There has been a lot of hype regarding Mr Obama’s visit to SA these last few days. Especially since Mandela has been so ill.
There has been talk about the similarity between them. Being the first black presidents of their countries.Even though I think Obama had so much hope during the start of his term in office,reality may have been different.
I do not for one moment think that Mr Mandela would have condoned Guantanamo Bay or kept it open until now.
Do you really believe that Mandela would allow innocent people to be killed thousands of kilometers away by drones calling it collateral damage.
Do not paint them by the same brush….the task they each faced as they began their presidencies was not easy. Yet they did not face their challenges with the same moral compass.
Mr Mandela did not kill his enemies children hoping to change the tide of hatred against his people.
I do not have any animosity against America or her people.
And I do hope peace will be found.
Month: June 2013
Mr Nelson R Mandela
Mr Mandela has spent almost 19 nights in hospital. He is 94 yrs of age. He has been suffering with recurrent lung infections. With his history of TB and working on the the lime quarries at Robben Island it really does not look good.
We all wish that he could live forever,he is a Giant amongst man. There are those who are indifferent to him. Those that still call him a terrorist.
Do not forget that this man was incarcerated for 27 yrs fighting for a democratic South Africa. Yet he walked out of prison forgiving his captors. He steered a country on the brink of a civil war to peace. Without him there would be no democracy.
I do agree that the current government has maybe lost its way. And I only pray that one day soon they will learn from their mistakes. But I am tired and fed up hearing previously advantaged people tell me that I was better off during the years of apartheid.
Get the hell of your high horses and shut up. Yes SA has problems,and yes they are huge. But don’t for one moment tell me I was better off without a vote. Without the right to a good equal education. Without the right to walk on the best beaches or visit certain restaurants. Without the right to live where I pleased.
Even though I may have lost all hope in the current ANC I will not forget that they helped me get my vote.
And in these last days of our Madiba’s life I wish him peace. I wish his family strength. As it could not have been easy to share this great man with the nation and the world. I just wish they can be afforded the privacy to spend these days with their father alone,as watching your loved one slip away must be the hardest most painful experience anyone could endure.
Hope
No matter how down you are,no matter how low you feel.
No matter how sad,or lonely.
No matter what people say or do…
It is you who shapes your future.
For me there is always hope…
For me I have found peace and love.
Medicine (Part Two)
My mum had her final operation for her perma-Cath in the last weeks of September. It was always a really painful procedure. Yet when I fetched her the morning after she was in such good spirits that I was surprised.
My daughter and her chatted happily in the car when I went to collect her meds and chat to the nursing staff. The surgeon was concerned because there was a nasty infection on her operation site and prescribed a strong antibiotic.
When we got home I got her into bed,gave her the meds….she looked so well. I was pleased.
The next day she complained that her tummy was sore,and that she felt nauseous. And she thought it was the antibiotic. I told her that she needed to take it as it was important!
Two days later she looked much weaker,and could barely keep any food down. We went to her doctor,who checked her up and said the same. It’s the infection….don’t stop the meds!
A week later,she was barely able to walk on her own. The doctor said the infection must have spread because she was not taking her meds on time.
On the Sunday morning almost two weeks after the operation,we rushed her to casualty. She was in extreme pain. And had a fine purple rash on her body. The trauma doctor phoned her nephrologist….they decided to give her a dose of the antibiotic intravenously to KILL the bug. Her doctor did not come in to examine her.
That evening another dose of the antibiotic was administered.
When her doctor finally came to see her in ICU on the Monday morning he realized his fatal error.
She had Steven Johnson Syndrome
A serious and fatal reaction to the antibiotic.
They had killed her. She passed away two days later.
Medicine
This flu season has been really trying. My entire family has had bouts of the flu and colds that just seem to linger.
My 13yr old son was hit by a bug last Monday. He came home from school sluggish and listless. But no accompanying runny nose and cough. I gave it a day and took him to the doctor on Tuesday.
My main concern was a consistently high fever of about 39.5C.
The doctor said it was just a bad flu. He needed bed rest. And a prescription for Tamiflu and pain meds. That night was bad…the fever returned soon,but was followed by severe stomach cramps.
I just prayed and hoped that it would improve.
But it didn’t. The next night was worse. He was now throwing up, and barely able to get out of bed.
I called the doctor and explained my concerns. I know that abdominal cramps is a side effect of Tamiflu,especially in kids. And more worrying was that the fever was not breaking.
My son actually looked worse than on day one.
The doctors advise was DON’T stop the Tamiflu. And just give some Buscopan for the cramps.
I was conflicted….he is the doctor,but every fibre in my body said NO! He is wrong.
This time unlike when my mum was ill I listened to my instinct. The next day I took my very weak son to another Doctors Rooms. I pleaded and performed for an appointment. I wasn’t leaving until I got another opinion.
Here I found a doctor that listened to my concerns. He agreed that the fever should have subsided with the meds if it was just flu. My poor sick son endured a few really painful injections,and was prescribed a strong antibiotic. Not even three hours later my son was feeling better. He was recovering.
I am no fan of antibiotics,but they save lives!
And last but not least…even though my faith in the medical profession is in tatters. There are some really awesome doctors out there that go the extra mile.
Being a grown up.
Do you remember being a kid?
Turning thirteen was the start,it was all fun times ahead. High school was a blast. We were going to rule the world at eighteen. Invincible at twenty one.
When did you feel like a grown up! When you graduated high school or was it after uni?
It all seems to change at the next step.Life got harder…university was not the breeze we expected.
Work was fun,but the responsibilities made it challenging. Not long after relationships got more complicated. Marriage and kids followed.
And nothing makes you wake up and smell the roses quite like having kids. We have come so far…we’ve accomplished so much,conquered our fears.
But have we grown up?
Have I grown up?
Yes I have,because in all my journeys to date my parents stood beside me.
Today even though I am not alone. I do not have them before me.
Today I stand strong and wiser than yesterday.
My mother's passing. 