Charlie's Bird
living the dream with Charlie and Thandi and chirping all the way back to the nest.Archive for August, 2021
Spinter
…just when you think Spring is in the air, Winter turns around and walks back into the room. You, the weather was miserable this weekend! On Friday evening it blew in with spatterings of rain and misery.
I handed over the keys for Pops’s house to the new owner – gosh, it was very very emotional. I walked through the now empty house, and had so many fresh tears. The cupboards still smelt of Dawny’s perfume and Pops’ aftershave, and my heart broke all over again. I picked some roses off my Dawny’s favourite bush and sank my head into their heady scent and the many memories that came with that. (Cecelia Brummer – a miniature pink climbing rose that has a distinct peppery fragrance) Ah, well. This is the circle of life. I hope she will be very happy there, the new owner, and that she will make many happy memories there too.
Our gourmet box handover went well, and once again the feedback was good. I started preparing for this Friday’s box – German! I’m trying a few new ideas, so tested the dessert this weekend – was so good! I am almost recommending to my friends to get it just for the dessert! A Black Forest roulade. So delicious!
Work ticked over this weekend, nothing too exciting happened, and I was able to hibernate, given the weather. Thandi had nippers yesterday, and fortunately the sun was shining, although there was a chilly breeze! She isn’t swimming with her arm yet, but was able to help out some girls who have totally lost their confidence in the the water, helping them take off into the water, guiding them on which waves to choose to board in on, and generally loose some fear. The water must have been freezing! Flip!
And really, that was it this weekend. No dramatic training moments, no amazing breakthroughs, no huge crafty undertakings. Just hibernation.
Tall tales
… it has been a long tough busy week, compounded by a broken arm!
Argh! Thandi went to dancing on Monday and during her tap class they did a move called a pull back – she fell onto her arm (I’m not clear on the mechanics here) and she came home in tears and scared that she had broken her arm. I took a look, slightly swollen, minimal bruising, so I rubbed it with some arnica gel, gave her some myprodol syrup and arnica tabs and after some strapping, she seems absolutely fine. She went to school on Tuesday strapped, but fine – played soccer, went to swimming, but because her arm was a bit sore, her coach made her just focus on kicking. On Wednesday morning when I was replacing the strapping she seemed too sore for just a sprain, and I realised that we would need an Xray. And damnit, there it was an impacted Colles fracture of her right radius. So in her short 10 years, this kid has broken her left wrist, left ankle and right wrist! Fortunately this one isn’t displaced, so she didn’t need theatre or manipulation or screws or anything like that, and she is just in a cast – so we can at least, after a short break get back into swimming with arms and Nippers training.
She was mad! So mad! And I feel her pain, she keeps wondering why her body is failing her. She did say if she breaks another bone, then she is chopping all her legs and arms off! I said she should just carry on and amputate at the neck. At which point she laughed. Slightly manic hysterical laughter, but a laugh nevertheless. We had a cry, ate some sushi and then all felt better!
So, my week has been filled with appointments, meetings, and cooking! Tonight we do our second Gourmet food box delivery – Indian! So my kitchen has been smelling delicious! I’ll share pics on Monday!
Fine days
…I really do love the area I live in, the weather is generally so meek and mild at this time of the year. Often it’s windy, but the wind does not seem to have arrived yet, so we are enjoying some gorgeous days. This weekend was one of those ones.
Our dinner box production and sale seemed to be a success! Things worked well, those who bought our boxes said they enjoyed them, and we were pleased that several have signed up for the next one! Indian box, filled with delicious curries loading this week!
Saturday morning I was up early with my training partner and we cycled from town to the slightly out of town spot where we were running a Wild Wome training run. 24km in the dark at at that time cold! But we enjoyed it and felt strong! A quick change and we headed off for our run, through rural farmlands and trails, we scampered and played, and I felt strong! I was so relieved. I have been feeling quite anxious about my training, weirdly, especially my running, and when I completed the run with ease, I was really relieved. While the day started cold, it warmed up into a most awesome day! A quick smoothie after the run, and then we were home. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and recovering.
Sunday I was up early again for a shake out run, which went better than anticipated! I took lot of photos of the sunrise…
Then we loaded the car with friends and headed to the mountains for a beautiful lunch. Ah, so lovely! the sun shone, the food was food, the company induced much laughter and the wine sweetened the deal.
And it’s Monday again, time to work on our Gourmet dinner box production!
gathering my thoughts
…there is lots to chat about…
Aunt is back in Mthatha with her friend. May her recovery be good. And I have to mention that I have a saint of a Charlie who not only fetched her when she was in need, but also took her back today. I am beyond grateful.
WWOTR are cooking up a storm – I have made French onion soup, beef bourguignon and am busy on Tarte au citron now. We have had 15 orders for our gourmet boxes, so we are feeding 30 tomorrow night – flip, I have done sums and calculations as I have tripled and quadrupled recipes. I really hope the people enjoy them and come back again next week!
Workwise I have had quite a busy week with deliveries – Richter, Stevie, Siana and 2 others whose names I have forgotten. It’s been good to feel productive.
I am tired! But, as the old saying goes, sleep when you are dead!
Facts and opinions
Right, so I’ve told you guys before how frustrated I am by the anti vax and vaccine hesitant; and when a colleague previoiuysly held in high esteem comes out with a ridiculous statement, we see those anti and hesitant rejoice because someone has voiced/supported their fears. And days and weeks of teaching and coaxing and nurturing are wiped out in seconds.
I’m not going to reference the actual video, because no doubt most of your will have seen the rantings of our pre eminent paediatric cardio thoracic surgeon in Cape Town. And sadly, no doubt, most of you will have not taken note of the reaction of the medical community. Prof Mendel*son of UCT and Groote Schuur hospital has come out and really dissected her statement and countered it with facts. It is almost as though Dr SV fell into a vat of woo and got lead down a path that just doesn’t make any sense. Comments from my colleagues range from wondering whether she has bats in her belfry to asking why she couldn’t keep her uninformed ridiculous opinion to herself?
Quite frankly, I don’t really care what anyone thinks, but as a medical community we have a responsibility to make sure as many people get good information and are encouraged to access the vaccine. It really is the only way we emerge from this disaster. I am (ridiculously) PROvax, and have received as many as I can to keep me healthy (I have never even had chicken pox, and gave myself the vaccine a few years ago when there was a break out in my city). Thandi has received all available vaccines, even those not compulsory, and yes, next year she will receive the HPV vaccine when she is eligible (I have seen way too much cervical cancer to not give it to her) and I am counting days until she can get a Covid vaccine too, so I can protect my little family, and make sure we are never responsible for someone else getting sick.
So, to clarify. The vaccine is safe and effective. Getting it reduces your chance of getting covid by about 60%, and visually eliminates the chance of death should you still get infected. (this is after completing your course of vaccine – be it the 1 shot J&J, or 2 shot other) The risk of side effects from the vaccine are extremely low, way way lower than Covid itself (my god, our hospital would be full of vaccine side effects and it is not!) To me, it doesn’t require any discussion, or dissection. Just do it!
Work weekend
… 2 babies, but all in the daylight, thank heavens! And for the rest, a reasonable weekend.
Aunt is stable – and is awaiting her transfer to Mthatha. I’m not sure when exactly that will happen, I guess it will depend on bed availability. She’s terrified and worried and stressed, but is physically recovering, albeit slowly.
Training was non existent this weekend – I was caught up with patients in labour on Saturday, and then I just got lazy yesterday. We hit it hard again this week!
Planning for fundraising for the Wild Women Charities is underway – we kick off on Friday night with a gourmet food basket – order and collect!
The sale of my dad’s house goes through at the end of the month, so I am selling furniture and things. It all feels quite revolting.
There is lots of my plate, but I’m coping ok, today.
(Tomorrow I will weigh on my disappointment in my (not so) esteemed (anymore) colleague’s opinions)
Unlikely solutions
…so sometimes answers come in strange ways. The hospital wants my aunt discharged. Because the plan is she is going to a friend in Mthatha, they are planning to transfer her to Mthatha general, where she will continue to get physio and the friend will be ‘trained’ to assist with a home physio programme, and she will be discharged. So, my dilemma is solved. I am relieved and anxious all at the same time. Hoping like hell that everything works out well. And that useless cousin doesn’t get involved and upset the apple cart again.
Ok, let’s get this day started and get through this weekend on call. After this one, I am one weekend call closer to retirement.
Dear Agony Aunt
So, I have this dilemma, and I’m stumped. Maybe you’ll be able to offer some advice.
So my aunt fell and broke her hip. My cousin (with whom she lives) took at least 2 weeks to get her to a hospital, where she waited for 2 days with no assistance. My husband and a (different) cousin went and fetched her and brought her to the hospital here, where she was admitted and has had a hip replacement. She is getting physio, but because of the delay between fall and surgery, she is extremely weak, and can barely walk. The hospital wants to discharge her.
She has no home to go to.
Whatever provisions she may have made for her future have been lost through many bad decisions. She has virtually nothing.
My brothers and I are her closest blood relatives, however we have been estranged from her for a long time. I am the only one physically close to her.
I am feeling the pressure of the extended family who I feel are looking towards me to solve this situation. None of them is offering any solutions.
My aunt has made her wishes clear, and while I am not sure they are practical, she does not want to hear any other suggestions from me. Because she has limited abilities with a cell phone, I am effectively tasked with trying to contact her friends and call in favours. Today I got screamed at by the daughter of one of her friends – how dare I ask her mother to take care of my aunt, don’t I know her mother is 84 years old and very stressed. No, I don’t know that her mother is 84, I am merely a messenger doing what my aunt asked me to do. Anyway, she got her thoughts off her chest, I just had to take that abuse.
And while I do feel some sense of responsibility towards my aunt, I have to protect myself and my little family. My little tribe comes first, and we are not able to have her stay here. She needs more care than I can give her, and it is not fair to expect my little family (aka Charlie) to step in and be her carer. I did not do this for my own parents, and thankfully they had made better financial decisions and were able to care for themselves. Sadly I think she has very little insight into quite how disabled she now is, and how long her recovery is going to take. She has declined all of my suggestions of different homes where we would be able to place her, given how limited those placements and her resources are.
And all the while, all I can feel is the judgement of everyone around me – the lifted eyebrow of the intern and the physio who wonder why my aunt lies in that miserable place and why I am asking them to get the social workers involved; the judgemental family who think because I am her niece it is my problem; and worse of all, the judgement in my own head.
So, Agony Aunt, what am I to do? I have no-one left to turn to, except this imaginary voice in my head, and I’m pretty sure she isn’t even talking back anymore.
Love Nearly Untethered Neice
(and, no I don’t really expect any answers or solutions, I’m just trying to process things, hoping that as I do, something will click into place)
and so
…it goes. The weekend was nice. The weather was shocking, and meant I didn’t get to do the training I had in tended, but, well, such is life. The place we stayed at was very nice, missing a few things, but nice with a divine and cozy fire place, where we spent a lot of time.
I did get to try out my new cycling shoes – they calm them clipless pedals and shoes, officially, unofficially I hear all my mates talking about cleats. I did ok, and only had one bad fall which has left me only a little battered and bruised. I can’t say if they made a difference, I was so focused on not falling, but I suspect it will be a little easier from here on.
Tough
times don’t last. Apparently. It’s been an intense couple of days, and I have neglected this space.
My promotion to the chair of the SGB has come with some responsibilities – 2 meetings done, a lot of paper work and some more in the pipeline. But, I am really enjoying it! I am still so surprised by how passionate I am about education. Although, I’m not sure why I’m surprised. I have always felt strongly about the things that matter like education, health, social services. Maybe because this is my old school, and Thandi’s current school makes it even closer to my heart. Anyway, we are looking forward to a bright future for these girls, with innovation and novel ideas coming through.
Work has been ticking over steadily. I don’t have much patience though, so, it’s a good thing we are going to be sneaking away for the long weekend coming up. Time in the mountains always helps restore my soul.
Aunt is doing ok, she is recovering slowly, as can be expected for an elderly lady, and I am incredibly relieved that she has had her hip replacement and we have been able to find a safe home for her to go to after she is discharged, where she can recover further. Phew!
Training has been a little derailed – I have just seen my knee settle down after I tweaked it on the bike, and then this weekend my sacro iliac joint (part of the pelvis) went ‘out. I can usually click it back into place, but it just wouldn’t go, and I have been quite uncomfortable. I managed to go for a swim this evening, and everything worked, so I am going to try and get a run in tomorrow morning. My Chiro is currently in isolation as he recovers from bloody Covid-19, so I’m hoping that it will be much better in the morning! Just keep swimming, just keep running, just keep riding…
Charlie's Bird 