Suzy McHale’s Diary: 2022
Events of note for this year: Mum bought another Mazda 2 on 25/8, but turned out to be a waste as she had reached the stage where she was increasingly unsafe to drive. I tested positive for Covid on 27/8. This would be the last entry here for this year as I shifted my focus to my online Journal.
August
Thursday 25/8
Again, I have not felt much like writing, though in my defence I have been making an effort to post almost every day in my online Journal, so that has been my main focus.
- Mum sold her Mazda 2 (22/2/2020 entry) to Margaret Perona on 13/6 for $12,000, my parents bought another one of the same model (but the 2022 version) today! A “Sonic Silver” in color, and registered as 1WJ2VZ. They collect it from Brighton Mazda tomorrow. Another $30,480 paid, so I hope they can afford it. They have long had two cars, and it is useful to have a second as a backup in case anything happens to the first.
- Michele flew down from Queensland to stay for a few days from Thursday 24/3 to Monday 28/3, and again on Saturday 4/6 to Monday, mainly to begin arrangements for “elder care” for Mum – my parents have entered that dreaded stage. Michele also turned 50 this year on 1/8!
- I have had various minor injuries and illnesses. I got a head cold this week, and yesterday I had one of my random migraines, with two episodes of nausea and vomiting in the early morning. So I have been poorly this week. On Tuesday 25/1 I managed to trip up on a section of raised pavement during my daily walk, and fall. Had a bruised left elbow (with a graze) and hip, but nothing broken. Still an unpleasant adrenaline shock, with that awful feeling of being powerless and unable to stop myself falling. Two drivers passing by stopped and asked if I were hurt, which was nice of them! The lady kindly offered me a lift, but I decided to walk back home (did not want to be a bother). Took me a few weeks to heal – my older age is showing. I still have not ridden my bicycle as I have no desire to; my main outdoor exercise is walking around the neighborhood. I am physically and mentally exhausted.
- Aunty Hilda (living in Tasmania) and Mum’s cousin Dawn Harbour are still doing OK.
Saturday 27/8
We collected the new Mazda 2 yesterday! Went for a drive (Dad drove). Visited Moorabbin Airport briefly; Dad pointed out the single-storey office building where he used to work in the 1980s. The car is quite nice to ride in, and the silver color is more attractive than the previous dark grey.
I took a SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test – an at-home self-test kit – today. The result was positive! If not a false positive, it means I have had a relatively mild case of COVID-19 – one of its notable symptoms is loss of the sense of smell (anosmia), which I am still experiencing to some degree. I am still a bit fatigued. I have only had the two initial AstraZeneca vaccinations, but not the two following prescribed boosters as I can’t face any more vaccine side-effects (15/7/2021 entry). So I am damned if I do or don’t!