First Beautiful Blue Dome Day In Over A Week!

A “Mixed” Day

#smilingontheinside – Monday 16 June 2025

Yesterday dawned bright, chilly and clear. The alarm went off at 05:30 – my deadline for “no fluids” was 06:00 and I wanted to make sure I had time for my morning coffee and to drink a big mug of hot water. I achieved this: #smilingontheinside

I’d spent Sunday in preparation for today: I was heading into Braemar Hospital for a few “oscopies” – procedures that use a very special device with a mirror on the end that can see inside different parts of you.

I’m oh-so-very grateful that I live in the world today, and not 100 years’ ago where this technology and information wasn’t available back then. #smilingontheinside

Are you sick, Julie…?

No. I’m not sick – thank you for asking! 🥰

We were exploring the possibility of whether I was celiac, gluten insensitive or intolerant and/or whether a few other conditions – which I’ve usually been able to manage diet-wise and now wasn’t – had ramped up a few notches.

The reason for the hot water was of the requirement to put a line in – which requires a great phlebotomist to achieve on the first attempt with my attitudinal veins.

When we arrived at Braemar I was fully wrapped up, doing my best to stay warm and keep my veins nicely plumped up for easy access.

Victoria – the nurse was great! She appreciated the heads-up I gave her about how I have deep, hard-to-find veins that roll and collapse. She told me to add flinching 😬 to my list of heads-up to the next person who’s involved.

Usually I get an eye-roll from most phlebotomists when I give them such information. It’s those who usually end up having to call someone else in after they’ve had their legally-allowed two attempts. I feel very virtuous when I do not say I told you so! 😆

Victoria was lovely though. She was successful on the first attempt.

Getting the blood work done leading up to my arrival at Braemar that the specialist wanted took four different “failed” days. However, because the specialist wants yet more bloods done, I’m going to go back to where the phlebotomist was successful on her first attempt. I gotta say, I am not looking forward to that! Eeeek!

What’s with the show of leg, Julie…?

Hahhhh! 🤣 That’s Alan putting socks on my feet because they were cold and I couldn’t do it myself because of the line I had in my hand. #LoveIs

What’s with the empty plates…?

One of them is because I didn’t fancy the sweet, post-recovery, gooey pastry. I gave it to Alan to say thank you for putting my sock on 💝 The other is where the sandwich was. Before I ate it.

Post Recovery Chocolate

Alan shouted Hot Chocolate and Chocolate Torte on our way home. Turns out it was a good idea because a friend of ours whom we haven’t seen in a very long time was also in the cafe at that time. It was nice to catch up. And discover that they’ve recently bought a motorhome as well.

My Game My Rules

Even though 2025 is a chocolate-free year for me – this type of chocolate doesn’t count! I’m only chocolate block free!🤣

Hot chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate brownie is still allowed.

Why…?

Because I can eat and drink this type of chocolate and savour them, one bite at a time. Chocolate blocks on the other hand seem to disappear without me realising! Besides, it’s just a game. A game that finishes on 31 December 2025.

First Wash

While I was in bed feeling sorry for myself, Alan was outside taking advantage of the Beautiful Blue Dome Day in the Wonderful Waikato, washing the van for the very first time (by us) and then later mowing the lawns.

Why were you feeling sorry for yourself…?

Because Monday is my “stepping day” and I didn’t get to step because my Get Up and Go had well and truly gotten up and gone AWOL.

I had great plans of still being able to step that afternoon. Yes! – even after the sedation … I really intensely dislike it when I discover my Superwoman Cape has been attacked by moths and stops working.

I had to keep telling myself that I’m not going to fall off the planet because I can’t step today, that it’s okay if I don’t step today, and it’s okay to step tomorrow, instead. And then I reminded myself that I did maintain my consecutive walking routine and that 1,388 days was something to still be proud of! #smilingontheinside

Sometimes we really are so very hard on ourselves, eh…?

The Weather In My World Today

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Here’s to living in times of advanced medical technology…

Here’s to Alan putting my socks on – for the very first time…

Here’s to being gentle with ourselves!

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Here’s to SmilingOnTheInside!