I can’t cope

[tyme]

That's no good @Captain24 . What'd you get up to today that may have caused it?

I'm pretty okay. The kids are singing ont he top of their voices and it's hard to filter out their noise. I took Ruby for a walk last night and this morning... she's very hesitant of other dogs....how do I get her to be less afraid?

[Captain24]

I did what you said you did. @tyme. I pushed and pushed myself today. I’ve cleaned the kitchen, changed my sheets and doona cover and bathed the dogs.

Then I pushed myself to mow the backyard. I got 3/4 of it done and I still had some room in my bin so I went to finished it. I pushed the lawn mower down along the fence and then I screamed! I was brave enough to turn the lawn mower off. There was a brown snake just where I had pushed the mower. I was centimetres from it. I rushed inside and made the dogs get inside. I was shaking, my heart rate was through the roof, I couldn’t breathe. I rushed into the neighbours house and warned him as his kids were outside. 

He came over and killed it. Then he whipper snippered my edges and finished mowing my lawn. It scared him too. It was over a metre long. 

I’m guessing listening to you probably saved my dogs lives. It may have ended up further in my yard. 

[tyme]

No wonder you had an adrenaline rush! @Captain24 My oh my! I'm so glad you saw the snake and were able to save your dogs and the neigbours kids? Also, was it really hot where you were? You don't have heatstroke on top of that, do you?

If I have heat stroke, I feel very nauseous.

I tell you what I find really helpful? Coconut water. Do you like coconut water? I get Cocobella.

[Captain24]

I’m glad I saw it too. It could have been so much worse. @tyme It could have actually bitten me. I had shirts and thongs on. 

I did get pretty hot. I was sweating so much. Maybe it could be heat stroke. I had to have a cool shower, oh and I washed my hair while I was there! Haven’t showered in days or washed my hair in two weeks.

I have never had coconut water. 

I am really tired too and still hot. 

[tyme]

It was quite warm where I am too. That's why I asked if it could be heatstroke. 

Coconut water has hydrolytes in it. I have it on hot days and it's quite refreshing. Took a while to get used to at first though. It was a weird taste at first. As a child, I remember I tried it once and hated it so I never dared have it again - until I went overseas and had fresh coconut. @Captain24 

Hope you can drink some cool water. I always have water in the fridge. I love chilled water. If it's not chillled, I don't really drink it. 

I don't think I've ever seen a snake in the wild... 

When's your next shift?

[Captain24]

Maybe it is heat stroke. I have a headache as well @tyme. I’ve just drank some soda water. I’m getting really hot and clammy. I’m not well at all. 

Im not a coconut fan. But I could try it. 

I saw a snake in one of the walks I did when I was on holidays last October. It just slithered past the walking trail. I waited a bit then walked really quietly past where it went. There’s been lots of people out here saying that they have had snakes in their yard but I just got complacent. Now the back door is shut and they are only allowed out supervised. 

With Ruby it could take some time. If you know any of the dogs when you are walking (that are friendly) you could try and socialise her with them gradually. That may help. She need to know that she is safe and that the other dog is safe. 

I go back to work on Wednesday. I have mums dog tomorrow and Tuesday. I need to be extra cautious. 

I have my Pdoc appointment tomorrow and my psych on Tuesday. My Pdoc said she would change my meds. See what happens. 

I keep telling my psych that I don’t walk the dogs because there is too many snakes. She might believe me now! Lol

[tyme]

Maybe you need to rest up early tonight @Captain24 . 

Yes, I remember you saying you have your appt tomorrow. See how that goes. In a way, I feel the hardest part for you and meds is that your working roster doesn't allow your body to have routine. I found routine to be one of the top things for MH.

And with the snakes, is your area all bushy? In Sydney, my parents' place is backing the bush. I took the kids to the park and my nephew needed to pee... as soon as he was about to do a bush wee, this big blue tongue lizard runs near him. He freaked out! It was the funniest site! He didn't have time to pull the front of his pants back up lol!

HOw far is your nearest beach?

[Captain24]

Maybe an early night but at the moment if I lay down the room spins. @tyme. 

Yeah my roster does make it hard but I just have to work with it as I can’t change it. 

Nah it’s not bushy but there is a lot of paddocks around the estate and lots of new blocks being developed plus at the end of my road is an old train track. So it’s a haven for snakes. 

Blue tongues are good. They keep the snakes away! I had one in my backyard ages ago so I just let him be and bought the dogs inside so they wouldn’t hurt it. 

That would have been so funny. I’m sure you were in stitches! I bet he isn’t in a hurry to do a bush wee again! 

The nearest beach is 4 hours away. Where we go on holidays is the closest. We do have 2 dams either side of us but I dont like dirty water! I have been to one dam but I’ve never been to the other. 

[tyme]

4 hrs! I thought 30 mins for me was too far... I guess that's coz my parents' house back the bush and the down the road is a bay...  @Captain24 

Yes, not more bush wees for a while... except the little one... she wants to copy and do bosh wees and the wees runs down her legs... geez. If you try and stop this kid, she'll scream the house down. This morning, I came home at 7am after taking Ruby for a walk. I hear major screaming from next door. I thought someone got hurt! The little one was standing on the kitchen bench, jumping up and down, "I wan't chocolate biscuits!!!!!!!" erghhh... welcome to the lives of next door. So I ended up taking her and making parathas with her (well, just heating them)

I didn't know blue tongues keep snakes away. I know snake poo keeps mice/rats away because they think there are snakes there.

I've got so much to learn...

As for the construction near you, does that mean you get a lot of dust?

[Captain24]

Yep.. it’s definitely not a day trip! @tyme 

She’s a classic. I’m sure she makes a big mess as it doesn’t quite work the same way 😜 I was a tantrum chucker when I was a kid. Apparently it’s a sign of adhd. 

It must be a loud house! I don’t do noise. What are parathas? 

Im watching a tv show and people keep talking over each other and it’s grating on my already frazzled nerves. 

I want a blue tongue back!!! 

Living in the city you don’t need to worry about it as much. 

I haven’t heard that though. I have mice in my garage that I’m trying to end. I didn’t think about that. 

Not a lot of dust as the new developments are 3 streets away.