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RumoursOfMyCompleteDisappearanceHaveBeenGrosslyExaggerated

I know, I know - I haven't updated for a long time. I'm sure you've all coped. Bit sad to see that my month away hasn't had too much activity on the tiki. But I digress...

Yes, I am indeed up in Natal with my family. Many thanks to everyone who has phoned and SMS'd to see how I'm doing and say hi. It is greatly appreciated. I miss you guys stacks. I must also apologise for not being very punctual in my replies - I still have my bad days when I feel particularly anti-social. Anyone who is keen on getting hold of me can also e-mail me at: shelagh@mighty.co.za

I've been trying to keep vaguely busy at home - have been honing my l337 cross-stich sk33l2 and I'm very pleased with the results so far. Yes, shock, horror, Shelagh can actually do domestic, girly things. I knit too ya know. Also been eaing through our account at the local video store watching DVDs and catching up on films I missed on the big screen. But alas since I seem to live in a place where the cinema has no taste Star Wars 3 has not come down here and I may be forced to make a pilgrimage to Durbs to watch it (if it's still on) and Batman Begins. Mmmmmm Christian Bale.

Went caravaning up in Kruger with my parents for about ten days in the middle/end of June. It was very cool. We saw a leopard which was awesome and I went on my first ever night drive. Also 88 different species of bird (ok, well I think that's cool anyhow). We also got charged by an elephant. They've been very stroppy recently because there are too many of them and the park has only had about 200mm of rain since LAST April, so they eat all day and are still hungry. Anyhow, it unfolded as follows. We were driving to a day camp to see the sites and saw a large bull elephant crossing the road about 200m ahead. So we stopped and let him trundle across in peace. We then carried on driving and saw that he had stopped on the side of the road for a nibble. We slowed down and stopped and he flapped his ears and mock lunged at us, so my Dad put the combi into gear and got the camera. Apparently this particular bull elephant was particularly camera shy, because as my Dad did that he came charging properly out of the bushes and we took off with yells from my Mom and I drowning out Dad's protests that it would have made a great picture. Once we had pulled off he decided that it was too much effort to chase us, so turned on the small Jeep behind us and chased it down he road as it frantically reversed at speed. Apparently happy that he was once again Lord over all he surveyed he retired back into the bushes for a snack. The same Jeep passed us a bit later with the lady who was driving chain-smoking away. As my Dad pointed out, at least we weren't towing he caravan, because there is no such thing as speed or easy reversing in that case. It was a very relaxing holiday and much needed for my Dad who hasn't been on holiday for three years. We then spent three nights in the Natal midlands (near the Drakensberg) and it was freezing at night - especially in the caravan !!!!

Well, that's basically my news. Good luck to all the Icon peoples. And I'll try to make an effort to update more often.

Yay Grand Prix tomorrow !!!!

P.S. (Mon 11/7) Just re-read the post and noticed a spelling error and a missing 8 in 88 species of bird (slightly more impressive than 8)

Comment: Welcome Back! (by ElfBoy? on 2005-07-10 13:09:33)

In a manner or speaking. :)

If you have to choose between Batman Returns and Star Wars 3 go with Batman Returns - but you probably know that already.

Leopards are awesome. Many years ago while on a night drive in Timbavati we saw three walking together through the bush. Most odd.

Comment: sounds awesome (by FuzzyTeddy? on 2005-07-10 17:49:09)

I still have to see big cats living wild in person... :-)

Comment: Re: Welcome Back! (by MoonFlake? on 2005-07-12 15:19:44)

well, in a choice between batman returns and SW3? i would have to go with the latter, as the former is somewhat outdated (although don't get me wrong, the keaton-burton collaboration was by far better than the schumacher cash cows).

Batman Begins, on the other hand.... :-D

Comment: Doh! (by ElfBoy? on 2005-07-13 10:26:08)

:)

GreetingsAndAllOfThoseOtherGoodThings

Long time no update. Had a very busy and on occassion traumatic week last week. For those who don't know - I have deregistered from my course and will be heading back up to Natal for a bit before I come back (and you can bet that I will be back).

Having my mom around has actually proved to be pretty cool. Have been hurtling around the place seeing doctors and specialists and have been reffered to yet another one for when I get back up to Natal - my medical aid hates me I'm sure.

Monday was pretty traumatic when my psychiatrist hit me from left field with the notion that I WILL be going home with my mom. Was completely broken after that appointment and spent most of the day curled up in my room.

Then on Friday (skipping through the other crap that happened during the week) I went to see the Neuropsychiatrist that I had been reffered to. You see, when I took my swan dive off the garage roof way back in 1997 I actually damaged my brain, but this was not mentioned to the folks and no treatment. It turns out, now 7 years later that I have damage to my frontal lobe (and one other part that I can't remember) in that the tissue has atrophied and is no longer there. Not a huge chunk - don't get me wrong, but enough that you can see it pretty easily on my CT and MRI scans. So they think that that may be playing a role in my current situation. Hence the referral to the next specialist in Natal to determine if this is so and to what extent. The Neuropsychiatrist was very sweet and seemed very interested - in fact he asked if he could photograph my scans for use in lectures. So at least part of me will be famous...

Have had a pretty crap weekend mood wise and still not feeling great. I'm going to endeavour to see as many people as possible before I leave, but a large gathering will probably freak me out, so apologies if you don't see me - you definitely will when I come back.

Well that's basically me - so ciao. (Haven't spell checked - so deal)

Comment: Sarcasm? (by ElfBoy? on 2005-05-30 18:35:32)

Yikes.

Thankfully our bodies and brains seem to be excellent at re-assiging functionality to other areas.

Scientific enquiry: /. recently linked to an article on how people who have missing frontal cortexes have trouble detecting sarcasm (and generally ascribing motives to the behaviour of others). Have you noticed any of this?

Happy recuperating in Natal :|.

• H

Comment: Pressie (by MoonFlake? on 2005-06-02 10:08:13)

I saw something that reminded me of you so i bought it. Hope i get a chance to give it to you before you leave.

Come visit. We miss you. :-(

Comment: Seconded (by FirstFallen? on 2005-06-02 16:02:01)

Have fun in Natal (if one can :P). Hope to see you before you go, but if not, take care of yourself. Be happy, be safe, and be back soon. huuuuugs :-)

Comment: I hope (by ToothpasteDealer? on 2005-06-03 11:57:31)

To see you in October/November if you're in CT. I still have to buy you a drink from the night after Kait's farewell!! get better soon!

Comment: Hole in the head... (by OOPMan on 2005-06-07 11:46:36)

Ouch, sorry to hear about your brain dilemma. Well, thank goodness the brain is quite adaptive though. Hopefully they'll have you in returnable shape. Good luck :-)

ThingsAboutStuff

Firstly - I miss roleplaying !!!!!!!!!!! {angry} But really haven't been in much of a state to do so or drive out to where it is.

Secondly - Campey and Turner booked tickets to go and see Episode 3 and neglected to include me in their plans. Bitches !!

Thirdley - my mom suprised me on Wed with an SMS that she's coming down for an undisclosed period of time. She arrives in under one hour from now. Part of me think's it'll be really cool to see her and have family around, but the larger part of me is freaking out entirely. I don't want my family to see me like this. I know she's not coming down with the intention of stressing me out, but I am. I won't bore you all with a complex and no doubt fascinating exploration of my paranoia, depression and currently fucked up psyche. You may thank me later.

Well that's all my news - actually haven't been out the house for a while, so that's my news.

OfVagueInterest

Or none at all really.

Just thought I'd make use of Turner's PC and ADSL before he got here. Fortunately my meds haven't kicked in too strong yet because I can actually type without having to focus on stopping my hands from shaking first.

Picked my car up from my flat yesterday and drove it out here to Somerset West in just off peak traffic on the N2 at 6pm. Now that might not seem like a big deal to you guys, but I'm quite proud of myself. Was anxious as all hell once I'd stopped driving, but baby steps.

Anyhow - as you have no doubt gathered by now I have no really exciting news, so I should quit while I'm ahead (or is it behind by now ?). Back to crossword madness - they kept me from being really bored in the clinic and at least keep the synapses firing - even if they sometimes miss.....

TalesFromTheInside

I promised that when I was feeling slightly more coherent that I would regale you all with some tales from the clinic. Before I start I must say that I met some awesome people there - these are just the tales that stand out in memory.

(1)
There was this old guy staying there who for the purposes of the story shall be called Uncle Al. Some of the rooms share bathrooms, so there are interconnecting doors. Two of my friends, Justin and Ricardo, were living in the room directly next door to Uncle Al. One night while Justin was peacefully sleeping Uncle Al came in and started trying to strangle him. They managed to get him off and herd him back to his room. But that was not all that was in store for them that night.... for as Justin and Ricardo both eventuallu slipped back into sleep Uncle Al struck again - same thing, same target (poor Justin). Ricardo managed to pull him off and Uncle Al proceeded to ripe the chain (with great personal meaning) from Ricardo's neck. Fortunately Ricardo had enough self control not to hit an old man. I must say that after the two of them moved rooms Uncle Al did apologise (he was more coherent by then - think the meds were kicking in). Now Uncle Al at the beginning spent most of the day sitting or sleeping on one of the many comfy chairs that are set about for patients and for when visitors arrive. The particular chair that Uncle Al favoured was directly on one of the landings that was my only route to my room. One night when Dave42 and Mels were visiting we were sitting in those chairs and Uncle Al opened the door, looked at me and sai "You've been watching me." GULP ! I denied all knwledge of this and after telling him what date it was he seemed satisfied that I was not out to get him. He got better as the days passed, but two days before I left he took one of the wooden chairs and threw it off the balcony onto the fountain and then apparently stood there holding the remains up in some strange sort of victorious manner (I don't know, maybe the chair had been watching him ;-)). So there end the tales of Uncle Al.

(2)
Board games are a wonderful way to pass time in the real world and a confined environment. 30 seconds being played by people who are on a variety of combinations of medication becomes a fascinating experience to both watch and be part of. It became fondly known as 60 seconds - because the timer was half done by the time whoever reading the card's synapses had managed to identify the words and then start giving hints. Still managed to win a number of games :-D.

(3)
There was the strange guy who would pace up and down outside in the garden and then walk over to the main gate and try to open it with his room cupboard key. He would then give up and wander away again, then wash, rinse, repeat. We toyed with the idea of telling him that there was an escape passage underneath one of the pot plants, but decided that that would probably be cruel.

Those are the three main ones - apologies if you've already heard them or don't find them funny (I do). Also apologies for the writing - meds are really messing with my cognitive abilities.

Still trying to get better - so no real updates about what I've been up to.

Catch you on the flipside.

Comment: Whackety whack... (by OOPMan on 2005-05-17 08:50:50)

It in the immortal words of some dead gangsta:

That's some whack sheit!