23 May 2022

Everyone was out of isolation and back to the groove of things again. We also had someone at the house who was fixing the defects on the build from 2 years ago. Great to see that they are finally happening! I also had a career consult with my Uni as I have lost so much traction with everything this year and it feels like I am going backwards. Which is not far from the truth. I just need to keep studying away and complete my degree very slowly with one subject per teaching period until the middle of next year. H is doing well with homeschooling and enjoying the time learning with her friend. Somehow I feel that home education is a better way to engage the children in their learning at their own pace.

24 May 2022

Morning out to the hospital for physiotherapy at the hospital gym beginning with 5 minutes on the treadmill and then other stretches H has to now add to her daily regime of tasks! At least her physio was understanding and said she did not have to do them every single day. We enjoyed checking out the RCH auxiliary sale with so many knitted hats, blankets, jam and other goodies for sale to support the hospital. I got a colourful chevron blanket, a tea towel, a beanie for H and some jam.

Still, H is getting out and about and going for walks with her friend around the neighbourhood and to the shops.

25th and 26th May 2022

I have been knitting and there is nothing better than knitting a present for someone! My sister wanted a scarf for Queensland winter and I found this beautiful bias pattern that worked so well with these stripes. I sent it to her via express post and she loved it. She showed me her new colourful gumboots that will go perfectly with the scarf, so it will be nice and bright at the Sunny Coast.

Wednesday I woke up and my back was in so much pain. I had a scheduled yoga class (mothers day gift) so I went to see if stretching would help with a vinyasa flow. It was such a beautiful class and it did help with some movement but the pain just shot right up my QL (Quadratus Lumborum) back muscle. So for the rest of the day, I had my hot water bottle and rested while I was slowly completing my uni assignment and falling asleep from the painkillers. In the evening it was much of the same and I took Neurofen to fend off the pain.

Thursday I had my 6-week appointment with my myotherapist. I have had to space them out as my private health budget was spent in the first two months of the year due to what happened to H. So my myotherapist at Urban Leopard said my pain is a muscle spasm. These things happen when your body has had enough, especially with trauma and your “cup has flowed over”. Yep, it does feel like that with coming out of covid isolation on Monday and getting back into life again. There has been so much going on in our lives that my body is telling me to rest. She told me to get some OTC anti-inflammatory drugs to take, plus I need to do light stretching exercises and with some luck (yes I need more of that!) the pain will leave my body in a week or so. I have to say the drugs do work wonders but the muscle spasm on my QL is definitely there when I move in certain directions. I have a lot of reading to catch up on – so that will be me, on the couch with a blanket for the next week or so. Though I still have 6 hours of work tomorrow – I did say I can just read with the children on the couch.

27th and 28th May 2022

Work on Friday and not very exciting but I managed to get through with the Voltaren, thank goodness!

Saturday is a relaxation day as I had to lay low and do yoga and catch up on things. H was up in her room playing the ukelele and chatting to her friends online.

Sunday 29th May 2022

My friend invited us for a Sunday out to Healesville Sanctuary. We had a delicious lunch at Sister Mary Louise cafe and then we headed off for a family day trip to the sanctuary. Since January and H’s accident, we have been homebodies not venturing too far so it was lovely to go out together as a family. The animals had just had lunch and were just chilling around the place in perfect form. A highlight of the day was a smoking ceremony by a local indigenous elder who placed native cherry leaves on the fire and gave everyone there a leaf from the manna gum. Just beautiful! The smoking ceremony is believed to have both spiritual and physical cleansing properties and helps to ward off bad spirits.

I am hoping this trip out on Sunday will be the beginning of more adventures out and about exploring the gorgeous scenery surrounding us.