Centrelink/Doctors/The Chilean/Bubba

Bubba is sure loud and proud today !!!! The belly is is FULLY OUT THERE !!! lolololol. She’s so cute.

*nods* She knows her place. Right up there. That’s the way the goddesses do it ; )

 

Yesterday was a rather interesting day for me. Not sure why, there was nothing too out of this world at all, but I guess there was something different at every turn.

Firstly, I slept in till MIDDAY! I have not slept in till midday in YEARS, but I’d say it’s because of my flu. I had slept soundly right through to midday, which actually felt really good.

I didn’t have much energy and perhaps could have kept on sleeping, but I had things to do. I showered, got dressed, made myself a fruit-shake (orange, apple, lime & tomato.. mixed with loads of honey.. todiefor) and had peanut butter & honey on toast for breakfast. And went about my day.

I went into Centrelink. I haven’t deat with Centrelink in YEARS and it’s strange having to deal with them again because there is this WHOLE OTHER CULTURE happening there.. and you just gotta get used to it. I went up to the counter and the girl was very questioning of the documents I had to hand in. She asked several times, "Did we ask for Identification?" and "Did we ask for payslips?" All I kept thinking was, ‘DO YOU MIND ?! Just do your friggin’ job !!!! No, I’m handing these in FOR FUN.’ Once she was done with me, she was very quick to dismiss the ‘meeting’ altogether. But I had another enquiry.

You see, Sam desperately wants to move out and she’s hoping that Louis can get Youth Allowance, which will allow him to move out with her. She has a friend who gets about 300pfnt and I’d say she’s hoping Louis can get the same amount. But they’ve been a bit confused as to how to go about it.. and all in all.. I can understand, it’s a HUGE THING having to deal with a huge entity such as Centrelink, and they use their own garbled lingo etc etc. So I offered to enquire on their behalf, to give them a bit of a headstart. To really help them out. Turns out, Louis might not be eligible because he actually works full-time. (But I’ve looked into it further this morning, and it seems he may be eligible for up to 40% of a normal Centrelink payment, which would be about 148pfnt. It’s something.

Anyhow, after Centrelink I went to the doctors. The schedule that the hospital gave to me did not specify that an appt at 34wks was compulsory, so I nearly didn’t go. But I went because I also had other concerns (my "bronchitis", and aches in my lower abdomen, the continuing of sore joints in the hands, etc). So I went ! I saw a doctor I hadn’t seen before, his name was Dr Ibrahim. He was very nice, very open, very willing to LISTEN to me and my concerns. He let me explain everything first before interjecting with an explanation. Whilst I appreciate Dr Phillip’s old-skool ways of "common sense", he DOES have that bad habit of interrupting you in a dismissive kind of way – which I didn’t want yesterday. Dr Ibrahim reassured me that the sore joints in the hands will merely be due to the extra fluids in my body at this time, and the swelling that this can produce. He gave me an EXPLANATION, not like Dr Phillip who simply shrugged his shoulders and said "I wouldn’t worry about it". Anyhow, the appt was also interesting because there are specific tests they have to do at 34wks !!!! lol. So, luckily I went !! They have to test for glucose levels again, and they do it this time with a prick in the finger. I was a little bit scared. I don’t mind needles at all.. but I’d never had a needle in my finger before. I didn’t see exactly what they used – as I turned my head away – but it certainly wasn’t a normal kind of needle at all. They simply pressed the tip of my finger for pressure, and I could’ve sworn they used something to "staple" the edge of my finger. By the time I looked, the nurse was wiping the tiniest dot of red blood from my finger, and that was that. Anyhow, once i went back to Dr Ibrahim, he had a listen to my chest as I breathed in and out, and he asked me 3times if I’d ever had Asthma before. I said no 3times, before revealing that my sister and my grandmother have had Asthma before. Anyhow, he said I didn’t need antibiotics (thank goodness) but that he would prescribe Ventolin to open up the bronchial tubes. I wasn’t happy about that at all. I saw my poor little sister suffer with awful Asthma attacks as a child (and hers was MILD) and the Ventolin always seemed to make her shake intolerably.. The drug might open up the tubes and help you breathe, but leave you feeling like your blood is rushing at 100mph.. The side effects were never pretty to watch either.. My poor little sister (Deity) was shaking incontrollably like she was a druggo, her eyes would sink in, her skin pale and sweaty.. No. I wasn’t happy.

Then I dropped into Mum’s with the intention of getting the Home Remedy Booklet off her (as Deity is borrowing mine atm, and boy have I missed it ! lol) but thank goodness for Mum’s passion in Aromatherapy. She’s really gotten into it, and has been gathering her own collection of oils and recipes for different ailments. Combined with her knowledge of massage and reflexology, it comes in really really handy. As soon as I told her that the doctor had prescribed Ventolin, she promptly looked up "Asthma" and put together an oil combination of Eucalyptus, Aniseed and Roman Chamomile for me. She said to rub it directly onto my back, and add hot towels to my back, before bedtime every night. And to do the same on my chest during the day. Until I get better. Ahhhh, thank goodness for Healing being available through Nature. Thank GOD… Truly… Thank GOD… He was very very wise when He created this thing we call Earth… Very very wise… Mum also gave me a Rose Mix for the insomnia I’ve had lately.. (not full Insomnia, like I had in my first year of Uni.. but it does take me like 2hrs to get to sleep.. and if I wake up fully in the middle of the night, same deal..)

Dad rocked up from work, at which point I normally make like a tree.. but Mum suggested I stay and hang out with Dad because he’s missed me an awful lot lately. She told me that last time I visited, I was on the computer for a bit when he got home, and then I left.. and he was left with the same want to spend time with me. I protested that he simply rocks up home "much too late".. (he doesn’t get home till about 7pm every night) but I thought ‘Que mas da?’ [‘No skin off my back’] And it was really wonderful to catch up with Dad. He gets a bit negative and rebellious in his conversation but meh, at least he’s got an opinion he cares to share. And the good thing is he can talk about a VARIETY of topics.

Of course, the latest hot topic for BOTH Mum’n’Dad is Earthquake & Tsunami situation in Chile. Mum’n’Dad have been quite emotionally affected by all that’s going on. Our family is fine, thank goodness, but Mum’n’Dad are vested in the goings-on through watching newsclips on YouTube and seeing images of the latest damages, and watching interviews of the victims etc. Their eyes well up with tears when they talk of all that’s going on. I have discovered through thi

s that Chile experiences earthquakes quite commonly – every few or so years !!! Could you imagine living like that !?!? I mean, we get "cyclones" but they’re nothing. And they don’t affect ALL of Australia – they only affect mostly North Queensland. And usually they’re much much smaller than anticipated – ending up as "wild storms" more than anything. But EARTHQUAKES ! Sheesh !! Anyhow, it’s because Chile rests on the join of several Earth Plates (?).. Dad was saying that somebody predicted some 20yrs ago that Chile was one going to disappear off the face of the earth.. Dad was very solemn when he said this.. I didn’t understand the solemnity until he told me that a whole City of Chile disappeared .. it was called Valdivia.. and apparently a huge tsunami came in, inundated the whole city, and the water remains in the area to this day !!! That part of Chile was never seen again !! Of course, they had to rebuild "Valdivia" … elsewhere I suppose…

Then Dad was telling me of a huge earthquake he experienced as a child in 1965. He was 7. And he said that him and his little sister (tia Daly) were playing, climbing trees. She would’ve been about 5. When all of a sudden, he saw that the tree started swaying from side to side on its own. He called out to Daly, who was way further up ahead, to quickly climb back down.. and they started running across the huge field through the fruit trees they harvested.. When suddenly they saw their whole family climbing aboard Granddad’s huge truck for safety.. And they were all calling out to them "Come quick !! We’ve been looking for you !!" and they all climbed into the truck. From inside the truck, Dad says that he saw all his surroundings – the houses, the trees, everything – swaying UP AND DOWN like jelly…

Mum’n’Dad got talking about their earthquake experiences. They recalled the "really big one" in 1970 after that. And that it was the biggest earthquake recorded WORLDWIDE, with a grading of 9.5. We were shocked to realise that this earthquake that’s occurred in Concepcion has been rated at least 8.8 and I think most recently it’s been graded around the 9.5 mark….

It’s crazy…

I think about the Chilean people.. and my heart truly goes out to them… Chileans are one of the most BEAUTIFUL people you will ever meet…. Their hearts are HUGE and made of gold.. and very very deep… Chileans understand what it’s like to WORK HARD.. to see it rough.. to see it BAD.. They have a deep appreciation of ACHIEVEMENT in life.. of Family.. of honour and integrity.. Your average eighteen-year-old in Chile is a full-grown adult…. not a CHILD like in the Western worlds… They have seen LIFE.. and have a much deeper understanding of the deeper things…

I prayed for the Chileans last night. I asked God to protect them from further harm.. And to give them strength, courage and hope… Hope that Life CAN restore itself to them…

I don’t know what else I can do !!! There’s nothing much more I CAN do….. I wish I could send a whole heap of warm fleecey jackets to them or something… Or big heavy blankets… To keep them warm during this time… I mean, it’s March and it gets cold early on over there… And it gets PRET-TY damn cold over there….. I mean, I was there in November & December – SUMMERTIME – and I wore jeans, long sleeves and sneakers the entire time I was there.. It was MUCH too cold for one who’s used to a hot sizzling sun from Down Under !! I was lucky to have even packed jeans and a few long sleeves in the first place !! lol

Anyhow….

 

When I got home last night, Sinjay was watching TV. I settled down next to him. Suddenly he lifted the shirt up to reveal the big round belly and he nuzzled his face against it in REVERENCE… For a few quiet moments there it almost seemed as though he was worshipping and praising the belly.. his child.. And he just kept on softly nuzzling at it.. and kissing it softly… It was amazing…

Bubby doesn’t move too much these days, as she’s getting cramped in there, the poor thing. But when she does move, it’s glorious. I try to take advantage of the moment and play with her. She’s been very awake TODAY. Probably cos I’m awake maybe… Although I didn’t get to sleep till past 12:30 last night, I was FULLY AWAKE by 6:30 this morning !! I think my body’s getting used to the upcoming schedule maybe… Anyhow, and this morning we were playing our poking game ! lol. We hadn’t played that one in AGES !! I relished in it completely. And Sinjay also had the opportunity to watch her fully poke the belly out… She was very interactive with us this morning… Beautiful little thing…

The placenta is now fully formed and will not develop any further ! lol. The placenta totally cracks me up. I mean get this.. It is a WHOLE OTHER ORGAN that grows inside you for a period of about 9mths… Okay? A WHOLE OTHER ORGAN. Could you imagine growing a whole other heart ?? Or a whole other lung ?? LMAO. AND THEN… as if that wasn’t weird enough.. it simply detaches itself from you.. and you dispose of it .. by pushing it out after the baby has come out to greet you. TA TA we shall say to one another. Nice meetin’ ya !!! Thanks for feeding my baby !!!! *thumbs up, click of the tongue*

Bubba’s tastebuds are apparently at a very high intensity at the moment. And apparently… get this… my nipples taste and smell almost exactly like the amniotic fluid, and THEREFORE why the bubba will be "deeply attracted" to my breasts once she’s born !!!!!! Isn’t that TOTALLY AMAZING !?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!? God thought of EVERYTHING… He is amazing… Absolutely amazing….. The way he put it all together in such fine fine fine detail…….. God is amazing….

God is truly amazing. He’s created each single one of us with such… precision… Such perfection…

Such DELIGHT…….

Such delight.