Christmas goodies

Thanks to those who endured my post-Christmas whinge and even more thanks to those who left comments.

Now to share the goodness of the season.

First of all, the little town where my parents live is in drought-stricken north-west NSW. We had rain on Boxing Day and even more yesterday. To the people who live here, and especially the local graziers, it was a welcome sight, sound and smell. And I'm sure the "firies" (rural fire fighters - mostly volunteers) camped on the local showground were also pleased to see the short-lived deluge!

Dad is here again on a day visit. There is an argument raging at the hopsital between the one local doctor on duty and the more experienced nurses on whether he should be allowed home permanently. We'll see how it pans out, possibly as soon as tomorrow.

On the gift front, from my parents I received a Knit Picks Options (now Knit Pro in Australia) needle case. Unfortunately it will have to be returned to Morris and Sons when I eventually get back to Sydney as one of the zipper tags snapped in half when I tried to open it to the first time.

I received three books, only one is knitting related. From DD and SIL, there was this which I'm looking forward to reading:

From Sister and Family there was this which I have read cover to cover and am now itching to get home and get started on a new craft:

From WM there was this:

and finally this for encouraging exercise without boredom:

Some silver linings in the dark clouds overhead!

The saga continues...

Firstly, merry Christmas to all my blog-reading friends. I hope yours was better than mine!

Secondly, thanks to all who left a comment on the last post and to those who read it and sent good wishes my way - I really appreciate your support, concern and prayers.

warning: the rest of this post is self-indulgent “getting it off my chest”. You may not want to read on!

As you can imagine, with the urgent phone call from my mother last week, my plans were put on hold. And what were those plans? Well, among them were to finish the baby blanket which is currently on the needles (it was supposed to be a Christmas present) then cast on and finish another baby blanket! I also had to write about sixty Christmas cards and do my Christmas shopping. None of which happened although I have made some progress on the first blanket since arriving in Tamworth.

While in Tamworth, I tried several times to get my Christmas shopping done. Not knowing the local shopping centre (there is no big shopping mall) made it quite difficult but the biggest interruptions were related to cars and/or hospitals. The first time I got a phone call from my sister to say that the mechanic wanted mum's car (which I was driving) straight away - DD and I were looking for maternity clothes that time! The second time I had to get the car to the tyre service place for a wheel balance and alignment and ran out of time. No problems, I thought; I would go shopping after visiting hours - the major chain stores were open until midnight on 23rd December. Another phone call - Dad was being transferred to his local hospital and mum was leaving Tamworth in one hour and I was going with her!! No more shopping for me - my parents live in a small town (population 1300 people) and everything is closed by 6.30pm except the two clubs. Fortunately, I had managed a present for everyone except WM and he is very understanding of the whole situation.

So, mum, DD and I drove the 145 kilometres (90 miles) back "home" on Wednesday afternoon, stopping for a late lunch along the way. Then, the following day - Christmas Eve - we drove back to Tamworth to have Christmas morning at my sister's place (dad's orders!!). WM and SIL left Sydney after work at 2:30pm and arrived in Tawmorth at 7:30pm. DD, SIL, WM and I stayed in a motel - I just couldn't face staying in a stressed over-crowded house again! On Christmas morning we all went to Mass (DD, SIL, WM and I are no longer Catholics but it was what mum wanted). then we went to my sister’s house for the exchange of presents and Christmas lunch. It was dad's wish that we all spend Christmas together "as usual". There was nothing usual about it - 16y.o. Niece went to her boyfriend's house because she couldn't go in the afternoon as had originally been planned. The gift-giving was rushed because 19y.o. Niece had to catch the only flight to Sydney at 2:40pm and had to be at the airport at 1pm. The plane was late so lunch was delayed. We finally got away from Tamworth at about 4pm for the trip back to my parents’ home town.

By the time we arrived, dad was stressed because he had expected us much sooner. I’ll just leave it by saying that the time we spent with him was stressful and angst-ridden.

Today my father is at home. He left the hospital at 10.30am and has to be back at 4:30pm. He is annoyed because he thought he was coming home permanently. Tomorrow they will reassess the situation and we will have to take each day as it comes. My parents don’t like this - they like everything planned well in advance. As an example, on Christmas Eve mum wanted to know who was going to drive her car home on Christmas Day! We hadn't even got to Tamworth yet! It’s that kind of worrying about little details that is wearing me down; not to mention the constant sniping from overstressed people.

Right now Dad is ensconced in front of the Cricket (boring!) so I have taken a break from being always surrounded by people and retired to a steamy, but quiet, computer room.

DD and SIL are on their way back to Sydney via the CountryLink bus and train service. She has been with me for the eleven days since we left home and I’m going to miss her cuddles and quiet support. It has been the most time we have spent together since she was married last January and will probably be the last time as her baby is due in nine weeks. I miss her terribly and even writing this has made me tearful.

WM is with me now. I am hoping to get way from here in the next few days. My emotions are raw and I am living on the edge. I return to work in early February and want to have a real rest before facing a classroom full of beginner-English learners again. But I can’t help wondering how mum (who has had three minor strokes in the past) will cope, physically and emotionally, when none of us are here.

If you have read this far, God bless you for your patience. I wasn’t going to publish this post but I need a release and I can’t get it in my physical environment! Even though I have met very few of you in person, thanks for being a real sense of support in a time in which I feel like I’m living my life with moving goal-posts!

Where, oh where, can she be?

Hello dear friends

I am not lost nor have I been abducted by aliens (LOL).

I was diagnosed with a relapse of chronic fatigue syndrome in mid-November. My doctor wanted me to stop work for the rest of the year (the Australian academic year ends in December and resumes in February). After some negotiation, I worked for three weeks until 9 December, two and a half weeks earlier than I would have otherwise. I also resigned from one of my two teaching jobs.

My doctor's instructions were for rest, rest and more rest!

Last Tuesday night, at around 8pm, my mother called me in tears. The doctor at her local hospital had told her that dad would probably not make it past Friday.

After mum's phone call, I had the dubious honour of calling my sister and brother, plus my father's brother and sister with the news. Everyone raced up to Tamworth (400km - 250 miles - from Sydney where we all live) to say their goodbyes. But the prayers of the faithful were effective and dad pulled through.

He was transferred to Tamworth Base Hospital about two hours after the call, where he is slowly recuperating. His potassium level was so high last Tuesday that a cardiac arrest was a distinct possiblity. His potassium levels were brought under control and he underwent surgery two days later. Today the catheter and the drip were removed and he walked about six metres. It's possible that he will soon be sent back to his local hopsital but there is no way that he can go home yet.

WM, brother and SIL went home on Saturday. DD and I are living in my sister's house with my mother and my sister and her three teenage kids plus one of the kid's friends! Life here is very tense and everyone is very stressed - especially my sister who works in retail (it is, after all, three days before Christmas).

When my father is transferred to the local hospital I will be moving to my parents' house with WM (who fortunately is also on annual leave) until dad comes home. DD will return home on 26 December with SIL who will be driving back to Tamworth on Christmas Eve with WM who finishes work at 2pm. It is a five hour drive so please pray for safe travel if you are so inclined.

So much for rest, rest and more rest!

So dear friends, if you don't hear from me you'll understand why. I am not at home and don't have ready access to internet. And, for those of you who believe, please pray for strength for all concerned and may the Lord's will be done in all situations.