I was unwell when writing last week’s lirralirra but I hadn’t realised how much worse I was about to become; not with the dreaded virus but guilty by association.
I am just home from hospital and am slowly recovering but still exhausted. Today I saw a flurry of Superb Fairywrens and a happy pair of Grey Fantails, I didn’t see a spinebill but I love this image and hope you do to. For more information on these beautiful spinebills, and for several gorgeous images please click this link: lirralirra.com/eastern-spinebills
My main reason for writing to you all tonight is to warn you about the increased risk of developing shingles during these stressful times. There is a vaccination available against it, which may be advisable for some of you to discuss with your GPs. It can affect anyone dealing with stress, who has had chicken pox, my youngest daughter had it a few years ago.
I thought I was going well. I have plenty to do on my Land for Wildlife property, which I love doing. My dogs are great company and I enjoy taking them for walks and runs. I’d cycle about 5km a day, uphill and fast on my exercise bike, and I was using my weights several times a day, not to mention hand-holding my long lenses. But the stress of it all caught up with me. I’d self-isolated for a couple of weeks as I’d been in contact with some travellers and by the end of that time things had changed so much that I realised it would be a while before I’d be playing with my beautiful grandies again, including the little toddler and the baby twins who are growing so fast. As a former teacher I spent the week homeschooling, via Skype, one of the older granddaughters, what an awesome student she is. I was behind with gathering supplies because of all this and next thing I knew there was a tingling speck on my face. I thought it must have been spider bite or a blackberry scratch – sadly not.
Shingles on the face is not pleasant, and it can be dangerous. I spent this week in Maroondah Hospital as one of very few patients at the moment. The care I received from the doctors, the nurses and the rest of the team was outstanding – and the ambos too – my grateful thanks to you all. My thanks also to my amazing girls and their families who are helping me now as I slowly recover, and to my dear friend who turned up at the first sign of trouble and to another lovely friend who has spent many hours talking with me on the phone, telling me stories, making me smile and even singing a lullaby.
Please look after yourselves, find lots of good, restful things to do during these crazy times, and chat to your GP about the shingles vac if you think you should.
For the first time ever I’m two weeks behind with answering comments, but I do aim to get to it, as soon as I can.
Thinking of you all, stay home, stay safe
Happy birding from home, Kim
~ Facebook page Kim Wormald – lirralirra
~ Facebook group Ethical Bird Photography
So sorry you’ve been unwell, Kim, especially with the added complications of COVID hitting our health systems, and everything else you have to manage. Hope the most important balls stay in the air, and you’re able to prioritise before back to full health.
No need to reply to this comment, stay safe and get healthy!
Hi Syndy, your comment just put a comical image in my mind – juggling balls then falling on the ground with them landing on me. I like to juggle a little so in the next couple of days I’ll choose three likely looking potatoes and see if I can keep them in the air for a few seconds. Thank you for making me smile, stay safe, Kim
It is bad enough constrained at home but to have Shingles will be very difficult for you. Do hope it goes away quickly and you can use the time to explore your property and enjoy Nature.
Thank you for that lovely thought Peter. It will be so good when I can get out and wander through the bush, or even just sit on the very long grass and watch the mini-beasts. Hopefully the warmer weather that’s coming will give us all the opportunity to enjoy nature, Kim
Hi Kim. I’m very sorry to hear about your bout with shingles. I know from personal experience that this isn’t any fun at all! That said, it’s nice to see that you’re back. I hope this note finds you and your family healthy and safe. I agree with many of the other folks, take the time needed to recover . . . it’s better in the long run.
Thank you for your kind comments Harry, I’m sorry you know about it from personal experience. Thank you also for your lovely email, it was very much appreciated, Kim
Wishing you a speedy recovery Kim, take care!
#besafe #lookafteroneanother.
Thank you Neville. I like your hashtags, hopefully this crisis will bring communities closer together
I feel for you. Shingles is the worst. Look after yourself. Don’t feel that you should get back to your regular tasks quickly. Shingles knocks you around for ages.
Love your photos and explanations. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jennie, I’m shocked by how exhausted I am. I’ve only just been able to prepare my own meals and even then I sleep after the effort of eating them. I’m glad you enjoy my photographs and explanations, thank you for letting me know, Kim
My mother got it in one of her eyes, after it recurred, several years after her first outbreak. So keep vigilant.
Oh your poor mum. They’ve warned me about that and are still monitoring my eye, and they’ve said to get the vaccine. It is a horrible illness.
Get well soon,
Thank you Robert
Dear Kim
So sorry to hear of your illness. Please look after yourself and stay home, rest and recuperate.
I love Eastern Spinebills☺️
Thank you for caring Alison, and I’m glad you love Eastern Spinebills, they are such exquisite little birds, I think they’re the closest we have to hummingbirds
Oh so sorry to hear this Kim. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Be gentle with yourself. Take care. Warm regards, Denise Ravenscroft
Thank you so much Denise, your kind words are much appreciated, Kim
Kim, so sorry to hear you’ve had shingles. I nursed my Mother-in-law through them on her face and I’d never seen anyone in so much pain. Then about 7 years ago, I got them on my back. After 3 months, I truly didn’t care if I lived or died, the pain is so acute. Every now and then, if I get tired, I get a little twinge that tells me to ‘slow down’
Take care and I wish you all the best.
Marlene
Oh Mariene, that sounds so awful for you and your mother-in-law. I hadn’t realised how awful they could be, and I wish I still had no idea! They’ve told me it is possible to get shingles more than once so I hope you’ve been able to get the vaccine. Take care, definitely slow down and smell the roses. Thank you for your kind wishes, Kim
Pleased to see you are out of hospital and on the mend. Hoping you continue to improve.
Thank you for your kind wishes Carolyn
So sorry to hear this Kim. Please get well soon.
Thank you Jan, I appreciate that, Kim
Hi Kim, Glad to hear you’re on the mend. I was discussing with someone how incredibly stressful these times are. It waxes and wanes, but there’s an underlying tension that we are all living with now. And it’s been all year. First the bushfires, then a week after they were declared ‘under control’ (not out, mind you) we started to worry about the virus. Keep well.
That’s so true Emma, it’s not the ‘wishing you a wonderful 2020’ that we imagined at the end of last year. Let’s hope we can all relax into this different way of living and maybe some good things will come from it, I hope so
Sorry to hear! Get well soon!
Thank you Paul, that’s a directive I will do my very best to achieve 🙂
Oh Shingles is absolutely awful! I haven’t had it, however am in my 40’s and had chickenpox as a child… and apparently younger and younger people are coming down with shingles. Shingrix is supposed to be a really good vaccine, which is available in the states, however I’m not sure how widespread.
It’s horrible to think the bug is lurking somewhere in all of us who’ve had chicken pox, just waiting for the opportune moment to strike. Shivers. I’ve been surprised by how many younger people have suffered from it, especially when I feel too young to have had it myself! I’ll ask about that vaccine. The hospital doctor called my GP to say I should get the vaccine as apparently we can get shingles more than once, what a terrible thought. Thanks for your comment Nicky, stay well
Dear Kim
So sorry to hear that you have suffered this unexpected condition. I haven’t had it, but friends and one family member have, and they tell me it was awful. I’m so glad they looked after you so well in hospital and that you are now home again. Your advice about stress is rather pertinent – I’d better take heed as I am doing the preparation from four different sources of a video for Facebook that all our congregation can view tomorrow. I’m finding myself in a bit of a panic as there are so many elements that I’ve mixed them up and they’re not in the right order. So thanks for that advice – I’ll do what I can and live with what I have.
Stay well and recover your strength again – thanks for your beautiful pictures of the Spinebill. You’re an inspiration.
Neil
Hi Neil, I hope your video screening went really well, wasn’t at all stressful and was well received by your congregation. I was so pleased to read you say, ‘I’ll do what I can and live with what I have’. I wish I hadn’t been so crazily busy three weeks ago, so much of it really could have waited.
Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate them, Kim
So glad your on the mend and have three gorgeous daughters who cared and loved you so much. Get well my lovely friend x
Thank you Bill. You are right about my gorgeous daughters, they have been amazing x
Good healing to you Kim.
Thank you No sharples, much appreciated
Oh Kim. I am so very sorry to hear this. A blog friend has developed shingles and is NOT having an easy time of it. I am glad to hear that you have the support of friends and family. Be kind to yourself too please.
I adore this image.
And yes, stay home and be safe.
So sorry to hear about your blog friend, I hope they are recovering quickly. I had no idea shingles could be so debilitating and require help in hospital. It doesn’t suit my nature not to be racing around doing things but I have no choice at the moment. Which has meant I’ve finally read Where the Crawdads Sing, what an incredible book. I’m guessing you would have read it a while ago…
It was one of the first books I read this year. And a book I will read again.
I hope you are getting much, much better.
My friend is still struggling with awful pain.
So sorry to hear about your friend, I hope it’s not on her face
Hi Kim..sorry to read that you have had Shingles. Gerald had them years ago, according to him it felt like he had been kicked in the ribs by a horse. He still has the tiny scars to prove it.
Look after yourself.
Get well..Stay safe..❤
Oh poor Gerald. I can relate to the horse kick analogy, sadly. Take care out there Carole, Kim x
Sorry Kim Shingles are as you say horrible, the vaccine we have now to prevent them is so much better use to be just 50% effective now it is far better, I had them also but not on my heard which I can well imagine how horrible that must be, do take good care,Thinking of you and hope for the very best.
I’m sorry that you’ve had them too Dona, they really are awful, I hadn’t realised how bad they could be. It doesn’t suit me to sit and watch the grass grow but at the moment I have no choice. I’ve been given some good books to read and am up to reading now so that’s good. Thank you for caring, stay well x
What wise words. What a relief that the story had an ending that lead to treatment, rest and recovery. I hope every day is better than the last. Thinking of you. X
‘Every day is better than the last’ – that’s a good thing to keep in mind Meaghan, thank you xo
Sorry you had to go through all that Kim. All I can offer is heartfelt thanks that you are on the improve <3
Thank you Greg. It is crazily exhausting, pretty much all I can do at the moment is sit and watch the grass grow, which is keeping the rabbits happy. Stay well x
So sorry to hear about your shingles, Kim. It would be awful on your face too! My younger son had them last year and took quite a while to recover despite starting anti-virals quite early in the illness. I dread getting them so I am thrilled to read there is a vaccine now. I had no idea.
I hope you continue to improve and I feel your pain not seeing your grandchildren. We only have the one so far but her mother is pregnant so it is even more important that they self-isolate. I really miss our two-year-old cutie. Although we do some video catch-ups, it’s just not the same.
I love your Eastern Spinebill. I had one visit my home when I lived in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne but here in Geelong, we have loads of New Holland Honeyeaters instead. Still, great little birds to watch in the garden. Thank goodness for home birding!
Take care and stay safe! x
Your poor son! I didn’t realise younger people could get it until my youngest daughter did, and I didn’t realise people could get it on their faces and end up in hospital. It’s so hard missing our grandies, especially when they’re so young I think. Thank goodness for the technology that let’s us keep in touch. It’s exciting that you have another grandie on the way, it’s especially good to hear about positives things at the moment.
New Holland Honeyeaters are real characters, I enjoy watching them in the garden too. Happy birding from home, Kim x
It’s great to raise awareness as I’m sure this horrible virus will catch up with others given the stress we are all living with at the moment! So glad you’re on the mend.
Beautiful little spinebill!
I hope lots of people hear about the vaccine. Who’d have thought that my sweet memories of childhood chicken pox would leave me so sore and exhausted. One of my clearest memories of living in the caravan is when I had chicken pox as a five year old. I was standing on the couch/bed looking out of the back window, and wearing the lovely white gloves my dad bought me so I wouldn’t be able to scratch the itches. What he hadn’t realised is that the gloves had a fine raised weave and were ideal for scratching – it was my little secret.
Hi Kim,
So sorry to hear that you’ve been unwell. Shingles is a terrible thing. My daughters partner is also getting over it; had it start on his neck and slowly spread to his face. Was in absolute agony so I know what you must be going through. This all happened not long after receiving a kidney transplant.So glad that you have some wonderful support from family and friends in your time of need.
Your photo is gorgeous. I love the Eastern Spinebills and have built a native garden as of last year to attract them. They love the Kangaroo Paws. I have been following your work for quite a few years now since I first took up photography. Congratulations on your recent award. You must be over the moon. Rest up and take care and no need to answer this.Just get well.
Marg Craig
Hi Marg, oh I feel so bad for your daughter’s partner, hopefully he is going well now. I’m staggered by how awful shingles is, and the exhaustion that goes with it. I’ve only just been able to start making my own meals again, and I sleep between them. It’s so different to my usual crazy busyness.
Your garden sounds lovely, I bet you have lots of beaut shots of spinebills on the Kangaroo Paws. It’s lovely to hear that you’ve enjoyed lirralirra for so long, stay well, Kim
Oh Kim, I’m so sorry to hear you had shingles. I empathise with you as I too suffered through this at the age of 14. The only thing that got me through was sleeping on my dads lap for about a week. Hope you are ok now and take care.
Oh Lee-anne, I can’t imagine having had it at such a young age. I hadn’t realised how awful it can be. I’m still crazily tired but at least I can make my own breakfast now. Thank you for sharing and caring, Kim
Get well and stay safe!
Thank you Bridget, Kim