Making tough decisions…It’s rarely easy…More favorite photos…

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Two barn owls in the rafters at the Mugg & Bean in Lower Sabie.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Ms. Bushbuck is resting in the garden.

These past three months have required us to make several difficult decisions. Undoubtedly, everyday life, whether one travels or not, requires serious decision-making from time to time.

Many decisions are insignificant in the long run, such as deciding what to cook for dinner and others life-changing. For us, the more significant choices seem to be the easiest to make when choosing a,b, or c.

Female lions were lounging in the shade.

But, those falling somewhere in the middle seem to be the most difficult to navigate when the outcome can manifest in several different ways.  When it comes to medical issues, at times, we find ourselves stymied.

Most recently, a decision hovering in my mind has been, do I reduce the fat in my diet with the unproven notion that a low-fat diet reduces heart disease? Or do I go with the three doctor’s opinions, all highly competent professionals, that reducing fat in my diet won’t have a bearing on the future state of my cardiovascular system?  

Dinner in Kruger National Park when friends Lois and Tom visited when we’d gone on a nighttime game drive.

Not necessarily for everyone. Heredity was responsible for clogging my arteries beginning 20 or 30 years ago. During that time, I always ate a very low-fat diet to keep my weight under control.  

Most of the family members on my mother’s side were grossly overweight and had type 2 diabetes, both of which are significant risk factors for coronary artery disease. I saw their health fail as a child and decided in my teenage years I’d never become overweight and, I didn’t.

A cute bunny on the road in Kruger National Park.

On a low-fat diet, I was nearly starving myself for many years, always hungry.  By consuming a low carb, higher fat, sugar-free diet, I’m seldom hungry and can easily control my weight and avoid diabetes.  

I consume healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil (in moderation), fatty fish, dark chocolate (without sugar), certain nuts (moderate amounts, not including peanuts or cashews), whole eggs, and small amounts of full-fat dairy products. I do not eat fried foods or foods swimming in oils or trans fats. Medical science supports this way of eating.

A pair of hippos and a couple of cape buffaloes.

But, some family members are trying to convince me to eat a low-fat diet. If I do so, the pain in my spine will return since a low-carb diet, for me, had significantly reduced inflammation and, subsequently, chronic pain. If I do so, it could further damage my cardiovascular system.

After considerable research lately and weighing the pros and cons, I unhesitatingly decided to stick with my current eating plan, which the doctors condone is best for my long-term health.

The only squirrel we’ve seen in South Africa.

In the past 24 hours, another decision faced me. The doctor suggested I start walking to increase the blood flow to my legs and possibly reduce the healing time. Although this may appear in the “little significance” category, it became a significant decision.  

I agreed with this premise when logically, it made all the sense in the world. So, yesterday, upon returning to the house, I started walking for five minutes once every two hours, setting the timer on my phone for both and walking and the waiting times. 

A nyala, the first we spotted in Kruger.

During the first five-minute walk, I found I had to walk tiptoed on my bad left leg due to my inability to place the foot flat on the floor due to the pain. It felt as if the wound was tearing open if I tried. 

After the second five-minute walk, I noticed the wound was oozing through the bandage and the compression stocking. By the third five-minute walk, it began bleeding and was exceedingly painful.

A decision had to be made…do I continue walking, or do I hold off and give the wound more time to heal? Walking is vital for my cardiovascular rehab, but the wound needs to heal. It became a dilemma that I found comparable to my diet dilemma…ultimately, which is better for the long haul?

More nyala in Kruger.

For the remainder of the day, the pain was awful, and my left foot started to swell, which rolled into the night, and I only slept for a few hours. Another aspect entered the dilemma…lack of sleep is detrimental for both wound healing and cardiovascular health. Swelling is harmful to recovery.

This morning, we decided there would be no walking until it I can do so with less pain. Tomorrow morning we return to Doc Theo. We’ll discuss these concerns with him. Sure, I could have called him, but it wasn’t necessary.  

If I told him the pain was unbearable while walking, the foot had begun to swell, and the wound was leaking into the compression stocking, he would have said, “Don’t walk for now.”  Decision-making is not always “rocket science.”

So today, as they say, “A few steps forward and a few steps back.” I am hunkered down on the sofa in the living room, feet propped up on pillows where I will stay put for the day, hoping to reduce the pain and swelling and speed up the healing time.

So we wait. In 11 days, we leave for Ireland. We’ve booked our flights, and we’re going, regardless of the status of my leg, another “big” decision we had to make when we arranged the flights. 
Have a great day!

                      Photo from one year ago today, April 30, 2018:

Adorable baby Danie with his loving and attentive mom, Okey Dokey. He never stopped smiling and laughing the entire time they were visiting. They’d planned to visit us over the weekend, but Danie was sick, and it was best we didn’t get together. For more photos, please click here.

A new day…A new dawn…Strength building…More favorite photos…

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A hornbill on a tree in our garden.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Already, the toad is gaining weight from the excellent nighttime pickings of flying insects near the light fixture.

Once again, this morning, we took off for Doc Theo’s office for our 9:00 am treatment on my leg. But this time, it was different. After appointments with him every two to three days to debride the wound in my left leg, remnants of the infections in both legs since the triple coronary bypass surgery in February, today, we finally made progress.

A giraffe was stopping by.

As he worked on yet another layer in the debridement process, he discovered under all the layers. He hadn’t been able to access it until now. There were four remaining stitches hidden under all the painful layers of skin.  

With considerable pain on my part and apologies for hurting me on his part, he removed the stitches, which looked like they were made of wire instead of some fabric. Tom held my hand as I writhed in pain as Theo carefully removed each of the stitches.

Tusker’s huge tusks. We haven’t seen him in many months and wonder if he was culled.

As soon as they were out, I’d already begun to feel some relief. He was thrilled to finally find these stitches, stating that they were one of many reasons my leg had failed to heal these past many weeks.  

I was attempting a nap in the garden when tusks got in the way.

He removed dead tissue with surgical tweezers and a scalpel to reveal what appears to be pink skin on the way to healing. We are so hopeful. He told me I could return to the cardiac rehab of walking several times a day but after not walking at all or when using the walker for the past several weeks, I am weak but not feeling frail.

Frank.

However, when we returned and walked five minutes without the walker, still tiptoeing on my left leg, I could feel how beneficial the walking would be. I set the alarm on my phone for every two hours when I’ll get up and walk for another five-minute increment. By the end of today, I’ll have walked 30 minutes.

The Mrs.

Tomorrow, I’ll walk for six minutes every two hours to work up to 36 minutes.  Within a few days, I’ll be able to walk 10 minutes every two hours to work up to 20 minutes twice a day, my goal before we leave here in 12 days. At that point, I should be able to walk through the various airports during layovers on our way to Ireland.

Once we arrive in Ireland and get unpacked, I’ll join a fitness center nearby to continue walking on a treadmill and begin strengthening my upper body using weights. Most likely, we’ll go to the fitness center two or three times a week, but I’ll continue walking each day.

Tree frog foam nest, made overnight above the cement pond.

Having worked out most of my adult life, I feel experienced enough to establish a safe and effective means of rebuilding my health and fitness. I am looking forward to feeling stronger after all of these surgeries and periods where I could barely use my arms or legs to help get me up from the sofa or bed.

Within a week of returning to the house in Marloth Park after the bypass surgery, I could stand on my own from a seated or lying position, using my legs for stability. But once, the leg infections worsened, I couldn’t use my legs to help me stand or my arms due to the painful chest after open-heart surgery.

The singing oxpecker atop a kudu’s back.

I bobbled and teetered when trying to get up but refused to let Tom help me. Bit by bit, I strengthened my upper body, enabling me to use my arms to aid in standing from a seated position.

Oh, the things we take for granted. I often think of those in much worse situations than I have been during this time, who are paralyzed or have no limbs to support them.  

Movie night in the bush.

Unfortunately, we humans know that everything is relative, and it’s our situation at any given time that comes to the forefront in our minds when we’re struggling to accomplish what usually would have been a simple task.

I am so grateful to be on the mend. Doc Theo says it may take three more months for my legs to heal entirely, and we’ll have to continue changing bandages every few days for months to come, but we can handle this. I’ll be wearing the compression stockings day and night for months to come.

A handsome male impala in the garden.

Being well, once again, provides sufficient motivation for me to do whatever it takes to continue to improve and, with a great sense of happiness and relief, to continue on our journey. 

By far, this has been the most challenging health-related period of my entire life, one I will never forget as I make a daily effort to be strong and fit and stay that way for as long as I am gifted with LIFE itself.

May your days be filled with appreciation for life.

Photo from one year ago today, April 29, 2018:

This is a common sight in Marloth Park on holiday weekends. It’s packed with tourists sitting in the back of a “bachie” which is Afrikaans for “pick up truck.” For more photos, please click here.

We’re baaack!…WiFi working again…We’re ready to say hello!…More favorite photos…

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A parade of elephants on the dry sands of the river.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mr. & Mrs. Hornbill was eating seeds off the veranda table. We couldn’t put up the birdfeeder with monkeys nearby and placed the seeds on the table when they banged at the window with their beaks to remind us to feed them.  

After we returned from yesterday’s appointment with Doc Theo (yes, he comes to work on Saturdays and Sundays when necessary), the WiFi was back on. But after posting that the WiFi was down using my phone before we’d left, I decided to go well enough alone and not do a post after all.

I was reeling from the pain after he’d removed the dead skin from my leg, using surgical tweezers and what looked like a razor blade. It was painful then and painful afterward and is still painful this morning.  
A majestic waterbuck.

But, today, I won’t move from lying on the sofa with my legs up in hopes the little bit of swelling will go down and the discomfort will diminish. Oh, dear, there’s only 13 days until we fly to Ireland, and between the flying time, various layovers, and driving to the house, it will be an over 24-hour travel day.

Fortunately, as mentioned a few days ago, we booked business class for me, which will only be of significance during the 10 plus hour night flight when I’ll be able to lay down in my seat. I’d imagine there will be some opportunity to raise my legs on a few other flights. There are three flights in all.

Last night, we didn’t go out to Jabula for dinner. There’s no way I could have walked the steps or the ramp to get to the restaurant or sat with my legs down during dinner. 

Another parade of elephants crossing the bone-dry river several months ago before the rains.

Instead, we piled our plates with the tasty hot takeaway meals we’d each ordered and sat on the bed watching shows on my laptop during dinner and afterward. Louise had brought over two oversized bed trays, which have worked perfectly during this “feet up” period, which will be four weeks ago by Wednesday.

Hopefully, by this upcoming Wednesday, I’ll feel well enough for our planned dinner at Jabula with friends Uschi and Evan, who we haven’t seen in weeks.  Most recently, many of our friends have been traveling or at their “other” homes, and we’ve been less social than ever.  

In a little over a week, friends, Kathy and Don and Linda, and Ken will return to Marloth Park to see us a few more times and say our goodbyes. We will surely miss them after spending many beautiful times together in these past almost 15 months.

Blooming Bird of Paradise.

They’ve been such great friends before the surgery, during my hospital stays, and have stayed in close touch almost every day while recovering back at the house.  

Then, of course, there’s been regular communication and many visits by many of our MP friends beside Kathy, Don, Linda, and Ken;  Lynne and Mick, Janet and Steve, Uschi and Evan, Louise and Danie, Okey Dokey and family, Dawn and Leon (owners of Jabula), Leslie and Andrew and many more.

A special thanks to another Louise who loaned me the ideal walker I’ve used since the leg surgeries and will continue to operate until we’re ready to leave.  It’s been such help during this challenging time.

Sunset over the Crocodile River from the veranda at Ngwenya Lodge.

Many thanks to our friends, Facebook friends, and family in the US and other countries who have stayed in close touch as well, via email, phone calls, and text messages on Messenger.

Yesterday afternoon, I finished logging the balance of the month’s worth of receipts accumulated since the end of January when the heart condition was discovered, and I lost interest in entering the info onto our spreadsheet.

I have a massive pile of medical receipts from all four surgeries I’ve yet to log. As it turns out, our insurance company has yet to pay the balance of many of the bills. As a result, we will have to pay them out of pocket and deal with the insurance company legally.  

Willie loves making eye contact when I talk to him.

We can deduct medical expenses from our taxes if it exceeds 7.5% of our adjusted gross income in the US. If we have to pay more of the bill and don’t get reimbursed for the claims we’ve made out of pocket so far, we’ll be able to deduct the expenses.  

Subsequently, we are saving every receipt that we plan to pack and keep on hand until filing for 2019 taxes, which will be in about a year. I’d considered scanning everything, but it’s easier to make organized piles of the receipts than placing them on my computer as a scanned document.
 
Sometimes, the “old” way, not the technological route, is a little easier in a rare instance. We’ll see how it goes.
Suckling baby kudu and her mom.

Today, Tom will cook a lovely Sunday dinner; bacon-wrapped whole chicken breasts (pounded for thinness) stuffed with sauteed garlic, mushrooms, onions, and mozzarella cheese, rice for him, and cooked veggies for me on the side. Sounds wonderful. Tom has become quite the cook.

Have a pleasant Sunday dinner, whatever it may be, wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, April 28, 2018:

Scar Face’s right eye is above the injury but may have been affected. He came to visit for many months, and then suddenly, he was gone. We sadly wondered if he was one of the warthogs that had been culled from the park.  For more photos, please click here.

No whinging, please…Another holiday in South Africa…

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The boys toasting to the events of the evening, the night we celebrated Rita’s birthday. From left to right; Danie, Leon, Tom, Gerhard, and Ken. What a fun night we had!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Tom tossed out some cut banana peels to the kudus, and one landed on Big Daddy’s head between his massive horns, of which he was well aware. After eating these pellets, he made his way to a tree using the branches to “sweep” the wayward piece of banana peel. Sorry, Big Daddy! fIt took him a few minutes to resolve the issue, but once it was done, he walked away, shaking his head a few times.

OK, here’s more medical talk. For those of you who are “sick” of it, I apologize. Here’s an update for those of you who frequently write if I don’t report anything.

We girls had our hands on the top of our heads for some reason, from left to right, Louise, Dawn, Me, Linda, and Rita, the birthday girl.  Kathy and Don sadly missed this party when they were away.
In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that  Dr. Theo had redressed the bandages on my legs, including lathering on a double dose of that painful honey-based cream which “eats” dead tissue and scabs, leaving a pinkish wound in its path, which ultimately is quicker to heal in that particular state.

After leaving his office, we headed to the local pharmacy to refill my zillions of heart-related medications for the next six months. In about three months, I’ll place another six-month refill with the online pharmacy I’ve been using since the onset of our travels, Progressive Rx.

He was visiting dung beetle minus his ball of dung and his partner.

By sending them an email of the prescriptions bottles/boxes with the labels intact, they can refill any non-scheduled prescription. Their prices are reasonable, generally lower than any pharmacy in the US or Canada. Their customer service is outstanding.

Zebra and two impalas were sharing the lush greenery.

But, the request for refills must be sent months in advance since their processing time is slow, and the package often doesn’t arrive for six weeks. This may not work for many seniors and others who may not pay in advance when the prescriptions aren’t received quickly.

The slow arrival time has been the case, particularly for us, when receiving prescriptions, while in other countries, the package has to go through customs and be approved for import.  

The chicks from several months ago had undoubtedly grown.  Here they are, still hanging out with Mom and Dad.  Dad is in the back with the black feathers.  Youngsters and females have lighter-colored feathers.

That is another reason we don’t wait to place an order. Also, that’s a reason why narcotic prescriptions cannot be shipped. We don’t use any narcotic medications, so that isn’t an issue for us.

Yesterday, when we submitted the multiple prescriptions to the pharmacist, we expected they wouldn’t have the amounts we needed on hand. However, they would order those they couldn’t fill for our pick up on Monday when again we have another appointment with Doc Theo, after tomorrow’s (Saturday’s) appointment as well.

Not Willie but Son of “Dad & Son” who visit every so often. “You got any of those pellets for me?” Of course, we did.

I knew I was in for a tough night after he applied the cream, especially when he warned me to expect a fair amount of pain. He wasn’t kidding. A few hours after we returned to the house, I was practically climbing the walls.  

I took the pain meds every four hours but couldn’t seem to stay on top of it. By bedtime, after I distracted myself for a couple of hours while we watched a few episodes of Ray Donovan on Showtime, I knew I was in for a tough night.  

It was a dreadfully hot day when I made eight pumpkin pies for our Thanksgiving dinner in the bush. The temperature was 40C, 104F and I had trouble rolling properly in the humid heat. Thus, I made all of them with a thick crust, all I could manage in the heat and humidity. They tasted good anyway, so they said.

Overall, I may have slept three or fours hours, but surprisingly, I don’t feel tired today. The pain is now about 50% of what I experienced last night, and I expect to sleep better tonight.

Isn’t it funny how everything is worse at night, such as pain, worry, fear, and grief? It seems our defenses are down as we attempt to free our minds of the day’s activities and thoughts. Here’s a link to the connection between pain and sleep that provides valuable information.

Another fun gathering at Frikkie’s Dam on a Sunday.

I’ve found that the less I complain, the better I feel. It is so easy to get caught up in a vicious cycle of “whinging” (as “they” say regarding “complaining” in both the UK and Australia) to a spouse or other member(s) of the household.  When I have severe pain, I tell Tom about it but generally try not to bring it up again, at least until a day or so has passed.

If complaining reduced pain, it certainly would be worth doing. But, it doesn’t, and all it does for caregivers, family, and friends is add to their anxiety about your illness and their feelings of hopelessness in trying to relieve your discomfort.

Two Big Daddies head butting for dominance.

Believe me, if Tom could take away the pain, he would. And it’s his excellent attitude that rubs off on me, aiding in reducing the healing time required to get well.  Also, he never questions or minimizes the extent of my discomfort when I do mention it. I take great pleasure in getting well, not only for me but for him as well.

Bush-tailed bushbaby at Jabula’s veranda one Saturday night.

Tomorrow morning we’ll head back to Doc Theo for another dose of the cream and new bandages (they’re called “plasters” here in South Africa). We’d made a reservation for dinner at Jabula for tomorrow evening, but I will wait and see how I feel before we go. We can readily get takeaway if necessary, but we’ll miss the socialization we so much enjoy at this fun establishment.  

When we first arrived in Marloth Park, we couldn’t get enough biltong.  After several months, we’d had enough and stopped buying it.  Maybe one more time before we leave?

That’s it for today, folks!  Tomorrow is another holiday in South Africa, Freedom Day (click here for details). If as many tourists come to Marloth Park as during other holidays, we expect our wildlife friends won’t stop as frequently as they have this week. We’ll see how it goes.

Happy day, happy Friday, happy weekend!

Photo from one year ago today, April 26, 2018:

A good-sized turtle was crossing the road by our house. For more photos, please click here.

A local resident with a venomous snake bite rushed to hospital…More favorite photos…

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Rhino, mom, and baby.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A bushbuck, duiker, and several helmeted guineafowls, sharing pellets in our garden.

A few evenings ago, we heard sirens in the area. It turned out that it was the Marloth Park Securicon ambulance transporting a local snakebite victim to the hospital in Nelspruit, the closest private hospital in the area where I recently had four surgical procedures.

Impalas the water hole in Verhami Dam in Kruger National Park.

Apparently, according to a post on Facebook, the resident or tourist was bitten by a stiletto snake in their garden, which according to the African Snakebite Institute, is as follows:  

“The Stiletto Snake (Atractaspis vibronic), previously known as a Mole Adder, is a highly venomous but harmless-looking snake that accounts for numerous snakebites during the summer months in Southern Africa.

More impalas at the Verhami Dam.

This fossorial snake spends most of its life underground where it hunts for other snakes and lizards. It does come to the surface, usually in the early evening and especially after rain. To effectively bite within the limited space of their burrows, the Stiletto Snake has particularly long fangs in which it can protrude independently and ‘stab’ its prey. 

Whereas most snakes can open their mouths up to around 170 degrees, this snake can only open its mouth as wide as 55 degrees. If gripped behind the head, the Stiletto snake protrudes a fang and twists its head sideways to inflict a bite from a single fang.

Here is a photo (not ours) of the stiletto snake:

A stiletto snake often appears to be one of many harmless snakes.

Though not generally considered potentially fatal, the venom of this snake is potently cytotoxic, causing severe pain, swelling, blistering, and tissue damage. Many victims lose a digit. As there is no antivenom, doctors can only treat for pain, rehydrate the patient and then wait a few days to see how extensive the tissue damage is. 

A southern ground hornbill in Kruger National Park.

In a paper on the treatment of stiletto snake bites, Tilbury and Branch cautioned doctors not to resort to surgical intervention in the first few days following a taste, nor to lance blisters, as early surgical intervention seldom has a good outcome. There is no evidence that the early administration of antibiotics has any benefit.

Rhino was resting under the shade of a tree.

This snake is quite challenging to identify and is often mistaken for one of the harmless snakes. There are a few features one can look for to identify a Stiletto snake. The body and belly may be the same dark brown to blackish color, but in many areas, the body is brown to blackish and the belly white.”

Certainly, this incident and others serve as a warning to residents and visitors to Marloth Park. At night, anytime we’re entering or exiting the car, I always remind Tom and any friends with us, “Watch out for snakes.”

A fish eagle was scouring the area for her next meal.

Often, snakebites at night result from not watching where one is walking in the dark and then stepping on such a snake. It’s imperative to use a flashlight or small LED keychain light when going from house to car and back.

 A rhino is on the move.

We haven’t heard how the victim of the bite is doing, but we’ll continue to watch for any report that may be posted on Facebook in the next few days and report back here.

This morning, once again, we headed back to Doc Theo in Komatipoort for further treatment on my legs, particularly my left leg, which has been the biggest concern.

Rhino was hanging out with warthogs.

After he’d slathered the wound with the burning honey-based cream and re-bandaged it on Tuesday, keeping me awake all night as it dissolved the dead tissue, the improvement was visible but not as much as we would have liked.

Again, this morning, he slathered the cream on both legs, and within about 30 minutes, the burning began as it had on Tuesday. Today and tonight will be long as I deal with the constant burning sensation.

A boat and trailer stuck while attempting to cross the Crocodile Bridge on its way out of Kruger.  That day, we had to drive to the Malelane exit, which took us an additional three hours.

However, knowing the product is working and is not a result of some other issue, the pain is tolerable. Again, I’m taking the Tylenol/Paracetamol-based pain medication every four to six hours to keep the discomfort at bay. It does seem to help.

Not much is required of me today. I’ll get back to work on logging more receipts/expenses today on the spreadsheet if I’m able. This is more of a hassle than expected when I have to convert each receipt’s amount from rand (ZAR) to US dollars and enter the correct amounts on the appropriate worksheet in the Excel workbook. I’ll be thrilled to be done.

May your day be pleasant.

Photo from one year ago today, April 25, 2018:

The well-equipped modern treatment room was the most sophisticated we’d seen in years with the latest and most professional equipment.  We have both been to Dr. Luzanne many times in this past year. For more details, please click here.

Flights booked to Dublin…Figuring out concerns for traveling right now…A little friend has returned…

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Ken, Tom, and Don are having a good time, as usual.  We’ll all be together again soon before we leave.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last year about this same time, our little friend, this female toad (or perhaps another), came to live on this light fixture.  For months, every night, she ate many flying insects to fatten up. We’d leave the light on for a while to ensure she’d have plenty of options. In the spring, a small male joined her on the fixture, and they stayed there together for a few weeks and left, not to be seen again until she’s returned this week.  Another cycle of life in the bush…

Yesterday afternoon we booked our flights from Nelspruit to Dublin. Of course, we opted for the flights with the shortest overall travel time, which was 16 hours and 40 minutes.

A waterbuck at the Crocodile River.

The most extended portion of the flight is from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Frankfurt, Germany, at 10 hours and 35 minutes on Lufthansa Airline. It was this portion of the flight that precipitated most of our concern.

In a perfect world, we both could have sat together and flown via “business class” seated together. But, this time, it was different based on our concern of my developing blood clots due to the cramped spaces in the economy with little leg room and opportunity to change positions.

Hippos in the Crocodile River.

Subsequently, we had to make a tough decision. Tom will fly coach class, and I’ll fly via business class which will allow more legroom and an opportunity to sleep in a flat position instead of sitting straight up in the usually uncomfortable coach class seats. 

Female lion on the prowl.

With the recent two leg surgeries on both legs, one surgery as recently as five weeks earlier (as of May 11th, our travel date), and 90 days since the coronary bypass surgery, my flying in business class was necessary, not construed by me as a luxury.  

After all these years of traveling, I have no qualms about flying coach, even on overnight flights. Neither of us does well sleeping in an upright position. We’ve done it several times, and we were no worse for the wear, other than being tired on arrival day from lack of sleep.  

A parade of elephants kicking up a lot of dust in Chobe National Park in Botswana.

In these circumstances, Tom may get two to three hours of sleep on the “red-eye,” while I felt lucky to sleep for an hour or so in most cases. But once we brushed our teeth in the morning, combed our hair, and tidied up a bit, generally, we did very well on the day of arrival.

Sunset over the Crocodile River.

We were surprised at how well we did the next day during these periods of little to no sleep. We could do this with relative ease in our youth, especially if we’d stayed up all night having a good time.

Flying is not a good time. Years ago, I recall it feeling more sophisticated and pleasurable with more legroom, more decent meals served, and more attention to detail for the passenger’s ultimate comfort, regardless of the class chosen for the flight.

These knobs on the head of giraffes are ossicones. Females have hair on them. Males have lost part of their hair from headbutting when vying for dominance.

Now it feels as if we’re sardines in a can, swimming in greasy swill amid germs, loud talking, kids kicking the back of our seats with no parental intervention, and frustrated and overworked flight attendants trying desperately not to “offend” anyone and to keep order in the cabin. Who knows what can break out at any moment soon to be uploaded to YouTube with millions of hits?

Two hornbills hang around our garden each day, most likely a mating pair. When they want seeds, they sure let us know.

Tom will fly coach in a row somewhere behind me, and from time to time, while I’m walking hourly as required by the doctor, we’ll touch base and say hello to see how the other is doing. When we finally get to Dublin, I’ll be glad to pick up luggage and the rental car to be on our way to the holiday rental, a several-hour drive from the airport.

Yesterday, we paid the final payment on the holiday home. Next, we’ll book a rental car for the almost three-month stay in Connemara. I can’t wait to walk in the front door of the holiday home, to see the ocean from every window, to relax once we unpack, buy some groceries and settle into our new home.

Handsome male impala.

At that point, we’ll begin our plan to further research Tom’s ancestry, one of the motivating factors in booking this period in Ireland. He’d hit a wall in the US using Ancestry.com, going as far back as the 1840s. It will be fun to see what we can find while in Ireland.

Mongooses were standing at attention while awaiting eggs. Note the little “arm” holding onto the one in front. So cute!

Tomorrow, we’ll return to Doc Theo when he’ll re-bandage the left leg using the painful cream that prevented me from getting much sleep last night. A nap will be on the agenda today, or at least an attempt at rest, often unsuccessful.

Have a pleasant day!

Photo from one year ago today, April 24, 2018:

When we’d given up hope of seeing a parade of elephants, safari luck kicked in, and once again, we were gifted with these elephants crossing the road. We couldn’t believe the baby’s determined stride! For more Kruger photos, please click here.

Flying high!!!…And we mean it!…We’ll be flying away on May 11th!….More favorite photos…

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When we had the pleasure of seeing a “blood moon” several months ago.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We tossed some small chicken pieces to the mongooses, and they went nuts over the treat! Note warthog, “Little’s Friend,” trying to get in on the action in the background.

This morning at 8:45, we had an appointment with Doc Theo to remove the remaining stitches in my legs and change the dressings. Since the two surgeries on my legs over three weeks ago, I have had to have Doc Theo change the bandages and treat the incisions in a relatively sterile environment rather than doing it myself with the risks of further infection in a non-medical setting.

When I got up this morning, I immediately knew something was better the moment I put my feet on the floor. The pain in my left leg, which was the most problematic of the two all along, was considerably less than it had been 48 hours earlier.

Yesterday, I’d noticed a slight improvement in the pain but nothing compared to the improvement I felt this morning. I practically did a cartwheel. I was hopeful that once he took off the bandages, we’d see a considerable change in the appearance of the wound. Well, not quite.

If we observe at night, occasionally, we’ll spot a genet. We leave bits of meat out for them but often the mongoose or warthogs get to it first. Warthogs aren’t carnivores, they’re pigs, but they’ll often eat any scraps.

The incision in my right leg is entirely closed for the first time since the bypass surgery on February 12th and the incision on the problematic left leg looked better than it had to date.  

Although the left leg incision is not totally closed as yet, it looked so much better and the amount of dead tissue was substantially less. The doctor said it could be three more months until it heals entirely, but there are definite signs of healing. for the first time

Giraffe in our garden drinking from the cement pond.

He sent one of his reception staff members to the pharmacy to get a special honey-based cream he’s begun to use that will reduce the scabbing and dead skin to reveal a pinker surface which will have a better chance of healing in the long run.

(Tom had dropped me off at the doctor’s office and was grocery shopping when the doctor realized he needed the special cream and thus Tom wasn’t able to bring it back with him). 

This particular cream is known to be painful once applied but once the stitches were out (a painful process) I didn’t notice a thing. I was so grateful knowing I wouldn’t need more surgery and that we’d be able to fly on May 11th. 

A proud ostrich was strutting down the paved road in Marloth Park.

Finally, today we’ll book our flights. We’ve decided for me to fly via “business class” while Tom will fly economy. We’ve lost so much money over the past many months, we decided this was the best way to go which would save us a few thousand dollars by him flying economy.

The risk of blood clots is high for recent patients of surgery, especially to the heart and legs. If I can keep my feet up for the bulk of the several flights along the way to Ireland, the risks will be reduced considerably.

Male kudu lounging in the bush in our garden.

Tom and I are thrilled to know the healing process has begun.  In the interim, I can now sit in a chair which I was told to avoid after the surgery to my legs to avoid swelling.  

This is exciting! I had no idea how restrictive lying down with feet up, unable to walk other than to the bathroom and back to lying down, and unable to sit in a chair could be. At least now, we can eat and watch wildlife while sitting at the table on the veranda.

Mom and tiny baby bushbuck.

The pain from the coronary bypass surgery itself is all but gone except for tenderness in my chest requiring a small pillow under the seatbelt when riding in the car.  

Soon, before we leave Marloth Park, we’ll be able to ride on the bumpy roads to search for wildlife. I’m especially looking forward to heading over to Volstruis Street (volstruis means “ostrich” in Afrikaans) which coincidentally, is where many of the park’s ostriches seem to reside, to see the newest eight chicks of a proud mom and dad. Photos will follow soon.

Linda, Kathy, and me at one of many social events.

Then, of course, I’ve already made a reservation for dinner at Jabula on Saturday night since I can now sit in a chair.  It will be our first time out to dinner in almost a month. We certainly are ready for some lively socialization which is easy to accomplish at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant.

No words can express the gratitude we feel for the endless stream of prayers and well wishes we’ve received from our readers, family members, and friends from all over the world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

May your day bring you good news!

Photo from one year ago today, April 23, 2018:

We couldn’t resist sharing this mom and her baby hippo. For more photos, please click here.

Tomorrow is a big day! …We’ll be back with the news after doctor visit…

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This is one of my top five favorite photos of the least desired sightings in Kruger National Park, the prolific impalas. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Note the triangular head of the praying mantis as Tom took this photo yesterday when Leslie and Andrew stopped by for a visit.  
Tomorrow morning at our 8:45 am appointment with Doc Theo. He will decide if I need more surgery or if we can continue with our plans. If the news is good, we can finally book the flights to Ireland and proceed with our travel plans, which will be in 18 days.

Nothing like “down to the wire.” When I recall how we always had bookings as far as two years out, I laugh at how we rarely book such distant venues in our journey any longer.
Sunset from AAmazing (correct spelling for this restaurant) River View Restaurant.

After this most recent medical situation, most likely we won’t be booking places to see, countries to visit, more than six months in advance, other than cruises which offer great deals for booking early.

After losing almost ZAR 281723 and US $20,000 in necessary cancelations due to my hospitalization and recovery, we don’t want to put ourselves in that position again. Also, we incurred thousands of dollars in medical expenses. Most likely, we won’t get reimbursed by the problematic insurance company.  

A face only a mother could love.

We currently have a highly experienced outside rep associated with the company working on resolving the issues with the insurance company. At this point, after everything we’ve done to attempt to fix it, we’re at a dead end. Either they pay, or they don’t. If they don’t, we can report them to insurance ombudspersons, but there’s no guarantee of reimbursement even if we do so.

Suing them is not an option. Located in the UK, the costs associated with a lawsuit against an insurance company would far exceed any monies we could be awarded. It’s the way it is.

Chris, Tom, and a black mamba at snake school.

I wish I could say we’ve learned a lesson. Duh, I don’t have medical issues while living outside the USA. There was never any indication that coronary bypass surgery and its complications would have an impact on me. I still shake my head and ask, “How did this happen?”

We also had no idea the insurance company would say I had a pre-existing heart condition when I wasn’t aware of my clogged arteries. At the time of the application, I disclosed that I take a low-dose medication for hypertension that has been entirely under control for 20 years. Hypertension itself is not a cause of arteriosclerosis.

View of the Crocodile River from Aamazing River View.

We would never have traveled the world if we’d known I had three coronary arteries 100% blocked. We would never even have conceived of the idea to travel the world if my health was so precarious. Who would unless they had a death wish?

Good grief, we climbed the treacherous Queen’s Bath in Kauai, Hawaii, walked the three hours uphill climb in the country of Jordan in 40C, 104F to see Petra?  We’d never have considered these events had we known I had such a dangerous heart condition.

A zebra was contemplating his next move.

These are all good points for a court case if it ever came to that, but we know it’s not possible to pursue this option due to lifestyle and the likelihood of an insufficient settlement.

A distant elephant from across the Crocodile River

Nor, we want the negativity of a lawsuit impacting our lives. It would so much defeat the very purpose of the life we’ve chosen to live per our motto in our logo, “Wafting Through our Worldwide Travels with ease, joy, and simplicity.”
There’s nothing easy, joyful, or simplistic about filing a lawsuit.

And so, dear readers, we continue with hope in our hearts that soon, in a matter of days, we’ll be moving on to continue this dream life that we are all the more grateful for these days.

Baby zebra frightened by all the commotion from the dazzle of zebras nearby.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter holiday. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, April 22, 2018:

As mentioned in prior posts, the males are kicked out of the herd (parade) when teenagers. When we see large numbers, it’s unlikely any are males except for youngsters yet to reach maturity at 13, 14, or 15 years of age.  For more photos, please click here.

Happy Easter…A typical Easter Day in our old lives…What will we do today?…More favorite photos…

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An elephant in the bush was watching us take photos. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

An adorable duiker was resting in the bush.
Easter was a big deal for our family in our old lives, along with the spiritual significance of this memorable holiday. On Saturday, we’d attend church in the tiny town of Victoria where we were members for many years.
Lounging lions.

We’d leave Sunday for the festivities with our kids and grandkids. I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss the fun times we all had together; the filled and decorated Easter baskets for each family member and their pets; the monstrous bunny rabbit cake (Tammy always wanted the bunny’s tail) covered in fluffy frosting and coconut; the games we played to find the plastic eggs with varying amounts of money in them (Greg always won the most); the Easter Egg hunt for the little ones and of course, the continuous laughter.

A tower of giraffes crossing the paved road in Kruger.

As the years passed and our kids had kids of their own and often “the other side of the family” to also spend time with, we spent the morning and early afternoon together, enjoying a great brunch I’d prepared ahead of time to avoid being rushed during all the fun events.

A parade of elephants on the move.

After they left, Tom and I did the dishes, tidied the house and put everything back in its place. For Easter dinner, we often ate brunch leftovers, just the two of us. It was a good day.

Now, we don’t engage in any of these activities, other than today, Tom baked a loaf of homemade coconut banana bread and made one of my low carb favorites, almond flour coffee cake, not made with coffee but with many excellent common carb ingredients.

Oxpecker on giraffe’s leg.

Tonight, our dinner will be a repeat of last night dinner of Low Carb Costco Copycat Stuffed Chicken loaves, a favorite of both of us. With a side salad and pile of fresh green beans, we’re content.

Tonight, after dinner we’ll watch a few of our favorite TV shows: Billions, Ray Donovan and Homeland since today we’re signing up with Showtime for a few months.  We do this a few times each year with various streaming services, watching the shows we love until we’ve completed the season’s series.

Elephants playing in the water.

Then, we cancel the first service and move on to another. Once we’re done with Showtime, we’ll switch to HBO for a month to watch the remaining episodes of Game of Thrones.

It’s not possible to watch certain streaming services outside of the US, UK or Australia, etc. Thus, we use a VPN, a virtual private network, that we can set to the country where the shows are being broadcast, and we avoid the message that says, “You cannot view this show outside of the US (for example).

I was taking a muddy break.

Recently, we switched from HotSpot Shield to Express VPN, which provides us with more options, although it’s more expensive. Whenever one is attempting to stream, the service picks up the country in which you’re currently residing. By using the VPN, we can set it to appear we’re steaming from the appropriate country.

Hotspot Shield was ZAR 422, US $29.95 a year, and Express VPN is ZAR 1392, US $99 a year. Some may consider this a huge expense, but since we don’t pay for cable, WiFi, or TV services, we find it is worthwhile. Also, for example, we’ll pay for Showtime at ZAR 154, US $10.99 a month.  

We had to wait quite a while for this elephant to move to continue on down the road. 

We continue to use Graboid, at ZAR 280, US $19.95 a month, a service from which we can download shows and we’ve used since the onset of our travels.  Our maximum total monthly expense, including the VPN, adds another layer of security, is ZAR 436, US $30.99 plus. The costs for paying for any special shows we can’t get at any of these streaming services.

In our old lives, almost seven years ago, our month cable bill was ZAR 3303, US $235. We don’t flinch at the ZAR 436, US $30.99, comparatively.

The size of an elephant’s foot is astounding.

We never turn on the TV at any of the holiday homes we rent, during the day or evening. We find watching a few shows at night on my laptop relaxing and enjoyable, especially lately as I convalesce from surgery while it requires me to keep my feet up around the clock. 

If I didn’t have to be off my feet, we’d be dining on the veranda, often staying outdoors to watch and feed the wildlife until 2100 hours, 9:00 pm, then going indoors to watch one or two favorite shows on my laptop. 

A tower of giraffes in the bush in Kruger.

Of course, we have a few nights each week when we’re socializing with friends, which came to an abrupt end when I could no longer sit in a chair. It’s been almost three weeks without much socializing other than dear friends who’ve stopped by for a visit as was the case this morning, a delightfully pleasant surprise.

In a few weeks, Kathy and Don and Linda and Ken will be back, close to the time we’re supposed to fly away. Fun activities and gatherings are already planned during that last week, health providing.

Regardless of how you spent your Easter Sunday, we wish you the very best. Thanks for sharing it with us!
               

Photo from one year ago today, April 21, 2018:

Can you imagine having this photo op? (Photo was taken at Giraffe Manor in Kenya). It was one year ago today, we booked the exciting tour to Kenya which included a visit to Giraffe Manor. Unfortunately, we had to cancel due to my heart surgery. Perhaps someday?? For more photos of what we missed, please click here.