December 2006 - The sun has got his hat on, hip hip hip hooray, tshghho now let's keep these bugs at bay

[LenniEd]

I got all brave and made us a new bug free thread...

Eli. Relax. Tis a crap virus which will soon be out of your system. You may have been run down anyway with the stress of the last few months so it is taking longer to combat, that's all.

I had a crap night's sleep but the antibiotics are starting to make me feel better.

DD2 better so off to pre-school in a min. DD1 had green poo yesterday . Now she has a runny nose. I'm keeping her off school 1 more day to recover.

want

Actually...we could afford it........

Indith!!! Go for it, looks gorgeous...and the garden.... Any reason not to, if you can afford it...?

Thanks EV, what I needed to hear (temp does weird things to my imagination ) and hopefully antibiotics will kick in here today too - glad yours are. Runny noses and green things....sounds familiar

dd1 tearful again by the time we got to school, wonder if I'll get a call today - told teacher she'd felt unwell last night, so they're on alert. dd2, though, is bouncing around playing football with 'mah best friend Wohl (Will)'. AQ, you were spot on, it feels miraculous to me on a daily basis how well dd2 is these days.

Blimey, I'm moving to Durham . You'd be lucky to get a portaloo on the side of the road at that price round here. Why don't you buy it Indith?

Yes, relax Eli. The temperature is your body fighting infection. Try and let it do it's job without interference if you can and you will be better soon

I'm still exhausted. blood pouring out of me and I fainted again on Weds. Think I might go and see a Chinese Herbalist. Have you considered this before EV? Has worked a few 'miracles' in the past before for me.

like this one for example ... what a joke

Castles, I saw a Chinese Herbalist for a while, and nothing much changed - but it wasn't for the same sort of thing, which I think makes a big difference. My BF had acupuncture and herbs for a while for hormonal imbalance problems (long periods, spotting mid cycle, IF) and it helped hugely. So worth a try? Sounds awful, especially the ongoing exhaustion.

Am relaxing as far as dds will let me, but there is no way I can cope with the joint pain without resorting to paracetamol - not known anything like it since I was being treated for hepatitis years ago. I find myself making whiney moany noises without realizing it

Will stop making conscious whiney noises now though

Just looked at that wee house on Richmond Hill

The garden is almost the same size as the one in Indith's link, no?!

When I say 'looked at it', I don't mean in RL, obviously...

Eli - I'm sure slapped cheek in adults has chronic joint pain.

Castles - you poor thing. I cant say I'm really a believer in Chinese medicine/herbal stuff. Probably as I havent seen results. I cant really afford to pay out for something without a definite fix either iykwim. Cancelled my smear for today.

DD2 back from pre-school, sleeping.
DD1 looks brighter and doing hama beads. I thought they were the work of satan before I got them but they keep her occupied for aaaaaaaaaaaaaages, which is great.

EV, lol at Hama and Satan. They are probably a mix of devil and angel spawn, imo....

Castles, there's a Chinese herbalist in Kew who has a very good rep, if you're looking for one? Or if you can travel further, I used to have a wonderful acupuncturist at the Traditional Acupuncture Centre in Waterloo...but its a long way to go, I don't anymore since having the dds.

dd1 home with fever, dd2 grumpy, where can we go and hide with two sick kids and a sick Mum during multiple house viewings tomorrow, I wonder?! Cinema might work, but dd2 bit young....ideas??

Eli, do you know the name of the Kew Chinese herbalist? Thanks.

I drove past that £11m house on the way back from swimming just now. It's a pokey looking place too

EV, I agree about hama beads being work of Satan when DD2 is involved!
I really have found Chinese herbalist to be good in past. It was the only thing that stopped me bleeding after 2 months following my 1st m/c.

Eli, do you have a tent you can hide in? Or just cancel the viewings tomorrow? I get the feeling people are not really serious at the moment IYKWIM? Hope you all feel better soon.

Castles, I don't, I'm afraid, but can try and find out - its on the parade of shops just by the station? I went there a good 10 years ago (when I found out I had hepatitis) so it may not be the same woman, but I've seen articles on the practice more recently, and they were positive. Will try googling around for you.

Don't dare cancel viewings, I know exactly what you mean about non-serious viewers but at least one is a second viewing, so...tent sounds good! Or possibly Putney Exchange, we can hide in a cafe and do forays out to the shops

Thanks Eli and don't worry I know where it is now! Might go there tomorrow.
Good luck tomorrow. 2nd viewing sound's good. Worth the hassle hopefully

Mmmmhhhmmm, you never know

Thought you might know the place - good, 'cos I googled fruitlessly, got tangled up in an interesting link to Kew Gardens and Chinese Herbs, then a dripping dd1 appeared wrapped in small towel saying 'Mummy, you have a Small to look after'

Good luck, really hope its still good, and most of all that they can help - fwiw, I do think hormonal/gynae stuff is one of the things Chinese Medicine is best at!

Poor eli, ev and castles ! I just devoured a box of tunnock's teacakes (I did let dp have one) and was thinking of you all whilst i had them. Mmmmm, and so low in fat (what about if you have 5? Keep forgetting I am not feeding 2 anymore . It's such a litany of problems I can't possibly do anything else but send virtual hugs to you all and wish for a speedy recovery/resolvement (I know that's not a word but it sounds right).
Feeling like going off and crying for half an hour, not sure why, felt like it for a few days alternating with wanting to strangle ds2 (and also ds1 who screamed at the top of his lungs ALL the way home from school because his GM hadn't picked him up "I hate my house" etc etc). I remember feeling quite violent towards ds1 at this age/stage, I just find it so frustrating I want to lash out at him and have to curb the impulse several times a day. I slapped him on the hand yesterday a couple of times and just felt awful. He's my angel, or was. Any ideas how to deal with it? Most of the time I have the patience of Job (is that right?) but not the last couple of weeks. I just love them to bits but not really wanting to be mum at the moment iyswim? Wish there was another identity for me other than frumpy mother of 4. I'm sure it shall pass. The dt's are 6 months today and I couldn't help reflecting on all the friends who haven't bothered to contact me since they were born. I'll go and find some more chocolate and hide under my duvet perhaps.

Ah, AQ, don't waste too much sympathy on me - I threw up from coughing a couple of hours ago, but that didn't stop me eating half a mini Xmas pud I found in the back of the larder, along with some cheese and crackers and a cup of tea

The hugs are nice though, thank you

As for tips in coping with the frustrations of this stage of motherhood...times four...well, personally I think the more I acknowledge my own needs (even, especially, if I can't meet them), let myself feel the depth of my moments of fury/despair at my kids/role, etc the quicker it passes and the stronger I feel. You have to feel safe to do that, though, whether alone or with someone else. Here is good

Are you feeling a bit alone, atm? Here's a hug back at you, regardless...

AQ, I agree with Eli. I always feel better after I've had a good rant at chat with DH. Never bottle it up. I always feel like legging it when I'm exhausted (like now) so I console myself with the knowledge that once I perk up so will the situation (not that it's particularly bad here DC-wise in case you are worrying!).

Indith - OOOH I love that house, wonder if DH could get a job in Durham (dreams)

Castles - that house you put a link to is just ridiculous (shouts ´OW MUCH? in broad Manc accent) On a more serious note I really hope you´re feeling better fainting and blood must be very scary. Hope the herbalist can help...

Eli - your mention of a mini Christmas Pud has got me drooling, its got to be one of my favourite things in the whole wide world, much to my DH´s disgust These Spaniards just don´t get our delicious English puds n desserts

AQ - Hope you managed to find some chocolate I really wanted to strangle DS too yesterday (again) He is so bloody demanding at the moment, and won´t leave me alone for a minute, I feel suffocted by him. It´s almost like he´s telling me what to do, yes I know it sounds pathetic, he´s 2 FGS but if I don´t sit in the exact spot he wants me to in the garden he goes mad, and starts screaming. (Thats just 1 example) I know its ridiculous and I´m almost ashamed to say what I´m saying but there, just did. I have no patience at all at the moment and I have only one

DD the same Bebe - think our two must be very similar! She is OCD over everything.

Hope cleaning and hiding was worth it Eli and the second viewers loved your house. Will tell you about our heirloom when finished DH's VAT return, surely this happens more than 4 times a year! I feel like I am always doing it!

Glad clothes arrived AQ.

Hope you get sorted Castles - has gone on a long time now hasn't it.

Back soon...

AQ, I'm with you about wanting to go off and have a good cry. I think PMS is a big part of mine but also just getting overwhelmed. I had thought the house sale would make me feel so much better but maybe I'm so used to being this way I have forgotten how to NOT be stressed IYKWIM.

Drank several glasses of wine Friday night and that did seem to help a bit

LenniEd - Must say the OCD thing has crossed my mind more than once...

Jabber - Do you know I think I´ve forgotten how NOT to be stressed too, its a tricky one.
Glad to hear the wine helped - totally medicinal I´m sure

Have you all remembered to put your clocks back? (we forgot last time) Yeah to the light nights but boo to missing an hour of much required sleep

Off to stick a another pin in my finger!

I talked to HV about the OCD thing Bebe and apparently it is pretty common at their age and is linked to their desire to gain control over their lives - except some kids go overboard and want everything just how they want it So looks like we are going to have bolshy children on our hands!

Exercise is the only way I relax properly now - a good walk or a swim or something... of course that never happens though.

Oh gosh, way way to much to catch up on at this time of night.

Am still pc-less hence the continued absence but I am missing you all .

DS2 also OCD and stroppy. Such good fun .

Hope all lurgies are clearing and docs give answers to all those wanting some.

Hopefully be back properly soon.......

clocks done!

To all of you with OCDish toddlers...dd2 regularly shrieks 'I NEED to wash mah handth!!!' but I don't worry about it being permanent, as dd1 was the same way at 2 and now has to be reminded every 5 minutes.

She had a total, teenager-scale hissy fit the one and only time she pooed in the bath, and demands to sit on the potty before she gets in now (not that she does anything on it, you understand). Poor thing

No feedback on house yet, but if nothing comes of it all I'll be very tempted to pull out, its sooo stressful tidying the whole time! Meantime...drum roll..I no longer have a fever. Took a week, and ABs maybe, but now I have a hacking cough but no temp and feel human.

dd1 is veering from fine to feverish and headachey, very confusing...and dd2 has sudden welts/blisters that pop up on the back of her hand, back of her foot (one) and top of her bum (one) but only last a few minutes. Could it be hand, foot and mouth, d'you think?? She's very well in herself, but was ill last week with some mystery virus...

I'm going to bed, far too confused!

Glad you're feeling better, Eli hope the dd's improve soon too.
EV, how's it all going at yours??
thanks jabber, castles, eli, bebe for positive messages, I know I'm not the only one who struggles at times and it helps. Went out last night for my mum's 60th which was v.pleasant and felt that I could converse about a few topics other than child-related. I did seque into breastfeeding at one point (I was asked!) but caught my sister's eye and promptly changed subject!
Bebe, I could absolutely relate to your ds story, I HATE that everything is so picky and precise and you calm them down only to move a millimetre sideways and it kicks off again. Arggghhhhhhh! I did palm him off on dp most of the weekend tbh, I could hear frustrated sighs from the kitchen at one point but just went and hid upstairs doing something important. .
Am reading the Mumsnet guide to toddlers at the mo, very amusing
btw, jabber, I drank a couple of glasses of wine last night and felt much less stressed too. Yoga is the business for me, though, I am Yoda after Yoga (for all I get time to do it, physio says I'm not ready for class yet).