LittleFlower

Health Update November 12/2024 I have been in hospital since October 30th. I spent my birthday here. I have a complex medical history that just got even crazier and the docs are scratching their heads. I have very low levels of phosphate (an electrolyte) in my blood despite getting daily IV infusions of it and taking it orally (orally causes diarrhea which can lower phosphate even more so I have to take small doses). They have ruled out pretty much everything from hyperparathyroidism to vitamin D deficiency, so now they're busy bringing in various specialists to see if some brainiac can figure out this puzzle in the context of my complex chronic conditions. I've dropped from all swaps apart from the 7 notepages/7 days as that's my favourite one to do. If I am a penal and you are waiting on a letter rest assured I will write back as time and energy allows. On the bright side I am allowed passes to attend choir practice and to attend Sunday Mass and sing with the choir, and I was able to finally go a couple days ago which was a nice slice of normalcy.

My birthday is in November. I love writing letters and story-telling. I have had pen pals on and off since I was around the age of ten. If you want to be regular pen pals I'm up for that.

I am an avid reader. I particularly enjoy psychological thrillers, true crime, narrative non fiction (Mary Roach, David Sedaris, Bill Bryson for example). Some favourite particular ones for me: Anne of Green Gables (mandatory reading for all Canadian girls :-) , Charm School and Plumb Island (Nelson Demille) and the Harry Potter series which is probably my favourite to re-read.

I watch a lot of British shows, many that are obscure to non Brits (Gogglebox, 24 Hours in A&E, QI, Have I Got News for You), but also the big hits that make it across the pond like Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife (that last one is my favourite drama series of all-time). I also have a secret addiction to certain reality series, my guilty pleasures are the 90 day fiancé series and spin offs, Catfish, Naked and Afraid and worst/best of all the Real Housewives (Of BH, NY mainly, just starting into NJ)

I am a nurse, however I no longer work due to a complex heart condition that is incurable. I worked as an RN on the acute medical ward for 16 years, and I was an ER nurse for 2 years somewhere in the middle of my career because I was getting bored of general medicine. After two years of daily chaos in ER I returned to the ward for a little less drama. By then I was starting to get sick, which is why I returned to ward nursing which is stressful but not as full on as ER. I miss my colleagues and "the good old days" but am glad not to be working in that environment anymore as it had a lot to do with my health failing and my friends tell me things are so much worse since the pandemic (in fact we are having big political debates right now in my province over the legalization of class A drugs...patients are now allowed to bring their own drugs and weapons into hospital and recently a nurse had to be admitted to ER after being exposed to crack pipe smoke on the delivery ward...so yeah...I think I'm glad not to be dealing with THAT kind of crap)

I live alone with my two cats. I live in an old mansion in a very old neighbourhood which is quiet and park-like. The mansion isn't all mine, I share it with 5 other owners...it's a strata, it was converted into units in the 70's but still has a lot of the original 1909 features. I enjoy writing. Currently have a first draft of a novel but haven't had the energy the past two years to work on editing so I've been trying to do short blog posts instead to keep up my craft. I write about my nursing adventures, stories from my childhood and eventually some of my health care adventures will be posted. The posts are lighthearted and funny. I am 2/3 Irish and I was a competitive Irish dancer for many years before I had to quit due to health. I was also a pianist before I got too sick to focus on playing, made it to grade 7 Royal Conservatory of Music.

I'm an outgoing introvert. I am the class clown, was the rebel in chief at work (while maintaining high patient standards), I love to laugh more than anything else. I'm silly, I do impressions, I think I might have missed my calling to work on SNL. I love to listen to people's stories and learn about them. My sense of humour runs dark, as with most nurses. I can find the funny in most situations, especially if it relates to me. You'll find me in my hospital bed laughing myself into an asthma attack over something I overheard a nurse say or an encounter with a delirious roommate during the night. I do not take myself too seriously and take my trials in stride. I am a practicing Catholic and my faith is very important to me, especially in light of the health challenges I face and poor quality of life. I like to make it clear to people that I am a liberal Catholic, LGTBQ+ friendly, non-judgemental and tolerant of all other denominations/religions or non-religious people. I will not try to convert you lol.

Ok I'm just going to tell you what to expect in terms of my Happy Mail style...I use a lot of unique and fun stickers and plenty of washi, sometimes I draw with watercolour pencils. I don't do the distressed style stuff much, but I enjoy receiving it. I incorporate favourite lines of music, literature, poetry, quotes from the sages. Lots of colour!! Always include little extras in my swaps like post cards, note pages, stickers/washi but do not expect others to send extra items.

I like to receive all things music (piano, singing, dancing, etc), faith (especially Catholic), bright/neon colours: pink, purple, blue, green. 80's nostalgia, anything vintage, cats, swans, cheetahs, fawns, most animals, fuzzy stickers, British/Irish themed, books, fairy tales, Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, feathers, healthcare themed (especially cardiac). Brightly coloured fun stationery pages (I have two sponsor children I write to and since I can't send sheets of stickers I try to use fun paper and adorn it with various stickers to brighten their day...they are both girls). I'm also really into TPC's so if you want to include a couple in a swap I can do most themes. If unsure just message me. NO to: crystals/food (unless it's colourful sweet treats), tarot or new age stuff (though I have lots of that to swap if that's your interest). Oh and NO WASHI! I have an "Illegal amount" of it according to my mom and one of my choir friends just gave me about 75 new rolls of it for Easter (which I'll have to hide)...if you want me to send you Washi (wrapped around plastic cards for you to use) let me know and I'll put some in the swap for you.