2008 has Started!

Good Evening everyone!
well it is the end of the day.... the 2nd January here! I wanted to thank everyone for their support with my last post. I was feeling very emotional in my last post and I felt extremely encouraged with the response to the post...thanks to everyone who encouraged me by writing in my blog, sending me an email or talking to me via the phone. I really appreciate it. I love seeing messages in my blog. You can be guaranteed that I smile every time I see a new post in my blog!
How has the New year been for everyone? So far it has been enjoyable for me. On New Year's eve I felt totally exhausted and didn't feel like celebrating the New year in, however, we did go anyway. We went to some friends' house for dinner and then I stayed at their house while Alan and Isaac went to a practice at church for the service which was due to start at 9pm. I enjoyed watching some TV at my friends' house. Elton John was in concert and that was enjoyable. When his concert became a bit silly after a while..the film clips they were showing in the concert...I turned it over to watch another channel showing Sydney live by the Habour Bridge. They had Australian Idol performers singing which was enjoyable and they also had family fireworks at 9pm which I watched briefly until Alan, Isaac and I all left for church again. I found that time very relaxing. We got to church and it was good. Lots of dancing and singing. I actually lost my voice a couple of days earlier. I got heat stroke and threw up and that always burns my throat and I can't talk for numerous days after. I still can't talk properly. Anyway, so I couldn't sing. Isaac was playing with his toys and I couldn't stop the children at church being so interested in playing too. I got swamped! We have LOTS of children at church. Most of them are African because that is what our congregation is made up of mostly. I couldn't tell them to sit down because my voice wouldn't work properly above the music...so I eventually got hold of Alan and he put everyone (the children) straight. Eliana, my neice, was in her porta cot playing as well. On my lap or in my arms most of the time. This service started at 9pm and goes until after midnight. I mentioned that I was REALLY tired that night. We wanted to make sure I wouldn't get too exhausted after the 2am night we had on Christmas Night. We decided to take the grumpy children (Eliana and Isaac) for a ride in the car at about 10.45pm to see if they would fall asleep and when they did I felt like going home because I was tired. Alan and I took both Eliana and Isaac home (with permission from my sister of course) to sleep and we both celebrated the New Year in the car at midnight. It was relaxing once the kids were asleep and when we got home there were fireworks across from our house. I saw them. I don't know if Alan saw them. He was opening the house up and stuff. We put the kids in their beds and were hungry...had something to eat and I got ready for bed. My sister came and picked up Eliana about 1am and I went to sleep shortly after. I had a good sleep and have felt much better since. I am obviously now recovering from Christmas!
On New Year's Day we went to mum and dads with Liesl, Tim and Eliana and we ALL swam in mum and dad's pool. Isaac swam all day! Ha! He slept well that night! It has been REALLY hot here. It has been equivalent to 103 to 104 F ....for those who think in Celcius like we do..... it has been 42 to 43 degreess C...today was a little cooler...hehe..... 33 degrees celcius. Isaac's bathers had a whole in the bottom...hehe...so today we went out and bought him some new bathers. We also bought him a booster seat with some Christmas money for our family. Isaac is still quite short so we got him an adjustable thingy (I know....good choice of words)....to hold his seatbelt in place because he gets caught on the neck. He is now the suitable weight for the booster seat. We thought we should get one because he has reached the weight level but mostly because he is going to school this year and want him to graduate to a big boy seat rather than be in the baby seat when he makes friends and stuff. Right now...he doesn't want a bar of this new seat! He wants his old ones. We are in no hurry. He is still a little guy and will benefit from remaining in the baby child seat for a little longer. The heavier he is for the booster...the safer it is for him.
Today we ran into the Palmers at the shops. They are an FA family who live close to us. I know she won't mind me mentioning. They have a little girl who is turning 7 this year and she has FA. They went through transplant last year and she is doing very well. Her hair used to be long and straight and it is now short and curly...growing back...very cute. I hardly recognised her! It is so weird, here in Australia....just "running into" another FA family at the shops. It is so strange standing there at the shops and knowing that their little girl standing right next to me has FA....cause it is so rare and in Australia you don't just come across people like that and if you do you don't really know it! She was so sweet. It must be amazing to the parents to see us two standing together.......a child with FA and then an adult with FA with her own child. Hehe. I find it amazing! And fun to be "alike"...not that I like FA....but her and I are "like" each other. Not often that you can brag that to someone else. We were really excited to see this family!
Isaac talked to his best friend from kindy....Emily. They had a brief conversation on the phone today. It was cute. We are hoping to have a play date for them in the next week or so. Isaac has still had a dummy (pacifier) when he is sleeping and he agreed that after Christmas we would post his dummy to Emily's baby sister to keep. The baby doesn't use it but at least it is a good exercise for Isaac. He chose to post it. We took the Christmas Tree down today and so tomorrow is the BIG day! I wonder how it will go. We will post it in a nice box with tissue paper and stuff and Isaac will have his first entire night without it tomorrow night....I AM a little nervous...I don't want him crying for it. He still has his snuggly though and I don't mind how long her has his snuggly for. That is his security blanket that he has had since being a baby.

Today I had my blood taken for a CBC. I am now starting to prep for my surgery....bloods and stuff...haematologist appointments and pre-anaethetic. I am preparing. It is on the 21st still! I will keep you all updated.

I rang work today. I always become so worried that they would terminate my nursing employment with the hospital because of the amount of time I have to take off in huge blocks. I have not worked since I had pneumonia and then when I recovered and said I was available work quietened down and I got no relief shifts. Now I am having surgery on the 21st and will need a couple of months to recover...more time off work. Today I spoke to them and said I must have some shifts this month before that and reminded them of my condition and how it is difficult to get shifts imbetween procedures and stuff. They put me through to the booking center and said that they understood and because I am one of their own...they want to take care of everything and will get back to me tomorrow with "booked shifts!"...about time. Not just relief shifts but actual booked shifts. I need them to keep my confidence at work! I was very grateful. They also reassured me that I need not worry about my employment being terminated and that they totally understand my health situation.....what an understanding work! What a relief!
Ok, I have written a LOT! Thanks for reading. Now you all know what has been happening and I will keep you all updated!
Lots of love,
Charisse