Greetings from a 'warm' Ireland

Saturday 9 October’10


Good day to all, family and friends!
It is with sadness that we as family remember our dear cousin and friend Aggie Dewey who passed away earlier in the week! Our sympathies to her children, grand children and family. We remember her always smiling and ready to help!
For family members that do not know, Aggie was the daughter of our dear tante Hetta van Breda, who was a sister to my father( Gerrie Eloff).Elsje is her sister and Hurter her brother(Hanlie in Dar Es’father.)
Weather pattern has gone high-wire this week. The AZORES get the blame for everything but I am not sure where this warm southerly winds have their origin from but instead of having the start of winter everything has been delayed, temperatures are daily above 15 and do not drop below 10 at night. Forecast for today when the fog lift will be 21 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!Hope sincerely the sun manages to get through!
The week past had its ups and downs. It seems unfair that your own tooth can poison you but that is exactly what happened to me! I never do anything in half measures, I go full-out! This famous tooth going back 18 months, lost its filling and I mentioned that it was going to be removed by a Specialist Oral Surgeon on Thursday but to spice things up a bit I started to feel unexplainably awful on Monday afternoon just before my rest prior to going to work that night. Thought nothing of it and shrugged the rigors off as tiredness.[I cleaned the house that morning without my faithful Dirty Devil( the vacuum cleaner)as it gave notice and I swept all the carpets with the broom. You kind of have to clean the carpets even if you do not get the dust out as we live in the country and we walk in every possible kind of muck, mud, stones, goose manure etc.]When I got up after shivering for 2 ½ hrs in bed, under a winter duvet, with severe pain over the liver area nausea out of this world, I realize something is drastically wrong! Between spasm I phoned the surgeon who did the lap choli and he said to get to the hospital a.s.a.p. with a temp of 38.2(my normal temp is usually 35.6).
They were once again wonderful in helping me, I jumped the queue and was attended to almost immediately.! Every possible blood test was done blood gasses you name it and then when the doctor eventually stopped to take the history, as I know stopped vomiting and could converse, they realised that I was toxic from the infection in the tooth and that the Erythromycin (allergic to Penicillin) which I took made me sick and did nothing for the tooth infection! Realizing that I have an appointment for Thursday they immediately started on Intra Venous Antibiotics, there I found myself as sick as a dog with temperatures flying between 39-40 for the 1st 24 hrs with every joint aching and every muscle sore. It felt as if the toxins were pouring from my skin, I felt sticky and smelly with the most awful taste in my mouth, no toothpaste or mouth rinse helped! Thank the Lord that they picked it up quick enough and by Thursday morning 6am I received the last 3 doses prescribed antibiotic via the 3rd cannula inserted during these few days. I had no usable veins left by then.
Barry picked me up from the hospital at 10am and we were 1½ hrs early for the appointment. I looked at the clock in the surgeon’s treatment room and at 12.35 the tooth was out!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could not believe it! My first ever tooth to be pulled!
He only takes out difficult teeth and impacted teeth. He knew exactly what to do and did it well! I kept on bleeding for a while as I was on Clexane (prevents clots) while in hospital, but eventually could go to bed at eleven that night knowing that my ordeal was over! Snuggled up to my own pillow and slept through the night!
Apart from the enormous gap in my teeth (no one can see it, I just know about it) I have recovered100% and take care of mouth washes and salt water rinses. religiously!
I thank all my South African friends who visited and brought lovely gifts and essentials like rooibostea!
Back home Barry came to a stand-still; he does not re-act well on me being hospitalized! He stayed at the phone in case I may call, He did look after his geese children but that was all. He also cooked for himself and survived.
Yesterday he performed all the tasks of the week in one day, while pulling out the straw for the geese he noticed a strange brown prickly ball under the straw? A Hedgehog, all curled up and fast asleep! We do not know how long he /she have been there? We thought it was too early for hibernation and as they forage usually during the night we hoped that he was just resting. Fortunately Barry did not poke him with the garden fork! Where there is one there will be another one, they usually stay in pairs! Lovely! The grass was also cut after nearly 3 weeks of growth; it was just too wet to dare go into the forest! It looks lovely today, cared for and manicured! The “ Estate”( which is about 2 acres) is in good shape! We do not say anything about the baskets or pot plants. The orchid with the 3 stems of flowers is in process of opening, I am so exited!!!! The hothouse plants are flourishing!
The sale of the Hospital to VMF Group made the front page of the Westmeath Examiner, the local paper and the rumour going round is that this man Mark Gordon has €10million to spend to make this a state of the art hospital and clinical facility! Great news!!!!! He must have kept the money under the bed because it definitely did not come from a bank!?
On the political front all is not kosher, they fight with each other, with the opposition, with back benchers and with the voters the enormous amounts of money that has been squandered is unbelievable, and no one is to blame and the whole world is laughing at this Buffoon Government with a Prime Minister that has lost the respect of the country! Very sad! I can understand why Paul urges us to pray for those in power as they do need it desperately!
Tomorrow crowns the week!!! The very best day out of 7!!!! All the hymns are well practised and we are looking forward to the next soul enriching sermon. It is unbelievable that we here in Corboy parish are so privileged to have a man of God, gifted with scripture explanation and in my life time I have heard many a preacher and good ones believe me, but this man is exceptional. I have urged him to let me have the last series of sermons in a word document but he is so humble, he feels it is not good enough!
Well my special prayers go to 3 families, and they will know who they are- that the work started in the hearts of members of these families it will grow and flourish under the care of the Holy Spirit. Those who are feeling that life is unfair and those who feel that they cannot cope! Trust and obey!
Mother and son got through the 1st week of separation and Amanda were challenged with now being a mother, partner and house-wife. PF(Finbarr) is working very hard and long hours and we pray for success in his business, Little Lukas enjoys the attention of devoted women, young and older and flourish apparently under it all! He is just smiles when he gets home, eats well and sleeps well! Model child!
Birthdays are my friend Linda today, Hildegard on the 12th and Jaco van M the 14th.
May you have a wonderful, happy day and may the year ahead be filled with good experiences, many surprises, joy and good health!!!!!
Always lovely to hear from those who write regularly and those who does not write so often!
Take care of your safety, home, road and where-ever you find yourselves. We were devastated by the shootings at Northgate.
The Commonwealth Games shows SA with 7 gold medals! We are very proud!
Warm regards from us in Cranleymore!
Barry & Christina Dunne