Last Day...!!!

Well this is it...after the delays due to the flooding down in Picton this is the final day...!!! And although I am looking forward to going home and being in my own bed, there have been some nice memories that I will take me with me and unfortunately not many of you will understand,. unless you have had to stay at Margaret Stewart House, and although I wouldn't wish it on any of you maybe it's something you should experience when reassessing what's important...??? (Very deep I know but it is my last day here...!!!)

There are lots of people that I need to thank for their support through out the 3 months I stayed here,. Thanks to everyone for allowing me to "vent" my thoughts each week, it is quite theraputic and helped me to reflect on my week and some of the funny things that happened. (go to my blog site and read the past reports...!!!) The residents here made my stay very comfortable and I met some great people (yes Chrissy and Jeanette that means you two get a mention...!!!!), hopefully I'll get to see them again sometime. By the way thanks Chrissy, your advice about going to Kenny's was great, I went there nearly every 2nd day over the past two weeks for a good decent steak, or pork chops they were the best AND they shouted me coffee and dessert on my last visit to them. (Of course I uesed the 3 months in hospital card...!!!

My sister who must be the information Centre for our family, still a family needs that person or else how else would her brothers know what each other is doing. Poor old Helen she gets a double dose of information via e-mail and when I call her and Allan to get a "Picton Update". And Fi, thank you sweetheart for always ringing every week, always good to know that there is someone out there who thinks ya "Special". And of course Edwina and her volunteers, always efficient and always ready to hand out out good advice and assistance. And of finally the girls in the renal unit, I know it was tiring for me over the 3 months, I just hope I wasn't too draining on them after all they had to put up with me for 3 months, EVERY DAY...!!!! It was always nice to know I could go and interrupt them in the office and chat. Recovery is more than just about the treatment you receive, but also how it's administered. Thank you for your patience and understanding although to be perfectly honest with you I was a model patient...!!!!

I apologise to anyone if I have missed out certain people believe me it isn't deliberate...!!!

Well next time I e-mail you all hopefully it'll be from Picton....!!! Take care


Harry





P.S. Saw Mamma Mia and Batman in the weekend two totally different movies but both very good...!!!

Buggar...!!!

Well all packed, and planes are leaving on time, nurse all set to go...UNFORTUNATELY....because of the storm that hit the country and the advice from Marlborough District Council to boil water, it wasn't advisable to go home right now and risk contamination and then infecting myself with dirty water...!!!!
So it wasn't my fault, as I said to everyone...I'M FINE....!!!!
So it's another few days here at Margaret Stewart House trying to think of things to do....at least I know I have a nice clean room because I spent the whole day cleaning it...!!! And I spent the last few days celebrating so now I am not too sure what more to do in Wellington...oh well...!!!
Still waiting on those old e-mails Dave, if ya got them...I can post them onto my blog site....and be a real nerd...!!!
Cross fingers I leave on Sunday, but it's gonna be a day by day thing....!!!

Harry

Last Week...woo hoo...!!!

Well, after the disappointment of last nights test, there is some good news. It's my last week here, and all though this has been an experience where I met a lot of interesting people and even given me an appreciation for what I still have to offer, It is going to be great to be back home, watch my own programmes, knowing that I can only annoy and upset myself.Fly back home on Thursday and the machine should hopefully be installed by the technicians then. On Friday one of the nurses fly down to see me needle for the first time.It has been bitterly cold here as I guess it has been all around the country. There are only three people here this weekend, which I don't mind personally. Last week I cooked a roast which was large enough to feed 6 people plus seconds or thirds, too bad that I was only feeding 3...!!! On Thursday we had lunch put on for us by E.F.T.P.O.S (a part of National Bank) and tomorrow (Monday) we are going to Cinderella on Ice as the residents were given free tickets. I thought I'd go as it was free, apparently I will be going as a caregiver for one of the cancer patients as it was supposed to be just for the cancer residents here at Margaret Stewart House. So I should look for a tails,top hat and gloves...!!! Like I said a very quiet weekend, I learnt how to cook peanut brownies no one to share them with though, and maybe (A strong maybe), if I do start to go a bit stir crazy I could make some for morning tea when I get back home...!!!Been playing cards with the residents, euchre and 500, got a say not as noisy as when I watched my aunties and uncles playing when i was growing up but was a lot of fun.Still have to go on the Cable Car, only have this week to do it, tried to go on it last week but it was busy so didn't. Went onto an old cruise ship down at the wharf this week. It is doing a world cruise and selling books, mainly christian books, still very interesting and the Maritime museum was a lot better than I thought it would be. Finally received a response from WINZ amazing how quick they are to respond when you put them onto someone with a title to their name. Anyway the resulting letter was satisfactory still not overly impressed though.Had a visit from my cousin last Friday, it was nice to catch up with Matt and saw my sister on Sunday. but that is about as busy as it got this weekend.Well that's it for now, I'll see some of you when I get back to Picton, some of you I may never see for a while. Thanks to everyone for allowing me to e-mail, it was very theraputic for my own well being. Makes you look back at your own week and have a laugh at some of the funny events and characters that you meet especially over these past three months. Hmmmm if anyone happened to have all my e-mails I would love to re-read them...!!! Take Care (And as I keep saying to everyone who asks...I AM FINE ...!!!) Harry

A week closer to finishing and I can't remember is this week 9 or 10...????

Well another week down and another week closer to finishing. The good news is they have given me a finishing date, my last day should be Friday 1st August, the technicians are going down to Picton on the 31st July to install the machine, so the end is in sight, although to be perfectly honest with you the training finished about 2 weeks ago. It is interesting to note that one other person here tried to do the every day training bit but found it hard going after two weeks, it became information overload. I do understand how he feels it is not for everyone, it does take a bit of patience and a fair bit of commitment, you need the will and strength of a Superman...errrrrrr...a bit like me really...!!!!! But seriously I do understand how he feels. He's now back to 3 days a week.

Went up to the Wairarapa in the weekend, which was pretty cool. Never been over on the train before. Caught up with Ian and Liz two friends from Teachers College. Ian's looking a bit greyer around the hair and has two children. Which is funny because I just look...well....mature...!!! What was amusing was that Liz and Ian are only a few houses away from each other and they didn't discover that until I came over for a visit. See that is what the world is all about, getting out and meeting our neighbours...!! It was great to catch up with them.

Had a visit from Dayle and Dave in the weekend, so it was an early train back from Masterton to catch up. It was a great train trip back and it was nice to have those few hours of catching up, and at least now some others know what I am talking about whenever I mention Margaret Stewart House.

Yesterday went out to Porirua to catch up with my sister and her daughters birthday, so it was great to have some "proper" food. Chinese Smorgaseboard can't beat it...!!!! Who knew you could combine Asian food with European tradition...!!! Anyways it was back home on Monday night for a well earned rest, which I had to have after listening to my nieces choice of music on her cd player. Not one Abba track, or Eagles song....standards have dropped. (Errr if you're reading this over your mothers shoulder, I was just kidding...but...the odd Eagles track wouldn't hurt.)

Last week besides going to my old Teachers College on Wednesday, the following day I took the train up to Paraparaumu, why ???? Because I could...!!! It was a beautiful day and going up the coast made it even nicer This Thursday it is two dollar day, you just pay two dollars to go on the train between the hours of 9 am and 3 p.m so I am planning a train trip.

I have yet to tick off several things here in Wellington:

• The Cable Car



• Train to Johnsonville



• The Zoo



• The pools (Not sure if Wellington or Porirua yet)



• Apparently Weta Workshop (Dave said it's free and if I have a spare 5 mins)



• Take the buses all around Wellington and then to Lower Hutt (Only cost 5 dollars for a day tripper)



• And if I really feel ok maybe go to Parliament buildings and the beehive.

Speaking of Parliament I have now e-mailed my MP with a copy of my letter that I handed over to WINZ saying that they have not yet replied to my letter, asking if the could seek a response. I received a reply back from the MP's secretary say she would look into it. So already they have done more in terms of action than WINZ has so await the reply with a lot of interest. Phew, just when I thought I had nothing to say I bore ya with all that lot up above. Oh well. full of energy gotta go do something. (Don't take that as a hint that I'll be full of energy when I get back...!!!)

Harry

Two weeks to go...!!!

Well can't believe that the end is near, just under two weeks to go and although I have been very fortunate to be in Margaret Stewart House I really am ready to go home. I am beginning to feel a little on edge now and feel I need to be a little bit more patient with people, not there fault just my frustration of seeing others going home even for the weekend and me still stuck here. Anyway life still goes on and there are still things to keep me amused. I can tick off the day trip on the bus it was great. I saw a lot of different places on the day around the bus. I had success with my MP with regards to WINZ, only 30 minutes after receiving a phone call from the M.P.s secretary I received another call this time from the WINZ supervisor. Needless to say that I will be getting a letter from her within the next few days and she would love to set up a meeting with her discuss the issues. Would she be so forthcoming if I had called her myself....I doubt it...!!!! I was bored, I think I signed up to greenpeace, oh well I will need to check my next visa statement...!!!! Tonight I had a cooked a roast dinner, which could've fed 10 people, too bad I was only feeding, so a few micro-waved dinners and sandwiches coming up for a few days. Last week I started on dialysis after hours when all the nursing staff had gone. That felt quite strange having to do it by myself with no one else around, but I managed without too much trouble. When I go back to Picton next Thursday it will be different again in a new environment. It brings it own situations that I will need to figure out once the machine is put in. Goal is to get on the cable car this week and maybe the ferry across to Eastbourne, we'll see. It has been good to have something to aim for during the week, maybe that's how life should be, setting goals and being able to reach them. Well that's enough of philosophy. Gonna go....

Harry

Week 7

Well 7 weeks gone now, isn't it...I can't remember...and another week closer to going home. Went back to Picton last week to do a quick job at home for the hospital so was only there Wednesday night Thursday afternoon and flew back that night. Nice to see the kids and see staff at school and have a quick catch up, also great to be in my own bed.
On Saturday I got picked up and went to the Springbok vs New Zealand test at the cake tin. Great atmosphere it was great game too, would like to see it on tv though just to see how it looked but oh well.

Dialysis is going well no problems with the needling infact I have been keeping to my usual sleeping pattern and getting up at 6 am and setting up the machine (takes about 30 to 40 minutes) and then back to my room for a shower then breakfast before returning to get on the machine before 8 am, that means I am off early so I have the rest of the day free. Unfortunately next week I start dialysis at 2 pm for 5 hours bur it's only every second day so that's good. The thoery is to make me more independenmt so won't be relying on the nurses to assist me. The way it's going I am just about on the machine in the morning before they get here anyway...!!! Went on the bus this afternoon after treatment to have a look at where I trained for becoming a teacher. The place hasn't changed too much at least not on the outside and not too much on the outside, brought back lots of wonderful memories. Went and had a look at the marae that we opened in my final year as a student and had a look at the house where I stayed as a student, lots of great memories. Might look at taking some trips on the cable car and city ferries, haven't done that before. Not too much more to report hope you're having a wonderful holiday, if you're teaching...and if you're not.....sorry...!!!





Harry

Week 6

Well 6 weeks gone and after the emotions of last week and the kidney transplant, unfortunately the week didn't get any better. Two days off the dialysis machine due more to the fact of not being able to get the needle in the arm, has meant a slight loss of confidence, so that has held me back a little bit and I don't want to go home until I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH PUTTING THE NEEDLES IN...!!!! By the way the words aren't in capital letters for effect it's just that I knocked the caps lock and can't be bothered retyping...!!!!

Anyway it is really cold and wet here today as you may well see on the News, so I was up early and made two chocolate cakes with chocolate icing. I helped to pass the time and all the residents here got to share the cake, although I am noticing that some are having more than their fare share and don't share back. Obviously I am typing this while making sure that no one is looking over my shoulder. Or maybe I am becoming too fussy now and have been here to long that I actually believe that I have every right to do what I like...!!!!

Anyway a new week this week and it's back to the drawing board getting my confidence back up with the needling of my arm, it's not that I can't do it, it's the fact that I am becoming too tentative that I might make a mistake, funny that all these problems only occured after Monday nights issue with the transplant. Need to refocus and try not to become too cocky or blase about what I am doing. Last week of term this week, a short term, even shorter for me I guess.



Anyway that's it for now, bye for now.



Harry