The facts from this week

I'm off to Durban tomorrow for the weekend. I will visit my gran, who had a mastectomy on Monday. She only found out on Friday that she needed one, so it's been a shock.

The op went well and we're just waiting for the histology reports. My granddad has been beside himself - he lost his first wife (my biological gran) to cancer after a marriage of more than 40 years. I was still in primary school at the time. It was very sudden - she had a stroke, they found out she was riddled with cancer and days later she was gone.

Understandably, he's terrified that this could happen again. He's a little more relaxed now that the op is over, but he has bronchitis at the moment, which is no joke when you're 85. I need to see them to feel ok.

Of course, having booked flights, I've now come down with the head cold from hell and I'm worried about passing on my bugs to either of them. I have downed Med Lemon, Panado, Nurofen, Strepsils etc (not all at the same time!), but am just as miserably sick and battling to breathe. I am eating oranges (when what I really feel like is all the cheesy stuff that's especially bad and mucous-producing), rubbing on Vicks VapoRub and staying in bed. Hopefully I'll be ok by the time we fly tomorrow.

It's been an especially busy week, with assignments from old clients and an exciting new one (thank you, Jeanette - I owe you for this recommendation), which are all (of course) urgent. On top of that, there's other family stuff, friends going through really rough times and some other stuff that doesn't get discussed here.

On the bright side (and there is always one), I'm looking forward to spending my dad's birthday with him and my mom on Saturday, and TSC and I are busy planning a bathroom renovation (very exciting, but probably insane, seeing I work from home and will be witness to every bit of dust and noise). Our church small group is also partnering with an incredible adoption organisation to help them refurbish the homework rooms where the kids work. I love that sort of stuff.

Life is crazy. But I am still here. Until tomorrow. Then you won't hear from me till after Durban.

Have a good one.

Writing this from my bed

Don't be too jealous. I have confined myself to bed to try to get better before I really get sick. I have a horrid sore throat, throbbing headache and blocked ears, so it's lots of Med-Lemon for me, a scarf around my neck and an afternoon of trying not to let the laptop overheat on the bed covers while I work.

Seems to be working so far. Orange Strepsils (brand of throat lozenges) are awesome. So are lazy cats who keep me company and leftovers from last night's oxtail stew. Yum!

Less awesome is the fact that work needs to be done and I can't just spend the afternoon sleeping the sickness away.

It also feels a bit weird to be in bed without requiring a doctor's note for the boss. I almost feel guilty for not having permission to be sick ;-)