Flat Tyres, Emotional Midwife and Poorly Again! / Christmas 2024

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day looked a little different for me as I sadly had to work and had a shift from hell. 

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I slept so terribly and it's not that unusual for me but I really was absolutely shattered. I finally fell asleep and slept well at about 6am, only to be woken up at 9am by banging on the door because I needed to bath my mother. She went to A+E a couple of days ago, after falling up the stairs carrying towels and breaking her ankle in 2 places. She's currently in a cast whilst waiting for an operation which won't apparently be until the New Year. 

Anyway, by the time she'd finished in the shower and took 2 phone calls in the process of getting ready, I had 20 minutes before my Great Aunt and mum's cousin were coming over. They actually arrived early so I was still getting ready when they arrived but I quickly showered, dressed and did my makeup, leaving my hair as was from the day before. 

Christmas Eve was a lovely little catch up with them both, however mum's cousin found a nail in the tyre that had previously been flat. It was actually okay yesterday after pumping it up again and it was only slightly low when I checked in the morning but mum was adamant it couldn't wait until Boxing Day when normal places opened back up again so she insisted I went to Bradford. It was an awful 40 minute drive there and back, but luckily only took about 20 minutes when we were there. 

When we got back, it was pretty much time to set off to my mum's husband's mother's house for a Christmas Eve buffet. It was nice to see her and some of the other extended family, but a lot of our family also ended up coming too which was nice. We took one of the dogs with us because the other was in season, so my mum's husband's sister in law ended up taking him back with her for the rest of the week. 

Jess was still at work by the time we got back home, having picked up an extra shift in Manchester for overtime pay. I wanted to go in the hot tub but obviously with mum in a cast, she sadly couldn't go in. I did ring Jess asking if she wanted to go and whilst she initially said no, she did call back a little while later and say yes, so mum and I attempted to watch a film called 65 whilst I waited. We then all put on our matching pyjamas and played charades before bed. 

Christmas Day was a bit of a frustrating day for me, but it started off well in the fact that I managed to sleep for 6 hours straight and then get a couple extra hours as well. With not being able to nap before my night shift, I really wanted to be able to sleep in as late as possible so we had agreed to open presents at 10am. Jess and I were raring and waiting to go, but mum wasn't ready till quarter past and then we were still waiting even longer for her husband. I got a lot of lovely gifts which I can't wait to use next year, and lots of little surprises as well as needs. 

We then all got ready and took some pictures whilst waiting for mum's husband to return from wherever he was. He was very late and still hadn't arrived when we were already supposed to be at my aunts. My aunt hasn't done Christmas Day since I was a child but she had invited both the in law families of my cousin's as well, so there was 17(!) of us in total and sadly I could only spend 3 and a half hours there so I really didn't want to be any later. 

In the end, I took Jess and I over at just gone half past 12, we were supposed to be there at 12.20pm and then my mum ended up arriving gone 1pm. I enjoyed spending time with all the dogs and of course, my little nephew. He was in such a happy mood and very excited. He loved my sister's little dinosaur set and then later, he played with the new Tonies that my cousin and I got him. Of course, food was delicious. 

Sadly, after the meal was quite slow to be served as there was so many people, it was almost 3pm by the time we'd finished so everyone dissipated to watch the King's Speech. After this, everyone talked for a little bit and then it was time for me to leave before games and dessert. My aunt and uncle did give me some chocolate cake to take away and also a plate of leftovers to eat at work too. 

I drove back to my house, ate some cake and unloaded the car, before getting ready for work. I was feeling quite optimistic about the shift and then from the second I arrived, to the second I left it was horrible. I didn't leave till almost 10am, which was 2 and a half hours late. It was incredibly short staffed with only 3 clinical staff members, meaning we had 7 patients each and 5 of mine needed 3 hourly feeding support, between breast feeding and tube feeds. I escalated multiple times to no avail and obviously prioritised the clinical work over the documentation, so for most women I didn't sit down to write anything until my shift had already finished. 

I was honestly exhausted, shattered and drained by the time I got back home, I fell into bed and tried to get to sleep but couldn't shut down. Then I woke back up after just 3 hours and struggled to get back to sleep, only to fall back asleep and waking up at 5.30pm, needing to leave to go to my cousin's house for Boxing Day. 

I couldn't be bothered to put makeup on so instead I put on my Christmas jumper and antlers so appear at least a little festive. It was so much fun the whole night, playing with my nephew, chatting to in laws, eating yummy food, unwrapping more presents and finally playing 3 hilarious games: Pictionary Air, Mafia card game and Out of the Loop. I was so knackered by the time I left and didn't get home until almost 3am! 

I thought I was just shattered, but I ended up waking up feeling even worse with a headache, sore throat and runny nose. Once again, I was poorly and feeling sorry for myself. I spent most of the day in bed and sleeping on and off, only ordering Dominoes and getting out of bed in the evening.