Thursday, May 31, 2007
My thyroid is no more!
Before moving to Australia I knew I had a thyroid condition but was told that it was fine and that I could move to Australia - which we did! When going through the medicals for our PR visa it became apparent that further tests were needed on my thyroid - scans, bloods, more scans and a few more blood tests.......which eventually brought me to the decision to get it removed - it had grown A LOT in the 6 months since our move and the chances were it wasnt planning on stopping - so out it had to come. This was something I'd been expecting as my mum and two of her sisters have also had theirs removed. I had the option to get it done through the Health System (with a probable 6 months waiting list) or to go Private. Although we didnt have the money....we opted for Private to get it over and done with. I'm glad we did too because when they took it out I was told it was HUGE and a pretty difficult operation. My vocal chord nerve was cut during the Op which meant I couldnt speak for a while afterwards. Everyone made lots of jokes about it but I must admit that it was very scarey - my surgeon actually thought that it would probably be permanent which in turn gave me that belief too. Thankfully she was wrong and I now have my voice back fully - although it does get a bit weak at times. I also had to take lots & lots of calcium for a few months post Op too as the Parathyroids were effected......this again could have been permanent (my auntie is on 15 large calcium pills a day for life!) but thankfully thats all come good too - I've been lucky! My scar isnt great - very noticeable but that doesnt really bother me. Having that big fat thryoid out was my main concern and now its gone! :)
In the last 12 months - we got our Permanent Visa!
I said a lot had happened - and its all coming back to me bit by bit.
As I mentioned in my posts 12 months ago we had our Medicals for our PR visa in June last year. After a lot of messing about (they wanted lots of information from my medical records about miscarriages and thyroid disease etc) our medicals were finally given the OK. I was really worried about this I must admit but thankfully it went well. We then got the all important phone call on July 28th 2006 telling us we had Permanent Residency. This didnt make much differnce to our everyday life to be honest but it just gave us that bit of security that we needed. When you move to Australia on a 457 temporary Visa (which is what we were on) then bascially it means the visa holder can 'only' work for that employer (although I could work wherever I wanted). If the job was no longer available or he was sacked then we would have 28 days to leave to country - scarey! It also meant that we would no longer have to pay school fees ($4500 per year) and that we could claim family benefits. This is something that I really had no intention of doing but with the wages pretty low and the cost of living the same (if not higher) than in the UK then needs must.
So thats it - we've now had our PR visa for 10 months and will apply for Citizanship when we've had it for 24 months :)
As I mentioned in my posts 12 months ago we had our Medicals for our PR visa in June last year. After a lot of messing about (they wanted lots of information from my medical records about miscarriages and thyroid disease etc) our medicals were finally given the OK. I was really worried about this I must admit but thankfully it went well. We then got the all important phone call on July 28th 2006 telling us we had Permanent Residency. This didnt make much differnce to our everyday life to be honest but it just gave us that bit of security that we needed. When you move to Australia on a 457 temporary Visa (which is what we were on) then bascially it means the visa holder can 'only' work for that employer (although I could work wherever I wanted). If the job was no longer available or he was sacked then we would have 28 days to leave to country - scarey! It also meant that we would no longer have to pay school fees ($4500 per year) and that we could claim family benefits. This is something that I really had no intention of doing but with the wages pretty low and the cost of living the same (if not higher) than in the UK then needs must.
So thats it - we've now had our PR visa for 10 months and will apply for Citizanship when we've had it for 24 months :)
Another little catch up!
Mum came over for a visit at the beginning of April for 6 weeks. It was great having her over here - especially for Danielle. The only problem is that it was really hard when she left (for me more than for Danielle actually). It was the longest time I'd EVER spent with my mum since I was about 18 so to see her leave again was awful. I actually felt as though I was pushing her away and the guilt for separating her and Danielle again was awful. Thankfully everythings back to normal now though which is great. Mum loved her holiday and took a ridiculous amount of photos! We took her to as many places as we could think of cos for her it was the 'holiday of a lifetime'. We're gonna try and get her out here as often as possible but off her own back it'll probably be once every 2 years because she just doesnt have the money. I wish we were in a position to be able to pay for her to come out once a year but unfortunately we're not :(.
When I get chance later I'll go through my photos (they're all on CD now) and upload a few of us throughout the year. I now have blonde hair (well streaks!) and wear contacts rather than glasses. Its really difficult if you were glasses over here because you really need to be wearing really good sunnies and prescription ones just dont cut it. Plus its a pain when you're in and out of shops if they're prescription cos you cant see a thing when you take em off!!!
I've just been reading at the school again today. I like doing that and Danielle likes to see me get involved too.
Oh I'm thinking of loads of things now as I sit here.
Pets - well we started off with a rabbit and a guinea pig. Patch & Fiona. Patch started to get a little bit too 'friendly' with Fiona so we had to separate them as he was also getting agressive to anyone who went close to her. As guinea pigs like a companion we decided to get her a friend so I headed to the pet shop and got a cute white female guinea pig - which we called Sam (after Danielles cousin!). A few weeks down the line it became apparent that Sam (the guinea pig not the cousin!) was pregnant! Great! Gray wasnt impressed at all I can tell you. Anyway apparently guinea pigs get very 'friendly' with their brothers and sisters from 3 weeks after birth and if they're not separated them more babies appear - this must have been what happened with Sam bless her - pregnant by her brother - sick! I was actually quite excited at the thought of having baby guinea pigs and watched her like a hawk until the big day finally arrived - 3 little babies. I couldnt bring myself to give them away so a friend took Patch the rabbit for us and we kept all the Guinea pigs - so we now have 5 guinea pigs!!
We also treated ourselves to a Cockatiel a couple of months ago which we're trying to teach to talk - hes called Charlie and is full of character. I'm the one who feeds and waters the little bugger but Gray is the one he loves! Charming!
I'm thinking of loads of things to catch up with now but I'll break them up into separate posts I think to make it easier to read!
Onto the next one!
When I get chance later I'll go through my photos (they're all on CD now) and upload a few of us throughout the year. I now have blonde hair (well streaks!) and wear contacts rather than glasses. Its really difficult if you were glasses over here because you really need to be wearing really good sunnies and prescription ones just dont cut it. Plus its a pain when you're in and out of shops if they're prescription cos you cant see a thing when you take em off!!!
I've just been reading at the school again today. I like doing that and Danielle likes to see me get involved too.
Oh I'm thinking of loads of things now as I sit here.
Pets - well we started off with a rabbit and a guinea pig. Patch & Fiona. Patch started to get a little bit too 'friendly' with Fiona so we had to separate them as he was also getting agressive to anyone who went close to her. As guinea pigs like a companion we decided to get her a friend so I headed to the pet shop and got a cute white female guinea pig - which we called Sam (after Danielles cousin!). A few weeks down the line it became apparent that Sam (the guinea pig not the cousin!) was pregnant! Great! Gray wasnt impressed at all I can tell you. Anyway apparently guinea pigs get very 'friendly' with their brothers and sisters from 3 weeks after birth and if they're not separated them more babies appear - this must have been what happened with Sam bless her - pregnant by her brother - sick! I was actually quite excited at the thought of having baby guinea pigs and watched her like a hawk until the big day finally arrived - 3 little babies. I couldnt bring myself to give them away so a friend took Patch the rabbit for us and we kept all the Guinea pigs - so we now have 5 guinea pigs!!
We also treated ourselves to a Cockatiel a couple of months ago which we're trying to teach to talk - hes called Charlie and is full of character. I'm the one who feeds and waters the little bugger but Gray is the one he loves! Charming!
I'm thinking of loads of things to catch up with now but I'll break them up into separate posts I think to make it easier to read!
Onto the next one!
Forgot to mention the car!
I knew I'd miss out something really important! When we first arrived we boughta Toyota Corolla station wagon - nice car but we were still hankering after a 4WD. Anyway after 4 months we sold it and treated ourselves to a Holden Jackaroo - lovely car but heavy as hell on the petrol. Might end up trading it in again soon for an unleaded but I cant see us changing back to a 'normal car' again - I LOVE my 4WD :)
How embarrassing - 12 months since my last update!
12 Months!!! Now that is embarrassing! After all the promises I made to keep this up to date.....I failed miserably!
Well here I am trying to make amends - how on earth I am going to catch up on 12 months worth of updates I dont know but I'll try my best.
We stayed in the house we first moved into for only 3 months after. It didnt have the storage we were after and was sooooo cold during the winter (yes believe it or not it does get VERY cold in Oz!) and had next to no storage.....so we made yet another move.
We're now in a 3 bed single storey house with double garage in a street with a communal pool and tennis courts (god dont we sound posh!). The house is nice and the garden isnt a bad size - just a bit of an awkward shape, but otherwise its good. The rooms are all a good size too which I love. During the summer holidays ( January) myself and Danielle were in the pool everyday because it was so hot (god I love the hot weather!). Danielle was like a little macaroon - very very brown (lifes not fair sometimes!!). She looked more Aussie than the other kids here - blonde hair, blue eyes and golden brown skin!
Its pretty much all been about Danielle now I think about it. She tried Tennis lessons for a while but didnt get on with that......so she moved onto Dance lessons, but got bored with those. Shes now settled with swimming, gymnastics & horse riding. She moved through the swimming lessons really quickly and is now training twice a week in Squads and swims for her school in the annual Swimming Carnival (very proud parents we are!). Gymnastics is just at the beginners stage so far so no big movements there but shes got a grading at the end of this month so hopefully she'll move up and start doing 'proper' gymnastics then. Horse riding has only just started but she loves that and is desperate for her own pony (dont know how to tell her but that is NEVER gonna happen!). She has been saving for almost a year to buy one for herself and has achieved a massive saving of.....wait for it......$31!! :D Shes been doing fantastically in school (well that goes without saying really with parents like us ;-)) and we're really proud of her. Shes got lots of friends and gets on with all the teachers. Unfortunately she seems to have a big following of boys too - not much of a worry while shes 7 years old but in a few years time I can see its not gonna be as CUTE!!
Grays doing well in work. He got promoted a few months back which was great. Not a huge pay rise but definitely a step in the right direction. Hes getting a bit bored now though and is thinking about doing some colleges courses to help him get into the Design side of things. He hasnt been able to do as much golf as he'd have liked (hardly any to be honest) because he does have to do a lot of overtime. The time that we do all spend together now though is quality time and we do lots more things as a family which is great.
Now its onto me! Ok here goes! I volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels once a month with Sharon (the Aussie mate I met when we first arrived - her and her family have been brilliant and we're really close now). It only takes about 2 hours but its nice to go out and meet the old folk and also feel as though you're having some input in the community - very important when you move to a new country I think. I also do a lot of volunteering at Danielles school - reading a couple of times a week and help out whenever I'm needed. Its great to get to know Danielles school mates that way. I started TAFE (College) a couple of months ago just doing a part time Statement of Attainment course in Admin Skills - you need a certificate to wipe your own ass over here so I thought I'd better give it a go. I'm glad I did too because I've been really enjoying it. The new semester starts in July and I'm going to do either a Certificate 4 in Business Admin or a Web Design course. At the moment I'm inclined to go for the Web Design course because I've recently set up a new Website called UKShoppingWorldwide and I'd love to be able to understand all the jargon more. I was lucky enough to get chatting with a bloke from a Forum I use - Expat Forum who is helping me out so much with my site - he understands all the jargon which is great!
We went camping about 4 or 5 times during the spring/summer and absolutely loved it. There are some stunning places to visit here and everything is so kid friendly. The stunning beaches usually only have a handful of people on them and the surf is loads of fun (well for Gray and Dan it is - as you can imagine I'm much more of a whimp!!)
We've been here 14 months now and although its flown by it also feels as though we've been here forever. Very strange. The minimum time we had to stay here was 2 years so when that time elapses we'll assess our options. We all love the beach so much and with us being where we are (just over an hour from the coast) it can seem a bit restrictive in the peak of summer.
I'm sure there is lots more that I could add to this update but I dont want you all falling asleep!
Take care all and this time I 'promise' to keep it up to date!
Rach xxxx
Well here I am trying to make amends - how on earth I am going to catch up on 12 months worth of updates I dont know but I'll try my best.
We stayed in the house we first moved into for only 3 months after. It didnt have the storage we were after and was sooooo cold during the winter (yes believe it or not it does get VERY cold in Oz!) and had next to no storage.....so we made yet another move.
We're now in a 3 bed single storey house with double garage in a street with a communal pool and tennis courts (god dont we sound posh!). The house is nice and the garden isnt a bad size - just a bit of an awkward shape, but otherwise its good. The rooms are all a good size too which I love. During the summer holidays ( January) myself and Danielle were in the pool everyday because it was so hot (god I love the hot weather!). Danielle was like a little macaroon - very very brown (lifes not fair sometimes!!). She looked more Aussie than the other kids here - blonde hair, blue eyes and golden brown skin!
Its pretty much all been about Danielle now I think about it. She tried Tennis lessons for a while but didnt get on with that......so she moved onto Dance lessons, but got bored with those. Shes now settled with swimming, gymnastics & horse riding. She moved through the swimming lessons really quickly and is now training twice a week in Squads and swims for her school in the annual Swimming Carnival (very proud parents we are!). Gymnastics is just at the beginners stage so far so no big movements there but shes got a grading at the end of this month so hopefully she'll move up and start doing 'proper' gymnastics then. Horse riding has only just started but she loves that and is desperate for her own pony (dont know how to tell her but that is NEVER gonna happen!). She has been saving for almost a year to buy one for herself and has achieved a massive saving of.....wait for it......$31!! :D Shes been doing fantastically in school (well that goes without saying really with parents like us ;-)) and we're really proud of her. Shes got lots of friends and gets on with all the teachers. Unfortunately she seems to have a big following of boys too - not much of a worry while shes 7 years old but in a few years time I can see its not gonna be as CUTE!!
Grays doing well in work. He got promoted a few months back which was great. Not a huge pay rise but definitely a step in the right direction. Hes getting a bit bored now though and is thinking about doing some colleges courses to help him get into the Design side of things. He hasnt been able to do as much golf as he'd have liked (hardly any to be honest) because he does have to do a lot of overtime. The time that we do all spend together now though is quality time and we do lots more things as a family which is great.
Now its onto me! Ok here goes! I volunteer to deliver Meals on Wheels once a month with Sharon (the Aussie mate I met when we first arrived - her and her family have been brilliant and we're really close now). It only takes about 2 hours but its nice to go out and meet the old folk and also feel as though you're having some input in the community - very important when you move to a new country I think. I also do a lot of volunteering at Danielles school - reading a couple of times a week and help out whenever I'm needed. Its great to get to know Danielles school mates that way. I started TAFE (College) a couple of months ago just doing a part time Statement of Attainment course in Admin Skills - you need a certificate to wipe your own ass over here so I thought I'd better give it a go. I'm glad I did too because I've been really enjoying it. The new semester starts in July and I'm going to do either a Certificate 4 in Business Admin or a Web Design course. At the moment I'm inclined to go for the Web Design course because I've recently set up a new Website called UKShoppingWorldwide and I'd love to be able to understand all the jargon more. I was lucky enough to get chatting with a bloke from a Forum I use - Expat Forum who is helping me out so much with my site - he understands all the jargon which is great!
We went camping about 4 or 5 times during the spring/summer and absolutely loved it. There are some stunning places to visit here and everything is so kid friendly. The stunning beaches usually only have a handful of people on them and the surf is loads of fun (well for Gray and Dan it is - as you can imagine I'm much more of a whimp!!)
We've been here 14 months now and although its flown by it also feels as though we've been here forever. Very strange. The minimum time we had to stay here was 2 years so when that time elapses we'll assess our options. We all love the beach so much and with us being where we are (just over an hour from the coast) it can seem a bit restrictive in the peak of summer.
I'm sure there is lots more that I could add to this update but I dont want you all falling asleep!
Take care all and this time I 'promise' to keep it up to date!
Rach xxxx
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