Coffee Catch Up with Renae

Coffee Catch Up with Renae (or ‘blog talk’ for just updating you all on what’s been happening) as it’s been some months since I last wrote on the blog or did a review.

The last six months has been one IT issue after another – all adding to the craziness that was ‘last year’ (well… past two years actually, but I won’t get into all of that)… I was already spiraling into depression before the IT issues rared, so I took that as an opportunity to take a step back and rest up; as a result I now enter 2019 in a much healthier state of mind and I’m looking forward to the potential that the new year has to offer us.

To take you back into the past ten months, it started somewhere around the time I lost three people I knew within the space of two-three weeks (two of whom passed away within days of each other – my Nan and a long-time family friend – one of mum’s best friends actually so she was hit with a double whammy for those two… losing her mother and best friend within days of each other! She’s so much stronger than I am!)

I was already fighting off depression prior to the three deaths… and whilst I understand the whole ‘celebration of life’ – my mind does not work that way… it thinks about the time lost and the time I’ll never have with them now… my Nan passing away was the hardest of the three deaths.

Having ‘afternoon tea’ with Nan… a little ritual I do now.

I was blessed with several gifts from my mum and family to remind me of Nan, including the tea set above that Nan used and a collection of trinkets from my Aunt; mum gave me a beautiful crystal milk jug and silver platter that Nan was given many years ago (she use to be a ‘Nanny’ before she became a ‘nan’ to us – the set was from the little girl she looked after), along with Nan’s secret recipe for boiled date cake; my Uncle also gave me a copy of a collage of photos he’d put together of the memories he and his family had with Nan.

If that wasn’t enough… on the day of Nan’s wake I got a call from my Doctor’s office (they never usually call – even when my test results show I’m not at optimum levels – that whole ‘distorted’ immune system I have means my levels are often askew) – so I knew that this meant something different entirely.

I actually ended up with two separate diagnoses last year – this one was to tell me that I tested positive for haemochromatosis (a genetic condition – essentially, your blood produces too much iron – so it can be a pretty serious thing)… which I found odd because I’m actually anemic (blood doesn’t produce enough iron)… I won’t see the full affect until menopause so for now I’m just trying to do what I can health-wise to monitor it (no more vitamin C or iron supplements for me either!)

The other was that they found abnormal cells on my cervix… thankfully pre-cancerous – so I spent several months going through all the appointments pre-op (I actually made the doctor attached to the hospital laugh at one point as I got ‘rather’ excited about the prospect of free food after the op – I wasn’t too keen on the fasting part! This gal loves her food way too much!)

Thankfully the op was a success and, along with the haemochromatosis, I continue to be monitored (my poor doctor – so many conditions he needs to keep a track of!)

Totally rocking the hospital get up!
Gorgeous bunch of flowers from my church fam post-op

There’s been lots of good stuff happening as well (sometimes harder to see those moments when you’re overwhelmed by depression at the time). I spent more time helping out within my community, puttering around at my plot at the local community garden, baking/cooking with my home grown produce… basically anything that would help raise my spirits (or the spirits of those around me), taking in the river views and grounding myself as I recovered.

That brings us to January 2019… and I have new technology now too (long over due – both the mobile and laptop were about to die on me, so timing was perfect when a tax cheque came in!) – I’m loving that I no longer need to be ‘plugged in’ to access either my mobile or laptop… I can finally start working on the blog again properly – I may even get back into writing short stories again.

I have glossed over a lot of what happened last year (you don’t need to know all the details… and well the blog is more about reviews – which you’ll get to see more of in the very near future!)

Until then, hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Years celebrations… it’s a new year and one for us all to shine!

Click here for a link to various sites and hotline numbers that can help you if yourself or someone you know is going through depression. (If you’re outside Australia, a simple google search will help you find support closer to home).

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