that I have lost another 6 % hearing in my right ear and more calcification behind the eardrum and my jaw ligament as well. Lovely. Old 36 year old I am! lol However, none of that should cause ear ache.
Apparently it can be caused be a nerve in my neck (which I already have problems with), my bowels (please do I want to add more to the list?) or something that I didn’t even hear (might be because I’ve lost even more hearing)
I don’t think I want to look into anymore. I’m not one of those people who want something wrong. I’ll treat it with anti-inflammatory when needed and see how that goes.
So apparently it’s all in my mind. Actually it is!!! Right about round my ear area! ッ
Bad mom … or not
The past couple of weeks, I have been every BUT a good mom. I even contemplated changing the name of my blog. Bad mom … or not. The kids could hardly do anything right and as life goes, they choose the past couple of weeks to behave badly as well.
Then, as I sat in the doctor’s office today (or actually lay there while he pushed ointment into my already extremely painful ear), I realized that I had been so short-tempered ever since the earache. It’s been three weeks now. Earache is nobody’s friend. It’s constant and way too close to the brain.
Now at least, I feel a tad better for being on edge lately. Hopefully this week, we’ll sort out this ear issue. The doctor says my ear looks very fragile. Siestog.
Recap on today
Tommie decided that I looked too peaceful to wake up this morning. Granted, I played musical beds with all three my children during the night but still, waking up at 7 am is not my idea of ideal. Somehow Jason took it very well and was actually ready for school without a fight!
Quintus is sick and truly, he is not the best patient. I feel so sorry for his future wife. He complains a lot. He has this special complain voice. Is not fun.
I took him to the doctor and he has bronchitis and sinusitis. Enough reason to complain, I know but sjoe…that complain voice.
Anyway, we also now know that he has torn his meniscus in his knee. Don’t worry, I also had that blank look but thankfully google is amazing and I now know it’s his cartilage. No wonder the doctor was way more worried about that than his sickness. He has two weeks to keep his knee still (hahahahha) and give it chance to heal itself. If not, off to theatre he goes.
I do think him having bronchitis is God’s way of keeping him still. Shame, he really doesn’t look well.
I’m also feeling sick but mom’s don’t get to be sick, so best I ignore that.
My bakkie, Hendrik (yes my bakkie has a name that my SIL gave him) must also be sick, since it wouldn’t start. Fun times. At least it was after I bought cappuccino, so I calmly sat and drank my cappuccino while waiting for my mom to come save the day. Hendrik is with the technicians as we speak I write.
Things are going to get better ne’. Oh, my boys lost 6 school jackets/jerseys/track suit tops in 3 weeks….could be 4. Jason will be going to school in non-school jacket tomorrow. I will go look in the lost-and-found department at school, if maybe it isn’t there. I’m thinking, I’ll take the boys’ birthday money and buy new tracksuits. Maybe they’ll think twice before losing the jackets.
Worried
I’m worried about Quintus’ knee. He hurt it last week Thursday in a rugby game. Very first scrum of the game. Unfortunately there were no replacement players and he had to finish the game. Which he did and I think he ended up playing a good game too. That night though, he couldn’t walk and Friday morning he was even worse.
I kept him out of school and thankfully with the long weekend, he didn’t have to do much but rest. Unfortunately though, the knee did not heal up as I had hoped. It was still swollen and he can still not put his full weight on it. After speaking to the doctor’s assistant last Friday, she said I didn’t have to take Quintus to see him as there’s not much that they can do.
Well today I took him to another doctor and he is not happy. He says by now (a week later) it should have healed up and he is worried that there is a tear in his ligament or even worse that he has injured his cartilage. He is on medication now and if by Sunday his knee is not significantly better, he has to be admitted to hospital so that they can do a scope.
He has a rugby game tomorrow and was so hoping that his doctor would tell him he can just bandage it and play. However, he said there is NO way he is playing tomorrow and so far, not next week either. He immediately got tears in his eyes. I felt so very sad for him. I know how important his rugby is.
We’ll be there tomorrow. To support his team. I do hope his knee will heal up before next week. I really don’t want him to have serious damage to that knee.
Funny … or not
This is funny in a not so funny way.
Jason has been feeling very sick from that double dose of measles injection. He has been complaining of headache and has had fever on and off.
This morning he woke up, complaining of a tummy ache. I gave him medication for that and we were all on the bed enjoying a late morning of doing nothing. progressively his tummy got worse. And worse. The crying started and got worse. And worse.
So I jumped up, rushed through the bath, with his crying and shouting intensifying. Clearly his appendix is on the verge of bursting or something like that. I get everyone to move their butts, get ready…we now need to hit that hospital ASAP.
I tell him to get up but he tells me he can’t do but eventually he does. Still crying.
He is in the bathroom for what feels like forever and as I take a peek, he is still standing, taking a pee. Well….he walks back into the room. No tears. Up straight.
“I think I just had a big wee”
Don’t wanna go!
I’m having a day where I’d much rather stay in bed. I fear killing people around me. One of those days where no-one in particular is the cause of my irritation, yet I’m irritated.
Staying in bed would work. Very well.
Unfortunately we have a birthday party to attend. One of those friends, where if you go, it ends up being a whole day and too long a night visit. Maybe I shall fake a headache or hang upside down from the roof and say I’m a lightbulb….crazy will be a reason for coming home right?
- Quintus hurt his knee in the first scrum of his last game. He can still not put weight on it. I really worry about him playing hooker. The most dangerous position in the whole team. Really really worry about it. I hope his knee will be better before their next game, as they don’t have a replacement for his position.
- Zander has bronchitis although he is pretty much over it now.
- Jason got a double dosage of the measles injection! and is really not well. He has fever and a huge headache. I have definitely seen him better. I’m so upset about the injection thing. How on earth do you inject a child twice???
I suppose I must go bath and get ready for the day. Although listening to Jason, I might just have a valid excuse to stay home.
Super Mom .... or not 