My Life's Winding Roads: Happy New Year

My Life's Winding Roads: Happy New Year: Wow, just look at where this year has gone, good morning all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend as we now move towards sayin...

My Life's Winding Roads: Going home for Christmas

My Life's Winding Roads: Going home for Christmas: Good morning friends and family on this very special Monday. I truly had moments when I thought today was just never going to arrive - why ...

Happy New Year

Wow, just look at where this year has gone, good morning all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas weekend as we now move towards saying goodbye what has surely been a challenging year. I for one will not be sorry to see the end of 2021 but I am so blessed that I was able to end this year with my family and at home. I was discharged last Monday, hallelujah what a relief after three long weeks. Poppet very kindly drove me home and spent the afternoon with us which was awesome, being home and with those I love. On Tuesday Big Guy arrived and spent that night with BigBear and BabyBear before meeting up with the rest of us at Poppets house for a family dinner. The biggest surprise was having known that Big Guy had been on a diet for the last fourteen months, he had been very careful of not letting any of us see photographs of him, so seeing him was a really enormous surprise, he has lost 50kg's and the change is absolutely incredible. Apart from looking and feeling healthier he looks at least 15 years younger, Congratulations son you are an example and inspiration to us all. It has been beyond special having him home with us this past week, he also has done the bulk of the cooking, thank you my love, as well as all the rest of the family time we have had, it was sorely needed (by me) and the best way to see out the year. In general it has been a quiet week as I have found that I am not quite as strong as I would like to think, the three weeks of lying in bed and literally being pumped full of medication has taken quite a toll on my body as well as the adjustment to being home and not in isolation ...... there is no place like home. We spent Christmas Day with Poppet and Princess at their house, Sonshine is still stuck in the U.K. after testing positive for CoVid 😢. Poppet and Big Guy worked as an amazing team and produced a feast of note, thank you guys for an incredible meal and to all for making it a special day, despite the circumstances. Thank you Princess for insisting on playing Uno Flip hahaha it was also a very much needed time of laughter and fun as a family. Yesterday we spent quietly at home and today are going out for a meal before my handsome son flies back to Johannesburg tomorrow, I am going to miss him so much and am praying it won't take twelve months to see him again. Folks as we wrap up this year I pray that we can leave the 'negative/unhappy' parts behind us, taking what we have learnt and the positive changes and experiences with us into 2022. May this year ahead be one of good health, strong family bonds, productive and prosperous work experiences and just overall, a year filled with joy and goodness. Stay well and stay safe folks, thank you for your support and continued readership I am looking forward to some new adventures, memories and fun in this coming year. Ciao ciao. Zeepha being cute.

Going home for Christmas

Good morning friends and family on this very special Monday. I truly had moments when I thought today was just never going to arrive - why such expectation ? Because today I go home after spending 19 days in hospital in 'isolation', my excitement is simply too great to even try and express. This past week seems to have passed at a snails pace and for the first time in my life I have found that sleeping during the day is my friend, it is something I normally cannot do, the last three weeks have changed that 😄. Every day has been a breath holding experience when my blood tests come back and the doctor walks in but, as always, God has proved Himself faithful and steadfast and once my last drop of antibiotic drips in, I am out of here. 

 My family have been absolute superstars and their support and hard work kept my brain from exploding whilst at the same time kept me in touch with what is going on at home. Due to their kindness and forethought everything I would normally have done in preparation for December re cleaning the house and preparing it for Christmas, has been done. We were blessed to have a company come in on Friday and do a major deep clean from top to bottom, thank you guys. On Saturday Hubby and I had previously organized for a couple to come in and help in the house and garden and we kept to that plan which means that even curtains got washed, fridge defrosted etc, etc and the garden were completely taken care of, saving Hubby dearest days of work and a sore back. Even the dogs have been groomed, although that was scheduled ages ago ..... I am going home to a sparkling home and can concentrate on getting strong and well. It has been a shock to me how quickly ones strength disappears after three weeks in bed, not being able to eat properly has not helped in that regard I know. Now that I am off the multitudes of pills and antibiotics I am trusting that the nausea will become a thing of the past and I can resume my normal life and strength day by day.  The family are all well and winding down on what has been an extremely difficult year. It is certainly time for us all to breathe and just 'be'. Big Guy flies down to the Cape on Tuesday morning for a week and seeing as it has been a full year since we've seen him I am super excited whoop whoop. Princess has been in Natal with family friends for the last week and is currently on her way back to Pretoria, she also flies back a bit later this week and we will all be together #mommyheartfull. 

This year has for most people that I know or have spoken to been a lot more difficult and stressful that even 2020 in almost every way imaginable but, what I am trying to keep my focus on is not the challenges, the loss, the anxiety etc but the fact that we are still here.  We are alive, changed forever? Yes without a doubt ....... but ......... alive, wiser, richer in compassion and understanding, more patient and for the most part I hope and pray ..... our focus and values have changed to become less self centered and more all encompassing.  Without God's intervention in my life, this Christmas would have had a very different outcome.  He has brought me/us through all that was thrown at us and now it is time we as individuals take that and share it with those who face unspeakable challenges.  CoVid has changed the world and the way we live and unless we continue to live out the changes we have learnt, what was the point of  coming through it.  Cancer has changed me in more ways that I can begin to mention at this stage, things that I thought were important at the start of my journey are now way down the list as merely the tinsel on the tree.  My basic health and well being are far more important than whether I am finished with aesthetics of the journey, that will happen in time, right now I am here, I am alive, I am going home to be with my family which is the greatest gift God has ever given me and every day has new opportunities for me to learn, discover and try new things.

This is probably not quite what you were expecting to read today, it's not what I was expecting to write but I guess three weeks of being on your own and trusting God hourly will bring about some reflection and change, all to the good if it makes me a better person.Folks, I wish you all a peace filled week, may you not get caught on the merry-go-round of insanity as Christmas day draws closer, may it be about the time shared with your loved ones and staying healthy and safe. Wishing each of you a very blessed Christmas with love from my family to yours. 

My Life's Winding Roads: A quick catch up.

My Life's Winding Roads: A quick catch up.: Well ....... good morning folks, I certainly did not envisage today's Blog would be typed from my hospital bed, but here I am and seeing...

A quick catch up.

Well ....... good morning folks, I certainly did not envisage today's Blog would be typed from my hospital bed, but here I am and seeing as last week I really just said hi, I thought it was time for a catch up. Today marks my 13th day here and even though I know it is part of the process that does not take away the frustration of wanting to be home with my family and eating home cooked food. What a process it has been and continues to be as my days start at 5 am with someone standing next to the bed wanting to draw blood. Because the infection I had was identified as a hospital super bug - Enterobacteriaceae, the same one as found on the last surgery, I was very smartly moved to a private ward where only certain staff members are allowed to work with me. I will admit to feeling quite emotional when I saw the notice on the door stating isolation and sanitisation procedures, it felt like I was 'unclean' (which in a sense I was). It also means that most staff don't come in = less chats lol. I have built good 'relationships' with the staff that I do have contact with and have to say that they are truly fantastic. There are so many doctors involved that at times it is hard keeping track of who is who and again each one has been really super. The reason behind the daily blood tests is to access the infection levels as well as toxicity levels of the two antibiotics I am on by a Macrobiologist? who then instructs the Specialist which Med's are to be adjusted accordingly. Currently I am on four drips per day one of which is a huge 'banana bag' of intense multivitamins, thanks to my original surgeon who also called in a Nutritionist. Apparently the more protein I can consume, via shakes and protein powder at the moment the quicker my body can fight back. As of last night my infection level was down from over 50 to 4 Praise the Lord. The toxic antibiotic has reached a trough which is what most of the attention is focused on currently. Within myself I feel fine and have had barely a minutes discomfort from the surgery itself, I have no appetite at all which is causing a bit of a problem combined with the nausea but, mentally I am ok. I'm getting impatient to go home and spoke to the Specialist today as I want and desperately need to be home before the 21st which is when Big Guy flies down. Dr will only discharge me on the 21st after my last dose of the'dangerous' antibiotic. it took me a while to get my head and heart around that. All prayer for favor and miracles are greatly appreciated hehe. I try not to think of the days ahead whilst waiting because then I might just go totally loopy. The family are all well as can be expected and have been such a blessing and encouragement. Hubby has been working hard on getting his car back on the road and is literally inundated with clocks, he is now having to say to new clients that their items will only be available in the new year. Jelly Bean has been an absolute rock in picking up the reigns and running the house like an star as well as doing her actual work. Princess is in Durban for a few days and Poppet is as busy as ever. BigBear and BabyBear are winding down the roller coaster they've been on and looking forward to resuming a normal life . Big Guy is also working hard to get as much in before he goes in leave so that he too can relax. I just want to be out of hospital and celebrate Christmas with my family. I don't think the cats are too fussed about me not being there but Charlie is definitely taking strain - Hubby took some of my pyjamas home for washing and Charlie nearly went crazy following the smell and trying to reach them in the washing machine, then he ran to the front door to look for me, then back to the washing machine hehe, when the door opens he runs to the car barking to see if I am sitting inside. Folks, that is my catch up from the confines of 4 walls and a sliver window view of the mountains behind Gordon's Bay. To every member of my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart for you constant encouragement, visits, positivity and prayers, you keep me focused on the end goal and make each day possible. To all my friends who have stood in the gap for me praying, encouraging, calling and messaging, thank you for holding me up and your love and care, there are no words. I pray you each have a wonderful week, that God multiplies your time and gives you wisdom in every situation and that you stay well and safe. Don't stop sanitizing or lower any of your protection protocols please. Ciao ciao My exquisite bouquet of flowers from Poppet, Sonshine and Princess. There has not been one person to walk into my ward, male or female, that has not commented on how beautiful they are

A wee break this week.

Good morning all, I trust this quick note finds you all well. As this morning finds me still in hospital after being re-admitted on Thursday for another emergency surgery to remove infection, I have decided to give this week's Blog a wee holiday and will be back with you next week. The surgery itself was successful and I am currently waiting on blood tests and pathology reports. Praying you all have a super week, Please stay well and safe. Ciao Ciao