*Note: This article was originally written for my monthly linkups, which I've archived as it was taking too much out of me. However, I've kept most of the posts written as I realise it's much like a diary with memories that make me nostalgic or smile. I hope you enjoy reading them, too! š
Bothering (or Not)
As the COVID-19 pandemic draws on, I must say that Iāve become less bothered with my appearances. This includes how I smell, and how presentable I look. I mean, not that I stink, I still shower daily - a necessity in a humid climate like Singapore. But previously, Iād feel a little naked if I had forgotten to dabble some perfume on before leaving the house. Now, I donāt even wear jewellery for a bit of shine. My eyebrows are unkempt but Iām not fussed. I mean - weāre all hidden under those stuffy masks.
My number one gripe whenever hospitalised is the inability to shower. Wipe downs are not the real deal; I remember when I was hospitalised for 2 months and couldnāt even use the bathroom on my own. Towards the end they allowed me the occasional half-day leave, and going home for a shower, albeit with help from mum, was absolute bliss. The little pleasures in life matter a great deal.
*Disclaimer: This article is meant for educational purposes, and is based on my personal experiences as a patient. I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be substituted for medical advice. Please consult your own doctor before changing or adding any new treatment protocols. This post may also contain affiliate links. It will cost you nothing to click on them. I will get a small referral fee from purchases you make, which helps with the maintenance of this blog. Read our Privacy Policy page for more information. Thank you!
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Demanding Little Suckers!
My cockatiel, Horace, flew away and could never be found š A day after his disappearance, his parents started getting it on hardcore. Like 10 times a day. Now we have six chicks, and they are demanding little suckers!
Their parents canāt keep up with the regurgitation and feeding (their throats must be sore!), so Iāve stepped in earlier than usual to help feed their babies. Usually I begin hand feeding the chicks at around 2 - 3 weeks, but now Iāve started even the youngest one at a few days old.
Thank goodness Iāve had some experience or I might have freaked out. Balvenie (chick #6) is so tiny, like a giant sized ant. She's also so fragile, with a tiny little beak and blind. How precious life is, though. Itās also fascinating to watch the formula go down their throats and into their crops, as their skins are still translucent. I also love hearing their cute little purrs as they get some head rubs.
Nourishing Life - Literally
Tying that in with the next prompt - nourishing. I usually donāt feed my birds too many seeds as itās bad for their diet (itās like McDonaldās for birds). I give it to them in the afternoon as treats. But for now, I allow them to eat all they want - they have six ever-hungry mouths to feed, and better fed than starved to death! Theyāre constantly screaming at me for more food, so I let them be. The formula Iām feeding the chicks has at least plenty of nutrients in it, so hopefully they grow up nice and strong.
I, too, need to nourish my own wellbeing. Iāve been neglecting it, not entirely by choice with the increased workload and timelines. Although I will admit, I could have managed my time and stress better. Iām terrible at both, but Iād like (need!) to make an attempt. To say to myself āstopā consciously, even though I donāt feel like it, or am āin the zoneā.
To let myself feel discomfort and quit before I go overboard, and do too much in order to feel productive and āgoodā. Itās a bit (a lot) of an addiction for me. Over time I hope Iāll get used to that discomfort. Itās discomfort thatās good for my long term health and wellbeing. In order to nourish myself in this instance, I need to subtract, and not add. To return to a state of stillness and calm, and not fill myself up with more.
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Telecommunicating - Time Saver for Certain Medical Consults!
Iāve had a few telemedicine sessions for my less urgent doctor appointments, which I have found to be such a time saver. Medications get delivered for free too, so thatās another huge time saver.
The queues at the pharmacy can drag on, and as I usually have many medications to collect. It can take up to 2 hours waiting for them, and waiting around in a public place for a chronically ill person is physically exhausting.
And whilst Zoom and Skype meetings with friends have been popular...guess what? I havenāt had a single one - only for a podcast interview. I donāt have enough friends, it seems, or my friends are like me. I donāt like talking on the phone, or communication via screen much.
Tolerating the Lockdown and Lock Up
Itās been difficult in the house with the lockdown and lock in with my family! Usually Iām alone at home on weekdays, working or blogging. Now everyone is home so space is compromised, volumes louder, and *ahem* arguments increased. It really is a test of patience and communication.
Now that the lockdown is easing up a little, I take any opportunity I can get to escape from the house for a breather. My new favourite cafĆ© is Wheeler's Estate, as itās outdoors and spacious. Plenty of space to breathe and work. The food is a little on the pricey side so I need to save up for these treat days, but at least it's delicious, and the change of environment to a natural one makes me happy.
Thatās it from me for now. Thank you for reading my entry this month! š You can read next month's diary entry here.
Comments Archives:
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Kathryn Forsyth
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Sheryl Chan
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Rhiann
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Sheryl Chan
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Anne Sweet
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Sheryl Chan
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Alison
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Sheryl Chan
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Shruti Chopra
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Sheryl Chan
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Cassie Creley | StarlightThroughTheStorm
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Sheryl Chan
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Naomi
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Sheryl Chan
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Claire
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Sheryl Chan
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Katie Clark
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Sheryl Chan
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Despite Pain
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Sheryl Chan
Start a new conversation in the Member Comments below!Hi, Sheryl! I loved the little video of your birdies. Life is a constant balancing act isnāt it?
Thanks Kathryn! Will update (of course ha) next month on their growth and new looks ā they grow so quickly š It sure is, and those who learn how to balance live the best, I believe š
Another fantastic and honest post, Sheryl. I am so sorry that Horace has failed to reappear, it must be so sad and painful for you. The baby birds are gorgeous, and I am sure it is successful in keeping you distracted and providing lots of pleasure by caring for them. I think we are tolerating having to spend so much time with the same people day in and day out! I hope it is becoming easier for you, and can take some time for yourself. Take care and hope to see you again next month!
Hi Rhiann, yes I still miss the little brat, and hope he is happy somewhere out there. I am doing okay, just been flaring so that sucks. The birds are cute as can be (though many think theyāre ugly at this stage, but who isnāt ugly at this stage, ha!). Yes endurance is the most important life skill, patience! :p Sending love! xxx
Lovely to hear about the new chicks. I can totally relate to being cooped up with the family. I can also relate to not liking talking on the phone too, and as for zoom, itās not made itās way into my vocabulary or life yet.
Yes they do keep me semi-occupied and are adorable! And yes, now that working in cafĆ©s are allowed I go out nearly every day, which isnāt exactly a good solution either as I come back fatigued haha.
Sheryl,
Ah, the tensions of being cooped up! Glad the birds found a way to deal with it all, and glad the chicks are providing you with such a positive distraction!
Iām glad you are able to get your meds shipped in, and the telemedicine appointments have gone so well! A change of scenery can be invigorating, so glad things are opening up enough to give you that opportunity!
Keep up the great work Sheryl, I love participating in the linkup!
Hi Alison, Iām so happy you enjoy participating in the linkups, too! I find it so interesting to read how everyone interprets the prompts! The chicks are great, soon theyāll have to go to new homes, though. Iāll probably keep two cheekiest ones š
I read this post yesterday and your point on nourishment really stayed with me and I thought I needed to regain some control with my diet again so today I attempted making gluten free and vegan bread. Today, Iām here to just thank you for reminding all of us about nourishment.
Yes Iāve been thinking about my (bad) diet of late again haha. I need to fix that and want to. Thank you for your kind words Shruti!
Hi Sheryl, your prompts have led to such great opportunities to share this month.
Iām so sorry Horace hasnāt returned. I was thinking of him earlier this weekāI happened to see two red parrots fly by outside my doctorās office. Theyāre definitely not native to Washington state so I wonder if they were pets who got out and found each other. I wish Horace was with your family, but I hope heās found a new one.
Iām glad the baby birds are doing wellāI canāt believe how tiny they are!
As someone who also really wants to feel productive, I appreciate what you shared about accepting the discomfort of stopping a project before you want to. Discomfort now is much better than a flare later. Itās something I constantly need to remind myself. I hope youāre able to find that balance too!
Hope the rest of the month holds good things in store for you!
Thanks Cassie! I do enjoy reading everyoneās take on the prompts every month. Itās refreshing and eye-opening and a taste of culture and chronic illness experiences, too š Bit of armchair travelling, if you will, haha. Yes lots of birds that jailbreak unfortunately. And itās sad when others who are not familiar with birds claim that birds are meant to be free and couldnāt stand their cages. In fact, birds do treat their cages like home ā itās safe and comfortable. Who knows what a bird really thinks or needs, theyāre not human š Anyway, I digress. Yes I still miss Horace, but am happy that we have six little ones now! Soon Iāll have to find a couple of them some loving homes, though š
Wow to the horny birds! I guess itās pretty obvious in the human world that sex lives might improve once kids leave but who knew for birds too?
Lovely to read an update on your life, each one gives me more of a glimpse into your world .
Haha yes, daddy was actually depressed for an entire year with Horace stealing the limelight. I thought it might be that, but turns out it *really* was that. Heās much chirpier now lol. THanks Naomi, always good to read yours, too!
Ah, six baby chicks to look after! How sweet, although maybe a little noisy and lots of hard work too?! It must be lovely to have a distraction from lockdown and feeling cramped up inside.
They arenāt too noisy thankfully, as theyāre not big birds! The feeding does take a bit of work mostly because of my joint pains, so even a small 1ml syringe hurts me after constant pushing and pulling. Theyāre worth it though <3
I love that Horaceās parents were so determined to give you new babies to care for! Sounds like they went a bit overboard, though! Iām also finding more enjoyment in just being me and not worrying too much how I look. (However, now and again a photo of me pops up and Iām uhhā¦a bit self-conscious. I really donāt look in a mirror but in the morning, so thatās freeing! Glad you found a getaway. The photo you shared looks YUM-O! How long do they let you stay? At one place my cousins visited, they had a strict two hour time, no matter if you were ordering more food or drink or not!
Haha they sure went overboard! Need to remove that nestbox soon-ish before they start making more lol. Haha yes same, sometimes I look in the mirror and go āoh gosh!ā. And the cafĆ© allows us to stay all day so itās great! I love cafĆ©s that have an outdoor space the most š
Iām sorry that Horace didnāt reappear but, wow, you have baby birds to take care of.
Iāve also had no zoom or skype link ups. Iām actually quite glad about that because Iād really need to smarten myself up! Lockdown means staying home and thereās no chance of visitors so I slouch about in my old comfy clothes all the time with messy hair.
Hi Elizabeth, yes, the feeding is making my hands sore with the lupus and sjƶgrenās haha. But they are so cute and worth it. Yes I hate Zoom/Skype to be honest. Enjoy your stay home time! š