Living in Limbo: Part 3

 I know -it's ages since I last updated this blog (March to be exact.) The reason for the delay is partly in the title - limbo. As I write this mid-November 2022, we are unsure of our plans after February 2023 as Jonathan's current job finishes then. It's been an uncomfortable year in many ways but mostly as his position hasn't worked out. It's difficult to continue going to work when you know they don't want you to stay long-term because "they didn't train you". Despite this, he has jumped through all the hoops and is now officially on the vocational register (i.e. they recognise him as a consultant within the country), a member of the specialist college of intensive care (no mean feat - most doctors have to restart their training here) and he's even become a paediatric advanced life support instructor. Did I mention that he also completed an echocardiography postgraduate qualification too (never being one to be an under-achiever!) So, now he's job hunting in a small market with limited appealing options. There are a few irons in the fire, so we'll wait to see what happens. Worst case scenario, we'll head back to blighty in April 2023.

This would be a shame as the big news is that we have residency now. That means we can stay here, vote and even buy a house. Obviously we haven't done the latter, but we have voted in the local elections. There are some weird choices, but they seem better than the current clownery of the UK.

It's been a rollercoaster and we frequently refer to the Truman Show film as we feel like characters in it, but they're overdoing the plot lines. To add to the saga, my right knee decided to start playing up considerably more than it had done in the past. As you may know, I've taped it up, done exercises and used orthotics for nearly 30 years to keep a mal-alignment problem at bay, but after running around a hospital for a day shadowing a nurse (more of this later) my knee made it's disgruntlement felt. The hilly-ness of Auckland doesn't help and I'm now using a stick and limiting my walking to under 45 minutes at time. People seem more bothered by the fact I can't drive for more than 15 minutes though! For a "green" country - they are very wedded to their cars. Public transport isn't too bad though and the buses are very close by.

As a result, I'm having surgery next month, if things go to plan. This will be either a full knee replacement or replacing the bits that are worn out - patella (kneecap) and femoral end (thighbone.) I'm having an MRI to ascertain if I can get away with the latter as this would be better for me in the long run. I'm not relishing the idea of surgery but am doing my best to "pre-hab" myself - lots and lots and lots of exercises and physio. At least it gives me a focus whilst we're in limbo land. My reward for some of the hard work so far is that I've joined the posh gym next to the university gym. The uni one half closes over the summer break so there aren't many classes. In particular, I've been doing a lot of reformer pilates (pilates on a machine) which as been very effective. I'm also really back into swimming and the posh gym has 2 pools - one of which has steps down rather than a ladder, so that will be easier after my operation. The other pool is outside, which is quite nice now that we're heading into summer.

My bargain exercise bike - less than 6 pounds from TradeMe (NZ version of Ebay)

So what am I doing for Christmas? Rehab on crutches! I've invested in a new hammock for the garden and a pair of sunglasses. We have a great shade and I've lots of books etc to keep me busy. I've also got lots of sewing and knitting to keep my hands busy.

I did go for a clinical role back in May, which is when I found out that my knee wasn't great. As this role involved literally running around the hospital responding to emergencies, I knew it was a long shot! However, there is definitely potential for me to work within such teams later on, post op hopefully. I'm going to Christchurch in a couple of weeks for a conference where I was hoping to do a bit of networking - but I'm now also presenting too. For the healthforce here, the pandemic has been a bit of an enigma as they sort-of prepared, but then never really got deluged. Thus, understanding how it worked (or didn't) in other countries is of great interest to them. I've been watching "This England" with Kenneth Branagh - and I've been surprised about how triggering it is. I mostly feel incredibly angry with the way the so-called leaders managed the situation. It's fiction based on fact, but if anything they've under-done the ICU side from what I've seen so far (there were never that many staff around!) 

We made a trip to the South Island to visit some friends who moved to Timaru. This is renowned  to be in the middle of nowhere but we were pleasantly surprised. The weather was reasonable and we got some nice walks in. This was back in April, so I could still walk then!

Timaru -in April

I've managed a bit of kayaking as my knee isn't upset when I'm sitting in a boat (unlike when I'm driving!) Jonathan and I both did the Great Waikato Paddle back in September. This is a 26k paddle from Cambridge to Hamilton and consisted of all kinds of boats that could be paddled. The river was fast flowing but wide. Safety crew in the form of surf lifesavers added to the adventure as they caused quite a wake. Several paddleboarders had unplanned swims as a result. It was nice scenery though - reminded me of the Thames around Twickenham.

Waikato river paddle

Other than that, I haven't much to report. We survived winter, which was much cooler and damper than last year. Thus, I'm now dealing with the mould that seems to have developed everywhere. The quality of building here is appalling and it's normal to have drafts, damp and single glazing. I'm very glad that it's now warmer and we don't have to worry about heating anymore (although our heating bills are nowhere near the problem of the UK, so I know we're lucky.)

I'm off to the repair cafe after my MRI tomorrow. It's a local branch of a national initiative - part of the Doughnut Economics NZ (DEANZ). A bunch of volunteers meet at a lovely cafe and help people fix things. I help with sewing. If you ever need a bit of cheering up - head to your local repair cafe, it's honestly life affirming!

In the meantime, keep in touch and I'll try to do better with the updating.