How to manage Christmas preparations with one arm in a sling!

So, I've had my arm in a sling now for just over a week and I can tell you, it certainly has opened my eyes to the struggles that some people must face on a daily basis, due to accident or disability! If that's you, I offer you the hugest hugs and utmost respect! It really is tricky!

I have been fortunate enough that my kids other grandparents have taken them off with them to Devon for a few nights - it has really helped having a bit of space and time to do my last minute pressie deliveries, etc. I have had to accept help from mum an awful lot, but I have managed quite well in other things I've tried to do - that stubborn streak that runs in the female-side of our family sure has come into play this week 😉😆😉

I was impressed that my dad and I made it into town and back this afternoon, so that he could do his last minute shop for mum's bits. We must have made quite a sight, him in his wheelchair and me helping to push him one-handed down the road! (We did meet a good Samaritan outside Waitrose, who helped us up the curb - very nice man!) We did almost end up in the road twice, as the front wheels shot off in the exact opposite direction we desired, but we made a good team! 😊

Anywho, these are a few tips I've worked out for surviving Christmas preparation, whilst showing a bit of kindness to myself (as I soooo didn't plan for Christmas in a sling, I really didn't!)

taken 2 weeks ago - before the sling!

1. A Scarf is essential when venturing outside!
So, with one arm in and the other out of my coat sleeves, I can't quite manage to do it up! (It also pushes too much on my elbow) so for the past week I have been walking around with my coat flailing around me! I now have a lovely cough, so thought would try a scarf today, to cover my chest - also doesn't help that I'm wearing t-shirts, as keep getting hot flushes!! (a 'joyous' side effect of having my periods stopped medically, but that's another story!!) The scarf was a big success!!😊
I am also lucky enough to have a lovely, warm winter coat (early Christmas pressie from mum and dad!) which helped a lot too!😉


2. Gift bags!!!
I love my mum so much for the help she gave me in wrapping my gift mug sets I made for friends and the kids teachers, in dotty cellophane! However,  I don't want to be a complete burden and ask her to wrap all the rest of my pressies this year. So, whilst mum and I had a lovely mooch around our local garden centre yesterday, I spied a stack of Xmas themed gift bags! I bought a range of sizes and styles - the ones for the kids must be almost as big as Little Miss! 😂😂😂 so that sorts wrapping!

3. ready made bows!!
I also had big plans for getting creative and fancy with ribbon this year - I bought 4 large spools of xmas coloured ribbon and everything! Alas, that is no longer possible. So, with my trusted 'best friend' shop on the internet, I managed to buy 2 packs of 24 assorted bow thingies, and they are awesome!

4. Not 'Over Planning'!
I am really missing my bullet journals at the moment! My left-handed writing resembles a spider-scrawl 😂😉😂 so I am trying to type as much as possible!
It also means that I have taken a much more 'go with the flow' attitude this last week. I am trying to plan for a few things I want to achieve in the day and then reviewing and adjusting as required each night before bed. Mum and I have had some good chats lately about things we want to get done the next day, plus how best to go about them (and in which order!) and it seems to be working well!
Yesterday I felt like I did quite a lot, so today did a little less, as felt really sore and tired.

5. Pace not haste!
I am also having to pace myself! The smallest things seem to be totally draining at the moment, or take such a lot more time and effort than they normally would! Like the shower mum helped me have this afternoon! It was nearly an hour before I was dressed  with dry-ish hair! Also totally exhausting!
So now, I am doing something, then taking a break. Doing something else and having another break. It seems to be working a lot better, rather than my normal 'fly around doing everything and then collapse in a huge heap' that I usually do!😉😂😉

Doing these 5 little steps has certainly helped me stay calm and relatively stress-free so far! The kids will be back tomorrow, so I'm going to enjoy the last of the peace and quiet, while it lasts 😉😊😉

What things do you do to try and stay calm and organised(ish) in the run up to Christmas? Has it worked, or are you already flying around, wishing that you had more hands to juggle everything with, and more time to get it all done in!?!
Hugs xxx

Oops moment!

Well, I must say, I never thought I'd be writing this post!

So, I had a little accident yesterday.

My Little Man was having a 'moment' and as I was trying to shut his bedroom door, so that he could calm down, he decided to slam it shut from his side. Unfortunately, my right arm was still in the gap!
I thought it was just badly bruised, but phoned docs just in case for some advise. I was told to go to A&E just to check.
3 x-rays later and it turns out that I have fractured my elbow! Oops!!

So now I will spend the next 5 weeks, with my arm in a sling 😢 not how I wanted to spend Xmas and new year, but hey-ho, could have been worse!

I went into Little Man's and Little Misses school on the way home to discuss how best to tell them, as I knew they'd both be devastated! We decided that the Headteacher would let Little Man know first, but that later on in the afternoon, I would come into school a little early to speak to each of them about what had happened. (I didn't want them to be greeting by me standing in the playground, with this big grey sling round my neck!)

Letting them know went just fine, thankfully! Little Man was very quiet and subdued, but I kept telling him how it was an accident, and how I didn't blame him, as I know he wold never have hurt me like that on purpose. He seemed a lot happier when we had had that chat 😊
Little Miss just wanted to give me loads of hugs better!

So, kiddies are now with their dad for the rest of the weekend, so I get a little break!
I am also trying to adjust to doing everything with the wrong hand! (thank goodness I live with my mum, who can help with things like cutting my food up, or doing up my bra! 😉😆😉)

Here's To New Beginnings!

Firstly, I just want to say a huge hello and welcome to my brand new blog!!
If you've made it over here from 'a mental mum's little world' then thank you for continuing to support me! Really means a lot! 😊

So, why the new blog??
Well, December really has seen some massive changes in my life (more on that in a bit!) So I thought, what better way to celebrate this 'New Chapter' in my life, than with a brand new blog to go with it!

So, I guess for those of you who don't know me very well, I'd better tell you a little more about me and why I blog 😉

My name is Melissa and I am a very scatty, music-loving, chocoholic, bookworm who also happens to be a single mum to 2 gorgeous kiddies (known in my blogs as Little Man and Little Miss)
We all live with my parents (poor them!) in a town in West Berkshire, UK and really help each other out. Both of my parents are disabled you see. So while they help me with looking after my kids, I help them with things like cleaning and acting as my dad's carer when mum's out working.

I started my first little blog, 'a mental mum's mental world' way back in 2011!
I had recently taken the massive decision to leave my dream career of primary teaching, so that I could concentrate on being a better mum and wife. I needed an outlet, a place where I could share my thoughts and feelings on key events that had happened in our family life, but more often than not, on the struggles I faced with my severe depression. (have suffered since I was 17 and have been permanently medicated on 'happy pills' from the age of 23)
It was a place where no one knew me, (I never shared the link with any friends or family, I didn't want to back then!) so I could be myself and not worry about being judged or having to censure what I wrote too much. At the time, it was just what I needed! Though I freely admit, it was often sadly neglected!!

This blog however is taking that base-line and moving forward with it!
After struggling through a miscarriage, post natal depression, my husband leaving me (due to my depression) and then cheating on me. Divorce and a horrendous roller coaster ride with my depression, I have finally made it here - by the skin of my teeth at times, to be feeling brave enough to 1) draw a line on the last 6 years and 2) feel brave enough to share it with everyone I know!

I have in just the last 6 weeks (thanks to a change in one of my 'happy pills'!) had a major shift in my life! My depression seems to have levelled into a controllable state (only taken 18 years, heehee!) and I have started to take steps to make a new life; not just for my kids, but for me!
I have gone from having no job 6 years ago, with no clue as to how I would ever hold one down again, to having 3 voluntary jobs and now a PAID one too!

It feels like I have finally woken up from being in a 'zombie-state' for such a long time!
I'm starting to find my feet and myself again - the 'real me' is resurfacing, after going AWOL 5 years ago! heehee!

I no longer need 10-12 hours (minimum) of sleep per night (with a nap during the day as well on occasion!) to managing on less than 6! I may still have insomnia, but I can at least now get up in the morning to help my kids get ready for school (Little Miss in particular!) even if I can't quite manage to get them there yet! (Thank you heaps mum!!!)

I finally feel like a 'real mum' again, and not just a person who my kids live with!
I no longer look at other mums in the playground at 'pick-up' time and wish I could feel like an equal, instead of some 'imposter' who had to rely heavily on her mum, because she couldn't cope herself!

I am working on building my self-belief, self-worth and confidence. Being brave and taking small steps each day to helping to keep that nagging voice in my head (the one that just loves to tell me how useless and worthless I am) in check!

I no longer fear the future! After leaving teaching (the job I had dreamed of being from the age of 5!) I felt lost. I didn't know what to do next and that scared the hell out of me!
Now, I have a much more positive outlook on life. I don't know what challenges and struggles are coming next, but I've made peace with that! I am truly the happiest I have been in years!

So I am going to leave 2017, finally heading in a direction in life that I am happy about!
Don't get me wrong, I am not walking around in rose-tinted glasses or anything, heehee!😉
I'm  totally prepared to 'roll up my sleeves' to get stuck into whatever challenges come my way next

If you fancy joining me on this new adventure into the next chapter of my life, then you're most welcome! 😊