Kate is not a Doctor damnit!!

Originally written for Kate Walsh's website:

Kate Walsh & Addison Montgomery—there’s no denying they’re very similar. After all, they share a body. But anyone who has spent the past seven years getting to know the two of them can tell them apart, even in pictures. After all, their expressions and body language are quite different. But distinguishing between the two seems to be a problem for people who haven’t taken the time to get to know them, and of course, for new fans. Recently I had an interesting & frustrating conversation with a friend that demonstrates this very fact.

“Kate Walsh,” my friend said quizzically. “Who is Kate Walsh?”

“She plays Dr. Addison Montgomery in Private Practice, on TV. You know, the gorgeous redheaded baby doctor? She started out in Grey’s Anatomy, remember?”

“Hmmm….”

“Addison pranced into the hospital and proceeded to break Meredith’s heart & cause shockwaves to ripple through the TV- viewing community by uttering, ‘You must be the woman who has been screwing my husband.’ Surely you have heard about that?”

“Ahhh yes! Red hair. Black dress. Sexy. Simply stunning. I think I saw a picture of her on the cover of a magazine this week. A nude photo. F’in hot!!!”

“A pic of who?”

“The sexy doctor!”

“That was a picture of Kate, not Addison.”

“Same diff…”

“Um, no. It isn’t. Kate and Addison are completely different. For one, Addison is not real. She’s a made-up TV character, and secondly, Kate is much more attractive and definitely less damaged emotionally than Addison!”

“Well they look the same to me. Kate IS Addison!!”

“Kate PLAYS Addison, I think you mean. Kate and Addison may share some characteristics, such as intelligence, beauty, ability to wear beautiful clothes, a huge shoe collection, great hair, amazingly expressive eyebrows, love of a glass of red, but there are a lot more differences than similarities!”

“Like what?”

“Kate has a really wicked sense of humour and loves to laugh. Addison is always depressed and all dark and twisty. Kate loves to eat potato chips and bacon and red velvet anything and cheeseburgers. Addison drinks green juice and plays with her food. Oh, but she did eat burgers recently – a little bit of Kate creeping in maybe? Anyway, Kate is very social and is always hosting parties, going out to events and rock concerts. Addison is either at the hospital or curled up on her deck, drinking alone, whilst wistfully gazing over at her douchey ex-boyfriend’s house. Kate exercises regularly, doing Pilates, pretending to jump around like a bunny in a park, and hikes with her dogs. Addison ran once.”

“But they still look alike…duh!”

“I don’t think so AT ALL! To me it is obvious when Kate is being Kate, and when she is playing the role of Addison. They may share the same gorgeous body, beautiful hair, etc, but it is the different personalities that make them look so different to me. Look at these pics, for example……"

(there are 4 more pic sets like this which I've previously posted here)

“……..Kate or Addison???”

“Ok, you got me. That would be Kate. She is absolutely gorgeous. But Addison isn’t too bad either!”

I smiled wryly.
Conversations like the above drive true Kate fans insane. We know the difference between our girl and the beloved, but increasingly relationship-crippled Addison. Kate is an actress, not a doctor, dammit!

Life is Sweet

LIFE IS SWEET
Walshie Lent 2012 fundraiser on behalf of Planned Parenthood

I'd like to invite all the ladies to look down their shirts and give a shout out to 'the girls'...
Kate Walsh. Oct. 2, 2010

DEAR WALSHIES,

It’s really very simple. Breast cancer kills. But the sooner cancer is discovered, the greater the chance of survival. More moms get to watch their children grow up, more friends grow old together, & more wives, sisters, aunts & cousins sleep peacefully at night.

But here’s the thing: breast cancer screening costs. And while anyone can get sick, not everyone can pay for screening. And this is where Planned Parenthood, one of Kate’s favorite organizations, makes a difference – by offering free screening to women in need. So we were wondering…

Life IS sweet – when sweets CAN SAVE lives.

Many of us give up something for Lent – sweets & candy being the main candidates. So our idea is for Walshies as a fandom to give up candy and chocolate for 10 days and donate the money to our Life is Sweet fundraiser.

And this is how you do it:

Instead of buying that chocolate bar or candy bag, write down how much money you didn’t spend and add it up at the end of the 10 days. Then all you need is a PayPal account. Hit the ‘Chipin’ button, make your donation, and leave a message for Kate. All donations are, of course, welcome! So Walshies, from 21st February – 1st March, let’s do it!

“It’s a beautiful day to save lives.”
Dr Derek Shepherd

For further information, please tweet @ruthkjsto or @lalatas, or post a question on the Team Walshies Facebook page and we’ll answer you there.

Charlie Shunt has thrown a chisel in the works...

What the....? A chisel? Isn't it a spanner? Read on and it will all make sense!!

Exactly 1 month ago, on 26th September, I had a Lumbar-Peritoneal Shunt (charlie)inserted to lower the High Cerebral spinal fluid pressures in my head and to save my sight from deteriorating any further - Damn this IIH (Increased Intracranial Hypertension)
After 7 weeks in hospital, 9 lumbar punctures, shunt surgery and loads of physiotherapy i finally left the hospital feeling pretty damn good!

It worked!!! My headaches eased. My vision returned fully, although the right eye is still having trouble focusing. It's been a 4+ year journey to reach this point, where i can finally see an end in sight; where i can make plans and move forward; where daily chronic pain no longer rules my life; where i can anticipate returning to work!

There is, however,one more bridge to cross. Last week i began to experience some abdominal discomfit and terrible leg and back pain. A visit to the Dr, CT scans and ultrasounds revealed the shunt had migrated further into my spinal canal and was irritating nerves, and the other end had jumped ship too and popped out of the peritoneal sac and was draining the CSF subcutaneously. Hence why i looked 9 months pregnant with triplets!!

So tomorrow i embark on yet another hospital visit and undergo surgery to resite the shunt. Hopefully this time it is secured a little better.
The biggest bummer about all this is that I am supposed to be going to see Cold Chisel on Wednesday in Mackay!! DAMN IT!!!

Kate's Birthday Donation to Oceana

“Send all gifts to Oceana! Save the oceans ;)”

Kate Walsh, Oct. 4, 2011.


That’s what she said! So we’re organising a KWA fundraise for Oceana to celebrate Kate’s birthday.

Remember: the ocean is made up of tiny drops, so every single contribution counts. Who knows, by working together Kate’s Walshies may save a turtle, and as Kate would be the first to agree: life truly is the greatest gift of all!


If you would like to contribute, please visit http://katewalshdonation.chipin.com/kate-walshs-birthday-donation-to-oceana
by no later than Tuesday, 8PM PST, and KWA will donate the full amount raised to Kate’s Oceana CR project on her birthday. Thank you!

Boyfriend The International Man of Intrigue (The unedited version!!)

One of the most commonly asked questions of Kate on Twitter, Facebook and her vlogs is, "When is Boyfriend coming to (insert country)?" Kate’s fans are very persistent, fiercely loyal and extremely eager to get their hands on some of this tantalising fragrance named ‘Boyfriend’, none more so than her international fans. Particularly Brazil! It seems Brazil desires Boyfriend almost as much as it loves Kate!!

Boyfriend was released in the US and Canada via HSN in November last year, and in Sephora stores, in February this year, and Kate has promised that it will be released internationally soon.  Not soon enough for some of us however! Walshies outside of the US and Canada did not want to wait for the international launch of Boyfriend. Patience is not one of our collective virtues. Boyfriend was HERE and we wanted it NOW!!  Walshies the world over began wracking their brains to try and remember if they had a long lost relative, a friend, or a cousin of a friend’s aunt’s sister’s nephew, who resided in the US or Canada AND who was prepared to make a purchase on their behalf. Many conversations began with the words “Would you mind sending me some of Kate Walsh’s Boyfriend please?” One can only imagine the “Whaaaa?” and confused responses from those not in the know!!

For those of us who had no such contacts, it became a daunting, but not impossible, venture. The talk on Twitter was all about Boyfriend!!! Most commonly heard was “I can’t wait to get my hands on Kate’s Boyfriend!’. ‘OMG Kate’s Boyfriend smells divine!’ Not something you ordinarily hear!! The back rooms of the Tw’orld were awash with tw’eeps making deals to get Boyfriend to those outside the US!! At times it felt like a highly illegal operation, with identities revealed as real names and addresses were swapped, payments organised and deals made!!  During these dealings many real friendships were forged as we trusted ‘virtual strangers’ to deliver on their promises of either product or payment!!

So, with many Americans offering their services as ‘International Boyfriend Smugglers’, they found themselves placing large orders on HSN and making multiple purchases at Sephora stores! Sales figures were probably skewed in certain stores and zip codes due to the sheer amount of Boyfriend being moved off shore!! The US Postal Service also benefitted as it became an unwitting part of ‘Operation International Boyfriend’!!

One of the first overseas recipients was myself when Boyfriend made its Australian debut way back in November, thanks to HSN and a very kind and trusting NYC tw’eep. My Boyfriend Solid Compact arrived in my mail box ‘disguised’ as an Indian curry, for no reason other than the packaging was handy at the time, but I like to think it added to the intrigue!! Several other European tw’eeps received similarly packaged ‘tv dinners’ in their mailbox that week!! Best smelling ‘curry’ ever!!

Boyfriend has also made it's way to impatient Walshies via ‘International Boyfriend Couriers’- a network of travelling Walshies, family, friends, and business associates. Ruth in Sweden, upon hearing a business associate had an American contact, asked if he would assist in her quest for a Boyfriend?! A few raised eyebrows resulted I’m sure as she was seated next to her husband at the time!! End result, some highly amused dinner party guests and the Swedish chapter of ‘International Boyfriend Couriers’ took on their first assignment.  The CEO of a major Swedish financial institution recruited an American counterpart who planned to visit Sweden in a few weeks, to make the requested purchases. He, in turn, asked his PA to make the trip to Sephora in NYC. Voila! Boyfriend was on his way to Sweden! And several people, who otherwise would never have met Kate’s Boyfriend, had the chance to make his acquaintance!

Anna activated the Netherlands branch of ‘IBC’ enlisting the help of a friend travelling to NYC, who visited every Sephora store searching for Anna’s potential Boyfriend. It was an anxious wait for Anna as stores were sold out everywhere, until on the last day; she finally found a bottle of the EDP!! Boyfriend was off to the Netherlands. Another happy international customer!

 

Kate’s Boyfriend is very well travelled now as he also resides in Germany with Jasmin, who used a unique connection to make her purchase. Jasmin is an ardent fundraiser for charity and when Kate introduced us to her fundraising projects on Crowdrise last year, Jasmin immediately joined and began raising funds for her own projects. Through her charitable works Jasmin has connected with many people from all over the world and when an American Crowdrise friend offered to purchase Boyfriend for her, she jumped at the chance. The twist however, is that instead of Jasmin paying directly for her Boyfriend she made a donation to the Crowdrise project of her fellow fundraiser’s choice. So Boyfriend not only smells great, he’s also a philanthropist!! Check out both Jasmin and Kate’s Crowdrise projects here: http://www.crowdrise.com/katewalsh  http://www.crowdrise.com/JHenke

 

Elea, also from Germany, was thwarted at almost every move to obtain her Boyfriend, and she tried many times.  HSN was first on her list. She had a US address but HSN said no!! They required an American credit card. How many other people were caught out this way I wonder?? I know I was! Option 2 was a German friend travelling to the US, but she was an inexperienced ‘IBC’ and didn’t check her email in time and thus, returned home empty handed. Third time lucky perhaps? Not likely!! Elea phoned Sephora stores in the US state her next ‘International Boyfriend Courier’ was visiting and was told, “If you're looking for a fragrance that's called Boyfriend, which obviously doesn't exist, you should get a reality check and a real boyfriend!". Whoah Dawg – to quote Kate!! Boyfriend does indeed exist and I am pleased to report that Elea persisted and finally has Boyfriend firmly in her grasp – the ‘International Boyfriend Couriers’ did not let her down a 4^th time!!

There have been friendships made and forged not only by fans’ devotion to Kate but also by their desire and love for her Boyfriend! (Quote that sentence to someone who doesn’t know about the fragrance and watch the reactions!!) The following stories personify how Walshies feel about Kate, her Boyfriend and their fellow Walshies.  Sabine, in Holland, posted her Boyfriend to another Walshie, Edna (Froukje), for a couple of weeks just so she could smell it and not feel left out when we chatted on twitter!!  I've sent cards scented with Boyfriend to tw'eeps in the Philippines and around Australia who wanted to smell it but have been unable to get their hands on any otherwise.  Ines from Portugal credits Kate’s Boyfriend for introducing her to her own real life boyfriend, and a group of Walshie’s is currently organising a European drop (and then distribution  to Australia and Asia and throughout Europe) for those who are running low or have yet to have a "Boyfriend Experience".  But, by far the best Boyfriend story is a ‘feel good’ one.

Back in February, Christchurch, in New Zealand, was hit by its second major earthquake, causing devastation, destruction and death. One of the affected was a favourite tw’eep, Erana, a Kate fan from way back. She had no power or water, her house was damaged and a lot of possessions were lost, but her family were all okay, and that was THE most important thing to Erana. Throughout the whole ordeal, which is still ongoing today, she was, and is, ALWAYS immensely grateful her family was safe and well.  To cheer her up a little and to let her know we were thinking of her, a group of international Boyfriend lovers sent her a surprise gift - her very own Boyfriend, not only to show we cared but also to ensure she smelt good, as she had no water!!! The idea was formulated after a Walshie twitter chat, coordinated from Holland, ordered from HSN, delivered to NYC, posted to NZ,  & paid for by tw’eeps from 8-9 different countries.... none of whom had ever met!! Boyfriend has definitely drawn many people together!

There are many stories like this out there.  Many schemes and plans that have come to fruition and resulted in some happy Boyfriend lovers, and of course, some that haven't worked out quite so well! But Walshies are nothing if not persistent, as attested to by the continual asking of the million dollar question!!!! The good news however, is that Kate recently announced that Boyfriend is about to go global!!  That is definitely something to look forward to. Soon everyone on this giant blue marble we all share will be able to nuzzle in together to smell the vanilla, musk, night blooming jasmine, rich plum and woody notes that make up Kate’s wonderful fragrance ‘Boyfriend’. And even though the ‘International Boyfriend Couriers’ may disband, I am sure that all the friendships forged due to Boyfriend ‘smuggling’ will linger on long after the scent of Boyfriend has worn off.

Do you have a Boyfriend story?  How did you get your Boyfriend?  Share it with us in the comments section below!!

From a house full of memories to just one box in 40 days!!

Sorry it has taken this long to post this..... i forgot!!

At the end of March Adele and I jointly decided that we would both pack up our lives and move to Qld. She was always going to go if her application to join Tas Ambulance Service was unsuccessful. It was, unfortunately, so i was faced with the prospect of farewelling my beautiful daughter, moving house and dealing with the empty nest syndrome!!  I decided to do the unthinkable and join her in Queensland! I say 'unthinkable' because i am not one who likes change. I like the security of a home, friends and family around me. So this was a huge decision for me!!

Once the decision was made, Adele booked the tickets on the Spirit of Tas so we couldn't back out! We had a little less than 6 weeks to pack up our lives, sell our stuff, pack what we were keeping into our cars, say goodbye to our friends, and hit the road! We planned to drive to Qld - Adele's final destination would be Brisbane, Mine a further 400kms up the road at Hervey Bay.  6 weeks, 2 people, ADVENTURE!!!

All was going according to plan until i was hospitalised with the worst migraine I've ever suffered. 11 days later i was home and eager to get packing - we had 3 weeks til the boat sailed!! Alas, a bad bout of flu hit me and i was again bedridden. I was however, headache free after weeks of a continuous throb so i was grateful for that. After a few more days in bed i was finally able to tackle the mammoth task of finishing off the packing!!

We sold most of our furniture and assorted items at a garage sale, gave a lot of things away and threw a lot of stuff out. I was limited in what i could keep as i didn't want to clutter up my friend's garage after his kind offer to store a few items. By far the hardest thing to do was to go thru all the childhood stuff of Adele's i had kept and which provided me with many memories.  Photos and a few very special items were kept, much to Adele's disgust!!! She was horrified to find i had saved all of her baby teeth!!! She was okay with the first haircut, and then huge ponytail i had saved from her first major chop when she was 11, but the fact i had her teeth was beyond belief to her!!  But she reminisced about losing her first tooth, the letters from the tooth fairy written in the tiniest handwriting, how the tooth fairy forgot to come when she was away with one weekend and lost a tooth.... then she counted them and discovered there were only 19!! There should have been 20 she said, so I had been careless and lost one!!  I then reminded her that she still had a baby molar as there was no adult tooth under it!!  After a lot of laughs stemming from tooth related memories, Adele assumed i was gonna throw the teeth away as she still thought it was disgusting. She thinks i did.  I didn't.  They are in the memory box still. I did tell her that she was lucky she was a girl as a friend kept her son's foreskin from his circumcision and presented it to him on his 21st birthday!!! 

Other items i kept were Adele's first pair of ballet shoes. Again we laughed and remembered the nights she wore them and her ballet leotard and skirt to bed; how she would walk on her tiptoes around the house pretending to be 'en pointe'; how she would hang over the front fence gazing adoringly at all the little girls going into ballet class for a year before she was old enough to join; how the ballet teacher finally relented a year early and let a 3 yr old Adele into her kinder class; how we had to order her shoes from Bloch as her feet were so tiny!!

Some things we just had to get rid of, like Adele's extensive Barbie doll collection and associated vehicles, furniture and accessories.  Whilst packing these up we remembered the days when a 5 yo Adele would spend a whole day assembling everything til it was perfect, right down to the little details such as having the cutlery set correctly on the dining table! She would then admire this for days - not really playing just rearranging stuff and NEVER letting anyone else play with it as she was worried they would wreck it. This included me!!!  I was worried she had OCD!!  Later, in her teen years, i began to wish the obsessiveness with order in the Barbie Kingdom had carried over to the real world!!  Her room often resembled a tip!!  The Barbies found a new home with four young sisters who cried when they received them. We know they are well loved and looked after.

Packing was one of the hardest tasks i have ever had to do. Deciding what to keep, what to sell, what to give to whom, was stressful, and as i didn't have much time, i had to make decisions quickly.  I cried when saying goodbye to some things, and was glad to see the back end of others..... the last 15 years of paperwork i finally sorted and burned!! In a sense i felt like i was clearing out my life, getting rid of the clutter. It felt cathartic in the end and i don't regret it.  To me it was just STUFF. Yes there are memories attached to the STUFF but because i have thrown out the STUFF doesnt mean i need to throw away the memories! i will always have the memories. Unless of course i get dementia!!!

Anyway, we made the deadline - just - packed our cars, repacked them, threw out some more stuff, repacked and finally left our home for the past 8.5 years with sadness in our hearts, but also with excitement ahead of us as we embarked on this big adventure!!

May 10th we sailed out of Devonport, even though Adele's car decided it didn't want to leave and broke down in the queue to board the ferry!!  5 days later we arrived in QLD!!! I'll leave the roadtrip stories  for a later date!!

TV Viewing Habits of the 43 yo housebound female

If we study this fine female specimen closely we will see that her tv viewing habits change with the changes of the seasons. In the summer months television viewing is curtailed for more pleasant activities like beach walks, organised sport,  bbqs and socialising with other members of the tribe.  In the cooler months this female tends to stay inside her cosy habitat and spend more time communing with other species in the form of television characters.

During these somewhat cold and chilly months television viewing becomes a staple part of her daily diet and without it she becomes edgy and noticeably agitated. This is further acerbated when favourite programs go on hiatus for weeks at a time. This can often lead the subject to watch reruns and dvds of past series and episodes.

It is interesting to note in this case, that not all the television viewing occurs on the free to air service provided to all households.  This tv addict watches the majority of her television on her computer!!! This is somewhat of a rarity for these parts of the country. Not many inhabitants of the region have the technology, the skills or the know how to be able to do this. This sets this particular female apart from the rest of her peers. 

Interestingly, the viewing habits of this particular female are also quite unusual for some one of her age and maturity. Close study has revealed she does  tend toward the traditional medical shows, cooking programs, crime shows and reality tv. However, diving deeper into her hard drive we also find many comedic, and often over looked programs - Community, Parks and Recreation, Eastbound and Down, The Soup..... to name a few. This female has indicated that the male species in a show is often the catalyst for a first viewing, and if he meets her high standards then continued viewing is guaranteed.  Examples of these male members of the species include Joel McHale, Rob Lowe, Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane, Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, David Boreanz, Nathan Fillion, and oddly, Donald Trump!! 

There is however one exemption to this. This subject did admit to watching one program solely for the female in the series.  She stated that although the program no longer interested her greatly as it appears to have fallen victim to poor writing, she continues to watch.  When asked to identify the show and the female in particular, she responded by directing us to her Youtube Channel.  Again, this was highly unexpected as most subjects of this age and maturity, in this region do not purport to even have knowledge of such things, let alone have their own channel!.

Once we located the Youtube channel and perused the videos we quickly ascertained that this subject had fallen victim to Katewalshitis.  This is a common affliction amongst the female population. The worst cases have been known to stalk the actress through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, will often have bookmarked various fansites in their web browser and will have photos of the actress as their screensavers and desk top.  Unfortunately, our subject had one of the worst cases of Katewalshitis we had seen in a very long time.  Not only did she have all these listed previously (with a particualrly breautiful photo of Ms Walsh and a sea turtle as her desk top) but she had a twitter account dedicated to stalking Ms Walsh's every tweet. She had also attempted to engage the actress in conversation by tweeting her regularly.  She was surprisingly, somewhat successful at this.  This subject also "liked" Ms Walsh's facebook page, had bookmarked 7 different fan sites and was a daily visitor to Katewalsh.com, Ms Walsh's website, often leaving comments and asking questions.  At this point in our study we became concerned for our subject and proceeded to check her hard drive for any further signs of the progression of this insidious disease.  Imagine our shock to discover over 2000 photos, several videos of interviews and public appearances, books narrated by Ms Walsh, every movie Ms Walsh has acted in, including the strange indie film Three Below Zero, many fan videos favourited on youtube, and EVERY episode of Grey' sAnatomy and Private Practice stored on the pc and in DVD format. 

What had began as  a simple study into the television viewing habits of a normal 43 yo female had become an intervention! For without intervention this subject was in grave danger of thinking she was actually a part of Ms Walsh's life, that she was a friend and confidant!  When in reality, Ms Walsh had no idea of the existence of our subject.  The battle is continiung today to assist our subject as she comes to terms with this shocking news.  Our last conversation ended with, "but she tweeted me yesterday..."  Yes we have along road ahead for rehabilitation, but we feel we will succeed.  The subject did say that the she would quit The Walsh, as the fans endearingly call her, if we could get Rob Lowe to marry her.......

Changes

At this time in exactly 41 days I will on the Spirit of  Tasmania, sitting in the bar, sipping on a vodka and preparing for the first day of a roadtrip to Queensland!!  All my worldly possessions will be in my car somewhere deep in the bowels of the ship.  All my memories will be behind me, left in Tassie, and my future will be in front of me.  I said 2011 was going to be the year of huge changes for me, and it is certainly the case. In 41 days i will no longer be able to say i live in Tasmania.  In 41 days i will no longer have a home.  In 41 days i will no longer be living with my daughter, which apart from 6 months, we have done for almost 21 years!!
This is incredibly exciting, frightening and stressful all at once! Wine is helping. Headache is not........ I'm looking forward to a having less responsibilities, warm weather, being able to spend time with my friends. I'm gonna miss m Deli ver very much..... and the letter before z and after x is not working!! FFS!!  Why??? Oh there it is!! Welcome back y!!  It seriousl keeps disappearing.... WTF??? there it goes again....
Anyhoo.... The next 41 days are gonna be bus .... looks like i will also be looking for a new computer... I cannot live without mi letter before z and after x...... FUCK!!







 

2010 in review

2010 was the year of the Twitter for me!! The year i became well and truly hooked.  They're have been ups and downs, laughs, tears and lots and lots of new friendships forged.  I wouldn't change a thing. 

2010 has also been the year of the Headache. Again.  Unlike 2009, 2008 and 2007 however, i have spent less time incarcerated in hospital.  Probably because i refuse to go!!  This biggest thing to happen headache wise however, has been that I've learnt to cope better than i did in the past.  That's a blessing!!

2010 is also the year i went on leave from work.  Back in May.  Yet to return.  This is probably why i cope better with the headaches!!

2010 is the year i traveled twice to Queensland to visit my best friends and my sister and family.  I love QLD. I may even move there!!

2010 is the year i decided to change my life.  Sell up, pack up, and travel - in 2011!  More on that later.

2010 brought new friends into my life.  People i know will be around forever.

2010 was the year i was so very, very proud of my beautiful daughter.  She made some momentous decisions, did some very amazing things and made me proud to say i'm her mum!!! Love  her to bits!!

2010 was the year i came out to my friends and family about all things Kate Walsh!! LOL  It was also the year of much ridicule and torment!!

2010 taught me so much about myself.  I'm thankful for every experience, good and bad.  Life throws challenges at us constantly.  Some we overcome with ease.  Some we battle through. Others we fear and hesitate to acknowledge.  It's how we choose to deal with the latter that makes us who we are.  I conquered some and in 2011 i fully intend to conquer more!!  Bring it on!!

oh and 2010 was not the year i used capitals and punctuation in my blogs.... :)

The Queensland lifestyle...

There is something about warm humid weather that makes me feel like I'm on permanent holiday. Well I am actually on holiday right now, but I don't think I could adjust to living somewhere like this (Hervey Bay) due to the weather. I love it so much but it evokes a holiday atmosphere. I wouldn't want to go to work on warm days. I'd want to hang out at the beach, the local pub or cafes on the foreshore. I'd never tire of the ever-changing view, all the many beaches to lie on and swim at, the excellent food and the beer and rum! I'm rapidly becoming a local though. I have 2 pairs of shoes - thongs. A going out pair and a beach pair. I wear sleeveless tops daily. Go to bed early and get up early. That might be because of the household's baby though! I eat mangoes every day. I drink rum every night. I ride my bike with no helmet. I am slowly getting used to the wildlife- shared my room last night with my old pal Pierce- the Gecko who stares at me while I sleep, and a green tree frog. Admittedly he was outside my window on the sill. A cane toad lives in the gutter and croaks all night and by day the cicadas provide me with a musical chorus to walk to the beach with. We have none of these creatures in Tassie. It's like another world. Also, I've quickly learnt to avoid the narrow,circular burrow holes on the beach. Snakes. Apparently. I swim with the local sealife daily, in water that is so tepid it's like a bath. In Tassie we swim in 17 degree water in summer. Here it's about 25 degrees. Some days I have a cold shower after swimming to cool off. It takes me 2 mins and 50 secs to walk to the beach and I usually have the whole place to myself. I love Qld.

Endings.....

Things are always ending here in my world.  The day, night time (with no sleep in sight), my favourite tv show, my iphone battery, the block of Cadbury Coconut Rough chocolate, the Bundy bottle, the vodka, the wine..... and my periods of good health- Perhaps due to the ending of the latter 3 items?? :D 

I'm on a downward spiral.  Bugger. My stupid, too small head, & too big brain have begun to bother me again.  Not on a daily basis, just bi or tri weekly.  This means i get four great days each week!!! And i love those days and am eternally grateful for them.  But, this means the bad head days feel worse than they should.  Sort of like breaking your arm - you don't appreciate it til you can't use it, and then you stress about everything you are missing.  Never mind that you've not once used the weights at the gym. Now you can't, you  desperately need to!
So, the days i have a headache i become extremely frustrated, because i cannot go abseiling & rock climbing on such a beautiful day; i cannot go for a skydive or base jump; i cannot raise my head from the pillow.  Never mind that i haven't abseiled or rock climbed for almost 20 years, or have yet to do my first solo skydive.  The point is that today could have been the day i did those things. And raising my head from the pillow is a challenge every day, especially if it's prior to midday, and even more difficult if Ellen isn't on the tv! But today..... the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and i really want to get up and enjoy the gorgeous day that is. I feel guilty for staying glued to my bed.  Any other day i could care less.....

Yes my head hurts.  But that's just an irritation.  Its the limitations it places upon me, however unrealistic my expectations might be, that bother me more. So i while away the time waiting for that much longed for return of my healthy days by tweeting, facebooking and not blogging!

Today i decided i needed a mind shift.  So instead of looking at life as a bunch of endings of good things, i need to think of the endings as beginnings, and i need to look for the positives in these new beginnings.  Stretched my brain cells a lot when trying to find the positives in an empty vodka bottle, but i did.  There are many more vodkas i have yet to get to know!!! Bring it on!!  And the positives in a bed bound, headachey day - its a day for recharging the batteries.  Mine and my iphone :p

So, the next time i awake with a headache, after firstly celebrating the fact i slept with a vodka or two, I'll accept my day under the covers with good grace.  I'll dream about floating in zero gravity on my first space mission, knowing that it is what it is - something i need to do on a headache free day!! Yes i have some "unattainable" or "unrealistic" goals, but who's to say i wont do these things one day?? After all, tomorrow i am going to leave the house.  That was unrealistic 2 months ago, before my remission :))

Running... & Jumping...

We all run. Either figuratively or literally. We run from situations that scare us, intimidate, hurt, upset, make us uncomfortable AND from situations that could make us deliriously happy. I know I do. Not as much as I use to, but it's still instinctive to "run & hide" whenever I encounter a difficult situation.

I have always said "I don't run unless I'm chased. Or there's a million dollars to be had." I hate running in a physical sense. Hot, sweaty, pounding heart, pounding footsteps. For what? To get somewhere fast, to gain fitness? I can get all these hot, sweaty feelings from looking at a spider crawl across my ceiling, knowing its out of reach and i'll never sleep til i catch it!!

When physically running, you miss out on so much. You are too busy listening to your heart trying to escape from your chest, concentrating on breathing, counting the miles/kilometres, hurrying, rushing. The scenery flashes past, thoughts are dismissed. Similarly, the same happens when we run from situations in our life we want to avoid. We miss so much. We hide away and close ourselves off to what is happening around us.

The "fight or flight" response is inherent in us all.  There is a massive rush of adrenalin that is released as soon as we encounter anything frightening, or exciting.  We can either use this adrenalin to remove us from the situation, by running as far away as possible for example, or in a less physical sense, to avoid the situation in an emotional way by withdrawing.  Or we can use it to stay and fight, both physically and emotionally.  A couple of years ago, I decided to stop "running" and start taking in my surroundings, facing up to situations, to stop being fearful and worrisome, to use the adrenalin rush to my advantage.  I decided to jump into life with both feet and to see where it would take me!! So what was the first thing i did??

I jumped out  of a plane!!! 

And i enjoyed it so much i enrolled in Skydive School! I'm yet to do a solo jump, but i will.  I can't wait!!!

I still "run & hide" from life at times, especially when my IIH erupts, but i only have to remember the feeling of exhiliration i had when freefalling and i know i can face most things.  If remembering doesn't work then i look at the DVD of my jump and listen to myself screaming and squealing......... with excitement and sheer joy, mixed with a tiny bit of fear!!! Then i know i'm gonna be fine!

A real man...

A real man is a woman’s best friend.

He will never stand her up and never let her down.

He will reassure her when she feels insecure and comfort her after a bad day.

He will inspire her to live without fear and forget regret.

He will make sure she always feels as though she is the most beautiful woman in the room.

No wait, sorry. I’m thinking of wine. It’s wine that does all that….never mind.

I forgot to mention....

.... I'm headache free!! I'm officially (according to me) in remission!!!! YAY!! The massive pressure headache has gone! It's so hard to explain how absolutely amazing it feels to NOT have a headache. In fact, it's slightly disconcerting. Sort of like having a part of yourself missing. I'm so used to having a headache that when I awoke to find it gone it took me a minute or two to wonder what was wrong with me!!  It's been three weeks now and LIFE IS FANTASTIC!!! I'm the luckiest person alive :))

Not sure how long it will last - last time was 5 months..... I'm not gonna worry, just ENJOY LIFE!  Isn't this fantastic news???

The woman who put the shizzle in the b'zizzle!!

Today I'm gonna talk about Kate. Those who know me should know who I'm talking about!! Kate Walsh. I ADMIRE her, but for some (Deli) my admiration appears to border on OBSESSION!!! I don't agree. I think she's gorgeous and funny and has a great outlook on life. I could see us being great friends. Obsession would mean I'd google her daily, watch endless YouTube vids,track down and watch over and over again any movie or vid she's been in, watch her tv shows relentlessly until I know every little nuance about her characters, I'd troll the Internet for pics and tabloid stories, I'd discuss her with other fans on forums, twitter, facebook, I'd collect pictures and pore over them, I'd have dreams of meeting her one day, I'd know her fav colour, food, her animals names, her fav sayings like "WORD!" and "Bad Ass Mother Fucker!" OH SHIZ!!! No no no! Its okay. Obsession would also require me to have given up my job and have all day to surf the net and chat about her and stalk her Twitter page Yes! It's okay! I have a job.  I'm just on leave. Pheeeeew thought I had a problem there for a moment! :))

Here are a couple of pics i happen to have...

No! No problem here.

I hate liars. Cheats and liars. Dishonest people. Hate is a strong word but it's how I feel. Dislike, detest just don't cut it. I don't hate many things, but lying is my pet peeve. We all do it. Every day. A white lie here and there might seem harmless and is almost an expected and accepted part of life. But where is the line drawn? When does a white lie become something more poisonous? What is a White lie anyway? How do we define that? Why do we feel we have to lie? When is it appropriate? Is lying ever acceptable?

I don't have the answers... I just know I hate lying. I hate it when I feel I have to lie. I hate it when others lie. I hate being implicated in a lie.

I appreciate my health.... and my intelligence

Spent the past 13 days in hospital, as most would be aware by now.  I'm home and i'm happy to be here.  Spending time with a lot of very ill people has made me appreciate my health.  Me healthy? Well compared to many other people i am bursting with good health!!  I have been surrounded by some very ill people. Mainly patients on dialysis for kidney failure, awaiting transplants that they know will most likely not happen.  90% of the dialysis patients will not be eligible for a kidney due to other health complications, age, or suprisingly because they REFUSE to make lifestyle changes that would benefit their health.

 I can't believe this. Why would someone choose to continue to keep themselves unwell?  Why would a 43yo mother of 3 choose to eat chips, chocolate, and pizza (delivered to her hospital bed) and drink copious amounts of coke on an almost daily basis, having been diagnosed with diabetes 12 months ago?  Not type 1 diabetes but type 2 - ie controlled by diet and exercise.  Why would this same person, when informed 7 months later that their diabetes had now progressed to type 1 due to their refusal to change their eating habits, again knock back any help with diet and exercise?  Why would this person again refuse assistance upon being told 2 months later that their kidneys were failing and that dialysis would now be required until they decided to take some action, or they died?  And last week, when the person was advised that they were to be discharged as an inpatient, unless they agreed to undertake a fully supported, holistic program to assist the return to better health, why did this person refuse to leave the hospital, when they again refused help???  Why?? I found out why...... and i cannot believe the stupidity. 

Here's a brief summary of the answer i received after asking  my roommate for her reasons for not undertaking the programs offered:

i like to eat what i want and when i want. 

No one tells me what i can and can't do.

I can't afford to eat the crap they want me to eat.

My kids wont eat fruit and vegetables.  I'm not making different meals for me.

I'm too sick to cook food like that.  Takeaway is easier. and cheaper.

I can't do the walking as my back hurts.

I'm not givin' up my smokes or my nights on the piss (drinks a bottle of bourbon a week)

BUT this person expected to be reviewed for the transplant list.  When advised that she did not meet the criteria, could not understand why .....

"if you bastards give me a new fucking kidney and pancreas then i'd be better and none of that crap you tell me i can't do would fucking matter"

"so u think my kids don't deserve a mum?"

"who gives you the right to say who deserves a kidney more?"

No matter how many times she was told that the transplant wouldn't work unless it had a healthy body to work with, she still refused to change her lifestyle.  She left the hospital escorted by security as she refused to be discharged.  She was drinking Coke and eating a tube of Pringles as she was loaded into a wheelchair by 4 security personnel.  She weighed 155kgs.  She wished me well on the way past and offered me a Pringle.....

The next person to take her bed was a transplant recipient.  12 years previously he'd undergone a kidney and pancreas transplant.  He would be dead if he had not received these gifts.  He was doing well and at only 41 had many years left ahead to enjoy living.  My 43 yo DUMBASS roomie will be dead in 5 years, if not sooner.  And whats the bet she asks for help when she's dying from toxicity???? 

This may be harsh but the world is full of ABSOLUTE MORONS like this person.  The hospital ward was full of them.... taking up space in our health system, using resources that could better help someone who is willing to take responsibility for their health and take action to improve it.  It made me angry.  It made me sad........

So i return home grateful for my intelligence and hence, for my health. 

Ohh and my headache is now back to normal!!

Queensland Trip April 2010

Del and i were lucky enough to spend 12 glorious days in Qld earlier this year.  This was the last time i actually felt well so it has lots of good meories health wise for me as well as general holiday memories. :)
We visited my sister and family on the Gold Coast for a few days and then our best friends in the universe further up the east coast, called the Fraser Coast,  Hervey Bay - the whale watching capital of Australia! They had just given birth three days earlier to their first child together so it was uber exciting.  Kirby baby was so excited to see us too. He screamed for 5 days straight!! Poor little man. Poor mum.  Poor Dad. Poor Nanny and Poppy who were visiting too. And poor Auntie Del and Great Auntie La - now affetionately known as GaLa!! haha For those not in the know, a galah is a bird and also what we aussies call someone who does something silly.  An apt nickname for me so i'm told! Here's some pics.  Enjoy. 1. Del and Kirby bonding. 2. Hervey Bay foreshore. had lunch there! 3. the beach next to the pier which is pic 4. the pier is longest pier in Australia at 868m in length.  Yes we walked it.

Gratitude

When I awoke this morning I was in shock. No I didn't win the 30 million in Lotto, or wake up with Rob Lowe in bed beside me. I did have a really good dream though. But the reason I was in shock was way better than either of those. When I opened my eyes, rolled over to check the time on my phone and sat up,I realized I DIDN'T HAVE A HEADACHE! For the first time in 59 days my vision was clear & my head was not throbbing!! And I was awake before lunch time. I had a brilliant morning. What a pleasure it was to read a book, to shower standing up, to go for a walk in the bush over my back fence. I have had a great day. And even though my headache came back I've still had a fantastic day. A few hours headache free gives me the strength & hope to remain positive. To know that I will wake up headache free again.... If not tomorrow then maybe the day after!!

My Miracle

If you'd known me 20 odd years ago at uni you would have voted me least likely person to have been a mother!!!  I was heavily into sport/outdoors, and partying!!  But miracles happen and I've been reminiscing  a little lately, with it being Adele's birthday - the big 20! No longer a teen!!

Apparently you are supposed to forget the pain of childbirth but my memories are still strong today.  It hurt.  A lot. For a long time.  But after 20 years i can laugh at it.  A little. :) I'll spare you the details and just deliver the highlights package! 47 hours of labour. For about 6 of those hours i cleaned my teeth every 20 minutes.  I don't know why, i just had to.  I used a whole tube of toothpaste and wrecked a toothbrush.  The hallway at the hospital was exactly 627 paces long.  At around hour 34 i tried to call a taxi to come collect me as i had had enough and wanted to go home. When Adele finally decided she was ready to do her meet and greet she also decided to start her dance career and do a pirouette, wrapping her cord round her neck.  My obstetrician decided it was time for the big guns and brought out his weapon of mass destruction ie the forceps.  He got himself ready and everything was action stations when he, the doc, felt it was all too much for him and had a little fainting fit on the floor right in the delivery path!!  After many urgent calls a new dr arrived as the first one was literally dragged out.  I wasn't inspired with confidence by my new docs appearance as he'd been called in from milking his cows!! It was about 4.30am.  He was wearing gumboots and a holey old jumper!!  Anyway, he prepared himself, the midwife, braced himself behind the dr and with a huge push from me, a yank from them and a plop from Adele, she came into the world at 4.57am on the 9th August 1990.

After that things are a bit hazy..... i know she was a bit bluish so they took her away for a bit.  I did see her at some point but i'd been awake for two days.  All i wanted to do was sleep!.  Her father went with her and bathed her, cleaned her up a bit and brought her to me where she screamed, i cried and said take her away...how mean of me:(  Later on they sat me on a rubber ring (remember that weapon of mass destruction) in a wheelchair and took me up to see her in the nicu.  She was still screaming.  I didnt like her much at this point.  She was too noisy.  Not much has changed - she talks a lot! I was given her to hold and then the nurse left.  My eyes wouldnt stay open, she finally shut up, and we both drifted off to sleep.  Except i kept dropping her, so i put her on the floor.  Then i went to sleep.  Gosh i was a caring mum :).  Someone eventually found us and growled at me.  I felt like the worlds worst mum and it was only day 1!!
It wasnt until day 3 that i changed her nappy. i assume someone else had been doing this before! i basically slept, ate, fed her, repeat for first 3 days.  After that i think i realised there was a bit more to it!!  Especially when they said i had to leave the hospital.  i did manage to stay for 10 days!!!! lol

But we survived and have made it to 20 years!! who would have thought eh?  And for the record Adele was not going to be an only child.  She was a twin, the other we sadly lost at 20 weeks gestation.  And we did go through GIFT (IVF) when Deli was younger to try for a sibling but it wasnt to be.  So my Deli is a miracle.  One i treasure everyday!!