My Yoga Practice

After a little searching, I finally found a yoga class in Pietermaritzburg that didn't require a gym membership to sign up.  That was at the beginning of this year.

Up until a few weeks before my op, when my foot was in too much pain to put any pressure at all on the ball of it, I went to classes religiously every week.

I loved the challenge, I loved feeling I was getting stronger and better and most of all, I loved the feeling of calm and being present in the moment that each class gave me.

Some classes were difficult, some things I couldn't do at first, even the easier stuff.  But we all have to start somewhere, and thankfully our class had a lot of beginners, so we were all in the same boat.

About 2 months after my op I returned to yoga, and although was no where near where I left off, I could still feel strength in my body, and I have worked hard to maintain it.

Yesterday I did a shoulder stand without using momentum to get my legs up in the air.  I used my core and slowly lifted them from the floor to having my knees bent in front of my face, and finally to straight up in the air.  It felt good, awesome in fact, that I trusted my body could get there and it did.

We have also been playing around with some headstand preparation, and I can now get my torso up with my legs bent, balancing on my own (it's best to start out by a wall so not to injure yourself).  It's incredible to be upside down and not leaning against anything!  When I lift my legs I fall over backwards, but that's besides the point.  I'll get there!

That second step is where I'm at right now.
Image: source

At the start of each practice we are told to set an intention, for the practice itself and also for going out into the world afterwards.  I like to always include "to have fun" or "to enjoy myself" into this intention, because that is what I am there for really.  I spend a lot of the class smiling away to myself like a mad woman, but that's ok.

Yesterday was a particularly good class for me.  A lot of hip work, which for some reason I'm pretty good at, but it gave me a lot of reasons to smile, and a few reasons to giggle silently to myself. Bare in mind that yoga is a practice for clearing your mind and focusing on each pose and being in the present, while I share with you:

Thoughts I Have in Yoga Class

1.  "What should I have for dinner?  I wonder if that lettuce in the fridge is still ok, or should I go to the supermarket on the way home?"

2.  "Oh hey, my back just clicked!  That felt good :)"

3.  "Wow!  That chick is really good at that.  I wonder how long she's been doing yoga"

4.  "I could actually bite my toenails if I really wanted to.  Not that I want to... But if I did, I could totally reach"

5.  "I wonder if I bit my toenails as a kid.  I don't remember doing it, and damn, I hope not!  Gross!"

6.  "Ow!  That hurts!  Ok, just breath, she can't make us hold this pose for much longer... surely... come on!  Please can we relax now?  Ahh... finally!  Thank you!!"

7. " That's a nice shirt/shoes/*insert random clothing article*, I wonder where she got it"

8.  "If I keep my running pace under 8 minute per kilometer, I could easily finish a half marathon in under 3 hours."

9.  "I wonder what everyone else is thinking about."

10.  "Ok, focus on the present, just be in the moment... Perhaps I should make plans for Friday night... No, concentrate!  Focus on your breathing... In... Out... In... Out... I wonder what other people are doing this weekend?  Dammit!!"

Needless to say, my mind doesn't really do quiet.  And when there is a brief moment when I get it all to shut down, it's like there's just space for more thoughts and they come flooding back.  It's a losing battle really!

Source

Wishing you a happy weekend, with perhaps just a few peaceful moments in your own mind.

Namaste

Claire

xx

The Last Leg of Recovery

In the last 6 months I have shared my weight loss story, my surgery and recovery progress, and my plans and goals for the upcoming months.  That was all easy.

It's when things are not going great, that they're not so easy to share with the world.  But this is it.  This is the story of my struggles after weight loss, after surgery.  Struggles that, until yesterday morning, I didn't think I could overcome.

After my surgery, I was off work for two weeks.  After being back for only a week, I came down with terrible bronchitis and was off for another week.  This was still within the 6 weeks expected for full recovery, so it didn't bother me too much, but did set me back a little.  The real problem was that I could hardly talk for three full days!  Can you imagine?!

Once that was over I started cycling again, doing toning exercises and walking a little.  Then, 10 weeks after my neuroma removal I got an infection in my foot.  After two days of excruciating shooting pains in my foot, I saw a friend of mine who is an excellent chiropractor, and amazing friend who has helped me immensely from the moment I discovered my neuroma.  She confirmed my fears and told me that it was not my muscles or bones causing the pain, and that I very likely had low-grade septicemia.

The next day I saw my G.P. who added to the mix that I had contracted bronchitis again as my body was battling to deal with the infection in my foot and wasn't able to fight off anything else at the same time.  I was put onto very strong antibiotics that made my heart pound and head spin.  Booked off work again, with strict instructions to rest and keep my foot up as much as possible.

Through all this, I was still paying off the last bills from the hospital and my surgeon, add the doctor's bill and prescription meds, and there's not an awful lot left over.  With little money and less inclination to go shopping or do any cooking, all food become what was cheapest and most convenient.  Unfortunately these are very rarely the healthy options.  While my weight has not drastically increased, it has gone up slightly and has stayed constant since then.  Essentially this is not the end of the world, but isn't really ideal either.

Last week, things started to look up.  I did some grocery shopping and included only lean protein, fresh fruit and vegetables.  I went to my regular yoga class on Monday, and ran 5km's three days in a row.  The first run was awful.  My chest burned with every exhale, my legs felt heavy and tired, I could hardly run 500m before having to stop to walk.  The second and the third got easier, and I'm very impressed with the way my body seemed to ease back into training mode.

Yesterday was a great test for my body and my mind as I entered my first race in over a year.  10km would have been a breeze before, but I was terrified!  My mind was not as quick as my body to make the adjustments needed to get through it.

I was very lucky to have the youngest of my two brothers to run with me, and while he has done little to no training, he is light and agile and would probably kick my ass in a race.  But he said staying with me was better otherwise he would have no one to talk to.  And man, did he talk!  We chatted away the entire 10km's, which took us about 1 hour 15mins.  Not too bad, since I was looking at between 1 hour 20 and 1 hour 30 minutes.  While we chatted I didn't think about my foot, or my breathing or how tired my legs were. We kept a good pace, and walked when we needed to.  There was no pressure.

I remembered why I've always enjoyed running.  I received praise and cheer from old running club friends, even though I no longer run in their colours.  I guess it's true that "Once a Carb, Always a Carb!"  It didn't matter how long it took me  or who I beat, it mattered that I was out there, that I enjoyed myself and that I did it.

As it turns out, I'm achieving my goals despite the odds against me.  Through infection and illness and bad eating, I'm getting there anyway.  Possibly a little slower, a little later, and a little heavier than expected.  But in the end I've learned to be patient with my body and my mind, and gently encourage them to do the things I want and need them to do.  And more importantly, I have a new goal to add to the list, not one that can ever be checked off, but must stay there as a constant reminder:

-  Enjoy yourself out there!

No matter what!  None of this means anything if I'm going to be miserable, or terrified, or unhappy.  I enjoy running, I love the challenge, the race against myself and the camaraderie of everyone else out there attempting the same thing, just to get to that finish line.  This may be the most important thing I've learnt through this whole experience, and I am so grateful for that.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Peace, Love and Running Shoes.

Claire
xx

Birthday Box!

It seems like ages ago I last posted anything!  Not because there's nothing going on, but perhaps too much! 

A lot going on at work these days.  We've just celebrated our company's 10th Anniversary with a very snazzy black tie affair.  It really was a night to be remembered and a special occasion for our staff, clients and associates.

By the end of this week we will finally be in our new offices.  Thursday and Friday are set aside for moving days, and hopefully come Monday I'll remember take the right route to get there!

Now that we're all caught up on that side, this post is about a Birthday Box!  I got this wonderful idea from A Bubbly Life, and thought it was the perfect idea for a very special friend.  So here is my take on it:

Firstly, gather your special person's favourite things.  For girls this should be fairly easy, some bubbly, nail polish, lip ice and just some all round pretty things.

I suppose the colours don't ultimately matter that much, but I tried to stick to a theme of pink, black and gold to keep it all tied together.

When in doubt, champagne will always do.

I found some Christmas decorations that I butchered to get the gold strands, and added a packet of brightly coloured confetti just for fun.  The candles add some extra birthday excitement.

I wish I had taken photo's of these little banners before rolling them up, but lesson learned for next time.  I cut strips off a large piece of homemade paper from a local craft shop.  Each one had a different little message for the birthday girl in gold pen: "Happy Freakin' Birthday," "You're Awesome!" "Make a Wish..." etc.

And finally I stuck a balloon onto the inside of the lid with some washi tape.  And that's it.  Fairly simple and so effective.  This one was very well received, and I'm sure most people would enjoy getting a box full of birthday fun and cheer.  I think this may become my signature gift for 2015 ;)

All wrapped up, crown included.  That, by the way, was super easy to make.  I'm not sure where I got the idea, probably somewhere on Pinterest, but when I saw some gold paper cups, I knew I had to give it a try.  I just measured even spaces for the amount of points I wanted and cut them out. The crown was attached to the alice band with some double sided tape and black insulation tape.  Done in 10 minutes!!

Have a happy week.

Peace, Love & Birthday Cheer!

Claire

xx

Motivation

What motivates you?

Whether it's to get out of bed an hour earlier to work out, not eat that slice of cheesecake, hop on the bike straight after work, head to the gym when everybody else you know is heading to the pub.

Is it that function you have in a few weeks?  The dress you've been eyeing out in the store window?  Is it just the wondrous feeling of being fit and healthy, or are you trying to impress someone?

I have to admit I'm lacking a bit in the department of motivation at the moment, and while I'm going through the motions: going to yoga classes, riding the stationary bike, doing toning exercises... My heart is just not in it.  

I used to live for the burn in my muscles, the feeling of strength during a work out.  The feeling of having used up every last bit of energy I had, to end up lying on the floor after a run, catching my breath, feeling my heart race.

It is worth it!!

Now, although I do it, I don't give it my all.  The very worst thing has happened and exercise has become a chore, another thing to get out of the way before getting back on that damn couch!  Man, I hate that couch!

Every few days I climb on that scale, with dread instead of enthusiasm.  And while, I'm happy to report the numbers are not increasing, they're not decreasing either.  I still have around 8 or 9 kilo's to reach my goal weight, and they're just not budging.  Every time those numbers are the same any conviction I had just drains from my entire being.

I am trying, I swear I am!

I sneak in a cheat here and there, because "what difference does it make?"  And even though I know that it does make a difference, and before I know it, those flashing red numbers on the scale will be increasing if I'm not careful.  

People still comment about my weight loss so far, and it makes me feel good.  I must add that it has taught me to humbly accept a compliment when I get one, and also to dish compliments out like they're candy.  I love telling someone they look good, or that I love their hair colour (I did this just the other night after scaring the daylights out of a girl when I burst into the bathroom at a restaurant - I like to think the compliment slowed her heartbeat down just a smidge).  But isn't it wonderful to hear nice things about yourself?  I'm not talking complete narcissism or vanity here, but when you put some effort in to look good, it's nice to hear that you do! 

Anyway, I digress.  So, help me out here, if you will, what motivates you?   

Have a great weekend.  And no matter what it is that gets you out there, go out there and be AWESOME!

Peace, Love and Kittens

Claire

xx

Sweet Treats

This weekend was a very busy one in my little kitchen, and rather successful (if I do say so myself).

First up, I had an order for two dozen cupcakes.  The brief:  vanilla cupcakes, lime green and lemon yellow icing, with little decorations appropriate for a kitchen tea.

The outcome: these beauties right here.

I'm so in love with the pale shades of green and yellow, along with the pastels of the decorations and chocolate hearts.  Very happy with the outcome, and have had great feedback from the Kitchen Tea.

My second mission for the weekend: a Dinosaur Cake!

I was contacted by a mom for a dinosaur inspired birthday cake for a little boy turning 5.  So I sent her some pictures of cakes that I could make, and which she showed her son and let him choose which one he liked best.  I just love this approach, as my brothers and I were always allowed to choose our own cakes as kids.  I still remember going through the books and pictures with such thought and deliberation.  They were such special times.  The little boy chose the simplest of the cakes, but for good reason, this one had toy dinosaurs on it, which he could keep and play with afterwards... Clever little chap!

I was rather excited to make this cake, as there were lots of elements to it, and I love to play around with different textures and icing techniques.  And I must say, I was thrilled with the result.

This just shows how with a little effort, a simple, roughly iced cake, can become a dinosaur heaven.  I was thankful to have most of Saturday to work on this cake.  Often I end up working late into a Friday night to have cakes ready by the morning.  I get tired, and frustrated so much more quickly, and this makes me clumsy.  But  I had a really relaxed day, getting all the bits and pieces ready, while allowing the cakes to cool so I could work with them easily.  Trust me, I've had a simple two layer cake completely collapse on me because I tried to work with it too soon!

Volcano, trees and lots of stones ready to go onto the cake.

Different sections up close.

The view from the top.

I love baking and decorating, even more so when everything goes to plan and everybody is happy with the result.  I put a lot of love and effort into everything I make, and when people appreciate that, it means a lot to me.

Have a happy Monday and a great week ahead.

Peace & Gypsy Love

Claire

xx

Back a Buddy

Through a wonderful woman who works in the world of Fundraising, I have come to know a lot about Little Fighters Cancer Trust.  They do such wonderful work for children suffering with Cancer; assisting with medical bills, accommodation close by for parents who live far from the hospital, and with groceries and other little things for families who's every cent is going towards their child's health and life.

Click Here for a link to their website.

At the beginning of this year, a dear friend and I held a tea party at the Botanical Gardens in Pietermaritzburg.  It was a small event, but the money we raised was accepted with such gratitude that I couldn't help but want to do more to help this wonderful cause.

In May this year, I assisted with hosting a Mothers Day Tea at Grey's Hospital, for which we got the most wonderful support.  I am always so humbled by people's generosity.  It was an incredible feeling to spoil the Mums who otherwise would have spent just another day at their child's bedside.

So now, I am at it again...  As many of you know, along with the rest of the Kirkman clan, I have entered Sani Stagger Half Marathon, which is on 29 November this year.  And I would love to be able to do this, and raise money for Little Fighters at the same time.

Side note: I have walked twice this week, around 4km's each time, and my foot has done so well, and made me proud!  The muscles had become very tense, but walking seems to help with that a lot... Yay!

My trusty Nikes will get me through training, but unfortunately not down a mountain.

Back a Buddy is an awesome website where I have registered to raise funds, which will go directly to the Trust.  If you would like to help me help children in need, please click on the link below.  Every little contribution is a great help, just a few rand could make the difference between someone having a decent meal or not.  Just click on the link below, and once on the website there is a "donate now" button on the right.  The rest is pretty easy... If you've done some online shopping, it'll be a breeze!  Please follow the link below:

Click Here!

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy weekend.  Make it count!

Peace & Love

Claire
xx

Going Home

After almost 6 weeks of staying at my parents house post-neuroma removal, yesterday I finally went home.

How does this make me feel?  Relieved.

Don't get me wrong, staying at my parents has been an absolute pleasure!  I know how incredibly lucky I am to have had Mom and Dad (ok, mostly Mom) looking after me during my recovery.

But me, I'm an independent little soul who quite likes her own space and her own company.  I can quite happily sit in a restaurant by myself and watch the world go by.  (People-watching is my favourite past time).

I love my home.  I love the peace and quite of our road up on the hill.  I love the garden and the wide open spaces.  And I'm not sure if this is a good thing, or just sad, but I love my routine!  I just seem to have more time on my own than when with other people.

I don't have a T.V. (I know... Shock! Horror!), but to me this is a good thing.  I've realised over the last few weeks how when you sit down and switch it on it just sucks the life right out of you!  No thinking required, no movement made, and the next time you look it's two hours later and you've accomplished nothing!  I think everything has it's time and place, and I'm not slamming T.V. and everyone who watches it (we all need a good series marathon now and then).  I'm just saying that, in my life, I feel more productive without one.

I started exercising again this week, just with some pilates.  It's good to use my muscles again, and feel them working.  Last night I hopped right back on the stationery bike, and peddled away for half an hour.  It was hot, I was sweaty, and my muscles were tired, but it made me so happy!  You've got to love endorphins!

This weekend I'm off to do my very first Park Run, and so looking forward to it.  I'll just be walking the 5km, but we've all got to start somewhere.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe week.

Peace & Love.

Claire
xx

Setting Goals

My next challenge this year, is Sani Stagger Half Marathon.  This is in exactly 12 weeks and 4 days!

I expect to be fully functional on my feet, and able to jog in 2 weeks time (holding thumbs)!!  Leaving just 10 weeks actual training... Eek!!

Source

I ran this race 2 years ago with little to no training, and swore never to do that again!!  21.1km, most of which is downhill on a dirt road is grueling on your knees and ankles, never mind your thighs and calves.  This is the one race where no matter your fitness level, you will want to cry every time you sit down, or climb stairs, or move for a few days afterwards!

The winding road down the mountain.

Thankfully, I am significantly lighter now than I was then, which will make training that much easier.  But when I look at that 10 week period and see where I am and where I need to be, I cringe.  So, I am breaking up the challenge into smaller goals to meet along the way.  These seem less scary and more manageable , making the ultimate goal just one small step from the last.

Race Profile

My list of tasks and goals for Sani Stagger 2014:

1. Find a decent pair of trail running shoes, which won't cost me the earth (any suggestions would be most welcome).
2. Go for a nice long walk, with no pain in my foot.
3. A slow, steady jog.  Around 5km, not timed.
4. Get into a routine of running 3 - 4 times a week.
5. Toning exercises to be done 3 times a week (lots of lunges and squats to strengthen those legs!).
6. Run 5km in less than 40 minutes.
7. Run 8km.
8. Run 8km in an hour (this took me 6 weeks to achieve on my ANW program, and would be a good race day pace).
9. Run 10km.
10. Run 15km.

Ten points to achieve in ten weeks.  I'm pretty sure I can manage that!  Somewhere in there it wouldn't hurt to reach my goal weight, but fitness is what I will be focusing on.

The Finish Line

What are your goals this year, and what are you doing to achieve them?

Peace & Love

Claire

xx

New Beginnings

Can you believe, with the cold front having arrived just in time for the weekend, that Spring is just around the corner?!

Spring has always represented new beginnings and fresh starts, and it's today that I want to share with you the start of my weight loss journey.

Four years ago I ran a marathon.  My life was very social, very busy and very happy.  In the years since then, I started choosing my couch over my running shoes, over my friends, and over my life.  I was unhappy, and as a result of that I became terribly unhealthy too.  It took a long time for me to realise that enough was enough.  But I got there, and I'm so glad I did.

I came across the blog Heart of Iron, the story of a young lady, Gaelyn, who was left with drop foot after an operation.  Despite this, she lost 35kg's and set herself the goal of a half Ironman.  Definitely a must-read if you're looking for a little inspiration and motivation!  http://www.gaelynsheartofiron.blogspot.com/

Gaelyn has started her own 'weight loss and lifestyle caching business', A New Weigh, and at my moment of clarity was offering a 12 week Fat to Fit challenge.  At the very last minute, after a few email conversations with her, I signed up.  No further thought, no doubts, no question about it.  This was my opportunity and I took it!  I had the weekend to stock up the fridge with healthy food, and prepare myself for the 3 months ahead.

On the Sunday before Day One, I did the fitness test set out for us.  An hour run/walk and some other exercises.  Thankfully I did the exercises before the run, because otherwise I may have died trying!  I don't even think I got to 15 push ups!!  Everything was a great effort.  After jogging/walking for an hour I actually phoned someone to fetch me from where I had got to!  There was just no way I could get any further (I had only gone just over 6km's).

What sort of food we ate on the diet?  Good, clean food! It's not difficult, no unusual ingredients or difficult recipes.  We got a list of all allowed foods - and if it's not on the list, you cannot have it!  Simple as that!  This also got me back to cooking every night, something that had become just another chore in life, that I had previously loved doing.  But I got creative, got inspired and started loving being in the kitchen again.

ANW Approved!! Source

What I loved more than that, was running again.  I cannot describe the feelings I got from setting off on a run from home, which starts with an awesome downhill.  And even the feeling I got every time I went back up that hill to get home.  I'll admit the first few times were tough, I was out of breath, hot, sweaty, and very uncomfortable.  But every single time I ran a little further before having to walk.  Every single time I felt elated when I got to the top.  Every single time my muscles burned on the way up, I imagined my butt getting smaller and smaller and it kept me going.

In my first week I lost almost 3kg's!  It felt awesome!!  And each following week I continued to lose kilogram after kilogram, and with each one, I could feel myself blossoming, my confidence growing and I was finally returning to the happy and healthy person I once was.

Other than the diet plan, and updated workouts every two weeks, Gaelyn set us little challenges along the way to help us understand our worth (at any weight), to appreciate our good points and to enjoy the little moments in life.

We also had a whatsapp group with all the girls doing the challenge.  On a bad day, these girls were therapy, and on a good day, cheer leaders.  Now my close friends know the level of my irrational disdain for whatsapp groups, but I knew that I would need support along the way so I stuck it out, got used to it, and now I still miss having those girls being present every day.  I'm not about to jump into every group conversation I can find, but I did love that group (although I was definitely one of the quieter members).

A New Weigh is not just another diet, it is a lifestyle adjustment.  Up until just before my operation, I had lost over 15kg's.  Unfortunately after surgery I have not been able to stick to the program, so have put on a sneaky kilogram or two.  But I know that as soon as I can, I'll be eating the right stuff and doing the exercise I can, and I know it will work!  I don't have too much to go before I reach my goal weight, and I cannot wait to share with you all when I have.

Before and After - I never thought I'd show anyone these pictures, but I'm so damn proud of them!!

You don't expect your face to change quite so much, it's incredible!!

At the halfway mark, my fitness test results were definitely a lot better.  I ran exactly 8km, which I was very happy with, and was hoping to be able to do 10km by the time the 12 weeks were up.  Unfortunately my foot had other plans and started getting incredibly painful 2 weeks before the final fitness test.  But I plan to get back out there as soon as possible after recovery.  I have a big goal coming up at the end of November!  More on that another time.

For more details about A New Weigh, contact Gaelyn.  Let her help you transform your life!! 
www.anewweigh.co.za or www.facebook.com/anewweigh

Have a happy weekend.  Keep safe and warm.

Peace & Love

Claire
xx

P's and Q's

If you're headed for surgery, or have any sort of injury, you'd best be sure your manners are up to scratch.

You're going to be saying please and thank you a whole lot!

You can only imagine the list I had made up before going into surgery.  I pretty much figured I had thought of everything.  What I had not taken into consideration was how little I would be able to do for myself afterwards. 

Hopping around on crutches means you can't carry anything.  Something as simple as a cup of coffee becomes an Olympic event of maneuvers and stretching to simply get yourself and the coffee to the couch.  Food is brought to you, drinks are brought to you, and opening doors becomes training for contortionist camp.

So yes, you will be asking people to do the most simple tasks for you and saying thank you over and over again.

Don't get me wrong here, I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who helped me in any minuscule way over the past two weeks.

My recovery started at my Aunt and Uncle's place in Hilton, now dubbed "Cripple Creek" as that weekend they saw a few cripples come and go.  I was discharged from the hospital at the unlikely hour of 9pm - apparently not out of the ordinary for Midlands Medical, and I'm just glad I didn't have to stay over.  So I arrived at Cripple Creek late but still got a wonderful welcome and a hearty meal.  The weekend continued as such with lots of waiting on me and lots of thank you's along the way.

Dressing Changes and Male Nurses ;)

I went to my parent's place on the Sunday, my resting place for the following two weeks.  And if you've read previous posts you'll know that my Dad, with a broken ankle, was also on crutches at the time.  This made for a very interesting time.  And trust me, if you go somewhere with two people on crutches, you get a lot of strange looks!  My poor Mother has spent a lot of time running around the needs and whims of two hop-alongs.

The two of us, in all our glory!

For the first five days I was on high strength anti-anxiety medication, which confused me greatly to begin with.  But once it was explained that these dull your nervous system I understood.  And the day after I stopped taking them I understood even more.  That's when the real pain kicked in!  Unfortunately though, they cannot keep you on those meds for too long otherwise you'll have to be weaned off them because they affect the chemical functions in your brain.  I'm not that big into medication at the best of times, and prefer my body to take it's natural course through aches and illness, so taking pain meds three times a day made me me feel quite ill.

My fourth toe seems to be the one taking the most strain.  It feels almost as if I've stubbed it really badly and aches quite a bit, sometimes manageable, sometimes not.  I get random shooting pains through my foot as the nerves try to figure out what's going on.  But they are brief and subside fairly quickly.  The underneath of my foot and down the side are very sensitive to touch, but otherwise fine.  And I am only able to put very little pressure on the ball of my foot.

Two weeks after surgery my Doctor is happy with my progress and I am impressed with my recovery so far.  I have read a few accounts of recovery after Neuroma Removal, and definitely count myself lucky.  The only real issue is that my "dissolving stitches" are not dissolving!  Oh well, back to the Doc on Friday to check progress on those.

The pictures of my foot are not particularly gory, but not all that pretty either, so I have left them for last (if you don't want to see them, close this window now!).  They are in order of recovery at random times during the past two weeks.

Still stained from the iodine... Delightful.

Comparison of feet.

Toes still very bent out of shape from being strapped up.

A better angle to see the swelling.

Finally my toes starting to look normal again!

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading.  I wanted to document my recovery for anyone else searching for more information before going through with it, as there's not a whole lot out there.

Take care of yourselves.

Peace & Love
xx

Surgery Day

Greetings from the couch! 

Foot up, resting after surgery to remove a neuroma from my right foot.  A Morton's Neuroma to be specific, in it's most common position between third and fourth metatarsals.  I wont bore you with all the details, but in short, it's the inflammation of a nerve that rubs between the bones in your foot and hurts like hell. 

The decision to have the neuroma removed was not easy, but in the end seemed the best option if I want to run again pain free.  The process leading up to surgery, I must say, was possibly more painful than the operation itself.  Finding a decent surgeon who wouldn't charge me the earth, getting Medical Aid authorisation and all the paperwork that ensued, was stressful and time consuming. 

But I got through all that and found myself sitting in the Day Ward at Midlands Medical Centre last Friday awaiting my time on the slate (some hospital slang I picked up during my time on the inside).  From there I transported up to the surgical ward in a wheelchair - tons of fun, but i guess that's only when you have the option of stepping out of it at the end of the day.

Foot painted with iodine and wrapped up like a present for the surgeon.

I had a fairly long wait before surgery time, but I had my brother Daryn there to keep me company and the added entertainment of changing into the super sexy regulation hospital underwear and gown, awesome hat included. 

Ready to go, check out my cool style yo!

Finally the time came for a little 'pre-meds' and from that moment my brain to mouth filter left me completely!  I'm not sure whether the theatre nurses were amused or annoyed by my antics, but I like to think that my little performance added a little brightness to their day.

The hat provided much entertainment, especially when I realised all the theatre staff were sporting ones of the same fashion, such a trend-setter!  I did ensure at this time that my surgeon would be cutting the top of my foot and not the bottom (I've heard that this is important, but hadn't seen the doctor until then) and persistently asked that he please take a photo of the neuroma once he'd cut it out of my foot.  This sounds really gross, but after having Harry live in my foot for so long, I kinda wanted to see the little sucker before he ends up in a lab or incinerator.

Coming out of anesthetic is always great: the confusion, the grogginess, and in my case always a few laughs.  These are a few situations that actually happened:

Me:  What's the time please? (pure presumption that my manners remained intact).
Male Nurse:  Twenty to three.
Me:  Are you sure?  That clock over there says twenty to two, was the operation that quick?  (I was taken into theatre at around 1:30pm)
Male Nurse:  I'm quite sure, that clock says twenty to three.
Me:  I think I'm going blind!
Male Nurse (with a bit of a chuckle):  No, you're just coming out of anesthetic.

Before being given a painkiller, directly into my right butt cheek, I did have a moments panic when I realised my hat had been lost.  And also moaned at the Anesthetist for not giving me any warning before putting me under.

The 'after' picture - not pretty.

Back in the ward, while taking my blood pressure, the arm cuff kept coming undone on inflation, and I tried to convince the nurse that it was because I have the strength of the Incredible Hulk.  She was trying to complete paperwork and was not all that amused by my antics, but a Sister came along and played the game with me, saying she could see how strong I really was.  I'm thankful for her sense of humour.

Daryn was right there when I was wheeled back into the ward, but once we'd been informed I'd only be discharged at 9pm, I told him to head out and come back later.  I was feeling pretty drowsy and expected to sleep the whole afternoon.  As he left we had this conversation:

Me:  Why do you have 'HB' written on your hand?
Daryn:  It says 'H-8', your ward number.
Me:  Oh yes, HB is a pencil, H-8 is my ward number.

 Painkiller induced smiles.

At precisely 9pm I was discharged and Daryn drove me to 'Cripple Creek Rehabilitation Centre,' more on that in my next post on recovery.

My current view

Wishing you all a happy and healthy weekend.

Peace and love.

xx 

When the real holiday began...

Unfortunately due to our very delayed arrival in Harare, we didn't get to see much of it - pretty much just the Pick 'n Pay, bottle store and a pizza place... So at least we got to the important parts.

After a very chilled and early night, we got up early the next morning to head to Lake Kariba.  The houseboat which was our final destination: "What a Pleasure" and indeed it was!  All I can say is that if you haven't been to Kariba, trust me, you underestimate the sheer size of it.  There are times when you look around and all you can see is water.  It is breathtaking.  When you can see land, you get spectacular sightings of elephants, hippos, a few crocodiles and plenty of bird life.

In 2005 I worked at a game lodge in Sabi Sands for a few months and was spoiled for choice when it came to game viewing opportunities.  That kind of life takes root in your soul.  I'm the type of person who would stop to take a better look at an impala or zebra, the more common animals others would pass by.  Any chance I get to witness animals in their natural habitat, I'll take.  The fact that I live in a greener part of the city and sometimes see a buck or a mongoose on my way home makes my heart soar.  My point being, that floating across the water, watching elephants and hippos just go about their day, was extraordinary!

We had three crew on board.  Goodson, the Captain; Maxon, the Chef and Moses the deck hand.  All three absolutely fantastic in their post.  The service received was akin to that of any local 5-star hotel, and the food Maxon prepared was excellent.

If you're a very activity driven holiday kinda person, then don't go on a houseboat! But for those that want to relax, read a book or do a cross word and just enjoy doing nothing, Dolce Far Niente as the Italians would say (I love that phrase), then a houseboat is the ideal holiday.  For me, it was perfect!

Fishing is about the only actual activity on offer, and we did plenty of it.  Most days we were not so lucky, but on the last evening, all the girls and one of the guys decided to make one last go of it and came back with a net bursting at the seems!!  Poor Goodson, who had driven the boat didn't get a moment to even sip his Coke between baiting our lines and taking off the fish.  Shrieks of joy echoed along the water, attracting the attention of some hippos who got quite close.  It was a joyous occasion and we watched the sun go down as we sped off back to the houseboat to enjoy fresh fish for dinner.

The horrid bus trip forgotten, reality miles away, Kariba is a really special place.  Sleeping under the stars on the deck, waking up to spectacular sunrises, the call of fish eagles throughout the day.  And of course some wine, some gin and perhaps even a raucous game of Kings, makes for the most incredible adventure.

Oh the nostalgia... That was the story to be told before I head into theatre tomorrow to have my neuroma (now named Harry) removed.  Can't say I'll miss him much.  Have a happy weekend everyone!  I'm just hoping for good meds!

Peace

xx