PHOTO HUNTERS

Yeah, after a couple of weeks of not getting online on Fridays to do this, I can participate in Photo Hunt!

YEAH

Simply go over to TNChick's site, the host of Photo Hunt. Check out in the sidebar what this week's photos are about, and go take one, or find it in your archives. Then comment to say yours is up.
Hers is not up for this week at the time I write this post (cuz I'm getting a head start), BUT I can see what this week's subject is:
COLORFUL! or, as I woud write it COLOURFUL! (heeheee)I don't know if you can see the photos on there very well, but they are all PAINTED FEET. All my Sunday's Cool Class, including myself! GREAT FUN!

So, when it's time (Saturday morning), go check out the other posters at the photo Hunt, or by cliking on the Photo Hunt Blog Roll over in my side bar.

And please, sign my Mr Linky so I know you've been by, and can come visit your photo hunt page.

Wordless Wednesday

I do NOT want to look like this any more! Doubt I'll make much difference before this summer's beach trips, but I'd at least like to by next summer.
Check out my food and fitness blog for details of how I'm going to do this.

Feel free to leave a comment, any nasty or rude ones will be deleted.
And if you are a fellow Wordless Wednesday blogger, please sign the Mr Linky.

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Cassandra of Faith on Fire.

Here is the directions I found - Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves.

People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.

At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names.

Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Hmmmm, 8 random things about me.

1. My heart if breaking for friends who are battling sickness, disease and injury today.
2. I want to DO something, and I can't.
3. I should pray. Well, I DO pray, but not like I could, I think I get scared to pray, not because of what's going on with them, but what's been going on with me. But that's another story!
4. back to random - My eldest son is taking his GCSE exams at the moment. First two done today, another 18 papers to go.
5. I need to LOSE weight, this is a health issue not an aesthetics one.
6. I'm going to the gym tomorrow for an induction.
7. I am battling a tiredness thing, severe, with frequent day time falling asleep. Interesting way to live your life. I'm waiting for blood test results.
8. I'm stressed and the simplest little addition to that is making me want to run away and hide.
   

Right, I'm going to tag

1. Karen (Changed by Christ)
2. Michelle (Twinkling for Jesus)
3. Pattie (Pattie's place)
4. My Quiet Corner
5. Nancy (Mom Just Like You)
6. Stephanie (Life in Overdrive)
7. Cheri (Kudzu and koolaid)
8. Lindsey (Enjoy the Journey)
   

Been to the doctors

Yes, I finally gave in last week and went to see the doctors over this whole tiredness, falling asleep during the day thing.

I didn't see my usual doc (which was a good thing), but saw one of the surgery's substitutes, that cover anyone's patients. She was very nice, listened as I told her what was wrong, listened as I told her what I thought it might be, and then suggested a couple of other tests they could do before referring me for that. Which involved taking blood and she asked if I minded! I gestured towards my inner elbow and said she could try if she wanted but she wouldn't have much luck.

Her response was that once you had taken bloods on a children's ward you could get blood out of anyone, and would I mind if she just stuck the needle in the back of my hand?

WOULD I MIND? OF COURSE I MIND! It hurts! heeheee, but I let her do it, since she seemed to think my other option was the veins in my wrist and a needle there scares me more.

So, she's taken two samples, one for a full blood count and one for a thyroid test. They'll phone me if there any results from that that need to be discussed, and if not, they will then refer me on to a sleep specialist. Once that happens, I can see about getting a referral quicker through my husbands BUPA at work. We'll see when it comes around.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY!

Boy proves Dish Drying is dangerous - Attacked by killer tea towel!

Sign the Mr Linky if you are a fellow Wordless Wednesday participant, but feel free to leave a comment even if you're not!

Oh mY goodness, it's Wednesday

I honestly hadn't realised how much this whole tiredness thing had kept me away from the computer and reading all your blogs. On Bloglines I have over 600 posts to read!

OUCH!

I think I will have to just mark them all as read, and start again from scratch.
Please forgive me if I have missed something important in your life, I honestly did not mean to.

Right, off to do that and then find a photo for Wordless Wednesday. Hmmmmmm, I found some photos i had forgotten I had yesterday morning while looking for some for a scrapbooking project. I think, oh yes, I know the one I'm going to use, I think you'll all like it!

See you later, for Wordless Wednesday then!

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I Soooooo need this today! Soooo need it! Need to be reminded that WHATEVER is happening, I have so many reasons to be thankful, even reasons in the grotty stuff.

THANK YOU LORD!

• that I have the energy to get out of bed.
• that the methods I have begun to try to help my sleep & therefore energy levels seem to be beginning to help.
• That I have a comfortable sofa to lie on when things get too much.
• that I am pretty sure that I know what this is and once I get the guts to see the doctor things will improve very quickly
• that my boys are both growing up and able to get themselves home form school
• that there are caffeine pills for those of us who don't drink coffee, for when we ABSOLUTELY NEED TO stay awake.
• that anti germ nasal sprays can have much the same effect for a short while (ever tried those things? Do you think you're going to fall asleep just after using one?)
• that the theatre had got it wrong on tickets, and 3 adults and 1 child did count as a family ticket in the same way that 2 adults and 2 kids would. They graciously rang me back later to say they got it wrong and will refund the difference
• That next weekend we get to see a fantastic show with my boys and a friends daughter too. We've been to see Dr Bunhead before, I don't know if she has.
• That God is GOOD and He loves me, that I am his PRECIOUS daughter, who makes Him SMILE!
  

Now go read other Thankful Thursday posts by hopping over to Sting My Heart.

1st night of new routine

Well, here we are, the morning after the first night of the new routine.

• No caffeine after 6pm
• Make sure main meal is finished at least 2 hours before expected bedtime, preferably 3 hours.
• Try to take an early evening walk, even if it is only 10 minutes.
I think we walked for about 20 minutes. And that was enough to hurt my back. Oi VEY!
• Move the natural sounds machine upstairs to our bedroom.
Got youngest to move it for me earlier in the evening, and just plugged it in when I went up. It has coloured diffused light as well and you can set it to run for 15, 30 or 60 minutes. It also has a bowl under the light diffuser for scented diffusing crystals, but since I have scented candles on as well, I don't use that facility, don't want to mix the scents.
• 1 hour before expected bedtime -
• close curtains in our bedroom
• ventilate windows whenever possible (don't want to freeze, but do want some air).
I saw the curtains were closed and forgot to check the windows so I don't know if they were open or ajar or closed.
• light candles and switch on natural sounds machine.
• Take a bath.
As I said before, the sitting on a flat surface with legs straight out is one of the most uncomfortable positions for me since I broke my tail bone. So, although I only spent 15 minutes in the bath, and I couldn't feel my tail bone while I was in there, as I stood up to get out, I certainly knew about it! OUCH!
• Brush teeth, brush hair.
Ooops, naughty naughty forgot to brush teeth
• Take a herbal sleep supplement.
  
• Quick journal entry whilst enjoying a light snack (a banana, or a cookie and some milk, etc)
Hubby poured me a small glass of milk and I had a couple of small pieces of edam cheese with it. Interestingly one thing I didn't mention in last night's post was the heart burn I have been suffering during the late evenings and in the night. There was absolutely non last night. I think the glass of milk was key!
• sit and read in bed for a short while
Again, yes, sitting up in bed, hurts my back. I tired sitting with my legs kind of tucked under me to one side and that was easier, but after a while I I could feel was my tail bone! not fun! This is what I mean about this injury and not being able to properly rest!
• Blow out the candles, wish everyone good night and settle down.

And there you go, the first evening!
How was the night? It was definitely different. I settled down for sleep at about 10:15 in the end but it took me a while to drift off to sleep. I was first aware of being awake at 12:3o. Between then and about 3:30 I woke at least another 5 times. And then at least 6 or more during the rest of the night.
I went to the bathroom 3 times, but I didn't fall asleep in there as far as I know.
The thing that was different was how quickly I put myself back to lying down when I found myself sat up on the edge of the bed and not needing the bathroom. I would wake up sat up, think "Oh here we are again, right lets get back to sleep" and immediately lie back down, whereas before I had been sat there for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.

So we'll now see how today goes and then start all over again with tonight's routine.

Still tired

I am still battling the tiredness of the last few weeks.
Some nights are worse than others, so some days are equally worse than others.

I am going to try and work on a bedtime routine to use at least most evenings, and keep a record of when I'm falling asleep and so on as well, so that if in a couple of weeks it is no better and I decide to go to the doctors, I will have some details to show him.

• No caffeine after 6pm
• Make sure main meal is finished at least 2 hours before expected bedtime, preferably 3 hours.
• Try to take an early evening walk, even if it is only 10 minutes.
• Move the natural sounds machine upstairs to our bedroom.
• 1 hour before expected bedtime -
• close curtains in our bedroom
• ventilate windows whenever possible (don't want to freeze, but do want some air).
• light candles and switch on natural sounds machine.
• Take a bath - I DON'T do long baths any more, not since I broke my tail bone, but I think that this will still help, even if it's just a 10 minute dip. When we get the shower fixed, I will use that instead.
• Brush teeth, brush hair.
• Take a herbal sleep supplement. I'll look up the details of the one I bought, later.
  
• Quick journal entry whilst enjoying a light snack (a banana, or a cookie and some milk, etc)
• I would like to sit and read in bed for a short while before settling down, but again, because of my tail bone that is not the most comfortable position to sit in (legs straight out in front of you). I might be able to fit a chair in by my side of the bed and if I can pick one up cheap enough, or rearrange things to use the one from downstairs, I would sit in that to read.
• Blow out the candles, wish everyone good night and settle down.
  

I'll try that for a few nights and let you know how I get on.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY!

This week's Wordless Wednesday isn't quite.
Because it is a photo AND a video clip, and I did talk, just a little, but that was because it was so awesome.

And here is the video clip. Hope you can see it ok.



Please leave a comment if you like my Wordless Wednesday, of course sign the Mr linky so i can visit your page as well, and go check out other Wordless Wednesday posts at Wordless Wenesday.com.

TIRED

Why am I so tired?

Not the emotional, mental, spiritual stuff, it's physical. I am exhausted.
I sat here at the computer desk, just now, it's only 3:05pm and I fell asleep, sat up. Not just a quick nod off, and jolt back awake in that very moment, but properly asleep!

I had tonsillitis a few weeks ago, and although my tonsils are still a little pitted , there is no longer any YUCK on them at all, my throat is only sore in the evenings and during the night, and all other symptoms are gone.

I am waking frequently in the night. I guess I always have, but usually I just roll over and go back to sleep again. At the moment, I seem to have this reaction that when I wake in the night, I sit up on the edge of the bed straight away, bolt upright. Sometimes I am there for just a moment, most of the time a bit longer, occasionally I get up and go to the bathroom (but only very occasionally), or take some gaviscon if the heart burn is playing up, but most of the time I eventually lie back down. BUT on the whole the lying back down comes because I have fallen asleep sat there on the side of the bed. I'm catching myself further and further into the sleep, and am worried I'm going to fall off the edge of the bed, sat there like that, and hurt myself.
I'm finding it very difficult to get comfortable to sleep , tossing and turning quite a bit before hand. I am overweight and know that that is part of the problem, but it seems to have got much worse this last week, and my weight is no worse than it has been for months.

Sometimes I can go through a couple of hours or more without noticing that this has happened, and sometimes it is 4 or more times an hour.

Any suggestions?
hints? Tips?