Saturday, January 17, 2015
LIfe in Coron
Drew climbs the local mountain each afternoon to enjoy the sunset. Well I think he enjoys it - or maybe not?!!
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Back in Coron
Drew arrived back in Coron today after sailing back up from El Nido. It looks to have been a particularly taxing and difficult journey. Not.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Let's Try Cupcakes
For Christmas, Meg's cousin Mandy (the one she used to live with) gave her a cupcake cooking/decorating class and today was the day. Meg was in cupcake heaven!
Note the sustenance, top right.
Afterwards, out for drinkies and a night at the Hilton! Nice eyebrows Meg!
Note the sustenance, top right.
Afterwards, out for drinkies and a night at the Hilton! Nice eyebrows Meg!
Back Into It
In 8 weeks time we fly to South Africa to take part in the Golden Oldies World Cup (well Gibbo will be taking part; I'll just be along for the ride).
In an effort to give him some match practice we left home early and drove to Gympie to meet up with the Q C C Team for a game against the locals. I took way more photos than these two but when I downloaded them from SD card to computer most of them didn't transfer - and because I chose "don't keep" on the card - I lost them.
The opposition chose Gibbo as their man of the match and presented him with a lovely bag of macadamia goodies. Very nice thank you!
Not long after we arrived at the grounds I left and went to the local markets. I bought some new soaps - goat milk, vanilla, musk, mango and lemongrass. I also bought a poinciana tree and two blue gums in small tube pots. Then I spent the rest of the dayreading, eating, drinking watching Gibbo play cricket and yawning cheering him on.
In an effort to give him some match practice we left home early and drove to Gympie to meet up with the Q C C Team for a game against the locals. I took way more photos than these two but when I downloaded them from SD card to computer most of them didn't transfer - and because I chose "don't keep" on the card - I lost them.
The opposition chose Gibbo as their man of the match and presented him with a lovely bag of macadamia goodies. Very nice thank you!
Not long after we arrived at the grounds I left and went to the local markets. I bought some new soaps - goat milk, vanilla, musk, mango and lemongrass. I also bought a poinciana tree and two blue gums in small tube pots. Then I spent the rest of the day
Friday, January 9, 2015
PADI Certified
Drew completed his dive course and is now PADI certified. He left El Nido today on the return journey to Coron where he'll spend a week diving - then come home and get a job!
Good News
Mate's surgery went well; simple and straightforward is how the surgeon described it. There was no collapsed tissue so the only repair that needed doing was the valve replacement. In a perfect world nothing is perfect, but this was good.
He spent all of yesterday in and out of consciousness as the ICU staff brought him slowly around. I popped in and out as I could; it wasn't really until 6 o'clock last night that he was aware of his surroundings.
This morning he was feeling a bit nauseous and a little disappointed. He went for a walk, using a rolling walker, and didn't get very far. He had been expecting to be able to walk unassisted so felt a little let down. However, the physiotherapist is happy with his progress particularly with being able to draw 2 of the 3 balls in the Triflow up to the top. If all is well he might go back to the ward tomorrow.
I came home today on a bus. When I was down there I stayed in the same little boutique apartments that we stayed in the weekend of Drew's 21st - only 1 km from the hospital and a few minutes walk to the city so I got some exercise.
The funky wall in the lift.
The entrance.
There's a big breakfast bar in the middle of the room where lots of people could fit.
My dinner last night; I grabbed some sushi and wine on my way back from the hospital and ate in my room while answering work emails.
Breakfast this morning; I'm not very big on toasted turkish bread; it's too hard and crunchy.
This morning, heading out to the hospital. Had to take everything with me because I walked to the transit centre at lunch time to catch the bus home.
Home now and back in my own bed tonight. I sure do love my own bed.
He spent all of yesterday in and out of consciousness as the ICU staff brought him slowly around. I popped in and out as I could; it wasn't really until 6 o'clock last night that he was aware of his surroundings.
This morning he was feeling a bit nauseous and a little disappointed. He went for a walk, using a rolling walker, and didn't get very far. He had been expecting to be able to walk unassisted so felt a little let down. However, the physiotherapist is happy with his progress particularly with being able to draw 2 of the 3 balls in the Triflow up to the top. If all is well he might go back to the ward tomorrow.
I came home today on a bus. When I was down there I stayed in the same little boutique apartments that we stayed in the weekend of Drew's 21st - only 1 km from the hospital and a few minutes walk to the city so I got some exercise.
The funky wall in the lift.
The artwork in the hallways.
The entrance.
Dinner on the first night at the (also) funky cafe downstairs; I had breakfast here as well. Very convenient.
There's a big breakfast bar in the middle of the room where lots of people could fit.
My dinner last night; I grabbed some sushi and wine on my way back from the hospital and ate in my room while answering work emails.
Breakfast this morning; I'm not very big on toasted turkish bread; it's too hard and crunchy.
I walked into the city yesterday during hospital rest time; caught up on some essentials - coffee pods and a new 365 journal for 2015.
This morning, heading out to the hospital. Had to take everything with me because I walked to the transit centre at lunch time to catch the bus home.
Home now and back in my own bed tonight. I sure do love my own bed.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
It's a BIG DAY TODAY
Today my Dad (we call him Mate) has open heart surgery to remove a damaged section of his heart and to have a dicky valve replaced.
After living with the effects of 3 heart attacks in the last 30 years (first one in 1982) he has arrived at the point of needing to do something to improve his health. He is still well and not actually "sick" - but he finds the constant exhaustion, caused by the leaking valve, that prevents him from doing a lot of things is affecting his quality of life and he doesn't want to continue on the way he is - hence the several trips to his specialist/hospital/surgeon over the last couple of months culminating in today.
G and I brought Mate to Brisbane yesterday and G went home. I got him settled into his room and then a long procession of people came - to talk/discuss/educate/take blood/do X-rays/feed/shave - he took it all in his stride, becoming a bit overwhelmed at times with the amount of information that is given. All the staff were wonderful and very supportive and kept saying not to try to remember everything because they'll be with him all the way and will tell him what's happening and what to expect at each step. The surgeon said he'd see him tomorrow when they'd have a heart to heart.
He admits to being a bit anxious but is keen to have the operation because he believes very strongly that it is the best thing for him.
Here we are yesterday afternoon; not a great pic but in the other one I took he looked like a stunned mullet! He's not used to doing selfies!
The Daily Plan, up on the wall.
He can't leave hospital until all these goals are ticked off.
After living with the effects of 3 heart attacks in the last 30 years (first one in 1982) he has arrived at the point of needing to do something to improve his health. He is still well and not actually "sick" - but he finds the constant exhaustion, caused by the leaking valve, that prevents him from doing a lot of things is affecting his quality of life and he doesn't want to continue on the way he is - hence the several trips to his specialist/hospital/surgeon over the last couple of months culminating in today.
G and I brought Mate to Brisbane yesterday and G went home. I got him settled into his room and then a long procession of people came - to talk/discuss/educate/take blood/do X-rays/feed/shave - he took it all in his stride, becoming a bit overwhelmed at times with the amount of information that is given. All the staff were wonderful and very supportive and kept saying not to try to remember everything because they'll be with him all the way and will tell him what's happening and what to expect at each step. The surgeon said he'd see him tomorrow when they'd have a heart to heart.
He admits to being a bit anxious but is keen to have the operation because he believes very strongly that it is the best thing for him.
Here we are yesterday afternoon; not a great pic but in the other one I took he looked like a stunned mullet! He's not used to doing selfies!
The Daily Plan, up on the wall.
He can't leave hospital until all these goals are ticked off.
Sailing and Diving
Tao trip 1.
Day 1 of learning to scuba dive; I said don't forget to hold your breath; he said the first rule of diving is don't hold your breath or your lungs will explode.
I like this photo - the boats look like ghostly spiders.
Day 2 - off to search for whales.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Track Side
We took ourselves to the local races yesterday; not exactly one of my favourite things to do but all work and no play makes Jill a dull girl. Meg went to a lot of trouble with my hair and make-up and fascinator placement; I enjoyed that.
We came home with $8.20 more than what we went with which surprised me a bit! Lucky there were some seasoned punters there that were giving helpful tips to G!
We backed 2nd in the last race; it paid $13.75! Last of the big time punters we are.
We came home with $8.20 more than what we went with which surprised me a bit! Lucky there were some seasoned punters there that were giving helpful tips to G!
We backed 2nd in the last race; it paid $13.75! Last of the big time punters we are.
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