We’ve been pondering health and well-being this week and how, like many things in life, you generally take it for granted until something happens to set you back on your heels.
We’re all smiling a little more freely today as Farm Girl, who has been very under-the-weather for the last fortnight or so, finally reached the point today where it is vital she returns to school – vital for her well-being that is as. Were she to remain home tomorrow, one of the on-Homestead workers may lose the plot!
The bug that pounced, rucked, mauled, and spat her out was pretty nasty. What started as a stomach bug then appeared to morph into chicken pox (which is doing the rounds at the moment) and then threw in a good old fashioned ear infection just because it could. We’ve had feverish nights, days where she slept almost incessantly, ravenous hunger, no appetite and general misery. Although she is deaf as the proverbial post (the after effects of the ear infection), that she is running races up and down the hallway and uttering that loathsome phrase, “I’m bored,” signals to us that the bug has been kicked to touch and it’s lovely to have our girl back again.
Melody the cat has also had her share of downtime. Those teeth she’s getting a bit long in have been giving her gyp lately and so a visit to the vet was imminent. One extraction, a scale and polish later and our pockets, like Mel’s doped up eyes, are a little emptier. Worth it?
Need you ask?
Illness has also kept The Elders from attending their weekly Homestead dinner date. First a throat infection kept them away, and then Grandad succumbed to shingles and it was decided that the Homestead equivalent to Meals on Wheels was the better option.
The final post-ponder-point is a bit abstract, but it still rocked our world a little. It is no secret that we Homesteaders are not the greatest fan of our national game, Rugby. Don’t get us wrong, we’re very pleased that the World Cup is once again in our trophy cabinet and The Goat Herd can now identify many of the players by name rather than “the undies guy“ or “Mr Versatile“. Jonah Lomu, however, she has always known.
The Homestead was deeply saddened by Jonah’s sudden death last Wednesday. It’s fair to say we as a whole, and The Milk Maid (as a fellow kidney transplant patient) in particular, have not always seen eye to eye. It is doubtful he ever saw my email outlining the whys and wherefores of the anger I felt at his announced comeback post-operation – he certainly never replied – but he was an undisputed kiwi icon.
Mahatma Gandhi said, “It is health that is real wealth, not pieces of gold or silver.” We couldn’t agree more.
A most thoughtful post. Glad that the youngest member of the family is restored to health and strength but sorry about the shingles. I hope they were spotted early and that all goes as well as it can, a horrible thing to catch, I have have had it myself.
Hugs for the Farm Girl,having flu for so long is a real bummer!!! And hugs for melody too…of course your pets are worth it, if it improves their quality of life. Despite the fact that a royal bill from the vets can create a little sigh indeed! I know really nothing of sports at all so i won’t comment on that aprt but…health and good spirits to my favorite Kiwi’s!
Thank you for your lovely wishes from us all (who are very proud and touched to be, of the 4 and some some million Kiwis in the would, your favourite ones 🙂 xxx
Definitely a nickname and one we are very proud of, even if you Statesiders like to call the fruit by the same name (fyi: the fruit is kiwifruit, the birds a kiwi). You, my dear Johanna, could never cause offence xxx
Poor FG (and the rest of you) – tummy and then chicken pox – not fun. I suppose the ear infection was related to the chicken pox – I seem to remember something about that when our two succumbed. It doesn’t sound like a good fortnight all round what with the elders also struggling with health issues. I bet that FG’s renewed energy has restored everyone’s spirits despite the corresponding need to have her burn said energy elsewhere for a bit. Melody looks gorgeous and what cat wouldn’t sleep off a stupor in a sun patch? The news about Jonah Lomu made it up here too – and I almost mentioned it last week, when i learned he’d been a kidney transplant recipient too -but then I remembered about Rugby and the Homestead, and thought better of it :).
Thanks for the memory of ears and chicken pox going hand in hand…made us feel much better. Everyone is well on the road to recovery, now. Mel the cat is pretty special and is graciously enjoying her golden years, happy to abdicate hunting (and all other energetic activity) to her sidekick, Dave.
Poor Jonah and family…forty is very young from where I’m standing
My youngest daughter had a similar bout of illness when she was seven years old – it started on her birthday. A tummy bug then an ear infection then a chest infection. She lost so much weight and we were very worried! I am so pleased FG is much better. A recovered small girl with lots of energy is better off at school and her mother will then be able to relax! I hope the elders get better soon too. I often find we have more health problems in spring and early summer. We struggle through the winter and then let down our guard and relax in the warmer weather. I agree wholeheartedly with your quote from Gandhi.
What horrible luck to have a bug strike on your birthday! We actually endd up keeping her home for another couple of days as she still wasn’t quite herself.
The elders are well on their way to recovery and it is now more a case of whether it is a danger to me (being immune suppressed) to have them over. It’s always awkward making those decisions as it can be interpreted as being “precious” about my health. Life is full of quandrys isn’t it 🙂
Gandhi always cuts to the chase!
I am immune suppressed as well and inject myself with a mild chemo-therapy drug each week to keep my rheumatoid arthritis at bay. There are so many do’s and don’t’s when immune suppressed aren’t there?. I must on no account get anywhere near anyone with chicken-pox or shingles – impossible to do with a family and/or any kind of social life! With such a nasty bug it isn’t surprising FG has taken so long to get better. I hope she’s totally better by Christmas!
Oh, so do we 🙂
🙂
Congratulations for coming through a trying time. Jonah Lomu made the press here in a very big way.
Union Homestead 
I hope your daughter feels better back at school.
We hope so too – she’s certainly ready to go back!
Must have been a nasty bug!
A most thoughtful post. Glad that the youngest member of the family is restored to health and strength but sorry about the shingles. I hope they were spotted early and that all goes as well as it can, a horrible thing to catch, I have have had it myself.
Hugs for the Farm Girl,having flu for so long is a real bummer!!! And hugs for melody too…of course your pets are worth it, if it improves their quality of life. Despite the fact that a royal bill from the vets can create a little sigh indeed! I know really nothing of sports at all so i won’t comment on that aprt but…health and good spirits to my favorite Kiwi’s!
Thank you for your lovely wishes from us all (who are very proud and touched to be, of the 4 and some some million Kiwis in the would, your favourite ones 🙂 xxx
ps is Kiwi a nickname or an insult…in the later case I apologize tremdously
Definitely a nickname and one we are very proud of, even if you Statesiders like to call the fruit by the same name (fyi: the fruit is kiwifruit, the birds a kiwi). You, my dear Johanna, could never cause offence xxx
Poor FG (and the rest of you) – tummy and then chicken pox – not fun. I suppose the ear infection was related to the chicken pox – I seem to remember something about that when our two succumbed. It doesn’t sound like a good fortnight all round what with the elders also struggling with health issues. I bet that FG’s renewed energy has restored everyone’s spirits despite the corresponding need to have her burn said energy elsewhere for a bit. Melody looks gorgeous and what cat wouldn’t sleep off a stupor in a sun patch? The news about Jonah Lomu made it up here too – and I almost mentioned it last week, when i learned he’d been a kidney transplant recipient too -but then I remembered about Rugby and the Homestead, and thought better of it :).
Thanks for the memory of ears and chicken pox going hand in hand…made us feel much better. Everyone is well on the road to recovery, now. Mel the cat is pretty special and is graciously enjoying her golden years, happy to abdicate hunting (and all other energetic activity) to her sidekick, Dave.
Poor Jonah and family…forty is very young from where I’m standing
My youngest daughter had a similar bout of illness when she was seven years old – it started on her birthday. A tummy bug then an ear infection then a chest infection. She lost so much weight and we were very worried! I am so pleased FG is much better. A recovered small girl with lots of energy is better off at school and her mother will then be able to relax! I hope the elders get better soon too. I often find we have more health problems in spring and early summer. We struggle through the winter and then let down our guard and relax in the warmer weather. I agree wholeheartedly with your quote from Gandhi.
What horrible luck to have a bug strike on your birthday! We actually endd up keeping her home for another couple of days as she still wasn’t quite herself.
The elders are well on their way to recovery and it is now more a case of whether it is a danger to me (being immune suppressed) to have them over. It’s always awkward making those decisions as it can be interpreted as being “precious” about my health. Life is full of quandrys isn’t it 🙂
Gandhi always cuts to the chase!
I am immune suppressed as well and inject myself with a mild chemo-therapy drug each week to keep my rheumatoid arthritis at bay. There are so many do’s and don’t’s when immune suppressed aren’t there?. I must on no account get anywhere near anyone with chicken-pox or shingles – impossible to do with a family and/or any kind of social life! With such a nasty bug it isn’t surprising FG has taken so long to get better. I hope she’s totally better by Christmas!
Oh, so do we 🙂
🙂
Congratulations for coming through a trying time. Jonah Lomu made the press here in a very big way.
I felt you, as a rugby bloke, would know his name 🙂