Hi - 18.07.14 in Your Face

This morning I went next door for a cuppa. My neighbour was getting ready for a doctor's appointment, so I spent some time with a friend of ours who is in town visiting her seriously ill mother in the hospital. There's a huge back story here, but I just sat with her while she vented.

After that, I went home and mentioned to my brother that I was going to get a bus to go and have lunch with my sister. He offered to give me a lift, and even though it meant getting there three hours early, I agreed.

I stopped at OfficeWorks and printed off a form I needed to send to the US Consulate, and a covering letter. Made a photocopy of the completed form for my records, using a pre-paid printing card that I got late last year and never used. I think I'll end up using the balance to print some nice photos off before I leave.

I got the free bus further into town and dropped by the post office to mail the letter. I strolled for a while, then stopped for an egg sandwich. Read my book for a short while, then wandered some more.

I finally went for that blood and pee test, had some spots buzzing around in my eyes during the blood test, I think because I was thinking about how she was using the same arm that they used for my blood test on Monday, and whether or not she was putting the needle through the same hole (she didn't, I have two marks next to one another like a snake bite, and a killer bruise). I'm no good at all with needles, and it has only been fairly recently that I have been able to attend a blood test alone! I am such a baby.

Had lunch with my sister (tuna and salad sandwich, with olives). We saw our aunt (mother's youngest sister) walking down the street and she popped in to see us.

I made the next bus home, but about three minutes into the trip I began to freeze, while sweating and sweating. I felt as though I was going to vomit, and some filthy bastard in the back of the bus kept farting. Oh, it was awful. I put my headphones in and tried to talk myself out of the feeling, which often works for me (it's a trick I like to use when suffering a migraine or hangover). I contemplated jumping off every time the bus stopped, and eventually made it to about half way home, which is a major stop at a shopping centre. I jumped off there and called my brother to come and get me. Of course, he always takes the scenic route to get home, and takes the corners too sharply, so it wasn't ideal for someone who is nauseated, but at least I could stick my head out the window, and he could pull over if need be.

I got home and just lay down for a while, still freezing, so I wrapped myself in a blanket with my head sticking out one end and my feet out the other. I lay there for about an hour, until my neighbour asked me over for a cuppa. I hung out over there for an hour or so, then came home for a hot shower and pyjamas.

I feel okay now, but I can't ignore the fact that I have felt rotten every day this week, before feeling better by the evening. I am now wondering if I have had a reaction following the vaccines I was given on Monday. I still have a huge welt on the back of one arm that feels hot.

Either way, I hope it passes.

In other news, I have managed to eat a piece of fruit each day for the last three days. That's a great streak for me. I only really eat oranges and green apples, but if strawberries go on sale, I would eat those, too. The doctor performing my medical said to me, "You'll have to try and be a bit taller if you want to stay at 72kg (158.4lbs)." That's a fair comment, I am definitely carrying too much weight, particularly around my middle, where it's the worst. I eat terribly, and I guzzle soft drink. So, I'm just trying to implement some small changes to start with, like the fruit. My post-dinner snacking urge has been satisfied after chomping on an apple. Next, I'll cut back my soft drink again and increase my water intake. Slowly, though. It's like tricking myself - if I go all in, I am more likely to rebel. Baby steps makes it seem easier, and to maintain it. Ideally, I'd like to get back down 10kg, I am pretty comfortable just above 60kg.