Morning Jules,

Was just wondering how you got on when you visited your Mum this week, and also how your daughter got on at hospital?  I do hope things are not too stressful for you and that you can try and have a relaxing weekend.

I'm waiting for my eldest to come home, he has spent somewhat of Freshers sleeping on fellow pupils floors after social events - latest was a toga party last night!  I'm off to my counsellor this morning, had originally been thinking I wouldn't need to see her for too much longer but have been so emotional this week so will talk things over with her.

The weather is forecast to be nice this weekend but is looking a bit gloomy at present.  Here's hoping it brightens up and the sun shines on us all.  Take care  Hope x

Hi Hope

Hope you visit to the counsellor was helpful and its good for you to be able to talk things through and this should last as long as you need it.

I have just returned from visiting Mum and she was ok though I am sure a little concerned at how long she will be able to stay where she.  She has amazed the staff at how forthright she was when social worker 'interviewed' her and they are left in no doubt as to what she wants. All the care staff came to see me whilst I was visiting to make sure I was okay too - very sweet.  I stayed until she was due to go into lunch and we even managed a bit of a laugh when I showed her latest photos of her great grandson.  He has really enjoyed his first week in Reception and keeps telling his mum that his teacher is the most beautiful one in the school!!

Hubby and I picked him up from school on Friday as my daughter had to return to hospital for a second day of tests and monitoring.  Specialist blood tests with regard to her liver function have been sent off and unless she hears otherwise she returns to clinic next Friday.  The last set of bloods were borderline but all readings for the baby were good.  If the new blood tests show certain 'rises' she may have to be taken in and possibly induced (she is now 37 weeks and would probably welcome is being over and done with!!).  Anyway so far so good.  I have an overnight bag ready and waiting and she has several friends on standby to get her to the hospital if her hubby is at work.  Mind you she is still driving herself at present!!

When we met our grandson at school (its only 10mins to his home) he told Grandad that he could meet us there as it was healthier to walk!!!  My hubby's face was a picture as he drove off and I walked the little tyke home!!

Life's stresses seem to come and go but having the forum to offload certainly helped me to see things in perspective this week though I think my mood swings are more due to hormones than current circumstances.

Sounds like your eldest having a great time during Freshers but will no doubt be looking forward to some home cooking.  Have a great weekend with the family and will catch up again soon.  All the best and look after yourself. Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Glas to read your daughter and Zack have been signed off. That was a nice touch; bringing him into your work place. I bet it pleased you.

Enjoy your two weeks off and bet you are going to give Zack more than a few cuddles.

Do take care, Brian.

Thanks Brian. Yes my workmates have been great support to me and were delighted to see the little new edition.My daughter often pops into the shop when out shopping so they have seen he pregnancy progress - only fair that they can ooh and ahh over the baby.  Think my daughter had done enough for one day though and no doubt she is sitting with her feet up now as her hubby is a wizz round the house and very 'hands on'.  The other Nana was supposed to be visiting this afternoon and the other Grandad (they are divorced) and his new wife will be popping down on Thursday (they come from the North now) so think that takes in most of the immediate relatives visiting.  My daughter is not one to sit still for long and I am going to give her a hand on Thursday (fetching and carrying etc) but expect it will be more like a girlie gossip with the menfolk out of the way. My hubby has been asked to pop into the old workplace as they have a problem to solve (need his brain!!).  First day of my hols tomorrow and I am off to the hospital to get my blood tests done - 6mths has passed so quickly and will be interesting to see the results in a couple of weeks regarding my cholesterol levels.  If nothing else I am a little over a stone lighter!!!  Of course, if the levels have not dropped I will be celebrating with a very large bar of chocolate and then taking the pills!!!

Hope you are feeling much better now and continuing to take it a little easier and also that your wife is feeling better following her tumble.  Best wishes  for a peaceful week and hope you can soon catch up with the grandchildren as they help make us smile.  Jules xx

Hi Jules many thanks for your condolenses, so thoughtful of you , xx I dont come on very often but do like to see whats happening, have a nosey!. I, m not very good at joining in the conversations though.So happy for you , noticed your daughter has been discharged and family all home together xx enjoy your time off work with them, thinking of you often even when I am not on line take care x tonic

Hi Tonic

Sorry to hear your news and my thoughts are with you at this time of year.

Take care and look after yourself and if there is any pampering on offer grab it with both hands.

Mickied with virtual hugs

Hi Jules

Great news your daughter is home again with her little bundle of joy.  Tell her not to be doing too much and listen to what her body tells her.  She will have no worries whenever her mum is about.

Glad to see your hubby's work still call upon him and no doubt he will not hesitate when he receives that call.

Good luck with the blood tests.  My mum has to get those carried out too because of her cholesterol levels.  Heart problems run in her family so she needs to get her bloods checked every 4 months.

Still no news on the work front and as they say no news is good news.  I just recall the same thing happening this time last year too.

Well enough from me and I hope you enjoy your time off with your new baby grandson and daughter.

Take care

Mickied

Hi Hope

Have just returned from some retail therapy (hubby gone into old workplace to offer words of wisdom following them phoning for advice) whilst had a free day (strange but welcome).

Hope you are feeling a bit better.  These bugs seem to be taking time to go once you get them  and am sure your immune system may be a bit low at the moment.  Hope you can get some rest and maybe give yourself a treat (rather than a hard time) to give yourself a chance to recover.  Is your school on half term next week.  I am planning on helping out my daughter when required over the next 10 days as her hubby goes back to work tomorrow. Already booked in to assist with school run tomorrow and Friday (she cannot lift pushchair in and out of flat as yet) Also going to a kids birthday party on Sat p/m as that extra pair of hands and then onMonday she has midwife check up at local clinic and it will  be more relaxing if I am at her place to play with the elder grandson!!!  Have just had my first lot of photos back since the new baby arrived so now have to get a couple into frames.

I managed to fit in my blood tests yesterday so in a couple of weeks will find out if all my good work at changing the diet has had any affect on my cholestrol levels!!  I am telling you if it hasn't I will be having a chocolat-fest.  Mind you I am very happy with the new slimmer me so at least there has been an advantage.

Take care my virtual friend and don't push yourself too hard.  Jules xx

Hi Jo

Lovely to hear that you have a partner that can cook (that was one of my dreams but did not happen - bit like a win a bingo, very rare these days).  Certainly helps you to relax if you do not have to plan meals!!!  Having said that mu hubby has never been fussy about food (even less so now as I constantly have to remind him to eat - managing small meals three times a day and fills up in between on milkshakes and chocolate bars which at least has kept his wait stable-ish the last six months).  Though he is not 'talking about how he feels' - no change there - I am noticing more and more grimaces when he moves and he has more limited movement in his top half so need a bit of assistance to put on shirts, coats etc.  No word of complaint from his though - sometime wish he would have a good rant (and make me feel human!!!).

The weather cleared long enough on Sunday so I did make it to my markets and getting out for a couple of hours here and there helps with my frustrations (cant stop the feeling so trying to curtail it).  Hubby popped into his old firm today (they need to pick his brain so gave him a call and its amazing the difference in him for a few hours!!).  I took myself off for retail therapy and solved a couple of birthday presents and also began the dreaded Christmas shopping.  Why is it so easy to buy for woman but a nightmare when you try to think of the males - ha ha.

Tomorrow I am going to help out with my daughter as her husband goes back to work and she is not allowed to lift for a few weeks!!  Have to say though the little one is doing very well (has been doing four hours between feeds during the night which has really helped her cope).  We are also going to dinner at my Son and his girlfriends on Sunday along with her parents.  We all get on like a house on fire (over a bottle of wine!) so really looking forward to a night out. 

Hope you are continuing with a good recovery and look forward to chatting again soon.  hugs to you and yours   Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Well after still feeling ill with the dreaded bug last night (seems to make a comeback in the evenings), today I feel a little better; which in turn has made me feel a little brighter overall - day off as well so that always helps. Really hoping the roller-coaster of emotions will become easier as time goes on.

Glad to hear you've had some retail therapy, that is what I intend to do tomorrow on my next day off.  Bet hubby is loving going back up to his old workplace, I bet the phoned call for advice made him feel good.  I'm on half-term next week and hope to really get to grips with the rest of the house clearance.  Have arranged for the local hospice that helped Mum and Dad to pick up some bigger items that they can sell in their charity shops.  Apart from that I hope to have a relaxing week as this bug thing seems better when I rest a bit, hopefully will be gone by then anyway.  So much for getting back to the gym everday, I went Monday and felt worse again afterwards so probably best to give it a rest until fully recovered.

Bet you can't wait to help your daughter out, and how fun to be going to a kids party at the weekend, only seems like yesterday I was planning my own kids ones, I used to love it so much.  Good luck with the blood tests and as you say hopefully cholestrol will be lowered, if not then a Cadbury diet may be in order!

Hi Hope23,

Sorry to hear you've been suffering from this bug thats doing the rounds. From what I can gather it seems to hang around for at least 3 weeks.

I do hope you start to feel a lot better soon.Just feeling physicaally lousy is going to upset your emotions, as if you  haven't got enought o cope with anyway.

I think you are right to try and take it easy until you are completely better. My husband , parents and friend have all had this in the last 3 weeks. I am hoping I don't get it but you never know.

Take care

Best wishes

Annabel. xx

Hi Annabel,  Thank you for your kind wishes, and I must admit I'm quite relieved to hear that other people say the bug hangs around for about 3 weeks since I usually shake things off quickly and was beginning to get a little worried.  I know it's only a bug ad usually wouldn't take a lot of notice but there have been so many bad things this year I almost seem to be expecting something else bad!.  I hope things are going OK for you and that you manage to avoid the dreaded lurgy.

Jules, sorry to jump in on your thread, I have left you a message earlier.  Take care both of you.   Hope x

Hi Annabel,  Thank you for your kind wishes, and I must admit I'm quite relieved to hear that other people say the bug hangs around for about 3 weeks since I usually shake things off quickly and was beginning to get a little worried.  I know it's only a bug ad usually wouldn't take a lot of notice but there have been so many bad things this year I almost seem to be expecting something else bad!.  I hope things are going OK for you and that you manage to avoid the dreaded lurgy.

Jules, sorry to jump in on your thread, I have left you a message earlier.  Take care both of you.   Hope x

Hi Hope

No problem with people jumping in when they fancy a chat, thats what so good about the forum, you just catch up where and when you want - no pressure.  Sorry to read you still suffering but from what Annabel says sounds like its doing the rounds. Am praying I  steer clear, really do not need that when I am doing 'granny duties' from tomorrow.  Heard from my daughter this afternoon (needs me to take in milk in the morning on my way round) that baby has been fractious during the day but very good at night so she is grateful he has got it the right way round!!

Would certainly recommend pacing yourself and not trying to do too much until your body has had time to recover.  It can be very lowering in itself without your added emotions playing a huge part.  As to going to the gym that would send me straight round the bend - manage to walk past regularly but never considered actually going inside.

Hubby was ok about going up to the factory (am sure secretly delighted they still need his imput) but unfortunately a 1hr journey turned into a 3hr nightmare when they shut the motorway because of a lorry fire so he did not get there until 1 p.m. thus missing lunch and returned home very weary about 4.  Has been asleep for the last hour or so, so have put dinner on low and it may be supper as I do not like to wake him just yet. Strange how things work out, originally he should have been going tomorrow but they changed their plans.  I expect tomorrow he will be glad to take it easy but may come and visit our daughter later in the day depending on how he feels. I am sure a cuddle will bring a smile back to his face.

Look after  yourself. Bye for now. Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Glad to hear hubby made it to work despite the nightmare motorway journey!  I bet he does like giving them advice and it probably makes him still feel part of everything.  I did laugh about your comment on walking past the gym but never going in, I usually find it theraputic at the gym (that shows how mad I am!), but am definitely going to wait until fully recovered until I go again,  planning some retail therapy  today instead. Hope you have fun with your grandsons today, I'm sure a cuddle with baby will make your hubby smile.  Have a good day.  Hope x