Day 209: It’s been an eventful week and I’ve been stressed to bits at times but here I am on Monday morning, still functioning, smiling and typing!
My mother is out of hospital. She had a heart attack on Tuesday and was rushed to a specialist cardiovascular centre. The docs did what they needed to do with the amazing medical techniques they now have without opening the chest. She is still not great but she is recovering back home with my Dad. She’s very lucky and we hope this can be the springboard to a healthier existence going forward.
We’ve had sickness bugs in the household too over the last fortnight with my youngest and myself struck down first with Gastroenteritis. Once that cleared up my oldest daughter had a stomach bug and spent a few days vomiting.
AND… yesterday my youngest daughter was showing signs of a very rattly chest, heavy breathing and generally looking and feeling wiped out. She got worse into the evening and after a call to 111 we were sent into hospital. Once again, fortunate we can drive as an ambulance would have been 5-7 hours away at least. She’s back home now (sleeping as I type this) with suspected Croup. I know (as many parents reading this will) it’s common and normally sorts itself out but the deterioration in her breathing was scary and it should always be checked out if the breathes become deeper.
So basically it has been a fun few weeks on the health front! Personally speaking I’m fit and well. Mentally I’m feeling good and I’m focused on some serious weight management between now and Christmas largely driven by an increase in my daily steps, running, cycling and using the XTrainer we recently purchased.
As the weather gets colder and daylight reduces up here in Northern England it is important to keep an extra eye on your well-being. It is commonly the time of year moods dip, alcohol intake increases and people pick up more bugs and illnesses. I’ve been there. This is my first Autumn and Winter sober and I’m very focused on my body and mind. I’ve finally got round to enquiring about a local Yoga class at the village hall too as I’m hearing so many positive things about it, especially for runners like myself who batter our bodies on the pavements. I struggle with meditation and I’ve never been able to get into yoga on my own in the house so I’m going to head off to a class, park my anxieties about being in a social environment and bite the bullet! What’s the worst that can happen? – I’ll either fart when I attempt a ‘seated fold’, face plant the floor when I do a ‘downward dog’ or pull a hammy when I try a ‘one leg pigeon’.
I’ll let you know how Happy Daddy’s first Yoga class goes. I’ve already ordered my mat off Amazon so I’m half way there aren’t I?!
Finally, a few words on the Wedding I attended on Friday. My best mate Jonny got married and I was an Usher. It was a beautiful day and I loved seeing him so happy. I was anxious about the day on the lead up as it’s another significant social step for me and my sobriety (not to mention the ongoing Covid concerns) but all in all I eased into it all and once the ceremony was over and we could relax into our own spaces around the venue I felt much better. It was great for me and the wife to have some time away from the kids too. The food was amazing, the facilities were first class and I didn’t miss alcohol in the slightest – despite it being around me day and night. Another tick on the journey. Yey!
Happy Daddy 