Monday, September 8, 2014

Milestone Monday

Certain things are easy to teach, other things surprisingly difficult.
Today Suzy reached the tiniest of milestones, more of a milepebble: she could blow her nose.
It is still a bit of a mystery to her, but she was so proud she could hold the tissue herself. (She even forgot to shred it, like she normally does when she gets her hands on a tissue)

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Warm Waves

Warm waves.
Sometimes I start feeling warm when I enter Suzy's room when it's hot.
(Sorry Suzy, we didn't know your room would be the hottest room in the house during sunny summer days)
Sometimes the warmth creeps in when I drink tea.
Sometimes there is no reason at all for me to start feeling warm.

I'm not sure if this is what other people would call hot flashes. It is not that hot, if I remove one layer of clothing I'm fine again. It is not all that flashy fast, more a wave rolling in.
I have skipped a period. Or, taken a little break. Won't know till another CD 1 comes around.
Sigh, I don't know what is happening.
And I don't know if I'm ready to hear it.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wrote that in August. It looks like I'm in denial about hot flashes. It looks like I was in denial about every possible symptom of POF other than infertility.
Fran said in her comment to read up on it.
"Estrogen-progestin replacement therapy should be instituted as soon as the diagnosis is made. Androgen replacement should also be considered for women with low libido, persistent fatigue, and poor well-being despite taking adequate estrogen replacement." according to PubMed  
I realise this study is almost 15 years old, and maybe contradictory studies have been done since.
BUT, I was diagnosed, what, 6 years ago? Someone, somewhere along the line could a doctor could have said something?

Little point in worrying over my bone density now. I have been fairly active most of those years and haven't broken anything. (And we Dutch people love our dairy products)
I'll just go out after writing and get some Calcium&Vit D tablets again. The minty ones are good.
On Monday I'll call my GP for an appointment. And give instructions to read up on HRT.
And a repeat subscription for thyroid meds.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Verdict: Nothing Wrong

On August 4th , just after Summer Holidays, I had my first appointment with the endocrinologist in the hospital. On the way there, on my bike I slipped on wet cobble stones while turning into Vondelpark, so I arrived with a cut in my hand and scraped elbow and knees.
I felt kinda funny asking for a band aid at the reception of a hospital.
The first part of the appointment was with a medical student. This girl was well prepared, had three pages of tight scribbles, asking for several symptoms of glands/internal organs/functions I was only dimly aware of. Spleen, liver, adrenal. It took about an hour.
After I had some time to sip tea from my thermos, the specialist herself had some time, grabbed two different lab sheets and after asking questions for ten minutes started ticking boxes.
Auto-immune, thyroid check, diabetes, anaemia, vitamin deficiencies, the female hormones.
We agreed I should try to have my blood drawn on CD5 to find out more about this returning cycle of mine.
You guessed it: cycle gone.

After a month the Dr called to tell me I should have the blood draw anyway, so I did; last Friday.
Today she called me, to tell me there was nothing out of the ordinary in the lab results.
Sooooo, in a way this is good news, thyroid medical level is OK, no underlying illness. Just confirmation of menopause being here for me (FSH 49)
But this means there is no biomedical reason for me to be forgetful, unfocussed or tired.

As these things happen I discussed this option this very same morning with BambiEyes.
She reminded me that intelligent people use the prefrontal cortex for planning. foreseeing the results of your actions, then planning your actions for optimal result/efficiency/logistics. And that also this functioning suffers when you're tired. Plus with a toddler in the house there is a lot more planning to do.
(e.g. Suzy is too young to tell me she is thirsty, so I have to keep track of how much and how often she drinks)
So I shouldn't be surprised that with more planning to do and less capacity I don't feel as capable as before.
oh, for the people looking for advantages/silver linings of not having children: please add memory and planning to your list. And not having to have dinner before baby bed time.

Where was I.
Ah, hormones. Will have to look into early menopause and its symptoms, hormone replacement therapy and keep an eye on that thyroid.
(And try to find friends with young children and ask to what degree they got their body/brain back and when)
Why do I keep thinking this is all my own fault? "just focus" is the new "just relax"?

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Glorious Summer Days

Twenty-something degrees C, a gentle breeze, light blue sky. I love summer. I love being able to go outside without a jacket. To not pack rain gear just in case.
To feel the sun warm on my skin, a caress.
We had a glorious summer this year, for weeks and weeks. In the middle of August it seemed all over, with the coldest Aug 19th for 90 years. But this week it feels like August again. My Wednesday off work feels like a holiday.
My father was on the phone, he didn't know what to do with himself so we met up on a nearby playground. He told me that now that he is retired he has taken some time off. (ehhh, huh? okay) When the antique shop opened we went looking for a bookcase for all his sheet music.
Suzy was more enthusiastic about vintage teddybears, chinese horses and a set of antlers, and luckily managed not to break anything.
Milestone for today: Suzy managed to put a shoe back ON. Yay. (she is pretty fast in taking shoes and socks off, not always convenient)

I tried to get the results of my extensive blood test from last Friday in the hospital, but the lady on the phone said she wasn't allowed to open my file. I asked if she could send the results to my GP, but same answer. I have to ask the hospital Dr to give instructions to send, then she will send it. I would have thought it is my file, so I should be the one to give instructions. Oh well. At least she could tell me the Dr is scheduled to call me tomorrow and discuss the results.

Monday, September 1, 2014

How come it's September already?

This weekend was a busy busy weekend. Saturday was the yearly family reunion from DP's family. Good enough weather, Suzy did a good nap and had a good time with distant nieces entertaining her.
I was hugely relieved to talk to some cousin of his who also said she had big memory troubles after having been pregnant.
Sunday was my father's big do for his 70th and retirement. More than 150 people. My brother came over, was so good to have him there. I can't remember why his wife and sons didn't come, (we're so used to that by now we don't even ask) so Suzy was the only small child.
I dressed Suzy in that Italian dress-for-special-occasions and little blue French shoes. She was treated as a star and made many people happy. (She looks a lot like this model now.) Sadly her nap was only half a nap, and she slowly became hyperactive and disturbing to the musicians.
Dinner was supposed to be from 7 till 9 pm, but at 9 the main course still hadn't been served.
I had brought a travel cot / baby tent as back up, but DP felt sorry for Suzy and brought her home.

Sorry if this isn't quite coherent, with all the cleaning up afterwards I only got home after midnight.
But since Mel suggested microblogging Monday I thought something medium would do...

oh and for people wondering about the DE aspect in current life? That first time I found that il gufo dress picture it didn't dawn on me till evening that Suzy would have a fairly large chance to have Italian/Spanish looks!
(And yesterday even my mother happily accepted compliments of Suzy looking like her. She did mention that specifically to me.)(Even though it is probably prednisone that gives my mother baby cheeks)
Now the uncanny look-a-like model does my heart good, and only has a little but-what-if-she-is-a-secret-twin

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Room to Breathe

Before the holiday I asked my boss if we could talk about my working hours. Because my unpaid parental leave was running out by July 31th. And I want to keep spending Wednesdays with Suzy. I asked for 70%, leaving myself some room for negotiation up to 80%
He said he would ask his boss, because 'official office policy is to work full time'
but boss-boss was on holiday, so I would hear the answer later. O well.

Holiday was very relaxing.

When I returned he invited me for 'coffee'. Somehow this euphemism for meeting or talk doesn't sit well with me. Especially when he does indeed go to the company restaurant and buys coffee for himself and then offers me tea (I have my own tea maker, why would I pay for tea?)
Anyway, I sat down at his desk at a quiet moment.  Asking him for his answer. Then my boss started going on about how apparently he didn't have the legal means to deny me to work part time. So 70% was allright then. Even though he was not happy about it.
One of the reasons behind this is that there are not enough people in the team. My previous boss fired one. My current boss was supposed to hire one, but didn't do it fast enough. Not sure what happened, maybe HR decided that if it took to long he didn't really need it?
And with me cutting back my contract he seems unable to hire a part time person to make up for that as well. Lily has a 80% contract, some other people 90%, there should be enough to hire an extra person if he could talk to the right people in HR and/or control.

I think we concluded before that he is a bit of a nincompoop.

However! There is an upside!
He is now determined that I am better off in the development team, and will try to get me a job there!
Hoping I get my brain into gear before I have to prove I'm up to it.
(I think I have some time as that possible future boss is on holiday now)
  

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Friendship 301

DP and HB are colleagues and friends for years. The first years I was working at a different company, and contact would just be small talk at the dinner table when DP dragged him home. Sometimes he would clue me in that they needed some time and space for 'man talk' and I would disappear after dinner. DP wouldn't say much, just 'private' and 'relationship trouble'. Then, I started working at the same company.
Shortly afterwards DP said something to me along the lines that he had given up, he felt he could no longer help HB, that something had happened to throw him into depression.

From my own experience of feeling down or slightly depressed I felt that that was the wrong time to leave someone on their own. So I reached out. Travelled to his city to make him tea. To listen. To just be there.
I think in that winter I went there every week. Would take him grocery shopping, would cook so he had at least one warm and nutricious meal. (maybe you can't fix people, you can still try to feed them.)
I nicknamed him HB for heartbroken, thinking that in time I could change that in Happy Bastard. I figured that he had some much love to give that someone would come along and adore him. I didn't believe he would stick to his 'never again' statement. But he has. And I've learned to respect that, have seen his happiness return.

I've read a couple of blogs today, writing about depression, all triggered by the death of Robin Williams and his depression.  And I guess all agree you can't really help / fix someone.

At the time DP thought I was overdoing it, with all the caring for HB. But I'm so glad I did. A strong bond was formed (Even though I probably needed HB more than he needed me) and hopefully it will last through all my forgetfulness and baby-centeredness.
I know that HB has an old friend that he calls his best friend, in their own words they are like an old married couple. (they go out drinking every weekend) But to both DP and me he is our best friend. It doesn't matter to me it is asymmetrical.
Life is too short to wait for symmetry. I just have a few friends that are special to me and for that I'm grateful.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

No Post Like planned

I was going to write tonight.
about the holidays
about tests
about work
and something else on the list as well. (I keep forgetting)

But Suzy keeps crying instead of sleeping, so we keep going up and down the stairs to try to comfort her, and it's not working. And it's 10 pm.
tomorrow is another day.

(UTA: DP took her downstairs and fed her a jam sandwich. At 10 pm. She slept then, so I'll say nothing.)

Friday, July 18, 2014

Better (and MH17)

Cold is better now. Pills, such a very un-dutch solution. You can't get decongestants over the counter here. But very helpful for preventing that eyebrow headache. Thankfully I had some left over from a diving trip.

The news; another plane down, MH 17.
One litlle line grabs me by the throat: they thought there were 280 passengers, but later realised three small children were carried on lap and didn't have their own seat.
283.

Next week Suzy will fly on my lap to Oslo.
Please let us be safe.

 Added:
in the course of the day I kept running into people who knew people on the plane. Lady working in the canteen. Canadian/dutch blog lady that I read. Someone in DP's team. HB knew a family. Two degrees of separation, so not awfully close. But more people than I expected.

Someone at work tried to reassure me: going to the airport with your baby is more dangerous than flying to Oslo.
But it was more reassuring driving past Schiphol and see planes landing every 2 minutes. The world keeps turning, even though life doesn't go on for everyone on it.
I managed to stop the tears quite soon, just didn't get any work done. O well, holiday now.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Stupid cold

At first I was coughing. Nothing bad.
Then it moved to my throat, owie and yucky, but thankfully kept moving up to my nose. I'm quite good at handling a stuffy nose, it doesn't bother me much.
But THEN! this stupid cold had the audacity to move into my head. On the same day my period decided to show up. I figured I wasn't really sick, just went home to sleep for a couple of hours. But Gah gah gah that was a week ago. I've spend so many hours knock out in bed, sleeping time away. And let me tell you, I'm considering drilling a hole between my eyebrows to let the goo out, I just can't handle the pressure in my head.
Colleagues told me to try steaming (useless), use nose spray (goes straight to my throat cause my nose isn't blocked anymore) and rest. So I'm resting.
 DP is not interested in me being sick. He just asks if I'm going to work or not. I have to admit he did pick up Suzy from daycare when it was my day. And when after three days of hardly caring for me I was just getting pissed off with him, he whipped up this BBQ and entertained my friends.

Ah, that was what I wanted to tell you about; J was over from France and staying with us. Invisible guest he was. More like a ghost :-) On the Saturday we had arranged to meet up with An as well. (it took weeks to arrange everyone to be in the same country at the same time, so I wasn't going to cancel just because of a stupid cold)
DP invited her husband and son for dinner, the boys were here so we had a spontaneous BBQ for 9.

J was so pleased to have such a relaxed evening.(His home situation is rather stressful now) Sunday morning J did a family-of-three photo shoot. It's amazing to have a professional take family pics. Sadly THE photo isn't there, so no enormous print (like the size of a TV) but certainly  good enough for laptop size.

from the to-do list:
-passport for Suzy is picked up
-summer house on fjord of OSLO is rented
-hotel with parents is booked (family suite, yay)
-managed to get an appointment with endocrinology on Aug 4th
-that doctor also told me already to increase my Thyroid meds from 75 to 112,5 mcg per day
-my brother popped over for a blitz-visit. I managed to get decent little orange outfits for his boys so he could bring them home just in time for the game.
-An's husband brought their 'mountain' baby carrier yes, including the teddy ears!

My head still hurts, going back to bed now. (but it feels good to pop out the black hole and let you know how things are) This stupid cold better not ruin another weekend!