Today Ruby went for her sonar and x rays. I am happy to report that her sonar was clear no obstructions or tumors.
Ruby has inflammation in her hips, shoulders and joints and will be on anti inflammatory and pain meds for the next 4 weeks. I must keep her quiet and warm for the next 4 weeks. So Ruby is sleeping indoors even if she don’t want to.
From tomorrow Ruby is going to be eased into a high protein diet. According to the doctor her metabolism is very fast. When she was small we had her on a special diet because she did not pick up weight. So now we are going back to basics for her again.
The doctor said before we know it Ruby will be back to normal and we will be playing ball again.
Now she is sleeping. I did managed to get her to eat and give her her meds.
Thank you for all your prayers. Ruby and I really appreciate it.
Sleeping of the anesthesia after a nice meal
Stay safe. Till next time…
Coreen
“If you can dream it, you can do it. ” Walt Disney
Today I have a burning question and I wonder if anybody here in South Africa have and explanation for me.
Yesterday I took my mom to the Emergency center at Hermanus Mediclinic only to find out that there are NO doctors on duty at the emergency center. The not so eager receptionist told us that they do have a doctor on call and they first need to call the doctor at their rooms and that the doctor on duty will charge an call out fee of R650. Madam You must pay the R650 cash but the good news is when you get home you can claim it back from your medical aid fund.
Really ? Are they serious? Call out fee? What is this countries private hospital’s coming to? Emergency Center without a doctor?
Why bother calling it an emergency center?
I would still sort of understand it if I went to the provincial hospital around the corner of the Mediclinic. Most of the doctors at the provincial hospitals work for very little money and allot of them work for free. But a private hospital offering a service as a emergency center and there are no doctor!! Then to tell me that I must pay an call out fee for a doctor that is suppose to be at the emergency center? That kite did not fly with me.
Luckily my mom’s situation was not a life or death one, but say for instance it was a life and death situation? It would take the doctor approximately 10 to 20 minutes to get to the hospital.The traffic was hectic because of the whale season and it’s school holiday too so that means extra people in Hermanus. I would say the fact that it’s holiday itself is more than enough reason for the Emergency Center to make sure they have sufficient emergency staff including a doctor. 10 to 20 minutes may be too late in some instances I would say…..
I was so shocked about the whole scenario that I asked the not so eager receptionist to point us in the direction of the nearest doctor. The first doctor was booked fully and could only help us the following day. The very friendly receptionist at the doctor rooms told us to try the doctors around the corner of them and explained to me how to get there.
I got to the not so full doctors rooms and asked at reception if I could make an appointment for my mom. They asked me if I live in Hermanus when I told them no she told me that I can bring mom she must sit and wait till a doctor is free. We sat and wait for more than 2 hours. There were 4 doctors at the rooms and I timed the appointments 45 minutes per patient. The people in Hermanus must be very very sick to have an 45 minute appointment. In the city your appointment is never really longer than 20 minutes. The people in Hermanus may approve of this kind of service but to let a patient wait 2 hours so that you can catch up on the months gossip is not for me….
After the doctor helped my mom I saw that we still have time haha so I took my chance and asked the doctor how can a emergency center not have a doctor on the premises. He just shook his head and said that maybe they don’t get enough patients. Well no damn wonder they don’t get any patients everybody already knows there are no doctor to see so why waste time…..
The doctor and I talked about the hospital and what if I had an life or death situation. He agreed that 10 minutes can be to late…. He then said to me and I quote him “we both know that the emergency services in this country will not get any better in the near future.” This is a very scary thought. I told him then I must refresh my first aid skills or even go for a paramedic course and he thought it’s a great idea….
If I can not rely on hospitals with emergency center’s to save my children’s live ‘s then I must take things in my own hands…
I have finished editing the Winter Champagne Breakfast at Bloemendal. Mrs South Africa Finalist Sunette Nieuwoudt organized this breakfast in aid of Little Fighters Cancer Trust and the guests had to bring along some baby products for the “Babies behind Bars” project.
At first I wanted to cover the whole breakfast in one posts but I decided against it. We had some very inspirational speakers and I wanted to write a story/article or what ever you would call it on each of them. I am not a born writer but I think with their websites and stories I can write a few sentences.
Everyone is always talking about Breast Cancer awareness and how we must support CANSA. The next charity everybody always talks about is those for HIV/AIDS children. Never have I heard of a group that help in the fight against Childhood Cancer.
I am 38 years old and I am a mom with two healthy boys and I heard about Little Fighters Cancer Trust for the first time on 4 August 2012. Since then I wondered what I would do if one of my children was diagnosed with cancer? To be honest I don’t know….
I am so glad Mandie Erasmus one of the trust Administrators was one of the speakers at the breakfast. She handed out little gold ribbons and pamphlets and told us more about what Little Fighters Cancer Trust do. She also made us aware that there are different types of Childhood Cancer’s and that we should all go and have a look on the website of Little Fighters Cancer Trust for more information.
Mandie Erasmus
While she was talking to us they send around big green Piggy banks for donations. I just loved these Green Pigs. Maybe I must get myself one and do my bit for the Little Fighters Cancer Trust.
This morning I wanted to send Mandie some of the photo’s I took of her while she was giving her “speech” , but I only had the pamphlet she handed us. Now I am ashamed to say I only read the pamphlet and never went to have a look at the website…. until this morning.
It had me in tears. They do warn you that not all of the photo’s are nice to look at. I read the stories, looked at the photo’s and what did I pick up? 99% of the little fighters are smiling and some are even laughing… Oh My goodness …. My heart goes out to each and every family. I also realized that out there in the world there are thousands of children and their families in the same boat and how many of them here in South Africa knows about Little Fighters Cancer Trust? Well if I only heard of them now I don’t think it could be allot.
Did you know that there are 8 different types of Childhood Cancers? Well I did not know. Here are the links to the different types of Cancers and what the signs and symptoms is and also what to do.
Childhood Cancer is a much more bigger deal than what people think. According to studies it is responsible for more child deaths than Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS!!!! Shocking isn’t it? There are a bright side to the above 70% of all Childhood Cancers are 100% curable if diagnosed in time. So go read up and be aware of the symptoms.
The Little Fighters Cancer Trust try to relieve some of the heartache and difficulties faced by the affected families. They assist the families at home and at the hospital and try to make their stay at the hospital more bearable and comfortable. They treat the families as a unit and try to keep the families together in dignity. Little Fighters have a Bag of Hope Project and it is one of a kind here in South Africa. Each bag of hope costs around R450 each for the Child and the Mother that is a scary R900.
I copied the contents of the Bags of hope
The items in a Child’s Bag of Hope are as follows:
Soft new blanket
New set of Pajamas
Soft toy
Coloring book and crayons
Reading book, puzzle or educational game
0- PH Soap and facecloth
Toothpaste and toothbrush
Aqueous cream
Crisps
Boxed fruit juices
Sweets
Items typically in a Mother’s Bag of Hope are:
Dry cereals
Longlife Milk
Boxes of Cup-a-Soup
Two Minute Noodles
Sandwich Spreads
Coffee
Tea
Sugar
Rusks
Biscuits
Soap and facecloth
Towel
Shampoo and Conditioner
Toothpaste and toothbrush
Sanitary products
For more information on Childhood Cancers and the different projects of The Little Fighters Cancer Trust please go visit their website at www.littlefighters.org.za
To show your support for Childhood Cancer wear a Gold Ribbon.
On 26 May 2012 the finalists of the Winelands Winter Queen pageant held a High Tea in aid of The Cancer Association of South Africa or in shortCANSA. The main focus of the morning was Breast Cancer.
On the morning of the High tea Sheryl Linda Long a breast cancer survivor came to share her story with us. What a remarkable woman. Her faith and will to live is just so heartwarming and I must admit she had me in tears.
One of my biggest fears are being diagnosed with the big C but I am very happy to know that there are hope and support out there.
Now for those of you that don’t know what CANSA does here is just a short explanation I got off their website. For more information please go and read all about them.
CANSA’s sole purpose is to lead the fight against cancer in South Africa. CANSA’s mission is to be the preferred non-profit organisation thatenables research, educates the publicandprovides support to all people affected by cancer.
CANSA has more than 50 care centers all over South Africa. At these care centers they provide holistic care and support to patients diagnosed with cancer, cancer survivors and their loved ones.
I came across this quote also on the CANSA website:
“Cancer is not a death sentence, but rather it is a life sentence – it pushes one to live!” (Marcia Smith).
Here are just a few collages I made of the morning.
For me this little bear is a reminder of my new life…
Little Big Foot
Little Big Foot in Black & White
In August 2009 I went for a tummy tuck and while in hospital Ronald bought me this little Big foot. Before the operation I lost 14 kg and went to the gym but my sagging tummy did not go away. Ronald told me that I can go for a tummy tuck and you will never believe what a boost in self confidence I got.
I also started working on my new career as a photographer. Once again I have to thank hubby for helping me living my dream…
Every time that I look at Little Big foot I think back to that boost in confidence I got after the operation. I will never buy clothes in the petite section but at least I don’t need to buy baggy clothes to hide that sagging tummy.
Little Big Foot is on the dresser that I use as a prop in some photo shoots and sometimes the little ones pick him to feature in their photo shoot….
Yesterday Marietjie from Brackenfell Primary School phoned me and asked me if I would be able to come and take a video at the Andre Mouton Marathon.
I first told her I can only take photo’s then I remembered that my my Canon 500D can take video’s only thing is I have no idea how it will come out because this was going to be the first time that I really going to use it as a video camera. Well I had a look at some of the clips and it did not come out to bad. I must just get to know that part of my camera’s better.
As backup I took over 400 photo’s of the pupils and the teachers taking turns to run or walk around the 360m field.
Today my heart was in my throat allot and tears were welling up in my eyes much more than I expected. I’m not close friends with Andre Mouton but my husband and I have been part of Brackenfell Primary School since 1995 and over the years one got to know Andre and whenever he saw you in the hallways he would always greet you with a smile and ask how you are doing… Andre was diagnosed with cancer and he needs R400 000 before his medical aid will cover his treatments….
I am going to write a more detailed story on the Andre Mouton Marathon. I need to get my emotions in tact because as I am typing my eyes are getting a bit teary…..
My photo of the day is the 4 runners that ran more than 30km during the day. Jacques Prinsloo a farther and coach at the school ran over 30km. Thomas Uupindi one of the schools workers also ran for Andre Mouton. Then there was Nols Fuchs he mostly ran with Carli but I don’t know anything else about him. Will find out before I write my story. But the star and angel in my eyes are Carli Basson one of the teachers at the school. She ran just over 58 km today around the rugby field. She started at 8 O’Clock this morning till school ended at 2 O’Clock this afternoon. I only got at the school just before 12 O’Clock and then Marietjie told me Carli is suffering from cramps and that they were worried about her.
Carli did not gave up she went on and on and on….. Carli is one determined lady and she never stopped smiling. With only 2 minutes left she was still smiling and showed me thumbs up. Oh dear my heart is too small for stuff like this…
Carli Basson I salute you….
Only 2 minutes to go and suffering from cramps Carli still smiles and shows me thumbs up…
Jacques Prinsloo, Carli Basson, Thomas Uupindi and Nols Fuchs. In Black & White
Jacques Prinsloo, Carli Basson, Thomas Uupindi and Nols Fuchs
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