Month: August 2025

Week 35 of 2025

~ joannerambling ~ Leave a comment

I had another good night woke at 1.30am to pee and found Tim home from work already. I slept for 8hrs 57Mins and was awake for only 8mins.

Tim said he will be home around 8.30pm.

I have decided to go back to have 5 Madopar tablets each day.

It has been a warmish day.

Tim rang just after 5pm to let me know he has no idea when he will be home due to a traffic accident, no he hasn’t been in one but one has cause traffic to pile up.

BGL: 7.0

Steps:9,522=4.86lklms or 3miles

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I had a so-so night not one of my better nights, I didn’t want to get up this morning I felt that tired, but I did get up the temp is 12C. It turns out that I had only 5hrs 57mins sleep and was awake for 18mins.

It has been a warm day I have light long pants on and a tee shirt.

I have had trouble all day with my concentration and motivation, it is only 5pm and my eyes are stinging, going to be an early night for me.

BGL:6.0

Steps:9,649 =4.95klms or 3.4miles

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I slept better last night but still not great, I kept waking on and off all night I wasn’t awake for long, but that type of sleep isn’t the best. My watch says I only had 4hrs and 54mins of sleep, but it must have been more.

A coldish start to the day, I had my long pyjama pants on till 11am when I changed into long light weight pants.

I am struggling with dyskinesia this afternoon and into the night it got worse when I went to bed so after an hour and a half, I got up to write this down. It started around 5pm.

BGL: 6.0

Steps: 9,593

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I slept ok after I went back to bed at 10.30pm, still took me a bit to settle, my watch says I had only 6hrs and 31mins of sleep with 1hr and 26mins being deep sleep, it says I was awake for 20 minutes. 

It has been warm today but not as warm as yesterday, when I went to meet Sam this arvo it started to rain, thankfully not heavy.

Awake till 8pm, I am now off to bed, and I hope I have a better night. 

Temp at 5.30am 15C

Temp at 11am 22C

Temp at 3.20pm 19

BGL: 6.1

Steps: 5553=2.83klm’s or 1.7miles

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I slept much better last night but I have woken with a headache and feeling tired didn’t want to get up but had to pee and take my meds, so I am up, waiting for Tim to leave to have a shower. I only got 6hr’s and 10 mins sleep

I stripped the bed and will ask Sue to help me remake it

It is a cool start to the day; Sue and I went down to the shops and the post office. Sue remade the bed for me she wouldn’t let me help.

I was waiting for Sam this arvo when she rang to make sure I knew she wasn’t coming home via transport but was going to Bailey’s for a while, I did not know and was glad she rang me.

I am so tired today

Temp at 5.30am 12C

Temp at 1pm 19C

Temp at 7pm 16C

BGL:5.7

Steps:5,828= 2.95klm’s or 1.8 miles

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I slept much better last night had 9hrs &27mins of sleep and was awake for only 8mins.

I felt really cold when I went up with Sam.

Sandy called in to use the toilet, she said that her having Landon and Sklyar has been finalised which means she has them till they are 18.

Temp at 5.30am 10C

Temp at 1pm 20C

Temp at 7pm 17C

BGL:5.7

Steps:7,688= 3.92klm’s or 2.4 miles

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I slept ok last night had to get up to pee twice, I had 6hrs & 52mins of sleep and was awake for 28mins.

This morning it is pretty cold.

Tim, me and Sue went over to the Eastern Tiger for lunch, it was a nice outing.

I have done bugga all today, haven’t even vacuumed just no motivation to do anything.

It has warmed up by midday.

Temp at 5.30am 9C

Temp at 1pm 17C

Temp at 7pm 16C

BGL:4.8

Steps: 5,675=2.87klms or 1.7miles

Help Getting up from a fall

~ joannerambling ~ 8 Comments

I have posted about the causes of falling today I want to share some information about getting up after a fall.

It is important for people who may have a fall know how to get up after falling, also it is good for other people to know the best way to help someone up after a fall.

If you have fallen, lie still for a couple of minutes and check that you are not seriously hurt, slowly work your way up your body, carefully checking for pain or bleeding and slowly moving your limbs, one at a time.

Take your time.  Roll onto your hands and knees and look for a stable piece of furniture, such as a chair or bed.

If possible, find something soft to kneel on to protect your knees. Hold on to the furniture with both hands and use the furniture to assist you in getting up.

Bend up one leg and plant your foot firmly on the ground. Use the chair or furniture to carefully push yourself up. Take your time.

Remain supported with your head forward until you are sure you have properly got your balance. Carefully push yourself up to a standing position.

Take time to recover and phone someone to tell them what has happened.

If you are hurt after falling the first thing you need to do is try to get someone’s attention if out in public do this by calling out for help. If you have a phone and you should have one on you if falling is serious risk, call someone to help.

If your injury is bad as in maybe a broken bone or you are bleeding a lot, you should properly call for an ambulance.

If you are in your own home while waiting for help, try to reach for a blanket or dressing gown to keep you warm. Wrap yourself up to insulate yourself from the ground, especially keep your legs and feet warm. Try to stay as calm as possible.

One way to help someone up after a fall is to find two sturdy chairs. Place one next to the head and the other down by their feet. Keep in mind that they must be capable of doing the physical work required to get up. Your role is to help guide them through these steps and keep them steady, not lift their weight. If they cannot do this, then call an ambulance.

Help the person to roll over onto their side and assist them in getting onto their hands and knees. If they suffer from sore knees, place a towel beneath them to make this step more comfortable.

Move the chair closest to their head directly in front of where they are so they can rise up to place their hands evenly on the seat and assume a kneeling position. Get them to lean forward on the seat as they bring their strongest leg forward, leading with the knee to place their foot flat on the floor.

Move the second chair directly behind them, then ask them to use both their arms and legs to push themselves up and sit back into this chair. You can use your hands to keep them steady but keep your back upright and make sure they are doing the physical work to lift themselves.

I remember when my youngest sister or my brother had to help our dad up after a fall, they would stand behind him with a chair in front of him have him get his balance with foot flat on the floor, they would place their hands under his armpits and have him place his hands on then chair and push himself up.  By having their hands under his arms, it was easy for them to assist him as he was pushing himself up.  

Gorilla’s

~ joannerambling ~ 10 Comments

This week we are looking at gorillas, they are gentle giants and display many human-like behaviours and emotions, such as laughter and sadness. In fact, gorillas share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans, making them our closest cousins after chimpanzees and bonobos.

They are the largest of the great apes, they are stocky animals with broad chests and shoulders, large, human-like hands, and small eyes set into hairless faces. There are two gorilla species—the eastern and western gorilla—live in equatorial Africa, separated by about 560 miles of Congo Basin forest. Each has a lowland and upland subspecies.

They live in family groups of usually five to 10, but sometimes two to more than 50, led by a dominant adult male—or silverback—that can hold his position for years, if not decades. The bond between the silverback and his females forms the basis of gorilla social life.

Females become sexually mature around seven or eight years old but don’t begin to breed until a couple of years later. Males mature at an even greater age. Once a female begins to breed, she’ll likely give birth to only one baby every four to six years and only three or four over her entire lifetime. This low rate of reproduction makes it difficult for gorillas to recover from population declines.\

The gestation period for gorillas is approximately 255 days. After birth, a newborn gorilla weighs about 2 kg and is completely dependent on its mother for the first three months of its life. The young gorilla will sleep in its mother’s nest at night and ride on her back during the day.

However, mountain gorillas, a subspecies of the eastern gorilla, are the exception and have been increasing over the last few decades, a true conservation success story.

This achievement is partially due to the ongoing efforts and collaboration of the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), a unique coalition of three international conservation organizations, WWF, Conservation International, and Fauna & Flora, which continues to ensure the long-term survival of mountain gorillas.

Conservation efforts by WWF, other organizations, and governments are making a difference for gorillas. The population of mountain gorillas has continued to increase in recent years, leading to its downlisting from Critically Endangered to Endangered in November 2018.

The life expectancy of gorillas in the wild is approximately 35 years, but in captivity, they have been known to live into their 40s.

They are vegetarian, though the two species differ slightly in their preferences. Eastern gorillas consume leaves, stalks, and shoots, while western gorillas consume more fruit. They also wade into swampy clearings to eat aquatic plants. Overall, primates are typically omnivorous because their digestive systems can process both vegetation and animal matter. However, gorillas do not typically eat larger mammals. Gorillas spend much of their time foraging and resting, traveling only a few hundred meters between feedings.

China

~ joannerambling ~ 7 Comments

This week we are looking at China which is in East Asia and is the largest of all the Asian countries, making up nearly the entire East Asian landmass. It’s also nearly as large as Europe.

There are 33 administrative units under the central government, these consist of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, 4 municipalities and 2 special administrative regions.

It has a population of around 1,416,096,094 which is around 17.2% or the total world population, it is the second largest populated country.

The capital of China is Beijing and has been for around 8 centuries, it has a population of over 22 million.

The official language is Standard Mandarin which is mainly based on the Beijing dialect.

The flag is red with five golden stars, it has one large star and four smaller stars in a arc, it has been the national flag since the foundation of the People’s Republic of China on the 1 October 1949. It was designed by Zeng Liansong. The red represents the Communist Revolution, and the stars represent the unity of the four social classes of the Chinese people.

When we think of the Chinese currency, we think of the currency we think of the Yuan which is the basic unit however, the currency is the renminbi.

The People’s Bank of China has the exclusive authority to issue currency. Banknotes range in denomination from 1 fen to 100 renminbi. The obverse side of some banknotes contain images of communist leaders, such as Mao Zedong. The reverse side of most coins contains images of historic buildings and the country’s diverse landscape.

                    Buddhist Statues

China is a centre for world religious thought and practices. Although about half the population identifies as nonreligious or atheist, many belief systems have shaped Chinese society for centuries. The government officially recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and Islam, though it keeps these under tight control.

                       Confucianism Temple

Also popular is Confucianism which is a worldview, social ethic, political ideology, and way of life that entails ancestor reverence and profound human-centered religiousness. It emphasizes the duty of the individual in society and government.

There is also Daoism, which is a, indigenous religious-philosophical tradition, Daoism emphasizes mystical experience and the individual’s harmony with nature.

Buddhism came to China possibly as early as the 3rd century BCE. China became an incubator for many of the great present-day Buddhist sects, including Zen and Pure Land, and, by its extension into Tibet, the source of Tibetan Buddhism.

                   Folk Religion Temples

Many Chinese embrace aspects and rituals of indigenous folk religions, which comprise the largest group of those professing a belief. Deities of the popular pantheon are intimately involved in everyday life as givers of blessings or bringers of calamities.

Christians are a small but significant and growing minority, many of them converts to Evangelical Protestant denominations.

Islam Members of non-Han minorities constitute the bulk of those following Islam.

That will do for this post, more next week.

Week 34 of 2025

~ joannerambling ~ Leave a comment

Sorry I forgot to post this yesterday

I had another good night had 9hr6mins sleep was awake for 7mins. 5C this morning, so bloody cold.

Tim had to leave for work at 2am he should be home by 8am.

I am so damn cold this morning, I am struggling to get warm.  I have two pairs of socks and slippers, a long sleeve singlet, a tee shirt and a cardician, fingerless gloves and a rug over my legs and yes, the heater is also on.

It warmed up by 11am and I managed to do a few things around the house.

BGL:5.8

Steps:6,045=3.05klm

I had really good night got 10hr19mins sleep was awake for 7mins. Not as cold this morning it is 7C.

I mopped the kitchen, laundry and bathroom floors, vacuumed out twice. Cleaned the kitchen when I first got up other than that I did nothing much.

BGL:5.5

Steps: 8,150=4.13klm’s

I slept well got 8hr54mins sleep was awake for 8mins.

Sam’s new driver is named Frank.

Coles was delivered around 8.15am but got message from Woolies at 7.30am saying there was logistical breakdown, and my order would be late, received another message at midday saying the order would be 240mins late.

Sue took me to physio, while there Jess rang to say my shopping had been delivered. So much for being hours late.

Physio went well, the physio’s name is Noah, and he was nice, I have of course been given some exercises to do each day I go back on the 2nd.

I set up the Cpap machine Tim bought for his use, it is actually an Apap machine, something I have never heard of, I didn’t have to set a pressure number. I hope it helps him. However, he does have issues with a blocked nose and that may make things difficult, but we will see.

BGL:5.5

Steps:10,388=5.28klm’s     

KIRSTY & VAUGHAN’S BIRTHDAY YES, THEY ARE TWINS.

I slept well even if my watch says I only had 6hr 56mins sleep was awake for 11mins. That doesn’t seem right I went to bed at 8.30pm work up at 5am.

Asked Tim how he slept he said he removed the Cpap mask during the night as his nose was blocked, and he couldn’t breathe.

Sue and I went to the podiatrist then home, it has rained on and off all day.

Sue sent me a video she shot around Charlestown of the police helicopter circling around and so many cops around the area. A man had been stabbed in a carpark and they were looking for the perpetrator. Part of what Sue was shown on the 6pm news

Of course, it was raining when I went to meet Sam this arvo.

BGL: 5.8

Steps: 9,516=4.83klm’s

I slept well even if my watch says I only had 6hr 48mins sleep and was awake for 19mins. That doesn’t seem right I went to bed at 7.30pm work up at 5am and I didn’t wake at all during the night to pee.

Sam let me know that I don’t have to meet her this arvo as she is going to Bailey’s for a bit.

Sue and I went shopping and saw Sandy and Denni which was great, Sandy told me I walk like our Nan did, and Sue said that on Tuesday when she looked at me, she thought I looked like Nan these comments I take as a compliment

BGL: 5.8

Steps: 7,555=3.83 Klm’s 

I slept well got 8hrs 26mins sleep and was awake for only 8mins.

It is another cold and wet day here temp this morning is 10C but after Sam goes to school, I have nothing to do and won’t be leaving the house.

This afternoon it is 14C and still raining.

BGL: 6.1

Steps: 6,300=3.23klm’s

I slept well got 10hrs 29mins sleep and was awake for only 9mins.

It is 10C this morning but warmed up a bit by 10 am and cooled down again by 5pm.

Tim is working this afternoon he is doing rail and won’t be home till around 2.30am tomorrow and he is working again tomorrow afternoon. He left at midday for work.

I received another parcel from Temu good, my error not Temu’s.

BGL:5.8

Steps: 7,652=3.90 klm’s or 2.4miles

Falling over

~ joannerambling ~ 1 Comment

Today we are looking at falling over, something that can happen to some people more as they age or if the develop a medical conditioned affecting someone’s balance and coordination. Falling is something I have done a few times in the last 4 years, thankfully I haven’t broken any bones but have had concussion a couple of times and have needed stitches after a couple of falls.

In fact, people fall for a variety of reasons, including environmental factors, physical and cognitive conditions, and even medication side effects. Common causes range from tripping hazards and poor lighting to muscle weakness, balance problems, and vision impairments. 

Medications, especially those causing dizziness or drowsiness, and certain health conditions like diabetes or Parkinson’s disease can also contribute to falls. 

Environmental Factors are things like wet floors, icy patches, or uneven pavement can easily cause a slip or trip. 

Insufficient lighting can make it difficult to see hazards and navigate obstacles like furniture, cords, or other items safely.  

Lack of support can make it difficult to maintain balance, especially on stairs or in the bathroom. 

Physical and Cognitive Conditions include things like weak leg and core muscles can reduce stability and make it harder to recover from a stumble. Difficulty with balance, walking patterns, or coordination can increase the risk of falls. 

Then we have impaired vision, or hearing which, can make it harder to identify hazards and react appropriately. Then we have conditions like dementia can affect judgment and awareness of surroundings, increasing fall risk. 

Low blood pressure can be an issue especially when rising from a seated or lying position, low blood pressure can cause dizziness and falls. 

Conditions like arthritis, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and heart disease can all impact mobility and balance. 

Certain medications, especially those affecting the nervous system, can cause dizziness, drowsiness, or confusion. Taking multiple medications, particularly those with overlapping side effects, can increase fall risk. 

The fear of falling can lead to reduced activity, which can further weaken muscles and increase the risk of falls. 

Elephants

~ joannerambling ~ 4 Comments

Today we are looking at elephants which are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant.

African elephants are the largest land animals, with males reaching up to 13 feet tall and weighing up to 14,000 pounds. 

The trunk is a multi-functional organ, used for breathing, smelling, touching, drinking, and even as a tool for digging and grabbing.

They have tusks, which are actually elongated incisor teeth that grow throughout their lives. 

While their skin is thick, it’s also sensitive and elephants often use mud and dust to protect themselves from the sun and insects. 

They are known to have an exceptional memory and are known to remember individuals and locations for years. 

They live in close-knit herds, primarily led by older females, and communicate through various vocalizations and body language. 

They communicate using a range of sounds, including trumpeting and infrasound, which can travel long distances.

African elephants are pregnant for an average of 22 months, whilst for Asian elephants it’s 18 to 22 months.1 You might think such a long pregnancy is because of what huge creatures they are – but you’d only be partly correct. Baby elephants do develop slowly in the womb because of their physical size but also because of the size of their intellect.

Baby elephants can stand and walk within minutes of birth, and they stay close to their mothers for support and protection. 

Both African and Asian elephants are facing threats from habitat loss and poaching, leading to conservation efforts to protect them. 

They can live almost as long as humans, African elephants have a maximum lifespan of about 74 years, Asian elephants can live to about 80 and the oldest known elephant in the world is thought to be an Asian elephant who lived to be 89 in captivity.