Wednesday 28 March 2012

Missing in Action

I am rather conscious I have been missing from action in blogland for a while. I just checked my dashboard and couldn’t believe how many comments there were to publish. I am struggling a little at the moment with severe nausea and exhaustion, interspersed with some rather nasty stomach pains. Everyone who hears this jumps to the same conclusion, but because I have had a false alarm before (with a hydatidiform mole) I am not assuming that I am expecting until I have a scan next week.

This means that the last month has been about getting through the day an hour at a time. I feel so blessed that I have a husband who has really taken care of the kids and picked up the baton where I have totally dropped it by looking after the children organising meals and daily pack lunches (he actually sends the kids to school with chapatti’s and curry!), ferrying me around between hospitals, clinics and work and generally keeping our little world revolving

My manager at work has been so understanding allowing me to come in late and leave early if needs be and work from home. His manager reassured me that I need not come in if I cannot cope. My colleagues have all been looking out for me and some have taken on work for me alhamdlillah. The funniest thing is when my manager complained he got told off by someone because people thought I looked tired because he was giving me too much work.

My sisters have been around regularly keeping me company, bringing whatever food I can stomach and checking up on me. Subhan’Allah its times like this that my faith brings such a positive perspective into my life:

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, "Strange is the affair of the Mu'min (the believer), verily all his affairs are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him he thanks (Allah) and it becomes better for him. And if something harmful befalls him he is patient (Saabir) and it becomes better for him. And this is only for the Mu'mmin." (Muslim)

So although I have been feeling revolting, getting rather dehydrated and have not been able to do much or be much use to anyone, I feel like Allah SWT is merciful and that I am the luckiest woman alive subhan’Allah (I just hope I don’t eat my words when I am next going bright red and puking up all over the place!).

But Subhan’Allah, in the meantime, sooooo much has been happening (even if I haven’t been contributing much).

Fahsionista’s wedding planning is going full steam ahead with a wedding dress ordered in a completely different colour than we were planning and the cutest valima dress found. So far venue and guest list are sorted, food and decor is being worked on and there remains lots more to finalise.

My mum and dad have gone travelling with a week in Saudi for Umrah (pilgrimage) and then onto Pakistan for wedding shopping – that hasn’t gone great, will post on that later. Whilst they are away, the girls have taken the opportunity to work with my hubby to re-do the house and replace wallpaper and carpets with skimmed walls and wooden flooring. My parents don’t know so hopefully will get a great surprise when they get back (I soo wish I had taken “before” shots)

I went on a tour of the Olympic Park and I have to say it is pretty amazing, I will post pictures at some point. Little Lady went to the Aquatic Centre in the Olympic Park to watch FINA’s Diving World Cup and will be going to meet the Queen with her class tomorrow as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee National Tour (she is visiting a local historical building). Little Man will be going to the Olympic Park in May to watch the Visa International Invitational Hockey Tournament in the Riverbank Arena.

Work is manic as ever. Alongside my regular work, I am still working with the Olympic team but my work has garnered attention, so senior managers have asked me to work with our Communications Team to draw up a plan of how they will deliver their service before and during the Games. I’ve also been asked to work on a project to bring some project planning principles to the organisations events strategy for the coming year – involves lots of meetings, maps and madness at this stage. This stuff is really stretching me to the limits, but I am enjoying and it the level of concentration it requires distracts me a little from the nausea, although it doesn’t help the exhaustion.

So at the moment, I am trying to be kind to myself, spending lots of time lying down, eating what I can when I can (have not had curry, which we eat daily, in weeks) praying the bare minimum but with lots and lots of dua (supplication), being honest when I feel terrible and taking all or nay help on offer.

I will probably carry on counting the days to my scan and then decide how to move forward with the outcome. Either way Allah (SWT) has given me too much to be grateful for to give into the misery (although this doesn’t mean there won’t be some tears each day). I would be grateful for your precious dua’s insh’Allah and also for your forgiveness for those of you to whom I have not responded to your e-mails recently or not been fulfilling my obligations on time. (Also if you know any nausea cures and don’t mind sharing, would be great to hear from you – have tried ginger biscuits, baking soda in water, green tea and only 7up helps so far).

“Surely with every difficulty there is relief. Surely with every difficulty there is relief.” (Al- Quran 94:5-6)

“When Allah has previously decreed for a servant a rank which he has not attained by his action, he afflicts him in his body, or his property or his children.” (Abu Dawud)

”There is nothing (in the form of trouble) that comes to a believer even if it is the pricking of a thorn that there is decreed for him by Allah (something) good or his sins are obliterated.” (Sahih Muslim)

10 comments:

  1. When I was nauseated with number three popsicles (are they called ice lollies in your part of the world?) did wonders for me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Asalaamu Alaikum

    Across the pond here they also say to eat crackers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Salam dear sister,

    Get well soon and praying for a good news soon...:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Salaams,
    MashaAllah. Wonderful to have a hubby to help you in such times.

    I found keeping half a lime handy to suck on did help me. Although if you are feeling bloated, this might not be such a good idea. Smelling orange peels was also a little helpful.
    But I found that the best thing for nausea for me was to throw up, and until I threw up, it goes away but comes back sooner. After throwing up it is so much easier.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Salam Sis, what an action-packed post!

    Sorry to hear you're feeling poorly...making dua that all's well inshaAllah.

    Your Hubby's a super-hero :)

    And how exciting to live in London right now!

    But mostly just wanna say...hope you get some pics of your daughter's meeting with the Queen...how exciting ♥

    ReplyDelete
  6. Assalamualeikum wa rahmatulahi wa barakatuhu dear sis! May Allah give you shifaa, ameen. <3

    I tagged you here in this post, if you'd like to check it out. :-)

    http://thecreativemuslimah.blogspot.com/2012/03/eleven-tagged-questions-times-two.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bismillah
    Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah my dear sis,
    Just read your post. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make everything easy and full of baraka for you, ameen! Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is the best of planners. He knows what is best for us. Keep making dua sis and have lots of sabr. Remember the greater the test, the greater the reward. Insha-Allah you are in our duas. xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  8. May Allah grant you shifaa and the patience to deal with the tests of this world; as one hadith says all the pain suffered in this world even as small as a scratch of a thorn reduces the punishment for our (minor) sins (sorry not the exact wording). Be strong and be patient, I will be making dua for you. Do not forget the blessings you have in this world already! You are an inspiration to me and I'm sure many others; may Allah reward you with Jannah insha Allah.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Assalamalikum Sr,

    masAllah you're one awesome lady.How do manage work, family and blogging ? masAllah. You inspire me :)
    Here in the US, we can buy preggie pops to help with the nausea.I don't know if you can buy them in the UK.inshAllah you'll feel better soon.May Allah SWT give you health and keep you going as strong as ever :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Assalam-alaikam,

    Sister Anonymous - I tried the icepops/ice lollies. Oh my Gosh it helped!! I had two and felt good, but the third made me throw up rather violently. I think moderation is key here...jazakh'Allah for your suggestion.

    Sister - crackers help a little too, but can't taste them (another wierd symptom!) Last box I bought, I managed two before the kids caught me and demolished the box. Does help a little though.

    Sister Puan Hazel - jazakh'Allah-khairun for your kind dua's, I am convinced this is what most makes the difference.

    Sister Serenity,
    citrus does help a little (might have to find some of those little Indian limes and make very cold nimbu pani and see if that stays down), but you are right, there is no peace till you really throw up.

    Sis Washi - trust you to notice the fun stuff, London is getting super exciting right now - masses and masses to do pretty much every day. Little Lady spent twwo hours with the other kids waiting to meet the Queen, but she sped by in her car, my girl was not happy! But she had a nice day in the park instead of at school, so can't really complain.

    Sis Creative Muslimah - meme duly noted, I will have a go soon insh'Allah (jazakh'Allah-khairun for thinking of me).

    Sister Sumaiyyah - jazakh'Allah-khairun for your precious dua's.

    Sister Goergia - jazakh'Allah-khairun for your kind words and dua's

    Sister Neda - jazakh'Allah-khairun for your kind words and dua's. I've never heard of preggie pops before, I just googled them and I am rather curious - do they work?

    ReplyDelete