The emergency doctors - again.

More than a nightmare. Now. 

Not my baby girl. She's just turned 17. We took photos of her and her twins opening their L plates. Now we sit in the emergency dr at almost midnight as she struggles to swallow. 

That frown. Oh I remember those painful swallows which accompany the frown from the times I was a child laid up. Around 5 times a year I missed school with tonsillitis. Of course they bashed up my intestines with copious amounts of antibiotics. My crohns did not like that much. 

Her heart beats in the side of her neck. Visibly. She's hot. Then gets goosebumps on her face. Taking her pulse through her wrist I can feel it's way too fast. Blood pressure machine on. Low BP heart rate 149 BMP. Too fast for me to get comfortable with. 

The iPhone Flashlight illuminates a swollen throat. No gaps. No spaces. Just white stuff. 

Awake for much of the night last night I began to research my studies. The stuff I am missing during my university absence.  Health issues all around me, I do begin to wonder what my future career will hold.  
Taking care of my family is my number one priority,  which goes without saying.  Yet how can I juggle everything else that goes along with my busy, busy life. 

Do I enjoy the chaos of doing too much?  Probably.  

To the detriment of my health? Maybe.  

Something I know is I want to make a difference.  Make people feel better.  Including myself.  We all deserve this life of feeling better, being well, being happy; smiling.

That night at the emergency doctors we were blessed.  An amazing GP who cared, praised my daughter for being brave, recognising how ill she is and also taking this illness so seriously she felt my girl needed the hospital.  39.9 degrees temperature.  Racing heart.  She needed medication and now. Which is exactly what the Dr did.  As we waited in the waiting room for 15 minutes to see if 1. her temperature dropped and 2. if she reacted enough to not need the hospital, I thought back to writing this blog.

How I adore writing this blog.   Wishing I could be more creative,  I think on to time.  The family needing me, the stack of university work backing up.  How do I write my essay when Jeremy Kyle plays on in the background and Mum gives me a running commentary?  Oh if only I was that person in my 20s who was a night owl.  These days I can't get much past 11pm before my eyes simply close all by themselves with no command from the brain it seems. Instead here I sit at 5am on Saturday morning typing quietly from my new bed, the sofa, brain dumping conscientiously enough to hope someone can relate to my muse.  A mother perhaps? A Carer? Someone else who has an illness and is trying to be a carer?  My heart goes out to you all.  Our struggles are the things that make us proud every once in a while, pat ourselves on the back and feel like we are making a difference in life.  Even something so simple as making a sandwich can put a smile on someones face.  

So here I am wondering about my future.  I never envisaged I would be a full time carer.  Yet loving people is my strength.  Will I be that full time carer? Will I be the person who helps others with their health online?  Would the girl I used to be want this or would she want the status of having a job description? 

Life still leaves me wondering at this age.  
As a child, you think grown ups know everything.  Yet the twists, turns and meandering of life events means we can't possibly know everything.  So, one step at a time we flow downstream, taking on the challenges that meet us along the way.  Just for today, i will take one step at a time.  

Wishing you all much love

Louise xoxo

Teenagers stress at school 'options' decisions

This time of year is typically the year 9 'options' evenings here in the UK. 

Doubling the pleasure with my year 9 twins, we are dealing with a myriad of emotions from them right now.  Testing your parenting skills at this time holds a stress all of its own if you decide to let it.  

While the schools do what they think is right for their statistics and their figures,  that often means they are not doing the right thing for your teenager.  Filling their already full minds with quotes like,
"If you don't get the right GSCE grades you will make nothing of your life."
"Without these grades you won't get into University or college."
"You must work harder."
"Spend lots of time thinking about making the right decision, once you have made it, you can't go back."


Sheeesh.... give them a break please!

Year 9 can tend to be a bit of a 'middle' or muddle year I call it.  Often the teaching staff use the excuse that there are lots of hormones raging around this year.  Also,  in years 7 and 8 they needed taking extra care of as they fitted into their new school and years 10 and 11 are exam years so they let them 'coast' in year 9 - allowing them the space to get the changing hormones dealt with.  I disagree.  This is a year they need more love than ever,  more understanding and more encouragement.

Stress?  At 14 years old?  Surely that can't be right?

Important as these decisions are,  they shouldn't be coupled with the kind of pressure they are currently getting.  Rightly or wrongly,  this is what I have told my teenage twins:

1.  There are famous entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson who didn't quite fit in with the school 'typical' student.  Look how well he did.

2. Putting your mind to it,  you can achieve anything in life,  with or without qualifications.

3.  There are many college courses or apprenticeship schemes that will take you onto the next stage of your learning with or without GSCE grades.

4.  Chose the subjects you really enjoy.  These are the ones that will make you happy which is ultimately what life is about.  Without happiness you are likely to achieve nothing.

5.  Don't stress over this decision.  You can change career path later in life.  Just as I have done and many others too.

Now for me at this age,  I felt the pressure too.  I didn't know what I wanted to do.  How could I?  I knew nothing about the working world... I had watched my parents work hard in factory jobs trying to earn a living,  just enough to cover the bills.

Until one day, my Aunt June gave me a whole new concept to consider,
"You need to find a job that you really enjoy."

I was left thinking, 'You can enjoy work? Really?'
From that day to this I have always loved work and decided to do things that make me happy and the rest does follow.

Work hard at what you love and take action to get there! Good luck year 9's