Hey everybody!!
My dad is now safe at home.
Today I went to see my doctor, J. A. Louw, and I can go back to school on Monday the 11th!!! Dr Louw says that my surgery was perfect. My back is looking good, despite a fall I had a few weeks ago.
To Chantelle: I hope you enjoy my blog, but the earliest entries are on the bottomad you can click on "older posts"
I miss your guys' comments, and I'd love to hear from you.
Hanli

Hi everybody! Sorry for not updating in a long while because on Friday (17 September 2010) my dad was rushed to Wilgeheuwel Hospital after coming home in hysterics in his kombi. My mom left us at home and rushed him to the hospital, where the doctors thought it was a stroke, but really it was a tumor on the brain that had begun bleeding. My aunt Runicka picked us up at home. We were going to sleep over at her house with her three children Tristan, Cayla and Rheece until Monday. My dad was sent for a MRI scan, Where they put you in this tunnel thing for a long time and use magnetic fields to scan your body. Before my operation I was in it for 40mins and my dad was in it for 20mins. The tumor was on the left side of his brain so his right hand was "dead" (he could move it but couldn't feel it). It was quite deep in but in an "easy to operate" spot. I visit him often. The first time I saw him he was in ICU.

 His ICU was nice and peaceful and quiet whereas mine was noisy and there was a guy with kidney probems screaming zulu swearwords and the nurses were laughing loudly. It was not nice!  

My dad could move around and everything except he had a fancy looking drip (with tonnes of blue and grey clips and bits on it) a drain in his hand, a drain in his head, a catheter and a big bandage wrapped around his head.
20 september 2010 (the day before yesterday) he came out of the ICU and stood up for the first time. 21 September he was still doing well and had a tonne of visitors. I also recorded my brother Jacques concert for him as he couldn't be there. But it hasn't been a very good year, first with me, then my dad, my Aunt (she had a cracked hip and as her bones are very brittle from cancer it was a serious operation). Our 42yr old helper at home lost her baby too, so it's not the best year ever.

Hey everyone sorry about no photos in a long while so here are some:
Me being wheeled into the hall for my final x-rays before I go home, as you can see the balloons are still attached! A little girl was crying in the x-ray waiting room and when she saw me she just stared!

My first day home: When I got home my friends Ashley and Jade were waiting for me and I was so happy I burst into tears!

Here is a photo of my friend Arya, my brother and me, I missed her birthday so we celebrated at my house!

My cousin came to visit: This was before I had the courage to sit down!

This is the second time my cousin visited and then she showed me Funny Cat Video on Youtube. I was laughing so much it was sore!

Hey everyone! Here are photos of my first "trip" to Lifestyle.

Hi everyone! On the 1st of August, I went on my first outing!! I went to lifestyle, a garden Nursery, because there are lots of benches there!! Since then I have gone on quite a few outings, one to my dad's favourite coffee shop Cafe Fino, who kindly refused that we pay, Thanks very much, Cecilia!! That same day we also ran into my school principal, but luckily we had my x-rays! Yesterday my dad and I went to buy us a new camera as we enjoy taking photos and our current camera is usless! On Sunday we went to my grandma's house and I managed to get some cool photos of my brother, Jacques with my mom's camera. I now possess some of the only photos of my brother smiling!! Thanks everyone! Bye Hanli
PS: I'll upload photos next time, I don't have a lot on my mom's computer.

Hi everyone!! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I am doing very well, and walking up stairs as if it's nothing. I'm standing up by myself now, but still need to work on lying down. Chante, my old "Wardmate" is also dong well and she can stand and lie down by myself. Just want to say: My X-rays look super weird to me. I think they'll make quite a cool shirt, for a fancy dress party, or halloween or something. With The "before" x-ray on the front and the "after" x-ray on the back, Don't you think? Thanks to everyone who's visited me and I am still enjoying my visits! Thank you all! Bye, From Hanli XXX PS: Maretha; I'm missing your jokes! See you in two months!

DAY 8: Friday 09 July 2010

Maretha showed me how to go to the bathroom.  Since the catheter was removed, I have to go when I got to go...  Last night I even brushed my teeth, but then felt really dizzy and Sister Bets had to come and help out, water in my face and all...It gave me a bit of a dent in my confidence.  This morning, I'm feeling a bit down.  I cried when they gave me my anti-blood clotting injection (which is a bit better now that its in my thigh and not around my belly button anymore).   I am missing my roommate... At least I am standing up having my breakfast.  I was told that I have to sway from side to side (the Madiba shuffle) to ensure that my calf muscles keeps the blood pumping back up.  Not a happy chappy today.

DAY 7: Thursday 08 July 2010

Today my roommate goes home!  She came over to me to say goodbye herself.  She bought me a fluffy bunny - thanks Chante!!!  You were really special to me and my inspiration to get up and walk the walk as you did it.  Without you and Maretha, I am sure it would have taken me much longer to get going...

Although Chante can almost walk to the hospital entrance, you have one last ride in your bed.  Chante waves us goodbye...

Nurse Louisa, Staff Candy and Nurse Tiny making up fresh beds for us.  If they only know how good it feels to have fresh linen on the beds... They also helped bath us in bed - now, that is a strange feeling.

DAY 6: Wednesday 07 July 2010

Today the catheter was removed - for my roommate it was over before she knew it. For me it was a big thing!  But now that its removed, its great - so look, Ma... no attachments!!!

After my first "no attachments" walk, I have an eye to eye straight-up meeting with Chante for the first time.  She is so tall!

Although I did not really feel too much pain, my mom sensed that I become fidgety and uncomfortable and said that I should rather use the pain medication available.  Sister Rita administering some pain meds.  Look at all the cuddly toys that I've received...

This photo was taken on the first day out of ICU, look at that HUGE plaster.

Sister Rita starts to remove the old plasters - very high up!!!  No wonder they washed my hair in ICU... 

Look at that scar...!  Guess how many staples???  I did not want to know (my mom told me afterwards there were 62!!).  You can also see the small incisions on the bottom right (excuse the pun!), that is where they took some bone from my hips to help cement the rods to the rest of my spine.

With the fresh plasters.

Monday 05 July 2010

Tuesday 06July10

DAY 5 - Tuesday 06 July 2010

Hanli's sleeps with a cushions under her knees and another under her calves.  This takes pressure off her heels that avoids real discomfort.  Even with half a sleeping pill she struggled to settle down.

This morning, Hanli's infection indicators were down to acceptable levels. That means she may have the drip removed from her shoulder/chest area.  She sang a heart-rendering "I'ts The Climb" from Miley Cirus to keep her mind occupied while Sister Rita expertly removed it - we were all almost in tears.  The adrenalin that flows makes Hanli feel really hot and a bit exhausted afterwards.  With a sip of juice and a cold facecloth she's soon back to her usual self.

This morning, Hanli went for another even longer walk without the drip.  We call it the Long Walk To ...???? (one day its the Fire Hydrant, the next day its the Nurses Station, the day after it will be the Ward's Door and then hopefully The Long Walk to Freedom!!!!).  Here Maretha helps Hanli out of bed and stabilises her first (this Maretha's daily quad exercises).

hanli's first tender attempt on Monday with the drip

Look at the hair style ... kraaines of muisnes???

"dancing" with Maretha...

Ordering Dinner - is this a hotel or what??

Hanli's first dinner, cottage pie, butternut followed by jelly and custard, designed to eat while lying down.

Hanli's roommate back on the road again and waving us goodbye...well she did come back!  We've decided to call the passage the "Cat Walk".  It seems more girls have scoliosis operations???

We've been told that these two girls have grown by about 4cm after this op.

Monday 05 July 2010

Monday 05 July 2010

Dr Venter, the paediatrician, visiting Hanli.

Maretha doing "warming up" exercises before Hanli gets up for the first time after the op.

AND SHE'S UP....!!! Well done, Hanlibunch!

The student nurses are excellent and kind, helping change sheets, etc...  some powder before the socks go on again..

Sister Laetitia checking up...

Sister Annapat encouraging...

Our Ward.  The mom's and their laptops catching up between our beds.

And then in the afternoon, Hanli got up and actually went for a short (very short) walk!  Amazing...!!

Sunday 04July10

DAY 3 - Sunday 04 July 10

Hanli's sharing her ward with Chante, 13 yrs old, She's also had a scoliosis repair with Dr Koos Louw, 2 days prior to Hanli's.  She is a real inspiration - she gave Hanli a lot of tips and we could see what its like when she gets up to walk or have stuff removed (and there's a lot of stuff that has to be removed from the body!!!).  Hanli and Chante can't see another, so we suggested they take a cellphone photo and sms it to each other.  But they chat - its like being on internet.

 Dr Koos Louw, the man with the golden "scalpel" touch.  When does this man sleep?  It was his birthday on Sunday 04 July - Happy Birthday...!!!  Mmm...Only 24 today..???  Hanli's been Dr Louw's patient since she was 6 years old.  It's really nice to see how he's mellowed a bit with time - I think it must be that good wife of his, Amanda.

 Dad, Johann, and Jacques (9) visiting.

A goodbye kiss from my bro...Don't bump the bed!!!

 Yay, visitors!!  My mom's sister Celia and her family, Schalk x 2, Lizelle visiting - it was such a surprise and nice to see them.  Hanli feeling a bit hot so the wet face cloth over her forehead helps to bring down the temp.

My mom's cousing, Cecilia, visiting.  We had a good chat.

 My mom's brother Theo and his family Runicka, Tristan, Cayla and Rheece van Rooyen.  They were so well behaved when visiting Hanli in the ward.

My dad's family, Ouma Frieda, Stefan, Elize, Christo, Lize and Munro Kruger.  I felt so special, thank you all for driving so far to visit.  Love y'all.

 

Jacques makes a friend, Kyle, in the hospital's coffee shop.

Hanli's first drink in 4 days arrive - joy of joys!!

Look at that face!!  She says the interflora pill tasted like breakfast cereal - no food yet though!!

Surgical Ward 2 is an adult ward, so they say Room B looks like Disneyland...

Thank you for all the sms'es - my mom wrote the messages on the balloons - it is really special, thank you everyone....