Post 537 Balancing Act

My post-covid cold symptoms began to weaken by Friday. I still get a bit tired, have a croaky voice and occasional congestion but my lay-low strategy seems to have borne fruit. I’ve postponed a periodontal appointment this week to be safe.

I did venture out on Thursday to an appointment with my nephrologist. Although it’s been a year, he remembered where we were up to in detail. Kidney readings are all good. Blood sugar, however, is not. I am back in the pre-diabetes range and he is concerned. As I did not take up his suggestion of injectables last year (when blood sugar was fine), he is now advocating oral diabetes meds. 

I am giving this much thought. Serendipitously, the GP I am currently seeing specialises in diabetes, so our appointment in 9 days time will be a long discussion as well as an injection. I like and respect my nephrologist who has a specialisation in kidney donor health. His concern is that my kidney will be in trouble in 5-10 years time if I don’t keep my blood sugar down now. Renal health and research discussions were once part of my daily life and it was strange to step back into that world after 10 years.  I have struggled with weight for three decades and I now need to concede that medication might be part of the answer, and essential to my kidney health. I'm fortunate to have the option. 

Saturday was my venture back into the world of theatre, for a 2pm State Theatre/Opera Company performance of Candide.  As parking is a bit of a mess around Her Majesty’s Theatre (recently refurbished and close to the busy Central Market) I took the city loop bus which only operates every 30 minutes on weekends. There was a mild panic when a couple at the bus stop  asked if I was also going to Her Majesty’s because Hutt St, from whence the bus comes, was, they said, closed to traffic. In my Dalee Ella pants and Zuri shirt, I must look like a proper opera-goer! Somehow the bus won through and we arrived in plenty of time.  The couple’s back-up plan was to get a taxi and invite me along!

It was a superb performance - set, orchestra, cast, acting, costume, staging. The refurbished theatre now holds over 1400 and was full. The updated stage is a marvel. The full orchestra and choir were on stage  with the action taking place on the skirt.

Seven rows from the front the view and engagement were great, but looking around, I suspect there are now few, if any, bad seats. The downside is no central aisle. There is just enough space between rows for people to pass in front of those already seated, but it is a long shuffle to the central seats, and no social distancing possible. While there are now numerous bars and food points, the foyers are small, very crowded and difficult to navigate. It may be a little easier at night, but, being a daytime performance, there was no shortage of walking frames and wheelchairs.

In spite of my organisation and intention, I forgot a mask.  Only attendants were wearing them. Although I enjoyed the performance I decided to leave at the interval. I get a little impatient with opera (just get on with the story!), was feeling a bit hemmed in, and delighted with my 80 minutes of  amusement. I concede that’s a bit odd, but I enjoyed putting my toe in the opera water. No photos can be taken during the performance, so the photo is dull.

It was great catching up with school and sport news on Saturday night and to collect my replacement jar of Anthony's honey. Monday dinner was another pleasure and privilege.

On Sunday I ventured to Mrs Harris's Shop, which has a new exhibition, this time a set of coloured lino prints of Local Icons  by Sally Heinrich, who has launched a book of the same for the exhibition. I was after the book, which I got. It is an initial short print run by the local Wakefield Press, for the exhibition. Sally was at the Gallery. I really liked both the exhibition and the book, which I came home and read in the sun. There will be another print run soon. The content is also available to view here. I would like to purchase a print of Roma to sit alongside my photo of Jim with Roma Mitchell while she was Governor. I haven't yet worked out how I could hang the two together. A bit of shuffling of scarce wall space is required.

It seems appropriate to be considering this, as well as my kidney health, today, which is the 10th anniversary of Jim's death. Katherine and I have been to lunch at the River Cafe after visiting his grave. 

The plants are thriving. In the five months since my last visit the plants have spread and the lavender is blooming. In Spring I will trim them and fill the space with cuttings. It is heartening  and joyful - a place of growth, serenity, beauty and birdsong.  

The month from the last week of May to Jim's birthday in the last week of June are inevitably tinged with sadness and reminders of a difficult time. Grief is less raw, memory less reliable, but the loss, sadness are no less. Nor is the gratitude and love.

It was  sustaining to visit with Katherine today in the Autumn sunshine,  to enjoy a relaxing lunch at the River Cafe, talk to Alison by phone and receive messages from friends and family.

Connection really helps. I'm also holding on to the memory and joy of Canberra in January. 

In terms of my craft output, apart from a little proof reading for my brother, I have spent all spare moments this week working on the coatigan - and today finished the first front.

It was challenging working the three colour pattern right up to the last 2 stitches at the shoulder. I had decided to knit a sleeve next, to see how it looked, but once I laid the pieces together I wanted to see the other side more - and to work the black edge! The second side won.

The birds seem as pleased with my balcony garden as I am. The doves (photo taken through fly screen) come every day and even a magpie paid a visit (above).

One of my Adelaide friends has recently been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. She has been waiting for an operating theatre to become vacant to have stents implanted before she sees an oncologist. The procedure is happening tomorrow and my thoughts are much with her. 

Sadness and loss have made themselves felt this week. So has love, growth, birdsong, art, creativity and kindness. Tonight it's holding together.

Post 382 Feeling a lot better

One way and another this was an eventful week for me. My rib continued to steadily improve and I ventured to Pilates on Thursday. My 3 classmates had been concerned about me and welcomed me back. Martine, our instructor, listened to the whole sorry story before working out a program that took account of what now seems most likely to be a bone bruise. I was tired after (I also did some shopping) but pleased I’d gone.

 

We had a fair bit of rain during the week. The doves came looking for food and I obliged from the doorway. The dove scare less about getting wet than I do. They made a pretty picture.

The Adelaide Rosella also made a brief appearance late on Friday afternoon. It's been a while and I didn't get very good shots.

Earlier on Friday I had my appointment with a renal physician, following the recommendation of my GP in relation to my recent blood test results. I was quite worried about it. I knew my weight was putting me in the pre-diabetes range, and that diabetes is a significant problem for kidneys, especially if you only have one. From my GP’s reaction to my blood test though, I was concerned that there might be another unknown problem impacting. 

Dr Carroll turned out to be the nicest medical specialist I’ve ever seen. Apparently he organises all kidney donations in South Australia and has developed an interest in the ongoing health of kidney donors. After introducing himself (that put him ahead to start with!) he thanked me for my contribution to the community, and informed me he would bulk bill my treatment (meaning no charge to me) because “you’ve done your bit!”.  

I was very taken aback. He went on to go through my history and referral in an open, empathetic, evidence-based way, without a hint of judgement. It turns out that the whole issue is my weight, and the likelihood it will trigger diabetes. I now have a practical and achievable plan to lose weight. I see him in 6 months time and, if I haven’t lost 10kg, I go on to the Optifast diet.  I have lost weight before, and know (1) it’s not easy and (2) I can do it. I know, too, that this is vital. I am hugely relieved. I feared other unknown problems, but this is the only danger sign. I am not underestimating the danger. I had already modified my diet to remove much of the fruit on my breakfast. Now I have a target, a plan and support.  

Between Friday and Tuesday, as I write this, by returning to some first principles, reducing the amount of fruit on my breakfast, eliminating icecream, watching the size of serves, and not eating between 7pm and 8am, I have lost 1kg. I intend to allow myself one or even two icecreams a week if I can keep up the steady weight loss.

I've also got a couple of ideas from this book which I had bought since my GP signalled the problem. I am not following the diet (no 8 week fix for me) but there are some useful recipes and ideas.

On Saturday I taught a workshop on Icelandic Embroidery to the Guild’s Certificate Course. I’d been a bit worried about this too, but after the doctor’s appointment the weight was off my shoulders and I began to look forward to the workshop! My concern had been that some of the students might not be very interested in what is fundamentally history of embroidery. 

My fears were groundless. Students liked it. The kits worked, the PowerPoint went over well and everyone chose one of the projects to work on and got on with it. There were questions and loads of discussion. 

The stitches are pretty simple and did not need demonstrating but Christine used the camera to project my samples on to the screen to show the detail which was brilliant. Christine has asked me to give 2 workshops next year on Viking and Anglo Saxon Embroidery respectively, both of which I am researching for the World Embroidery Study Group. I'll need to think up stitching projects for both of them - which the WES Group don't need, but it's a nice challenge, and a compliment to be asked.

I had made 20 kits and have 6 left in case external students want them. I went home and on to Katherine's for dinner with a much lighter heart than I've had all week. Lots of youthful conversation was icing on my (entirely metaphorical!) cake.  There was, in fact a real cake. It would have been Jim's 74th birthday last Thursday and Katherine made his coconut cake.

Before I went to bed on Saturday, I blocked the shawl on the floor which had just been cleaned. I look forward to having a frame for blocking. Even when I’ve lost weight I will find blocking on the floor difficult, I fear. 

To give an idea of size, the trunk in the background is 90cm long. 

By the time I went to Grange for Sit'nStitch on Sunday afternoon, it was dry and I could try it on.I'm very pleased with it - better than I had expected to be. It has blocked well, and falls down the back well below hip level. It's very warm.  I wasn't planning to keep it, but I'm having second thoughts. In fact, I am sorely tempted to go to the Yarn Trader and buy enough wool to make one for each of my daughters....

Jennifer worked a bit more of Sophie's Universe at Sit'nStitch. It is looking truly fabulous. She was, I think, up to to row 93, with 20 more to go. The rows now, of course, are very long.

After seeing the specialist on Friday, I had managed to shop for Monday's planned lemon chicken dinner. I cooked the chicken on Sunday morning so I could skim the fat off on Monday morning and still get to Basics to Beyond at the Guild.  I was up in time to snap the sunrise hitting the trees.

On the way to the Guild, I detoured to get fresh vegetables. My version of lemon chicken is served with noodles, and I wanted to avoid eating too many myself so bulked up the meal with vegetables I like (turned out to be a good choice for everyone!).

At the greengrocer I bought a newly displayed product - popping corn still on the cob- to try with the kids this afternoon. This was the attached label. Unfortunately, instruction no.2 does not tell you how wide to make the fold at the end of the bag. I obviously made my folds too wide. The bag burst in the microwave. 

The popcorn tasted great once I'd gathered it from all over the microwave. I think the instructions and the bag need a bit more work.

At B2B I got some helpful advice on my latest bag. On the left are two of the remnant pieces I got from Ink and Spindle a couple of weeks ago, big enough for a shopping bag. I had intended to embroider on the lines between the pattern. Gay suggested embroidering along the lines of the pattern, rather than between. Others agreed and also suggested random, rather than regular. Collective intelligence really works. At the moment I am experimenting with a mixture of both options.

This morning I woke to find my dove friends making a pretty picture on my balcony rail, patiently waiting for some seed. Before obliging, I hung out the washing. They didn't immediately leave, but flew away when I moved to the rail end of the washing line.  I put down some seed, then resumed hanging clothes. To my surprise, they returned and cautiously approached the seed. By then I was hanging the last few things and could do so without moving closer to them. It's the first time they have stayed while I am less than a metre from them.

Later in the day I ventured to the post office and to Create in Stitch to pick up the Sewline Anniversary Box Kit I had ordered. It's a bit of an indulgence, but I've been caught a few times at classes without a fabric pencil. This kit is overkill (for a non-quilter at least!) but I figure having all options in one handy box might make things easier.

I checked the washing this afternoon. As soon as I began to take in what was dry, the doves arrived. I put out a little more seed - and they stayed, approaching the seed while I was still there. I didn't venture close to them, but they continued to feed as I busied myself 1 metre away from them.  I think this is a bit of a milestone. 

My day was rounded off by taking the girls to netball and cooking myself vegetables with smoked salmon for dinner. 

I have only managed a small advance on my Baby Boomer Teachers book this week, and I now have the necessary Admin password for my blog and an arrangement with Nelly for updating. I'm very content with that. 

South Australia's borders are now closed to 5 of the 7 Australian States and Territories because they have active community cases of the Delta variant of Covid. There are no community transmitted cases in South Australia at the moment. We have 2 square metre per person limits indoors, seated service only in hospitality venues, and masks recommended in public transport and events. Family in Sydney and Queensland are locked down. Our vaccination program is slow, largely because supply is slow. 8 days to my second jab. 

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