doctor – Mummy To Twins Plus One

Women Put Your Health First

Ladies do you find that you come last for everything? I do… and this has to stop. We women need to put our health first!

I like other women find that I look after everyone before I look after myself.

This has not been intentional but due to kids and racing everywhere mummy seems to come last on the list for everything. Sad but true.

The last few months I have felt extremely exhausted. I’ve been so tired that I have fallen asleep in my chair watching a show, fallen asleep with the baby and just felt low.

I thought maybe it was vitamins. Maybe it was exercise or maybe there was something really wrong.

Part of me did think that if I could just have a true break and some good sleep it might all be fine. A break has not happened yet and still waiting on having uninterrupted sleep…. I can only dream about this.

I took myself off to get some sunshine and a walk. I found it so tiring and found it all so hard. Gee I am not that old! I know I might not be that fit but feeling this zapped of energy is not good.

The other day I took myself off to the doctors to get to the bottom of why I am so tired and not feeling good. Blood tests were done and I left with two sore arms as the nurse found it difficult to get a vein… normally this is not an issue. I don’t think I drank much that morning so that might explain the vein issue.

Yesterday the blood had the answers I was after. All good expect a few things. Low on vitamin d mainly and this would explain why I was so tired. I have purchased some vitamin d tablets and will make sure to get more sunshine. Although getting sunshine at the moment is a bit hard due to freezing temperatures and gale force winds, oh and a sick baby does not help.

I can make some changes and get my blood tested in another three months to see how it is all going.

This current issue with my health got me thinking.

As a mum to three young kids and the primary carer I need to look after me. If something happened to me things would be a disaster. I know you cannot future proof everything but you can try and look after your health and be well for you and the family.

Sign Up to Women’s Health Week.

The two barriers that women face are:

Time
Health not being a priority

If you look after you, you can look after the ones you love as well. It all starts with you being well and healthy.

I’ve signed up for Women’s Health Week and I urge you to do so as well.

WIN A FITBIT BLAZE

Sign up to the 2017 Women’s Health Week (4 – 8 September) for the chance to WIN a Gold Series Fitbit Blaze valued at $369.95 (terms & conditions apply).

Get fit in style with this gorgeous slim pink, 22k gold plated smart fitness watch built with revolutionary features including PurePulse® heart rate, connected GPS, on-screen workouts and more.

So what is Women’s Health Week About?

In 2013 Jean Hailes for Women’s Health ran the first national Women’s Health Week.

Thousands signed up from all over Australia to take part. The event consisted of online activities, resources, information, videos and more.

This event is now in its fifth year and it is “time to put yourself first and get talking about women’s health.”

It’s time to sign up to Women’s Health Week | Nelly Thomas from Jean Hailes for Women’s Health on Vimeo.

You can also host an event for your friends, workplace or community. If you register before the 31st of July 2017 you get a free elephant stress ball in every gift bag.

Stay tuned for the up coming events near you.

NOTE: I was approached by the team at Women’s Health Week to help promote this great initiative for women. As a busy mum I know how easy it is to let things for you slip or get forgotten about altogether. As you know from the first part of this post I am dealing with feeling super tired and was proactive to go to the doctors to get to the bottom of why. I must say I knew that it might be a vitamin d issue before I went but wanted to triple check that there were no underlying issues that I need to be aware of.

Women, and mums out there need to put their health first. Be selfish and care for you so that you can help and care for others as well.

If you take care of your health not only will you feel good you will be more active as well.

You don’t need to just have a family to want to be healthy, feeling well helps you do more and feel better as well.

Sign up to my newsletter

Stay current with all the things that are happening on Mummy to Twins Plus One? Don’t miss a thing by signing up to my newsletter. This newsletter will list all giveaways and fabulous things that are happening.

Fairy Doctor Specialist

I want to be a specialist Fairy Doctor. Image courtesy of smokedsalmon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yesterday we had our appointment with an ear, nose and throat specialist. This is due to the fact that the twins have constantly had tonsillitis all year, and their tonsils are still large especially Lillian’s. It is not good and can lead to problems, sleeping, breathing and swallowing.

As you can imagine being ill with the same thing all year meant constantly being on antibiotics. Having to have to be on medication all the time makes your body build an immunity to it, and not allow the antibiotics to zap the infection correctly. I think due to having it so many times the medicine does not help us much anymore.

I think the girls need to get their tonsils out and the doctor confirmed this. He believes it is the best way forward and I was grateful that he wants to remove them. Doctors now don’t seem to want to remove tonsils so I was ready for a fight and an argument on this issue. I was taken back that he instantly saw they needed to go. He must think they look terrible and can see issues with the twins keeping them. Or in hindsight need more money? I’m not sure, as the kids tonsils do look terrible!

We were not at the doctors for more than 15mins and then ended up at reception to pay the bill. I was told over the phone that the cost for the consultation was going to be $200 and I will get about $70 back on Medicare. When asked what I owed and expected to hear $200, I was then told $400!

I then said, “What, Why is it $400! I was told $200”. It was then explained that $200 is for each child’s consultation. So it is $400. Gosh, not in the doctor’s office for 15mins and already spent $400! I did get about $70 back on each consult but it is still a lot of money to spend!

I grumbled all the way to the car and the girls asked why I was so upset. When in the car Julia asked what the issue was. I explained that it was very expensive although it needed to happen. I then explained that this doctor must earn so much per hour. If he charged us $400 for about 10mins or about 15mins and every appointment is $200 that is a great hourly rate! Why did I not become a doctor? It might have something to do with not being great at science, maths and squeamish about blood and things like this.

I felt ambushed on costs especially when I was told it would be $200 and the fact that we did not have a long appointment. Not much happened other than him looking at their nose, throat and ears. He of course asked about things, are they allergic, did they have sore ears and so on. I am not sure how other ear, nose and throat specialists conduct their practice but it did feel like it was get you out quickly so to see a new patient. Before we had our appointment there was young girl with her father there and they were in his office for less than 10mins. Would that have cost them $200? I think so! I am in the wrong business.

I explained that if Julia and Lillian wanted to be something that specialising is the way to go. They can charge more for their time and knowledge. Julia then announced that she wanted to be a “Fairy Doctor Specialist”. I don’t know if you know but she wants to be everything in the world and of course will be very busy with this job list. However ever since she was about 1 or 2 she has told us she wants to be a Fairy Doctor. This doctor will fly and help fairies get better.

After Julia’s announcement about being a Fairy Doctor Specialist, Lillian told me that she is going to be Pussy Cat Doctor Specialist. She is going to be a Vet who is a specialist.

Julia then said it is wrong that the doctor has our money and she needs to get more money! We need to get our money she said. I told her and Lillian that this was the doctors’ fees and some people charge a lot and some don’t. I also explained that we needed to see this doctor to make sure that we got their tonsils looked at and a recommendation for possible surgery.

Although it was expensive it was a needed appointment and I was lucky that we got in a reasonable time. The doctor said that if we go private we can get in next year before kids start Kindy. That would be ideal but I don’t know if we can afford it. I need to look at costs. Maybe it will be the public system, I am not sure. Monday I will ring the doctor’s practice to get more detailed costs so that we can make a decision.

Have you had to organise for your kids or child to get their tonsils removed? I had mine out when I was 3. I was a child that always got ill and was constantly on antibiotics and it is the same for the twins. Now that the process has started I am worried about the whole thing. I know it needs to happen but deciding to book your children into surgery is a worry, I now am worrying about the whole thing.

Do you do this or is it just me? Send in your comments.