Category: caring and families

Emo The Emotional Elf

#christmas2024 #christmaseve2024 #christmasday2024 #Newyearseve2024 #Christmaskaraoke #boardgames #presents #family #EmoTheEmotionalElf #familyholiday

Part 2 of December blog the main events

Spirit of Christmas

Good evening all hope this new week has begun well for you, its that time of year when school returns and people go back to work.

That’s if you haven’t found yourself unexpectedly delayed due to weather changes, parents rushing to get their kids in school time sleep routines, maybe counting hours till kids are passed on to teachers for the majority of the week. back to deadlines and busy work sceduals.

Or maybe the first bit of respite parent carers get after the holidays.

We all see the posts that get shared on socials about these very thing probably all relating to it because this is actual life itself.

I used to dread the school runs glad they are a thing of the past. I also counted the days but not for return to school but when I would be home with all my kids I love it. No sceduals No pressure just everyone pottering around anxiety free living.

that is where I will start this blog with Jakes return home for the holidays

Jake’s return home

Jake had to work the day he came home, but came after work , brining his Christmas shopping with him all wrapped up.we spent the evening together at home and we were all so happy to see him.

The following day i took him with me to visit his Yai Yai and spent the day talking to her and his uncle Tony. Tis the season to visit spread a little smiles and all that jazz

It was also great to share the visit with our niece Mia and my sister in law Ellie who brought yyiaai some presents too. Bless her Ellie has just had her second hip op so visiting so this has been the first visit due her recovery period. was so nice to see them all.

I am not sure of exact dates or time lines for some of this Christmas has no set routine so days blur into each other except for the top three Christmas eve, Christmas day, boxing day, and of course new years eve and day.The next day was visit to Santa with Niki and Hayley this is a big thing and there was so much excitement to be had. we met up with nitis friend hall after for lunch and he came back with us for a night at karaoke to cribrate his birthday with us .

Visit to Santa

Niki went full goth to see Santa Hayley dressed up too I dressed as Mrs clause. got to go full on with the Christmas spirit actually nitis hat said baa humbug lol Santa loved it and played along. we had lunch at the local weather spoons after visiting santa.

Santa let her take a grumpy photo how cool is santa.

Halil came back with us so we could celebrate his birthday at karaoke with him.

Yes in loud environments phones are an anxiety aid.

next day went back to Yai Yia’s to take her presents and Christmas food while jake and Niki hubby spent time together. I ended up spending the night at yia Yai’s house. We ate food talked watched the two Ronnie’s and some mothers do have em stayed up late sang along to the Christmas tree music . Tony had the music playing in the back ground and was setting up the kitchen table with the goodies from food hamper.

Yai Yai has developed a liking for popcorn lol

Jake took us out to dinner at Nando’s he used the voucher he got from Christmas from work.

I am sure he secretly got me hot food my mouth was on fire but the coconut icecream so cooled me down lol.

Family meal time was great to all eat out together.

the next few days we got in another Christmas karaoke night at a different venue but with our usual dj. was such a fun night .

This is where things go a little wrong having arranged day for my niece Anna to come over with the children, she messaged and said she had to go hospital her fantastic daughter Chloe had to call an ambulance she had pneumonia bless her Chloe helped her mama out over next few days with her brother and sister, a check up some x-ray and meds and she was back home with her kids. It was quite a scary experience for them all. she was well enough to come visit us though after Christmas.

I changed plans just in case she needed me to go help out we did the presents on the day before Christmas eve instead and i offered to go help her Christmas eve. first we dropped off presents to little Toms house. Then we drove to my little brothers house to drop off presents to him and the children. We also took them each a teapot from mum.

We drove home i picked up my car from dads house loaded car with presents to bring back to mine about ten mins after i got back home dad phoned and said he thought he was having a heart attack he was home alone with Hayley she wouldn’t be able to phone for help and would not no what to do or be able to do any CPR if necessary. i just grabbed my keys called my hubby to say im going Jake grabbed his shoes and ran with me to car he was calling an ambulance while i drove us to dads house still on phone to ambulance. that was the worst 8 minuets not knowing what was happening or if dad had collapsed or not. Thinking about what was going through pour Hayleys mind.

Dad was finding it hard to explain what he was feeling to the operator they said they were sending an ambulance then they changed their mind and said they were to busy i should drive him or get a taxi. our local ane were closed for evening it was a 40 minute drive to the next hospital and we had to drop Hayley off to my hubby on route to hospital. we ended up being in ane 10 hours. he was triaged after an hour but the wait to see doctor was long. My dad thought he was going to die. thankfully though he was ok orders to rest up amid not fast.

We going to do some training with Hayley on what to do in an emergency what neighbours are safe to ask for help with made a list of numbers on a sheet on the board she can give neighbours in an emergency so they can call us.

Jake bless him stayed with me and grandad at the hospital all night talking to him taking his mind off things. he said he didn’t mind sitting at the hospital with us because he got to spend time with his grandad. after losing his other grandad and nan this year we thankful for the time we all spend together the place doesn’t matter the people do.

Speaking about visiting our other niece maria visited her Yia Yia too.

We tried to keep yia yia company through visits phone calls and face times as it is her first year without Papou.

Any way back to Christmas eve my brothers both arrived at the hospital in morning to sit with dad so me and Jake can go home and rest and i could see how Hayley was doing. they sat with dad till he was realised from hospital and brought him back to my house where i made him lie down and rest for few hours and fed him dinner. i did want him to stay the night But he wanted to go home to rest. Hayley decided to stay with us for the night and be here Christmas morning dad would come join us later on Christmas day.

Bless them out for count after long night at hospital.

I picked up Hayley’s presents and brought them back with me and we proceeded to give them their Christmas eve boxes.

We all got new pyjamas all ready for sleep but first the letter to Santa the plate of food and glass of milk

Hayley and jake went up stairs to their rooms and Niki this year helped me set up the presents from mum and dad and family not the stockings though they don’t get done till all of them are asleep and Santa comes lol.

My hubby cooks the lamb and gammon always late Christmas eve which leaves the oven free to cook turkey Christmas Morning the bast bit of Christmas eve after all the kids go to bed is my hubby giving me taste of the food , mouth watering.

Last thing is setting out the stockings and making sure Santa takes the letter eats his food and leaves a letter for everyone.

Santa only leaves stocking presents the other main presents are from family Santa as you know has millions of kids to give presents too on christmas eve. parents and family work hard all year round to collect the other presents under the tree.

Christmas morning starts with breakfast first then lining up to go to sitting room for present opening this year santa left the stockins under the tree and not in the bedrooms Grown up kids never sleep early.

I look forward to passing this tradition on to my children and sit back and watch as a grandmother one day.Just like my mother and her mother did pass these traditions on to there children.

Our Josh wasnt with us christmas day he spent it with Dani and her Family they were meeting us boxing day this year.

Present opening out of way and kids all sorting there stuff out hubby got back in the kitchen and cooked us a christmas fest while i set the table. we eat pretty late christmas day around five oclock just because of preparing all the foods and as its always a three course sitting breakfast and snacks keep us going till the main meal.

We ended the evning with Nikis Kareoke machine hayley got her for christmas before dropping dad and Hayley home. was a special christmas day our first without mum on the phone or around to join in the festivities of christmas. and with dads health scare.

Boxing day we traveled to kent to meet up with our josh at oiur niece izzys and her hubbys kishon and little Toula’s house they only moved in this year and its our first time seeing thier new home.

We had such a lovely time playing with Toula seeing Izzy Mia and Molly little Noah at his dad’s house so we didn’t get to see him this time but our niece sent a photo of him with his transformer we got him for Christmas. Izzy made this beautiful spread of food, she showed us her holiday photo’s shared her favourite Music with us. Toula was such a sweet hear we played hide and seek she made us food with her little play kitchen and we watched pepper pig and played jiggle bells on repeat. you know what though there is nothing better than hearing a child laugh while playing with her cousins.

hide and seek with Toula and Jake and Josh

Back home to our house and opening prezzies with Josh and Dani

Visit from our niece Anna and the children . Anna felt better enough to visit

You know it doesn’t matter if you get together regularly because of busy lives but when you do get together it feels like home, its good to catch up play games with the kids eat together laugh together.

Your always tired after busy Christmas visiting you crash out when everyone leaves. because your happy and content and utterly warn out from play.

New years eve

New years Eve me and Josh took Dani to meet Yai Yai. and Tony. up nearly cooking this wonderful turkey curry and bolognese ,Dani and yia yai got on very well. we had a lovely visit and maria turned up with her son and Thomas his baby Thomas the first time me Yia Yai met him he is such a cutie. it was a flying visit from maria the boys but i got a cuddle with baby Thomas

We picked Hayley up on way home from dads and Josh and Dani got to see him and check out his newly decorated front room. while me Josh and dan were at yia yai’s house dad Hayley my hubby and popped into local to see freddy

Hayley always spends new years eve with us we played games and had karaoke and we saw new year in together. The game of choice Triva pursuit

Niki was very happy to win and beat her brothers for once.

Karaoke time

Dani song 1

song 2

josh

niki

Hayley

oh there i go i sound so much better after a few i unfortunatly i was sober lol

time to see in the new year

New years day

Dad came over for dinner Josh and Dani went home just before dinner and jake went home after dinner.

we also had news our great niece Rose had gone into labour almost a new years day baby she was born the next morning Larosa a healthy 7lb 11oz muma and baby doing well . I hope i get a chance to meet her soon.

That’s it for last years round up. here is to a healthy and prosperous new year ahead

Emo The Emotional Elf

#caring #miniblog #morningthoughts

Even got some Book stuff done this weekend  gift wrapping , It’s the finer details and adding that little bit extra when sending books out that I love the most .

Good Morning Happy New week, 😁

Signed and gift wrapped first edition copies already for readers , and books shelves with a little bit extra care.Keeped me busy while mum slept .

Been up since Four today mum was a little uncomfortable, so helped her get into a better position Good for preventing bed sores , plus she still has to build up strengh and learn to regain that left side strengh in her upper body on the right side her left hip is less painful now and still something she is favouring and turning on her right side which is the last operates side is still to painfully and causes d dizziness. Night time pains in her shins and restless legs we use some deep heat rub that has help with that a little. A pillow under the knees Mum has decided with the hospital before she left to reduce the dosage of the stronger pain relief which has helped releave some of the sickness and dizziness she really doesn’t want to be dependant on them because when she really needs them they won’t have the same affect and Thier addictive qualities are always a big concedration inpatients with complex health care needs. We have the district nurse coming today and have to speak to doctors to get some post physio at home untill she can get up and move

enough to get her to the physio. She needs there help with balance and upper and lower body strengh relearning things, she also had 2 epidurals for her ops,and lots of time where she wasn’t able to get out of bed. Each day she is trying to get out of the bed more . We got a new disability chair coming which a friend has given us as they are changing there’s so she can then sit up more that will help too.

What a great weekend , Mum came out of hospital on Saturday morning , my brother and I went to pick her up and bring her back down to stay with our family down here to Finnish convalescing. She still has a while to go till she is stable enough on her feet to go home, we got about a weeks notice to get things sorted with a temporary doctor , and get things and make adaptions so she can have as much independence as possible , a huge part of the recovery process is maintaining and supporting encouraging and building up that confidence after major falls and operations.

Managing pain, helping with physio , organizing appointments , and equiptment the rehabilitation hospital were fantastic both in the care they gave arranging mental health support so mum had an independant person to talk through what she has been through and gaining that confidence to make choices for herself helping her talk through options of care and rehabilitation post hospital.

We are loving spending quality time with her, and it’s nice to be able to give some of that care back she has given to so many people over her life time.

So in my next few blogs I am going to give some helpful tips share some products we have found have really helped , there will be time in our life we may have to care for a loved one or need care our self and it all my get over whelming or that research you do to make things run smoothly for best recovery.

So also when we get into blogs like this it’s important to show both sides of care what works and is helpful what really doesn’t work and impacts recovery.

Real life experiences, I think that can lead to changes to care on a wider scale if people share Thier journeys openly.

That’s It For this mornings blog , Dad’s up and about Hayley is almost ready for the bus to take her to day center and I have to go pick up Jake and take him to school before coming back to mum to help her get up and wash her hair before the hairdresser arrives to give her hair a cut, I am going to freshen the colour up for her she wants to get rid of grey , them maybe this afternoon I will give her a pamper

.

Have a beautiful week much love Faye xxx

Emo the Emotional Elf

#caring #family #halfterm

Good Evening 😁❤️

Hope you all had a lovely day, had the double shift with Hayley we had lots of fun.

The kids have teachers Training Tomorrow so half term is upon us this week has gone super quick, it’s been nice just getting things back to normal.

So we have a storm due to hit and we are upgrading from amber to red in some places in the UK . Been a while since we had a big storm come in looks like some places may have up to 100 mph winds. I am surprised no-one has been out panic buying, doesn’t take much to clear the shelves here. 🤣🤣 No seriously though the 1987 hurricane in UK was a big one caused lots of issues , I remember trying to walk up the hill to school only to have my skinny little body blown back down still it a day off in the end. Our neighbours across the road where we lived at the time end up having the chimney fall through the roof into there kids bedroom luckily they were not in there at the time. And they turned it into a positive by having a loft conversion done. great little room they made too I used to play with the kids who lived there. And he was a builder I think anyway.

We had a Gazzebo my hubby had to go collect it this morning from all over the garden shredded it was. our Jake said told you so as he told his dad to take it down yesterday proper smug look on his face he had.

Tomorrow is going to be a will it happen kind of day depending on this storm as Jake and his friends had been planing a day out since before Christmas .

So if it’s safe enough I will drive them up thier and they may get a train home as they are planning on making it a whole day out and I have to work early,

Any other day I may not be as nervous about Jake  going I trust his friends though they have been amazing with him, I also get to see there personalities in the car on the drive. I am hoping I don’t say anything embarrassing, Jake’s friends know he is autistic , This has been the biggest step for Jake having this group of friends he really trusts.

We have spoke about back up plans if the trains stop and things like that. For the travel home and I went out and got power banks for his phone and things.  I am a cross between over protective parent and a parent who cheers on these steps to more independence.  Really though being in town which is ten minutes away and being some where that’s an hour drive away. And you can’t go get them because your working it is giving me just a tad bit of anxiety if I wasn’t working it wouldn’t be an issue at all I would of stayed the day there and walk around waiting till they finished and then drove them back.my head kind of says he is 17 you got to let him try , my heart says what if he has a panic attack and I can’t get to him, You think you worry a lot about your kids when that are little but these teenage years are a roller coaster of emotions .

My dad has phoned about the weather so has my mum I guess grandparents are exactly the same though .

So I am back to work with Hayley on Monday with the sweet little Tom and Holly tomorrow from 4pm till there parents get back from there spa trip Saturday.

So Jale has been stressing a little over the trip a bit this week , he distracted himself last night baking bread and omg it was so delicious 👌👌👌😁

The softest fluffy inside with that crisp outside warm home cooked bread is just the best

I used to work in the bakery at the local Saintsbury’s for about 4 years it was a delight to go to work and walk into that fresh smell of the bread and cakes every day. But I walked around feeling hungry all day I still can’t walking near fresh pastry with out having to get some.

So Niki was off college today so me Hayley and her went to Town for some shopping Hayley wanted to get some more arts and craft stuff and it’s treat day always likes to have a panni and a Costa hot chocolate we played her favorite music while doing arts and crafts transfered her photos from he tablet to her laptop so it works faster. And had a small walk .

We had to stop a few times, so girls could rest but even a gentle walk is better then no excersize

Arts and craft this afternoon and game of cards these are things Hayley loves to do

.

Easter theme she chose again 😁

People under estimate how good card games are they are calming , well when Hayley isn’t being to competitive but also great for Hayley helps her keep remembering numbers patterns hand eye coordination and many other things. Snap she is super good at sometimes she try’s to cheat.

And pairs where you lay all the cards out up side down and you have to find a matching pair , it’s a game of memory each time you turn the cards over you have to remember the where that number was the one with the most pairs wins

Song choices for today definitely the 80’s mix love the 80’s

That’s it for tonight ,

Much love Faye ❤️❤️

Emo The Emotional Elf

#caring #family #challengingdays #love #specialoccations

Emo is still around 😀

This week has been full of Emotions, our son Josh is home for a while, and we finally got to have a bit of a birthday for him, .😀it is really great to have him home.

He seems to get bigger the longer the distance between visits, we are all glad to have this time to spend with him. He arrived late Tuesday night, I got to meet him at the station. So we all.kind of crashed after a quick catch up and home coming.

Wednesday morning I was on shift so had to get Hayley to and from the day center.

In between trips we were preparing for our nieces wedding a small private event it was intimate and special. Was great to be able to to go out for the day obviously we were precautions and everyone took covid tests. You don’t know how pleased I was they were negative. Wouldn’t miss that special occasion. We didn’t go to actual wedding just because they kept it real small but the after party in the garden was so beautiful it was sunny. Lots of fun. So great being with family again after so long. While I can’t share all the photo’s we took I can share a few of my family.

Jake was there but for some reason was absent when camera was around, going out is sometimes a bit of a mission. Being prepared, with food they eat. Sun cream plenty of water. Meds. Despite my car aircon not being super great and not taking the wrong exit off the motor way this time the journey there was great and pretty straight forward this time. Parking was ok at first we had three hours parking and when our time was up Jake put his social skills to use asking if we could stay for longer as there were road works where my niece lived thankfully they were kind enough to let us register the car and stay till it was time to go. We loved seeing the first dance and them opening the gifts from is the cutting of the cake. It’s so nice when you get to welcome someone into your family although I admit we are a little unique and take sometime to get used to, we are very family orientated and accepting people. When you get to be with family after a long time apart you just feel content and at home. My Niece and new nephew were amazing hosts they make such a beautiful couple and quite clearly besotted with each other. I loved seeing All the kids playing in the pool having water fights .I love weddings as I a bit mushy and romantic, sometimes though with big wedding a there is a lot of timed things posing for photos meal plans when thing happen in what order.but this was laid back relaxed things just flowed so naturally.

My sister in law messaged the day before asking if I could pick up confetti must be a shortage as all the shelves were empty of pre made boxes so I got the stuff to make them and my Niki and Jake spent about four hours getting creative and making the boxes for card and decorating them. They learn how to make boxes at school this time they did it together while in prepared for Josh’s home coming

They were real cute looking , they tied little ribbons on the top, mostly white but also blue, tradition to have something blue at weddings.

It kind of reminded me of preparing for my wedding a little where we were preparing food and hand making things like bridesmaids flowers. Decorations, all them last minute details.

It’s funny really our Izzy was one of the bridesmaid at our wedding, she looked as beautiful then, as she did on her big day. If anyone deserves this day it is Izzy she graduated in nursing Just as covid struck and has worked so hard throughout on a covid ward, she has had to endure so much and seen so much since then. She is the kindest sweetest funniest girl ever so caring and compassionate.

She has the most beautiful free spirit, strong, feisty loving.she amazes me. Her new husband has the most amazing smile and laugh.

The journey home was a bit longer than expected the part of the motorway we were meant to travel on was closed so following the sat nav and diversion signs in the dark took a little extra concentration. We got back every one was tired.

Today was a bit more challenging, back to work with Hayley and we finally got to do some cooking lessons. She made her stuff peppers she is good when you break things down into easy steps for her

She loves cooking, this is where the challenging bit comes in, I had a call from Jake’s s summer

He had school an accident his nose was bleeding and they had trouble getting it to stop and as a precaution they asked me to take him to walk in center.a staff member came to hospital with us but left to go back to finish day once were were booked in at a&e.. The accident involved a football kick around and an accidental elbow to nose. It was pretty quite when we arrived obviously the did the pre entry covid questions, and a bit of explaining why there were two of us accompanying him.But after quick explanation we were allowed in together watering a facemask obviously was important Jake wanted to wear his and did but held it off his nose. It stopped bleeding when we got there , the wait for doctor didn’t take to long and he was very hold with Jake his nose has a slight deviation they gave us some care to help, and said to wait five days for swelling to go down before. And if the nose still is looking slightly out of normal place to phone doctors and get a referral to the nose

specialist fracture clinic, I guess it’s a waiting game. Jake has his last day of summer school tomorrow and he is keen to finish it, this course apart from the accident today has been amazing opportunity. He has gone outside his comfort zone tried different things, his sleep pattern has been a bit better but that’s because he really has been more active and has a similar scedual as school hours. There is possible going to be some bruising in next couple of days but again there might not. Thankfully my son and hubby were home to watch Harley while I attended to Jake, and she ended up being an hour late for day center but we got her there in the end. She had her social media club today. After I dropped hayley off I went back home to wash Jakes can’t and clothes that had blood on them. He was more bothered that he got blood on his coat then his nose, we have had a few more small nose bleeds and a bit of a head ache which he took meds for and he spent the afternoon sitting with his brother playing games. I had to pick Hayley up and top her home. Today though was just so crazy I got takeout for dinner on way home.

While I was waiting this young girl couldn’t of been more then 12 came in and ordered chicken and chips, it was about 3.50 she went to use her card to pay but they only accept cash at this place they told her to go get cash from cash point next door. She came back and said she didn’t know how bless her she was young and didn’t speak much English, I just payed for it for her. I was sitting there thinking about the food I got my kids and that sometimes because of their eating issues they don’t eat. And there was this young girl hungry trying to pay for her dinner, made me feel so sad.

Anyway that’s my blog for tonight don’t think I will get much sleep tonight will be check-in in on Jake through night.

Good night. Much love Faye xxx