BUSY BUSY BUSY week and weekend and Robyn!

This week was month-end and it felt like a rough one at that!!!! Bad luck for first full week back! Also managed to get to gym once at least, Was hard on muscles but lungs were handling it the same as pre-pseudomonas. So that's good! Was pretty sore and very tired for two days after that but it's part of the going-back process! Need to get there twice next week!

Robyn has been visiting us since Thursday from East London for this weekend's SATSA meetings (SA Transplant Sports Association). Been great catching up with her again, haven't seen her since April this yer in Cape Town! We met at my first National Games in 2008 (she received a kidney a month after I got my lungs) and it was her first National Games too. At our first World Games in Australia we shared a room (the most AMAING apartment.... "room" doesn't quite do it justice) and the rest in history...

WTG 2009 Australia...

WTG 2011 Sweden ...

WTG 2013 Durban...

2015 SATSA Management Committee Meeting...

Today's meeting went well, was really positive and feeling inspired again. Unfortunately I missed the 2015 WTG, but Nationals will be held in Joburg next year and we have a Mancom meeting in April, so will be seeing her in April again yay.

Friends forever!

Argentina FOMO and countdown to birthday.

So the WTG 2015 started this week in Mar Del Plata. I've known realistically since the 2013 Games that I wouldn't be there. At the 2013 Games my lung function was 69%. I played squash and did the 3km race walk. The walk went fairly well, achieved my personal best time. The squash was harder though. Even though the altitude helped a lot, I struggled to keep up and would have probably had a better outcome if I were able to run more and had more energy. So now with lung function in the low 40's I know I wouldn't even be able to play for 15 mins without wanting to pass out and die. Being at a MUCH higher altitude in Joburg, I haven't actually even touched a squash racquet again since that day. I miss it.

We also would not have been able to do the Argentina trip AND the California trip, and I know we experienced much more in California and had way more fun, as well as a longer holiday. So the right choice was definitely made. But seeing the pics on Facebook does kind of make me sad, as I know that the next Games in 2017 will also be out of the question health-wise. We could maybe go and support and make it part of a holiday, but as far as competing goes it's highly doubtful. I've lost almost 30% lung function since the last games... and I know I have stabilised, but there is not much left for me to lose if I even just want to go as a supporter. So sadly I think my participating career is over. I might still take part in some less strenuous items at Nations next year (which will be in Joburg and that I will have to help to organise).

So this past weekend I did something that I've been procrastinating since 2009.... I mounted my medals in display boxes that I found at @Home. I think it looks pretty cool, and beats all the memories just rotting in a shoe box. Now I just need to get them up on the wall.

This weekend we're off to Dullstroom with the family (2 family trips in one month!!), and on Monday it's my birthday. Let's hope it's a good one. Have a good weekend

My American Twin!

Just realised I haven't blogged about Anna yet! Check out her blog here (I've also added it to my blog-roll). We started communicating via Facebook a few months before the Games, she received her lungs 22 Nov 2010 and also has CF. Was great to meet her in person!! I think we look like siblings! She also brought me some Starbucks coffee from the US and beach sand from California where she's from. Hoping to see her in the flesh in Argentina again in 2015!

Tomorrow is 5 years 7 months with the tantrum-throwing/ diva-like (at the moment) breathers! Hoping the photopheresis will discipline them back to proper lung function!! Oh, and I haven't mentioned that we're going to Swaziland this weekend! (It's a different country surrounded by South Africa) At least then I get to have one stamp in my passport this year!!

Pics of Gala Dinner and donor memorial ceremony where I spoke

Here are some more pics of the Games, and I'm in the music video for the official song! See the video on You Tube here. (footage from Sweden)

 

Race Walk - Gold medal!

Despite picking up a cold in the last few days I managed to beat my personal best time and get a gold medal for the 3km  race walk!Very happy about that! All age groups walked together but got awarded medals seperately. See pics below!

More WTG pics