It’s Sunday in Ardmore and we woke to a bright sunny day with about 6 inches of snow covering the ground so the whole place looks very festive. This morning we walked to the supermarket which is probably a kilometre away, called in to a coffee shop for a quick coffee and cookie, did our shopping and walked back. It was very cold but I felt a sense of achievement as it was probably 2 to 3 months after the last surgery before I could have done that. While I am a little apprehensive about the journey home it will be much easier than the last one I feel, not made any easier though by the forecast of minus 10 on Wednesday night before we fly out early Thursday morning! I’m sure all will be good as even if the first flight is delayed we both have plenty of time in Doha before our connecting flights onwards.
From Doha we are going our seperate ways as Denise has decided to spend Christmas with her mum in Wales. She has not been well and is as I write this in hospital. I thoroughly encouraged her to do this even though it means we will be apart for my first Christmas as Stephanie, Mum will really appreciate Denise being there and as she is almost 88 years old you just don’t know when the last opportunity will be, so spending Christmas with mum will be very special for them both. We will have lots of Christmases together in the future I know, and this is just another example of Denise’s selfless nature. She is pure gold and I am so lucky we found each other in 2012. Thankfully I am very able this time to look after myself, it would have been much more difficult the first time but this time I am looking forward to getting home, walking Bella, seeing the cats again and above all sleeping in our own bed again, not to mention being back in the warmth of summer in Busselton.
Our two weeks in the recovery suite have been really good, while the room is a little tired, it’s warm and cosy, very comfortable and just a short walk into town. The cooking facilities are a little limited but it’s surprising how much you can do with a couple of microwave ovens. We have eaten really well, even quite healthy really so am not expecting to be much heavier when I get back to when I left. I have I know lost a good deal of fitness in two weeks but it was only to be expected in the scheme of things and I’m sure I will get it back quickly. I am determined to get fit and stay fit for the for the foreseeable future. A few years ago I would never have imagined saying that but I feel so much more alive when I am physically active and fit so I am sure it is good for me. Also, as I can now wear clothes that fit my body instead of covering it up (as I have since I was twelve) – that is a huge incentive!