Come and tell us your dull and unexciting news 34: Calmly through the day

[Mumtobabyhavoc]

New one!

Previous:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5276546-come-and-tell-us-your-dull-and-unexciting-news-33-calmly-through-the-day?page=1

That was fast @bizzey You just got back snd already had the procedure!

@Mumtobabyhavoc ...it has been a whirlwind !!

They phones me up to give me a date but I said I was away , so they gave me the following week (yesterday) and I just said yes ,, not really thinking it through!

I am so grateful to be having this procedure that I don't like to be fussy bout my dtes !

Very glad I did get it done though yesterday, as I have found out that they are closing down this little surgical hub attached to my local hospital at the end of August.

They only opened it 4 years ago to deal with the backlash and dely of minor procedures from covid.

But it has been o handy having it 10 mins from my house !

Other hospital that would do it is 30 mins away.

Beautiful purpose built surgical unit ...and they are going to close it down !

Staff are unsure of their jobs s well .

The nurses and admin staff.

Consultants work at all the hospitals.

Love reading all these updates.

Today I had my fifth driving lesson and we went on the dual carriageway and it turns out I have a phobia of speed. I've been on a dual carriageway on my second lesson, but it was one where we joined it via a roundabout and I didn't have to go too fast as it wasn't a particularly long stretch before it ended. But this one was a 70pmh limit and my instructor spend the whole time trying to persuade me to speed up.

It was like some kind of weird meltdown I was having, where he was having to try and get me to do the rational thing, but to me it just felt so irrational. I was saying 'no i don't want to', and was sweating and shaking, my adrenaline was going insane- everything seemed a blur and I was just trying to look for an exit to get off. But it's odd, because everything else in my lessons has gone really well so far. He said 'ahhh I think we've found your Achille's heel' and I asked if everyone had one, and he assured me they did, and they came in all different ways. After the lesson I could barely walk- I was so spaced out. We went down some unmarked country roads after that, which was probably a good thing, because I didn't have to look at any cars for another 20 minutes of so. Since I got home, I've been watching youtube videos of dual carriageways and motorways and going down them on google maps, to try and calm my mind down a bit about it.

I'm trying to break the phobia by reminding myself that I actually managed to do it- even if it felt like I was all over the place at the time.

I've booked another one for the day after tomorrow, because I'm away next week and I know if I have a long break after that, it will be hard to get back into the swing of things.

It sounds like you had a panic attack.
Have you ever experienced that before?
It would be worth your while reading about it and coping strategies. I used to get them all the time.

Welcome to our thread. 😊
We're like trusted friendly neighbours here. 💛
(I'm in Vancouver, though)

You’re doing the right thing @Welikebeingcosy . Get back out there so you get used to it, and you did do it! That’s amazing!

You’re in the learning stage and it gets a lot easier. The first trip I took after I passed my test was only 30 miles. I was so exhausted by concentrating that I had to stop and have a nap halfway. My then DH was very supportive but bored as he had to wait 20 minutes for me to wake up! (Way before mobiles).

I’ve driven hundreds of thousands of miles in the UK, US, Australia and Europe since then and really love it.

Welikebeingcosy - you survived! Keep at it, and pat yourself on the back for getting through the experience. Learning to drive is very tiring. My DCs all learned coming up to age 16 in school in the US. They would come home after an in-car or driving simulator day and take a nap. I needed a strong cup of tea and a sit-down every time I took them out for their at-home driving practice.

We had a downpour on Thursday that had a whiff of the end of the world. I couldn't see the buildings across the street from my workplace at its most intense. There are areas of the region that saw serious flooding.

I'm spending the day getting chores done and reading an account of the abdication crisis that I bought at the library sale a couple of weeks ago.

Just catching up - glad you had a lovely trip @bizzey
Well done @Welikebeingcosy- keep going
No wonder you’re tired @Mumtobabyhavoc- you’re always on the go!
Lovely to hear from you @Lemonsandlemonade , so glad all is well.
@mathanxietythat rain sounds almost biblical!
I have finally managed to run 5k all in one go and am very proud of myself but was utterly spent…..
Just come back from holiday round Dalmatian coast. Had a lovely time but all bags had to be unloaded from the plane due (apparently) to very hot weather closing a runway. Now anxiously waiting for news of our bags’ return to us.

@Welikebeingcosy
I leant to drive in my 30s and honestly thought that I'd pass the test and never drive out of choice again. I hated it.
However once I was driving it became so much simpler (and they stuck bus fares up again so it was cost more to take me and one dc into town and back, a less than 10 minute journey, than park all day in the centre of town - logic here missing) and very quickly I became used to it, which I never thought I would.

I used to panic at anything bigger than a car coming towards me on any road.

It is worth sticking at it :)

It's interesting reading everyone's learning to drive stories. Here, like most places in Can/US, everything is spread out and driving is a necessity. Most people I've met who don't drive are from other countries where getting around in foot/bike/bus/train is quick and more convenient. My mum taught me when I was 16.

I spent the day outdoors with DC. Morning was a walk around Burnaby Lake which took about an hour then we went to the Burnaby Heritage Museum down the street. We looked at all the old buildings, had a snack in the cafe, rode the vintage carousel, looked at the gardens and the vintage train. Tonight is the last night for fireworks and I am going to try and push through for it.

https://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

https://www.burnaby.ca/explore-outdoors/parks/deer-lake-park

https://hondacelebrationoflight.com

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._W._Parker_Carousel_No._119

And a few more pics

Hello everyone, I’ve been catching up as I’ve been ill most of the week and been in bed. I really should go to the doctor because my chest still hurts but I can’t really face it. It’s supposed to be the hottest day of the year here and we have severe weather warnings.
@bizzey i wish you a quick recovery 🫂
@Welikebeingcosy i had to learn to drive on the other side of the road after driving for years in the UK, and kept saying oh I’ll start soon I just need to practice and wouldn’t get in the drivers seat. My dad had to do an intervention! He had a real old banger of a car, and said to me you can’t do any real financial damage to the car (bless my Dad, that wasn’t what I was scared o!f), but gave me the keys and said you’re driving tonight. Heart in mouth I drove to him and we went round a few streets. I still won’t drive in Jerusalem (crazy roads, crazy congestion) or tel Aviv but I can manage locally now.
@MissConductUS ladybird is a ladybug- it’s one of the funniest words in Hebrew actually, it’s called פרת משה רבנו <parat Moshe rabeinu> - ie Moses’ cow?!? My daughter had it on a colouring sheet or a worksheet or something a while ago and I couldn’t stop laughing. Why?!? 😅
havoc those desks look a little like the desks we had in high school. They were wooden, the desk lifted up so you could put your books in and they had an ink well in the corner. They were the same desks my mum had in her time. The school was demolished and I imagine the desks went the same way!

ah thanks everyone for the encouraging words! i went out again today (2 days later) and he made me go on the dual carriageway straight away! I was dreading it al the way. It did feel a bit easier but I still started shaking and felt myself wanting to get off. He wanted to do a second one, but I said please not today, as I'm going away tomorrow for a week and wanted an enjoyable lesson before I went. I really don't know what it is- my body seems to react to the adrenaline from the speed and starts screaming at me to slow down. I guess it's hard for me to fight against that feeling- especially as my life has been so small and contained since becoming a mum, and a single one at that. I've actually been really loving driving up until that point. It's funny though, because I was thinking that I only want to drive to take DD to Asda, beavers, rainbows, cinema, swimming etc, all which are only ten- fifteen minute drives away on really easy roads, and here I am going across all of East Kent each lesson, just to be able to pass my test! I wish there was a type of test just for people who want to only drive within a town under 50 miles an hour! Hopefully I'll get the hang of it.

@mathanxiety that really does sound end of the world ish- i experienced something similar a week or so ago here, and at the time I said to myself it felt biblical! Luckily it cleared up and the drains got the flooded roads down pretty quickly!

ah yeah i've definitely had panic attacks before, but never like this. they used to be to do with breathing and shallow breathing and this was more just the adrenaline going insane in me. i'm hypermobile though and possible POTS which i'm waiting to see someone about, so i do have huge adrenaline dumps when anything is slightly 'exciting'. i don't know how to explain it but getting onto the dual carriageway and being told to speed up to nearly 70mph and stay there felt like entering into a battle in the medieval days and then riding my horse off again. It happens when I fly as well, my legs start shaking like mad and I just have an urge to get onto the ground and I don't calm down until the next day. I used to think I was scared of flying, but then I realised I was scared of the horrible reaction my body has to being hurled through the sky at 500mph.

Another time I had it when in a Ski competition as a novice and they introduced a ramp for all the competitors to ski off. I had never skiied off a ramp before and when it was my turn, my knees were literally knocking into one another- which, up until that point, I always thought was just something from the cartoons. I threw myself off it, onto the ground, got up, was fine, and managed to ski the slalom course and come halfway down the points table. Driving the dual carriage way feels similar to that.

I think it's a sensory thing as my daughter gets manic if anyone pushes the roundabout too fast.

Ella, I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. Maybe a visit to your GP is a good idea?
The school is from 1922. I'm attaching a pic from the website and a link to the interactive map.

www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/EN/index/interactive-map.html

Cosy, I'm glad you had a good lesson! Success!!!🤗

Made it to the fireworks last night. Watched from Granville Island. Went back to today to take Havoc to the spray park and meet a friend for lunch. Went to Costco on the way home. Had rotisserie chicken in brioche buns for dinner and berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries). It's hot again despite my phone telling me it's just 23c. I opened a bottle of pineapple Perrier as well. It's quite good. Havoc is shrieking at baby in an attempt to be scary. I've got a CNN doc on tv about Live Aid. They're showing Madonna's set now. Must've been amazing to have been there.

Pics from Granville Island
Cement factory
Cement process display
flowers along houseboat's walkway
view of fireworks

@Welikebeingcosy, well done to you for giving it a go. It will get easier and less scary as you get more practice.

@bizzey, is your leg feeling better after a few days of recovery?

@EllaDisenchanted, I'm sorry to hear that you've been feeling poorly. Can you do a video call visit with your doctor or a nurse in the practice? In the US they started allowing them for routine sick visits during covid and have kept them in place since then. It's so convenient, and they don't have to worry about you spreading your germs to everyone in the office.

@Mumtobabyhavoc, you have the most amazing outings with your kids. I don't remember having that much energy when mine were little.

Things are looking up on the home repair front. The plumber was here last Friday and replaced the pressure reduction valve. We now have gloriously strong water pressure everywhere, which is particularly noticeable in the shower and when using the garden hoses. Finally a win!

I'm working from home this afternoon as the HVAC technician is here to replace our thermal expansion valve, which is causing the system to run a bit erratically. It's quite hot today and he had to shut down the system to do it, as all of the refrigerant needs to be pumped out before he replaces the valve. He's putting the new valve in now, then he'll have to pump the refrigerant back into the system and test everything. I'll be glad if this is finally it, as it's supposed to be a very hot week.

I heard in the news that there is much debate about needing more central air con in the UK and Europe. People die of the heat every summer, especially the elderly. I'm not sure why people would oppose it.

My zinnias do seem to love the heat.

Miss, thanks for your kind words. ❤️ You likely did tonnes, but the difference now is smart phones and documenting everything. It makes everything seem bigger.
I love your deck and flowers.❤️ I've made some ice tea with lemons and some mint from the garden. Can I stop by if I bring it to share? ☺️

Miss, a thought re ac use/opposition in europe.
People in europe are much more aware of climate change. Using AC is a vicious cycle contributing to it. Europe 's warming rate is twice the global average. Perhaps that's the reason?

According to this,

https://ourworldindata.org/air-conditioning-causes-around-greenhouse-gas-emissions-will-change-future

Air con is responsible for about 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, and artificial intelligence contributes 2.5-3.7%, but is growing much faster. AI seems to me to be a better place to cut back.

https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/06/09/ais-growing-carbon-footprint

Further proof AI wants to kill us. 😁

Thanks havoc/miss. I did actually make it to the doctor, who predictably said it’s a virus and to ride it out. The surgery was empty, probably because it was so crazy hot, no one was out. I’m feeling much better today thank Gd, although not quite myself yet.

havoc I agree with miss your trips look incredible!

@Welikebeingcosy “…but then I realised I was scared of the horrible reaction my body has to being hurled through the sky at 500mph” well when you put It like that welike, it actually sounds like quite a sensible reaction 😅 your description of riding into battle also made me laugh 😄 hopefully you’ll pass quickly and never have to drive fast again?!

Yes it's pretty logical isn't it?! 🤣🤣 I hope so too....before that I was making all kinds of mental plans in my head to drive across France and down to Spain. But their motorways are 90mph in some places! I'll just stick locally! Or maybe just buy a bike haha!

I hope you feel better soon :)

I've just come to London to house sit a cat and get a week of activities in with my DD. We have gotten a bit bored of the same old stuff in our outer counties area.

She's insisting that we go home tomorrow as she's homesick for our house and the laptop, but we've only just got here and not done a single activity yet.
Just been writing down a little list of things to try and excite her which I can show her in the morning.

When I lived in Florida I used to feel so cold from how the air con was on everywhere. I was doing a house sit for someone one October and I turned it off at the (thermostat?) and the lady I was doing the house sit for got the hump when she came back. I thought I was doing her a favour trying to save electricity as I didn't need or want it on. I was shivering under a blanket when it was on! My body was so used to adapting to the heat and only having a fan here in Europe in most places.

Apparently the more you use air con as well, the more your pores change so you get to a point where you can't cope without it, in the warmth. So everyone else was looking at me like I was mad for saying how cold I was all the time indoors!

I do think we should have it over here on public transport though, or places where people are working on their feet all day in the heat.

Thanks @MissConductUS for asking.

Yes it is improving.

I have found out where all the bleeding was coming from .

They inject the inner thigh with 6-7 injections of anesthesia .
I suppose after the blood thinner injection I had to have later , that is why I bled all over my nightie !

The little pin prick row of dots bled during the night ? 🤔.

Didn't last time ..but ..hey ho..
Different person this time doing the procedure .

Annoying thing is at the moment is that finally my back is in a good place pain wise to get a lot of housework and sorting out doing....
But....
I have to be careful of the leg , so no heavy lifting, exertion, straining , prolonged standing ....

I am just " pottering " !!
😅😅

Glad you're up, bizzey, and hope you'll resist the urge to get cleaning.

I spent the weekend with a stomach virus too, ella. I couldn't drag myself to work yesterday as my head was swimming when I got up. Ive eaten four slices of dry toast since Saturday, but Im on the mend now.

MissC glad your water pressure is back to strength. Lovely zinnias.

havoc gorgeous photos - your LOs will love looking back over all their adventures when they're older.