Stalker

Published January 8, 2018 by helentastic67

Stalker

Today’s post is bought to you by Hikaru. Please send him a big hello in the form of a Like.

He is currently vacationing at a vet on a drip because he was found Saturday on the back veranda after suffering a snake bite. An hour-long drive to a decent vet and he has only 6 lives left. He was given the anti-Venom and put on a drip but his brother Karou is missing his brother.

Hikaru

Hikaru is getting a reputation as the walking vet bill, such is his habit of getting injured. He was only under house arrest over Christmas with a missing claw and infection and the short-term nickname of Thumper, dragging around his back foot heavily bandaged. Damn cat!
Here is a picture of the 2 brothers……..

Brothers

Now back to my normal post…

Have I mentioned my Landlady has the stalker gene? She likes to bring the secateurs down and poke at the roses while she stares at my front door.

Roses

I, of course am seeing her do this from my seat on the couch in the lounge. I have lace curtains. The horror! Right? I always said I’d never have them, but I like my privacy too much.

Lace Curtains

Stupid Landlady did nothing about the black spot on the roses, I did spray them a few weeks back but, I have yet to go back out and pull off all the infected leaves.

She chose not to notice the lawns are getting to be a jungle. They originally would mow them, themselves, but they have decided they are too old to do it.

Lawn

Jack the nice guy who does it now is older than they are. He’s a Jack of all trades because he replaced my front lounge blinds…

Jack of all trades

Cheers,
H

Alone

Published January 5, 2018 by helentastic67

Alone

There is nothing like a letter in the mail box that reminds you how alone you are in the world, to set you down a path of depression.

Every year, at my birthday I receive a card from Mepacs, it’s signed by all the ‘staff’ that work for them.

Birthday Card

Remember Mepacs…..

Mepacs

And I am very well aware the staff signed a card which was sent to the printers to use as a template or “whatever” and then they printed off 50 thousand printed birthday cards and then one eventually gets sent to me.

Some of the facts and figures there might be a little off, however the facts remain the same. With the card came a letter basically asking for an update of my contacts.

Contact details

Now, the first point of call, if I don’t hit the button by 9.30am in the morning is ME! I know, it sounds a little ridiculous. But my ‘in case of emergency’ contacts are my mum (3.5 hours away) and this letter reminded me I need to contact person is within thirty minutes from me.

Emergency Contact

I don’t have anyone….

Alone and Depressed

Today’s Lunch – 3rd January 2018

Published January 3, 2018 by helentastic67

Todays Lunch 0301

Today’s Lunch

Well, the first few Wednesday’s of the New Year are a bit of a shambles. My favourite cafe is shut for a break which is completely understandable. Between my home and my first appointment, there are plenty of options for cafes to discover with great food and medicine.

Shambles

However, I try to have my lunch a short walk to my chiropractor and the benefits of my favourite cafe is that I can be guaranteed of options no matter how busy they have been or if they are likely to have run low on savoury type options. The other plus is I know roughly what lunch will cost me. It’s not a huge expense generally setting me back less than $15. Occasionally, I’ve attempted to save the money however, the benefits to getting out around normal people and activities is worth the expense.

Going out to lunch

With my recent relief of now paying less rent, I thought I’d get out and about locally on another weekday, staying close to home. As mentioned on Mondays post and I might sneak in a description and picture the following Wednesday. It’s now Wednesday and while I was out on Saturday that’s not my normal routine. So, I would now be admitting I haven’t left the apartment since Friday late. Wednesday’s are also the day I like to do my Out-Reach! I text a great deal. I shoot messages to friends to check on their mental health some respond, others don’t. But the point is they know I care. It also sends the message think it’s ok to not have it all together all of the time. I have friends who have a series of health problems or what seems like the perfect life. Wife, kids, job all those things, but they have times of great distress or depression. My point, is erroneous can suffer depression, everyone’s emotions are valid. And it’s ok to have days you feel like crap emotionally, as long as you know not to catastrophise and let it snowball.

Depression

The next day, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with living. I like to look for all the little things in life to get joy from.

Finally, I made it to a cafe close to home and I made it there just in time for their kitchen to be closed!

Not happy and starving, I managed to get an almond croissant, not from my favourite cafe and medicine.

Almond Crossont Medical Latte

I shall plan better next week.
Cheers,
H

Happy Wednesday

Hot off the Press – 1st January 2018

Published January 1, 2018 by helentastic67

Hot off the Press 0101

Hot off the Press

Happy New Year everyone!

Because, despite all the posts and such of well wishes for the New Year for about the last week, causing me to think the last day of 2017 was Saturday night! It wasn’t, it was last night, Sunday night and it made no difference to me whatsoever I still failed to make it to midnight without a kip!

So, that leads me to my plans for Hot off the Press in 2018! A few of you comment that my life is busy and because I write a few lines of those posts every night, it does seem that way, so to explain. Each week is all about appointments that keep me independent, healthy, physically, mentally and reasonably well adjusted. That said, the year flies by when you see the chiropractor every week. Sometimes twice, hence the well-adjusted comment. I see my acupuncturist every week also. I could do Osteo and Milo/remedial every week, if I can get it. My GP, I see monthly, and he and I share case-managing of all my medical care. Then, enter my shrink (yes, yes, psychologist!) once a month. And then there are the 1-3 weekly appointments to do my nails. My fingernails I could get done weekly, my toenails every three weeks and because the public local community health is so painful and inefficient and inadequate I think I’ll be paying my beautician rather than deal with the public system any longer. It might be a worthy expense if it saves my mental health in any way. My beautician is close to my other services and has agreed to do what I need for a reduced fee. I might even pay for an occasional pedicure.

Appointments

While this sounds like very first world problems, my only exercise is walking and no one is looking after my feet except me. Wearing only one pair of shoes that lasted four years, every day has failed to help either. I still need a second pair and The NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency) who manage the Scheme, have yet to press the button to allow me to use my funding. Who knew a government such as ours in Australia would score points and pat themselves on the head for helping (sorry, claiming to help) people with disabilities, yet they make it impossible to access the funding that is supposed to be there for me to better my situation. Again, hating feeling like a commodity.

Shoes

So, going forward, I’m wanting to free up time in my life so it’s not so stuck in survival mode and perhaps step back from the fighting to survive and attempt to have more good things? Even if I park myself in another cafe closer to home, write posts or read comics and this will get me out in the community and not so secluded at home. I will try to do this another day other than Wednesday, however while I won’t post on it that day, I might add those pictures to my standard Wednesday post. I will continue to comment, reply to comments, follow and offer any positive support I can to other bloggers who might be struggling more than I am. It’s how I can reach out and touch people in this community I have come to love being part of. You can always feel free to email me at hfantastique@gmail.com.au

Lunch

Also, moving forward I’m going to have Monday’s, Hot off the Press posts are going to be suspended and bring you some of my older articles that have been waiting to be posted, these normally only go live on a Friday. Those are my well, thought out posts on anything and everything. I might even get around to writing the post that explains the whole reason why I blog. I might even rush it and jump the queue.

New direction

Lately I haven’t been terribly inspired to write these posts as I’ve been busy with the day to day and not inspired to write when there is already a huge backlog of those carefully written posts. I often sit and smash out four or more posts at once when I’m in the mood and that leads me to get to the other things I keep putting off writing about. So, here’s hoping you have stuck with me through this post and feel free to hit the Like button and comment. I do like to know how people came to misunderstand my appreciation of the Like button. I might need to adjust my description in my About page? I definitely need the validation just like everybody else.
Cheers,
H

Inspiration

Fair

Published December 29, 2017 by helentastic67

Fair

I guess ‘Fair’ is something impressed upon us as children. I’m of a generation where I have an older sister by a few years and had cousins around my age. We all grew up spending time playing together, so the concept of what is ‘fair was instilled in us.

Be fair! Share your toys! Don’t hit your sister! (sorry, got carried away)

But let’s face it, when you’re all grown up, let’s hope the ‘ethics’ that were instilled in us at a young age stayed with us, because that concept of ‘Fair!’ takes on a mute-point because, let’s face it.

LIFE WASN’T MEANT TO BE CHEESY! (Easy)

Life isnt easy

As an adult, you learn that shit things follow more shit things. There is no one to blame for the bad-stuff.

Bad things happen

I have a belief in Karma and some other ‘things’ and I often question if I was an Outright Cow in a previous life, but that can’t be right, I’m rarely a cow in this life, I think perhaps in this life just got

THE SHAFT!

Karma

Now let’s talk about the concept of ‘fair’ in the world of funding…. Yeah! Like it’s even a thing?

I’ve heard of stories of people having a house worth $500,000 and other parents of kids with funding making sure their child (now an adult) has a brand new 3-bedroom apartment in some beachside suburb of Melbourne, bought for them.

Parents

Now, said ‘child’ will never be able to earn the kind of money required to own such a property, however said ‘child’ has also never lived out of home. Where’s my Goddamn property?

I understand no funding in the world will buy me the great Australian Dream, but still!

Things my NDIS won’t cover and why…..

My monthly appointment to my shrink (OK, Psychologist, but semantics)

I’ve been seeing my chiropractors weekly, weekly, sometimes twice weekly for ten years. Never going to be fixed and because I self-fund, because I had no choice.

So, ergo they consider they don’t need to fund these things.

I didn’t have a need for these things before my diagnosis or my disability and these two things alone, if I hadn’t prioritised to pay for them both, I WOULD NOT BE HERE!

There are many other things I needed the NDIA to fund, but my review is in three months so, I guess that shall have to wait.

NDIS review

Limits

Published December 27, 2017 by helentastic67

Limits

With the possible exception of relationships with boyfriends in recent years, I’ve learnt my limit for dealing with bullshit or ‘whatever’ is four years.

There are some houses I’ve lived in for four years and I’ve moved when landlords wanted to renovate and sell, or just sell. I’ve now been where I am for four years and about to sign a lease for a fifth year. The last three years, the rent has been inching upwards to ridiculous.

Landlord

But to other things, such as my voluntary efforts, I generally throw myself in and do that original assessment.

What am I doing?
What needs doing?
What needs to change so I can do this?
What can or do we need to achieve by being here?
Is it achievable?
Am I being respected and supported?

When you put it into those terms, four years seems like a long time, right? So, it is with great frustration at this year’s AGM of the Self Advocacy group, I’m part of that I’m resigning from my role as Treasurer.

Self advocacy

I’m not a quitter generally, so it really leaves me unsatisfied and frustrated and grumpy.

No quitter

Next!

Hot off the Press – 25th December 2017

Published December 25, 2017 by helentastic67

Merry Christmas 1

Hot off the Press

Firstly, allow me to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! This is a strangely typical sight in Australia despite being almost 40 degrees in the shade. Prompting me to ask….”is it melting?”

Snowman

I’m spending Christmas with my mum and younger sister, three and a half hours north-east of Melbourne. I actually lived here about twenty years ago for two years. But it doesn’t make it easier to cope being out of my comfort zone.

Mums place 1

Mums place 2

Day one, I couldn’t manage to cook my toast even without incinerating it. I can’t see the forest for the trees when looking for my juice and mineral drink in the fridge. But the first breathe of air as I get out of the car is worth it every time. The other downside is, there is no mobile reception here. When I head out of the valley I turn my phone on and it goes crazy with messages. In the car, half an hour. before arriving, I found out there wouldn’t be turkey! I insisted on being taken back home, but here I am, Sunday night in mums’ armchair, feet up, a small quilt on my lap and a ginger fur child stretched out up my legs. Did you hear me? A fur-child, there are two here, brothers. My sister named them after two anime twins Hikaru and Karou. I can’t tell them apart and at times neither can my mum or sister. They are very well-loved kids. They roam free during the day and remain indoors at night.

Fur baby 1 Fur baby 2

Christmas here is all about eating, sleeping and catching up on binging TV I think we are all exhausted for our own reasons and for me being here is a complete break from needing to deal with appointments, carers and the three different service providers and all that, that requires and the constant dealing with idiots! So up to pussy’s bow with the idiots!

Idiots

Although I did get an early Christmas present. From the NDIS, considering what a monumental stuff-up that has been. I cannot tell you the wasted hours spent chasing getting my shoes paid for and in the end the person in the office who had met with us and completed my plan had not pressed the button triggering spending my funding. Seriously, I have received a document so long it’s impossible to understand even what I can use my funding for. But yet some idiot didn’t press a button so I can actually have the funding. I digress, I got my early Christmas present. I got my shoes.

New shoes

And they are the most expensive shoes I’ve ever had. About $340 and they are not even paid for. The lovely Kim at Extra Depth Shoes in Elsternwick was really nice to let me have the pair she had been saving for me until the NDIA get their shit sorted out!

Christmas eve, my sister introduced me to a great show. I commented it was just so wrong and my mum told me I couldn’t be offended. I wasn’t but to be clear some of you might be. Try Trixie and Katya, two bitchy guys in drag. Offering dating advice and answering mail from their fans. That segment is called Male Bag! They are very funny. Check out this Link…….

https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/fast-lane/article/2017/08/21/katya-and-trixie-mattels-new-show-getting-fast-tracked-sbs-viceland

Might I mention, the Christmas lights are turned down to what is described as “not to epileptic fit” setting.

Stay tuned for some photos of our traditional Christmas trifle and our ham and this year lamb roast. You might get hit in the face with those for the untraditional Wednesday good mental health day post! And when I get out into reception I’ll share some pictures of the great outdoors.
Cheers,
H

P.S. a mystery gift arrived from my older sister in with mum and my younger sisters presents. I announced “Oh, hell no!” She sent us a Christmas CD.” I’m just saying next year we are regifting that back to her. We are now listening to Nine Inch Nails! And mum put it on so don’t think she is being tortured.

Christmas cd

Pain to Avoid Pain

Published December 22, 2017 by helentastic67

Pain to avoid pain

Pain to Avoid Pain

Today, amongst all my other choices, appointments and allocated for today, I decided to restock on some pills.

Panamax, OK, if you don’t know it, it’s similar to Panadol. I like to imagine that’s worldwide. Sure, Panamax is in the Opiate family, But, for crying out loud.

Panadol

The effort today, I went to get 3 packets (300 tablets) for a cost I can afford, you would think I looked like someone who was going to go home and chow down on all 300, in as little time as possible.

Allow me to do some dumb maths.

I can get a script from my GP, one packet (100) $6.30

I can get a different script from my GP, 3 packets (300) $6.30

Then there’s a bulk chemist that’s low on bling and high on affordability.

Cheap chemist

Today, I hit a shop in the city where I had hoped to get all 3 packets and I was surprised they were only $0.99. But, I was only allocated 1 packet (100).

FRUSTRATION

I explained Panamax is not my medication for serious pain relief. I joked it’s in the Heroin family and we all laughed.

Ok, it’s higher up in the food chain in the family of opiates.

I use Oxynorm.

Oxynorm

The facts

5 mg’s works in about thirty minutes, lasts about three hours.

I’m not going to get much help at all from Panamax. No matter how many I imagine I would need to take. Not suggesting I’m going to try. Not issuing a challenge to anybody else. But, I often meet people who are medicated for short treatment with something like Endone.

Endone, the basic facts.

Endone

Takes a little while to kick in. For Helen level pain, it’s barely going to take the edge off for thirty minutes.

So, those who get head spin from Endone? Amateur. Anyway, general education about opiates over.

After a few brief stops in the city, I catch a tram half way home. It’s not a flatbed tram (not disability friendly) I manage by pulling myself up with my good arm.

Flat bed tram

Half way home, I get off the tram to venture to another Chemist, this time, Panamax one packet (100) $2.00.

Still one packet short for the target for the day, I really don’t want to go through this again for a while.

Ah! Quick calculation, I go through in a week, so I get back on another tram, up two steps and catch the tram almost there and hit a third chemist.

Dedicated Right!

Third Chemist another $2.00.

Bad habit.

Get back on tram, about five or 6 tram stops then walk home about twenty minutes.

I can feel my left foot and it’s not happy.

My pedometer tells me I’ve done 5,370 steps today. That’s when I’m wearing my bag since my clothes don’t have pockets.

Pedometer

Let’s hope my brain remains pain free as it would be counter-productive to need more opiates.

Isn’t it funny that we suffer some to avoid other suffering later? It’s a calculated risk.

Suffering

Today’s Lunch (Yesterday) – 20th December 2017

Published December 21, 2017 by helentastic67

Todays lunch 2012

Today’s Lunch

Warm weather really brings out the good in people in Melbourne. Was down here yesterday for a meeting. On the tram I used my super power of Tolerance. There’s a guy that got off the tram, I noticed he had a Jesus Badge on. I’ll just say Jesus had not taught him anything about deodorant. Hence my super power. Tolerance.

Jesus

Right now, Wednesday early evening I’m really glad I started this post yesterday. As today was in warp speed from about 12.30pm, when my carer left. I inhaled my pills and my mineral supplement and my juice. Then left on my scooter Hellonwheels. Her first journey out from my new place, the first 5 minutes and I was on familiar territory. That’s right no breakfast, no Young John, no time for diddly squat! Scootered to my normal parking location at acupuncture and crossed the street to catch the tram to Chiro. No time for lunch either.

Speeding

Hence, officially but not officially a normal Wednesday, good mental health day foodie post! Once at Chiro I had a small piece of Christmas cake. Seemed heavy on the rum but not complaining. Had my rib put back in, I was correct as predicted not tickle.

Chiro and then back on the tram north, no time for lunch then either. Picked up pumpkin bread for Christmas, two cannoli from another of my local’s, so I considered that lunch.

Got to have a microdermabrasion abrasion facial. I seem to get one once a year, not often enough. I have an ethic on my beauty regime that is I’m a high maintenance girl in a low maintenance way. Or maybe a low maintenance girl in a high maintenance way. Hard to choose. Anyway, after my facial I collected Hellonwheels, my dry cleaning and pumpkin bread. Scootered home via one of the many Burger places that have cropped up around Melbourne. You may recall I mentioned Coburger and Co some time ago? My local is Kustom Burgers http://www.kustomburgers.com.au/.

main-burger-kustom

I would like to include a picture of the delicious burger I ordered except after arriving home I inhaled it. I was a little dizzy by that stage. I really must prioritise regular meals in 2018!

Made it to 7.30pm before I crashed. Had a kip before getting up to pull the rest of the night together.

Nap time

Apologies for lack of photo moments today, so even the best laid plans and my ability to be flexible and roll with the punches food is often an afterthought. I can always eat later……….
This is always why my Wednesday plans are always so vital to good mental health. To more calm in 2018!

Mental health day

Just a reminder, for the next week the normal routine will be different. Stay tuned you might get a surprise………
Cheers,
H

Christmas

Hot off the Press – 18th December 2017

Published December 18, 2017 by helentastic67

;Hot off the Press 1812

Hot off the Press

Monday, off to the city to get shrunk! Ok, I see my psychologist, but it sounds more entertaining to use the other term. I’ve been seeing her for years and still not fixed!

We all know, good mental health is about maintenance. There is no fixing it. It’s ongoing,
scored a great book for free, just because I asked about it. I was informed they couldn’t sell it. So, I was gifted it.

T world

Had a few brief stops to gather more goodies for a parcel I’m sending to Texas, to a blogger friend.
Medicine while getting shrunk! My comic shop, much catching up to do. Tram home and my bag was so heavy I was co pulled to weigh it five kilograms! I don’t understand how I don’t have a fully blown second disc-bulge. Have some symptoms of anxiety and no idea why. Since, I live with a level of anxiety all the time, I just don’t know what I can do to alleviate these symptoms.

Bulging disc x

Tuesday, a quiet day at home massage, followed by a kip! Some admin and phone calls and then caught up on some TV.

I hope you saw my Wednesday foodie post? Ended the day with more medicine before my last appointment and this thing…

Chocolate thingy

Made it home and found my carer didn’t take the full bucket of water in the kitchen sink out to water the plants on my balcony. So, I had to, in stages. It was 40 degrees in the shade today and my first hot chocolate Calla Lilly has arrived. So, after watering the plants I had a kip for about an hour, but I just couldn’t make it. After my kip I smashed through all the rest of my chores and admin. Ironically, a friend said a while ago while we were discussing Banksie/life/the universe “back when Banksie was living with him!” What! He told me he went by a different name, let’s say “Fred!” because it’s been a while. It’s a very small world!
Banksie

Thursday, finally got my shed put up in the car park and funded by the NDIA. So, it has power and get back out on the road. Well, the footpath……..but still. I went up and down so many times to take the handyman down to B1, and collect the woman with the agreement for me to sign. Then had to go let my carer Sana in so we could do some prep work for my bread and butter pudding. Sana arrived in time to help relocate some gardening and cat supplies to the shed, clearing the last of the thing from my balcony and the main bathroom. Things can actually settle now. Thankfully.
Hellonwheels rides again!

Rides again

Friday! Please let this week be over! Have had a little migraine niggling behind my left eye the last two days. Finally got a commitment from mum for the days I would go up to her house for Christmas and when I would come home. Mum has to drive Three and a half hours each way. So, I could finally contact the three service providers to put my services on hold. By the end of the day, I already have to reinstate some of those services. Still trying to get everything done before Christmas! Snuck in a visit to Wilbur today. Bella has been hard to find. But Wilbur is usually sleeping, quite contented on the counter.

Wilbur

The bread and butter pudding has already started going out the door.

It’s already Saturday and I’m not yet off-grid. Not happy! Must quit! Actually, had my phone on over the weekend, but on silent. Megi, my old neighbour visited, and bought presents. Now I have to find someone to re-gift chocolates to. I did the sleep/eat/TV weekend. Very happy I didn’t attempt to do anything more.

Saturday

Starting the week with a rib out and it’s one that will not tickle when my Chiro puts it back in on Wednesday. Counting down to Christmas and going home. There are two fur-kids there of the cat variety. I will share some pictures for Christmas, it I might take a break from my Hot off the Press Monday posts so I can burn off some of my handwritten older posts. Feel free to offer constructive feedback. Definitely hit me with a Like. Have a great week!
Cheers,
H

New week