So, there are some F words that are good!!! This has been an interesting few weeks - when "they" said that life begins at Forty they weren't kidding:-) I wonder if I can meet "them" one day, or maybe by having a blog I am actually one of them - anyway I digress (must be the age). So to focus where was I, oh yes the F words.
Fun.... Thanks to Marizanne who took me cycling at Meerendal Wine Estate for the first time. It was such fun and then I followed that up by going with Ang, Teresa and Margie the following week. Ang was testing out her newly acquired cleats (clip on pedals) and shame she tasted the dirt a few times. But what a trooper she just got up and tried and fell and tried again. What an inspiration!!
I did my first orientation to wild fire fighting at Newlands Forest near the beautiful University of Cape Town and Rhodes Memorial on Sunday. It involved going for a 4 km hike carrying a back pack with 4 L of waters and a beater. It was awesome!! We then learned some basics of using a GPS navigation system and how to handle the hoses. The power of pressurized water is quite something I had images of me flying around in the air behind a crazy hose - but it wasn't that bad and my partner for the day was supporting me.
Family... "they" (see how clever they are) say that friends are the family that you choose. Well, I have certainly made a few fine decisions on that front lately. Some friends have donated to Brooklyn Chest Hospital fund at TB/HIV Care and some haven't quite gotten around to it yet, but the support and encouragement they give in sharing in my excitement is fantastic. Even the patients here at Brooklyn Chest Hospital know that I am climbing and will give me the thumbs up when walking past. Many have already asked me for my boots that I am busy walking in around the hospital grounds - but I am going to need these babies.
My fantastic brother and his wife have kindly made the biggest donation to date! He truly is a legend.
Happy birthday to his beautiful and amazing wife Helen
I am so so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends
Finally flights... I HAVE BOOKED MY TICKETS TO KILIMANJARO!!!!!!! How super duper exciting!!
So - this is all really happening!! Thanks again to:
www.souladventures.co.za
www.tbhivcare.org
Please consider making a donation for these patients! For some of them we may be the only way that they can get to visit with their friends and family while in hospital. Our patients need the psychological support and motivation that only loved ones can give.
Wednesday 24 April 2013
Wednesday 10 April 2013
40 years
Wow, well I have had a great few days holiday. My brother and his wife and three wonderful children visited from Dubai, and my Mom and Dad came up to stay in Cape Town. What a spoil to have them, my very special friends and my "cape town family" all together to celebrate my 40th birthday on the 1st April.
Having all of my family and friends with me was a very real experience of how valuable support and friendship is. The ink on my divorce papers dried almost 6 months ago, yet still celebrating this milestone as a single person without my spouse at my side was a challenge. I found myself sitting in an amazing setting in Noordhoek just outside Cape Town both missing the life that I had, and at the same time enjoying the life that I have now. Looking at Silvermine mountain, and discussing my Kilimanjaro attempt naturally led me to thinking about some of "my" patients; the young 10 year old boy who was not able to go home for the long weekend in Easter as his family can't afford the travel expense, a 35 year old woman crying because she was too sick to go home, yet did not have funds for her family to visit her. Its hard not to just whip out my wallet and pay for them, but I know that this all had to be managed properly with the assistance of our brilliant social workers.
Most of our patients qualify for a disability grant of around R1000 per month. But would you be able to still purchase personal items and provide for your family on that?? In the type of situation spending R50 on transport to go home once a month or have family visit you is an extraordinary expense. So I am asking anyone who is reading this to PLEASE donate via www.tbhivcare.org. The moment you donate you will see that line towards our progress change. Even just R50 (that's not even 10 euros) will help a patient get to his or her family, or allow a family member to visit. This can really improve quality of life especially if you consider that many patients are here for up to 6 months and some even more. This money will all be spent with care and consideration and will not just be absorbed into some huge organisation.
Please encourage your friends and family to donate and Like my profile on facebook - kileighmanjaro.vs.tb.
BIG THANK YOU TO SOUL ADVENTURES AND CAPE UNION MART
www.capeunionmart.co.za
www.souladventures.co.za
Having all of my family and friends with me was a very real experience of how valuable support and friendship is. The ink on my divorce papers dried almost 6 months ago, yet still celebrating this milestone as a single person without my spouse at my side was a challenge. I found myself sitting in an amazing setting in Noordhoek just outside Cape Town both missing the life that I had, and at the same time enjoying the life that I have now. Looking at Silvermine mountain, and discussing my Kilimanjaro attempt naturally led me to thinking about some of "my" patients; the young 10 year old boy who was not able to go home for the long weekend in Easter as his family can't afford the travel expense, a 35 year old woman crying because she was too sick to go home, yet did not have funds for her family to visit her. Its hard not to just whip out my wallet and pay for them, but I know that this all had to be managed properly with the assistance of our brilliant social workers.
Most of our patients qualify for a disability grant of around R1000 per month. But would you be able to still purchase personal items and provide for your family on that?? In the type of situation spending R50 on transport to go home once a month or have family visit you is an extraordinary expense. So I am asking anyone who is reading this to PLEASE donate via www.tbhivcare.org. The moment you donate you will see that line towards our progress change. Even just R50 (that's not even 10 euros) will help a patient get to his or her family, or allow a family member to visit. This can really improve quality of life especially if you consider that many patients are here for up to 6 months and some even more. This money will all be spent with care and consideration and will not just be absorbed into some huge organisation.
Please encourage your friends and family to donate and Like my profile on facebook - kileighmanjaro.vs.tb.
BIG THANK YOU TO SOUL ADVENTURES AND CAPE UNION MART
www.capeunionmart.co.za
www.souladventures.co.za
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