I haven't posted at all this week. I went to stay in Nottingham with my parents as it's the Easter holidays and I didn't feel up to looking after the kids on my own. I also invited my bestie and her kids to come with me as it would be a little holiday for them, plus she drove, meaning that I didn't have to.
So there were going to be four kids and four adults at my parents three bedroom semi. The kids topped and tailed in bunk beds and me and my friend shared the double room. My parents were great though, not minding the mess we made, playing with the kids and taking them out to give me and my friend a break (as she's 35 weeks pregnant!)
We spent a day with my sister in law and her two children at Sherwood Forest where, after buying the children some inexpensive wooden swords and bows and arrows, they spent hours climbing trees, hiding out in the forest and pretending to be part of Robin Hoods gang. It was great to see them having good old fashioned fun... There wasn't an iPad or an iPod to be seen!!
After doing some walking in the forest I was exhausted but pleased that I'd managed it so spent the afternoon/evening on the sofa. My sister came round to visit so she played outside on the street with the kids. They loved getting the bikes, tennis rackets and football out and having the freedom to be out there on their own for a bit too. My parents live on a quiet cul-de-sac so we could let them play out knowing there wouldn't be loads of cars.
The following day my mum took the kids on the bus to the City Farm which gave me and my friend time to relax again and then in the afternoon we went to a garden centre with my in-laws as it was my father-in-laws birthday. On the way home the weather was good so we stopped at a park to let them run some energy off.
Having a burst of energy I went to play with the kids and decided to have a bounce on the sunken trampolines they have.
Well, that was a big mistake. As I bounced it felt as though the whole of my insides shifted and were going to fall out through my arse. It was the strangest sensation and very unpleasant. Maybe because I've had so much removed, remodelled and resited inside there's space for it to move about. I don't know but let me tell you, I won't be bouncing on a trampoline again any time soon!
Thursday was my bestie's birthday so the morning was spent opening presents and cards, singing happy birthday and blowing out candles on her birthday cookie. (When I was in secondary school one of my friends always got a giant cookie from Millie's Cookies for her birthday 'cake' and I always thought it was sooo cool. Every birthday I hoped that my parents would get me one, but I was always disappointed!)
We also visited Greens Windmill which is one of my most favourite places in the whole wide world. I have so many happy memories of going there with my Grandad as a little girl and when we go to Nottingham I love to take my kids there too.
They climbed to the top of the windmill with my Dad and played with my cousins children in the science centre next to the windmill. There was an Easter biscuit making session where they could make biscuits using the flour from the windmill so all the kids did that which they really enjoyed. While the biscuits were baking the kids all played on the park and me and my bestie sat and watched them running around like lunatics wondering where they got their energy from.
My cousin is a keen photographer and had her fancy camera with her. She took this picture of me and my friend which is the nicest picture we have of the two of us.
As my friend had never been to Nottingham before and as we were due to drive home on Friday morning we decided to go to Wollaton Hall for a picnic. In hindsight this wasn't the best idea as we were tired from visiting the windmill and Wollaton Hall is at the top if a big hill. By the time we had walked up the hill me and my friend were about ready to pass out.
While the kids explored the hall with my Dad and my cousin, we sat on a bench with my friend trying to catch her breath as the baby was pressing up against her lungs and me with my head between my knees trying not to pass out. I realised that I had become very dehydrated from being more active and the warmer weather and needed to go home to hook up to my TPN.
However when I got back to my parents house and started laying everything out to hook up, I realised there was a problem. I had forgotten to pack the giving sets. (This is the wire that attaches me to the bag of fluids so without them I was unable to connect up!) Oh bugger. Bugger, bugger, bugger.
I rang my health care company who said that they could probably get some couriered out to me (phew!) and that they would ring me back in 10 minutes to confirm and get the address. The only problem was that I then fell asleep as I was so completely exhausted and with my phone on silent I didn't hear the call back. When I woke 4 hours later I had numerous missed calls and emails from them but it was now too late to arrange a courier.
The trouble with getting so dehydrated is that I kind of go past the point of return. I start to feel dizzy and faint, nauseous and just pretty yucky so the only thing I can do is lie down. It's no use drinking lots of water as my bowel won't absorb it- it would just pass out in my poo, giving me diahorrea- which is why I need to have the fluids IV through my Hickman line.
I decided the best thing to do was to go back to bed as we had already decided that we would get up, get packed and drive home after breakfast the next day.
Saying goodbye to my parents was horrible. Being back in Nottingham had made me realise how much I missed the city. I also missed having all my family on the doorstep.
'Would I ever go back to Nottingham?' is something I get asked all the time. I don't know is the honest answer. Hubby's job is based down south and there's no way he could relocate and stay with the same company. If he found a job 'up north' then it's something that we would definitely consider but it would be a wrench leaving all the friends behind that we have as they have been like family to us, particularly during the times when I've been unwell. I don't know if it would ever happen but as our parents and my grandparents get older I wish we were closer to be able to look after them. It would also be fab to have free babysitters on tap but it would be a HUGE decision for us to make and probably not one we can make while I still need to specialist care of St Marks. It's not exactly local at the moment, but it's close enough to be able to get to in an emergency. Getting there from Nottingham would be logistically a nightmare.
Anyway, we made it home and as the sun was shining we got the picnic rug and camping chairs out and sat on the green outside my house for the afternoon while the kids played with their swords, bows and arrows and scooters. I'm determined to get them off the iPad and away from the TV this summer and rediscover the fun of playing outside and using their imagination. Plus I'm hoping that as I get better I will be well enough to go on walks and bike rides with them, having lots of picnics and making memories.
NB x
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