Everybody Hurts (SU triggers)

[Paula]

Today is the funeral of my friend who took his own life a few weeks ago. I’m struggling with that anyway especially today, but my bible study was about death, and I got in the car to have REM Everybody Hurts on the radio. Trying very hard to keep it together….

[Jaquaia]

Sending you much love. (panda)

[Strugglingmum]

(panda)

[Paula]

The service was lovely but awful itms. I was keeping it together until his wife got up to speak…… I’m absolutely drained so sitting under a blanket and resting

[Jaquaia]

Good. I'm glad you're looking after yourself (panda)

[Allalone]

(panda)

[SJW180]

I understand that it’s hard for those left behind but at the same time your friend is no longer in pain. I suppose when someone takes their life it’s hard to comprehend and you ask yourself what you could do differently for them not to have made that decision. In truth, mental illness is a potentially terminal condition and some of us just don’t win the battle. I’m sorry for your loss but I’m glad that you’ve opened up about this difficult topic.

[Paula]

So, it’s been a difficult week. Had a call from my GP about my latest bloods. My lithium was toxic which affected my thyroid and I’ve now got high levels of calcium in my bloodstream.. I was dehydrated and told to massively increase my fluid intake, have repeat lithium and other bloods done in 3 days, double my thyroxine and repeat thyroid bloods in 4 weeks, and have an urgent ECG as lithium can affect the heart. Repeats show that drinking more has helped the lithium but calcium still up so I’ve got a face to face with the GP on Monday to ‘discuss’ that.

[SJW180]

That is who Lithium scares me. You are usually on top of these kind of things though. Let’s hope that all levels return to normal asap.

[Strugglingmum]

Hope things settle soon

[Paula]

Might have been, if I hadn’t slipped on Katie’s kitchen floor - I have bruise and a very sore hip….

[SJW180]

Any news on your levels yet?

[Paula]

I’ve got another blood test next week

[SJW180]

Ouch on the slip. Hope you are resting. Other than the bruising, how are you feeling?

[Paula]

Well, yesterday was tough. Work til 1pm, CPN at 1.30, GP at 3pm….. bloods are being redone (inc parathyroid) on Thursday. If calcium levels still up I’ll be referred to endocrinology. By the end of it, I was exhausted and stressed.

My email telling me I could collect my recent assignment marks and feedback came yesterday morning and I decided I wasn’t going to look at it yesterday as I’d had enough stress. Anyway, that resolution lasted til about 5pm. 90%!!!!! I’m glad I did look at it - a much better end to the day :)

[SJW180]

A busy day maybe but what what a great result for your assignment. I’m guessing you treated yourself to a restful day today?

[Jaquaia]

Well done!!!! Nailed it!!!

[Paula]

Rest? Ha. No, was studying and had a very intense session with my counsellor mainly focussed around ‘why am I so hard on myself’…… it’s taken her quite some time to get to that question ;)

[Strugglingmum]

Well done Paula

[Paula]

After a very long morning doing a walk around a maternity dept to check it’s fully accessible, I get home to find I’ve been referred to endocrinology triage, and my parathyroid hormone is high. Not unexpected but it’s just one more thing wrong with me….

[Jaquaia]

(panda)

[magie06]

You will soon have the full set! :s

[Paula]

I’m going for the alphabet!

[Strugglingmum]

(panda)

[Paula]

Just done the 4th medical appointment this week. Got a few days extra to do my assignment. So, after a stressful week, I can relax a little bit…..

[Jaquaia]

Relaxing sounds exactly what you need!

[magie06]

Why not take the night off from here?

[Paula]

Why not take the night off from here?

lol

I am, though, taking a complete self care day tomorrow :)

[magie06]

What happened to the self care day?

[Paula]

Doesn’t mean I can’t keep an eye on here ; I am being good otherwise, promise lol

[Paula]

How does this make sense? My current assignment is to present my essay plan for my final assignment. Except part of the essay relates to digital health, which is the last block of work to do……. Which we haven’t done in time to prepare an essay plan on it!

[Jaquaia]

Hmmm... That sounds really odd

[Paula]

Aaarrrgggh looks like Jess is moving out next month!

[Jaquaia]

That seems sudden! How do you feel about it? (panda)

[Paula]

It is sudden, her friend’s flatmate needs to leave - it all happened in the space of an hour.

I’m a bit conflicted. She’s my baby!

[magie06]

Ooh. Empty nest! I can understand the conflict though. Aisling will be off to college next year, and I'm trying to get used to the idea already.

[Paula]

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks. Final push for uni this year is keeping me glued to my laptop, Si has Covid, and we’re getting ready for Jess’s birthday and for her moving out on 13th.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw my GP, telling him my thyroid was obviously under active as I felt like crap. He straight away said, those are high calcium/hyperparathyroid symptoms, bleeped the medical team up at the hospital and sent me up to a&e. They quickly got me up to a ward, thank God (the woman next to me had a fish bone in my throat and needed emergency surgery, poor love….). Anyway, they’ve put me on medication which lowers calcium levels, have referred me for scans and then I see the endocrinologist. I’m chuffed as otherwise I might not have seen anyone til June/July and already I’m feeling better with the new meds. Medication is not a long term answer - the likelihood is I’ll need surgery to remove 1 or more of my parathyroid glands, but that’s a worry for the future - not now

[Jaquaia]

(panda)

You're bloody amazing, do you know that?

[Paula]

lol, why?

[Jaquaia]

You have been hit with an awful lot yet you face everything head on. You could be excused for wallowing, yet you're cracking on with life. Your strength is amazing

[Paula]

Thank you

[Paula]

Si didn’t manage to keep covid to himself….. Jess’s birthday is Friday so I’m cross that all our plans have gone out of the window

[Paula]

Day 8 and I’m still feeling really rough. I’ve got my final assignment of the year to write and I’m struggling to manage even 1 hour at a time. And we’re moving Jess out on Monday….hey ho, it’ll all get done - it has to

[OldMike]

I've had covid a couple of times and it takes ages to get over it.

Must have missed it is Jess leaving the family home and moving in to her own place or have I got it totally wrong (think)