3 Too Many

2nd Anniversary of the Canterbury killer quake @12:51pm NZDT

Another screwed up sleep but not to bad really as I managed to get back to sleep fairly quickly. But it was the back again up to its tricks, so on the pain meds then to dull the pain, and get me to sleep.  Wake at 6:10 and head down stairs to make tea and take meds, have breakfast. Then go and wake the rest of the house dwellers up. Get ready to face the day. Boys hit the road on their bikes. Sue and I head off to work.

Another interesting stroll into the office, as lots of tourists out today, given the significance of the day not really surprised. Hard to believe in a way that it is 2 years since that quake! Watching the building start training down outside, the Cathedral Spire fracture and collapse, Bailey’s hotel exterior crack open like an egg. And the noise of the ground running, buildings breaking and dyeing – such an awful cacophony of sound. The fight or flight desire getting tested. Just knowing to that at that moment in time people were dying across the city. Then the dust. You could not see beyond the broken windows as the air was heavy with a pink hue – brick dust, slaughtered buildings that mother nature had put to the ultimate cruel test of resilience.

Get into the office and hurting a lot in my back so take it easy for the first 15 or so mins. Not a to bad a day with work, With a couple of easy jobs coming in so I get on with them. Bernard, Jono and I head around to RE:Start for lunch. Jono gets his own food and heads back to the office. Bernard and I get bacon and eggs at Hummingbird Cafe. We finish just in time for the memorial and 2 minutes silence. Head of then for the office as Zaire will be part soon to collect me as I have a2 pm appointment with the Nurse Maude Doctor and District Nurse. Get a message from Sue that she has already headed home (unknown reason at this stage), so Bernard kindly drops me off home.

Find out why Sue came home early. David a work colleague of Sues from Invercargill, whom was diagnosed a couple of months before me, and in a way has be a bit off a survival mentor for me (he taught me the message of I will define this cancer, not this cancer will define me), etc. David passed away on Thursday night Friday morning. In our fragile world at the moment this was/is a huge blow so Sue has taken it quite hard. In fact it has also shaken me a bit as earlier in the week David had been getting on with ordinary life. Then gone. Nurse Maude arrive and the meeting goes very well. Guess what? I’ve got some more meds to try -no surprises there. These ones should help my back pain a lot more. Finish the meeting and the Doctor drops the scripts off for us to save a job and ensure that I’ll have the meds asap. Fantastic service.

The boys arrive home and get ready to go. We’re heading up to Renwick this weekend for a bit of Doctor ordered R&R (honestly it is ordered and in fact written down that I/we must do it. Pack the car up and dog then head off to collect the scripts. Aim to be on the road by 4- manage to be out the door about 4:30 in time for rush hour. Traffic turns out to be not to bad. Good trip up. Stop in Kaikoura for some dinner, then continue on our way. Get to Blenheim about 8:45 and stop by the restaurant that Nevil & Rose and friends are having dinner at to let them know we here. Have a glass of wine with them then head off. Unpack the car, kids and dog not necessarily in that order! Then sit down for a chat, etc. And promptly fall asleep! Wake then and head for last lot of meds for the day, then bed. Sleep until about 2:45 and wake with back aching, take pain meds and finish the blog off – I’d been writing it in the car on the trip.

So there you have an emotional day on several levels. I really hope that your day was/is less emotionally draining than mine, and full of productivity in terms of work or social events. Have a fantastic weekend everyone. Please keep the contact going as every little bit helps boost flagging morel some days. The txt or emails are always welcome, just sorry about the slow reply some days. Take care, enjoy, unwind and relax.

Kia Kaha.