The Blended Family

They say when you get married you get too busy to do anything else. I suppose that can be true for couples who never lived together and there’s a whole new dynamic to get used to. However, myself and Michal had been living together for some time already. Falling into the rhythm we had developed didn't take a huge leap. So why was my last post about getting married? I got tired. Not just physically but mentally. It has taken me a frustrating six months to get used to my Sleep Apnea machine. I also spent a great deal of time recovering. I was on several forms of medication to assist my brain functions due to oxygen deprivation. Now my brain was getting the oxygen it needed and I was getting giddy. So after consulting with my doctor I began to wean myself off all my medication (slowly). It took about 3 months. I hit a horrible slump and panicked thinking I stopped them too soon, but no fortunately it was something else playing havoc with my hormones. The interesting thing

On the 24th of March I married my best friend. I knew I wanted someone I can laugh with. Someone sentimental, sensitive and kind. We have been engaged since forever and a day (December 2015). This was more out of necessity. One: Getting married is crap expensive and I wanted the white gown/aisle walking/flower explosive affair. Two: My health hit a speed wobble and I didn't want to be low at my wedding! So at last we set a date. It was a small affair. 30 people. So I decided to organize everything instead of getting someone. 30 people ain't that stressful...right? Well the week leading up to the wedding I felt like I put enough kilos on my car to take me to Cairo. Nitty, gritty little details that needed working out. First things first we went venue hunting. My husband (I have been running around calling him "my man" in Afrikaans every time I spy him). Anyway, he had an event with his running club and the food was AMAZING. The spicy sauce they made for

Please read part 1 here  The Power of Sleep The day I was booked to test the CPAP machine started like any other day. Coffee first and foremost, crazy mad rush to get Sam to school and then to town. I needed to buy some goodies for the wedding. T-minus 14 days. Around 9am I get a phone call from the Neurologist making sure everything is still on for that evenings test. Half an hour later I get a phone call from the medical aid. They haven't approved the test for that evening. Reason being? My sleep apnoea isn't severe enough. OK, so if you suffer more than 5 apnoea's an hour it is considered abnormal. If you suffer more than 10 it starts to seriously affect your life. I suffer 25 apnoea's in an hour. What did they want? No, it needs to be over 30. Even the neurologist didn't have words. It is at this point that I burst into tears. The shear frustration of being so close to testing a solution and the medical aid is being an ass. The amount of money paid to them

The last 2 years have been exceptionally difficult without a solid reason. I just can't seem to cope with the smallest things and I am beyond tired. It began at work during my instrumentation learnership (and it is possible it began long before this). I suffered indescribable migraines and lunch times I needed to lay my head down. Not the "I feel like a nap" kind of post lunch feeling. This was extreme exhaustion that even if I was walking around I needed to get back to sit down. I couldn't cope anymore. Doctors visits and blood tests later and there was nothing to say there is something wrong. But something was wrong and finally after an explosive migraine episode at work I left and never returned. I suffered migraines and what I can only describe as a post migraine recovery for a week. A doctor said my optic nerve was swollen. I began getting pains in my shoulders, down my arms to my wrists. Pins and needles in my hands and legs. My physical activity crashed and I w

Valentine's day or Independence day, whichever way you see it, has never been a big thing for me. I enjoy attending the Valentines 2km fun run held in my town with Sam. This is our little special time together. I waddled the 2km when I was a glorious 7 months pregnant. Sam was in the pram the following years and I think we have only missed one since. Now I mostly spend it jogging after Sam as she blazes ahead full speed and I'm trying to avoid my pants falling off. Ladies what is up with putting on weight and your pants being an annoying pull up story! I swear I'm going to invest in suspenders. Anyway, we get around the field (at the same time a 10km is run around the town for those not minding children and the fitter of the community.) It was lovely and cool, just had to use some mozzie repellent or you may finish it covered in bites! One year it threatened to rain and as we entered the last 500m lightning started to blitz. Michal ran this one with us and he deftly p

Are you realistic when you say you are going to lose all the weight? Are you realistic when you say you are going to eat that salad? How long did it take for you to put on the weight in the first place? And if you can't stomach salad last year, what's going to change this year? Determination? Hey, no judgment. I am there. I am in the same place. My goal is to look after myself. That includes the weight. But will I be pre-pregnancy weight before the end of the year? No! It took me 7 years to steadily put on weight. There can be a lot of reasons. I definitely believe woman's metabolism slows after pregnancy. And getting older. Being with an emotionally abusive partner didn't help. Leaving a very active job for one that involves mostly sitting by a computer doesn't help. Medication definitely contributed to my biggest amount of weight gain over a short period of time. I can point as much fingers as I want but what have I done to counter this? Not much. I sti

I am a sucker for Christmas. I remember it being my favourite time of year when growing up. Then I had a few years from my teens till when my daughter was born that weren't so magical anymore. I guess it was part of growing up. After my daughter was born, the spark of Christmas ignited once again and it is the one time of year I like to go all out. We put up the tree before my daughter went off to visit her dad for three weeks. Yes, three! She will be back just after Christmas so we will be celebrating it twice. The first few days I spent wondering what to do with my life. Then I got motivated to climb into my hobbies that get neglected with the roller coaster of motherhood. Any mothers suffer severe guilt if they start to enjoy their alone time? I like to call this motherhood psychosis. We really can't give ourselves a break! The tree has its honored place in the lounge and I can glimpse it every day as I type. I always get warm feelings. Except that it is 30⁰C in