Holiday

Last month, I resigned from my job and took off to Zimbabwe for just over a month!
Now before you say 'Jeesh Fawn, that's a bit risky, quitting your job for a holiday?" let me reassure you that it was definitely worth it! Plus I got back to Joburg this week and have already been offered a job!

I know, more than most people, how short life really is! This doesn't mean you should be reckless and completely carefree with your decision making but it does mean that sometimes you just have to do what feels right and trust that everything will work itself out!

The Schedule:

25/04 - Arrive in Zim, 1st Hens party (Tin Roof)

26/04 - Home, Family Dinner

27/04 - 1st Kitchen Tea

29/04 - Coffee & catch-up with friends

30/04 - Hair/make-up trials, Birthday Braai + Party (Tin Roof)

2/05 - Wedding Rehearsal

3/05 - Michael & Sara's wedding

7/05 - Party (Tin Roof)

9/05 - Girls Dinner, Party (Tin Roof)

11/05 - Mother's day brunch

16/05 - 2nd Kitchen Tea & Hens party (Tin Roof)

20/05 - Nails done with bridal party

22/05 - Leave for Vic Falls

23/05 - Saw the Falls, Sundowner Cruise on the Zambezi

24/05 - Siana & Kevin's wedding

25/05 - Lunch at Vic Falls Boat Club, Final Dinner

25/05 - Back to Harare

26/05 - Back to Joburg

So as you can see it was a rather eventful trip! Tin Roof is Harare's local drinking hole, it's a great place to bump into old friend's but not a great place to be if you want a quiet night out!
There were obviously more coffee's with friends, lunches, dinners etc but you get the idea! I'm going to let the photo's do the talking from here, even though they NEVER do the real life view any justice! 

Peta, Lisa (Sister), Sara, Me, Shendl (Maid of Honour), Moira missing.

My beautiful Barbill

Tea with Snoek and Barbill

Chilling with Angel

Hair Trial 

Bright and Beautiful

Love is in the air

The Bride and Groom

Gorgeous Setting.

Celebrating Mother's Day

Katie, Meg, Me, Siana & Hele.

Less civilized Hen's party

Mani & Pedi for the wedding

My first time seeing Vic Falls!!

Rainbows everywhere! 

Incredible!

Gin & Tonic - Vital part of my anti malaria protection programme! 

Bridal party

The Bride and Groom

Gorgeous! 

Back to Joburg! 

Such an amazing holiday! This time last year I would still be in hospital, recovering from the punctured lungs incident. It's absolutely incredible that I am able to do the all things that I am doing. I dreamed of having a 'normal' life, being able to go to the shops and cook my own dinner, but travelling to Vic Falls and being able to do everything that I am doing, really as exceeded my dreams! 

Moral of the story - AIM HIGHER, DREAM BIGGER, GO FURTHER! 

Pegless

My last check-up was a pretty good one, there's always room for improvement but in terms of goals I was pretty happy with all my results.

First off, as most of you know I have given up carbs and have been following a diabetic diet for the past 4 or so months. Due to my weight being so low this sort of diet doesn't come highly recommended. My doctors and dieticians have always said I should be on a 'see food' diet and munch on anything and everything I can get my hands on. Because I'm diabetic this meant that I had to calculate how many carbs I was ingesting (carb counting) and inject insulin accordingly. This was a bit of a pain in the bum (or stomach, rather) and my glucose levels were never really great despite my hardest efforts to ensure that I was giving myself the right amount of insulin. My weight also wasn't great, no matter how many cupcakes I ate.

So, I decided to try something different and give up all carbs. Initially I lost 2kgs in the first week but then realised I needed to increase my fat intake substantially to make up for the lack of carbs. Once I had done this the weight slowly piled on.
Admittedly I did wear some heavy jeans and a jersey but when I hopped on the scale at my last check-up, I was thrilled to see that I was exactly 50kgs which has been my goal weight for so long!

Apart from reaching my goal weight, my glucose levels had also come down and all my results just looked better than ever. My medication was even lowered due to my absorption being better. It's amazing what a difference a healthy diet can make!

Now onto my peg- At the beginning of 2012 I had to have a PEG (Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy) tube inserted into my stomach so that I could be tube fed at night. A litre of a high calorie 'protein shake' was pumped into me each night and gradually I was able to put some much needed weight on.

Initially a long thick tube was inserted and had to stay in for 6 weeks while scar tissue developed. After that a smaller 'button' was inserted which then stayed in permanently. Much like a piercing.

Once a month I would have to deflate the little balloon that kept my peg in and remove the whole thing to clean it. This wasn't a very fun process but it had to be done to prevent infection.

Without the peg I wouldn't have been able to put on the weight required to be listed for a transplant. So in a way it basically saved my life and I was always grateful for it. That said, I absolutely hated it!
When I was sick and full of tubes it didn't bother me as much because what's one more tube? But after transplant when I was 'normal' it really was a huge inconvenience. I had to dress and clean it everyday as well as trying to find clothes to disguise it.

I didn't use it after my transplant but my doctor wanted me to keep it in as a back up and said he would take it out when I had reached my goal of 50kgs.


So you can imagine how very happy I was when I saw that I had finally reached 50kgs and could take my peg out!!

Then came the realisation that I actually had to take it out myself!

It's no big deal, like a piercing I literally just had to pull it out and the hole would close pretty quickly. Unfortunately I had had it in so long that pulling it out was a bit of a nightmare. Some force was needed and because I did it by myself at home I had to make sure I stayed conscious while doing it all (haha). Despite everything I'e been through, I'm still human and pulling a pipe out of my stomach does make me feel a little queasy!

Once it was out, it was out!!!! It was a little emotional, as all these goal reaching moments are. It's just a reminder that I MADE IT! The days dreaming about pulling my peg out one day were no longer just dreams, they were now and living out your dreams is rather overwhelming at times!

My scar isn't great, I basically have a second belly button! But as with all my scars, it doesn't bother me at all =)