Guess

Here are photo's and I wonder if you could guess who they could be???????????? Aren't they simply stunning girls....................

DCO Christmas

Durban City Orchestra had a fundraiser just before Christmas, and they were all asked to dress a little festive like, and guess who decided to be different - the 'elf' went down really well.

Just on a more serious note, what a lovely performance that day, the venue was stunning, the music was lovely, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Christmas at the du Toits

I know this new is a little late, but there are a few nice photo's and so I thought I will just share them all.

Christmas at our home was such fun this past year, Kevin and Tracy and their children, Rosemary and her son Dylan, Granny Trudy and then Nanna, and Granny and Grandpa du Toit.

A day has never passed that quickly or so full of laughter in my life. All the folks there just provided for such humor it was unbelieveable and awesome.

Obviously - Andy

Claire and Chantal

Dylan

This is the photo of the Day! Granny Trudy and Darren ...............

Claire

just us .............

Chantal and Nelson (the boyfriend)

Nanna

The du Toit's Snr - another nice photo ...........

Kevin and Tash ..... another stunning photo .......

The main man that counts ................

Rosemary and Tracy

Andrew, Rosemary and Tracy

Andy, Claire, Chantal and Nelson

Granny Trudy and Darren

Nanna News 06 Jan

Just to let you all know, that Nanna is doing good, I am really impressed with her, she stuck to the new diet yesterday and her blood sugar is down a bit more, and is now in what would be considered a more normal zone, for the first time. It will be nice if her fasting could be 5 then I will feel much better but it is just amazing what the right diet can do. I showed her last night what she can and can't have and she kinda understands, I went and did some shopping for her last night and she knows what she needs. I also showed her what she can have if everyone else is having pudding, so she would not feel hard done by, the end of it all, she feels much better because this was like a huge mountain in front of her. Her cholesterol is going to take time to drop, and I think that is going to be really hard, no 'slap' chips for her. On Friday when she was having the stroke, she was eating Andrew's chips off his plate, no concern for him at all.

Anyway this will most probably be the last Nanna post at the moment because all is going well.

Nanna News 05 Jan

Got the results back for Nanna's cholesterol and it is a little too high, so the doctor has prescribed medication for her.

Mother is slowly realising that she has to start looking at her diet for health reasons, which is a good sign, last night she was still being stubborn but I see today she is reading some info and seems ready to make some changes in her life. Her sugar is still a bit of a concern for me and so she is going to have to deal with it and learn what she can and can't have to regulate and hopefully bring it under 6 for a fasting count. The difficult part is going away and being strong when everyone else is eating 'lekker' stuff. I went through it and the first 2 weeks are really hard because I bake puddings every Sunday but can't have it. I make pap and can't have it, for Christmas I made this really special trifle and could not have any of it, but you learn and you stop craving all these things. Mother is just going to have to be a little stronger, which I think she is really going to battle with because she is used to just doing and having what she wants. I have a few days to get her started, and I feel a bit for her, because it is the cholesterol and sugar all at once. After this mild stroke, and when Mother was having it, the one thing I remembered so clearly was Aunty Jean, and when she went senile and hers was from not looking after her diabetes. I was fortunate that many years ago I automatically stopped eating red meat etc and all the wrong 'fats' so when I found out that I was Insulin Resistant, I just had to sort out my sugar levels. I will say, it is devine to sleep every night for 7 hours and not wake up after 2 to 3 hours of sleep and not fall back asleep. I was lucky most people never know they have it, I just happened to have the sleeping problem that plagued me for 18 months, if it was not for that I would never have known.

I need to buy a blood pressure machine, because we need to check Mothers blood pressure daily because it is so low, that is also another concern. She will have to up her intake of salt. I get concerned because my blood pressure is always also very low, has been my whole life, Chantal has the same problem as well. Mother used to be on blood pressure tablets when she lived in Naboomspruit, and when she moved down, she could go off them, Andrew's Dad has found the same thing, that the blood pressure drops here at the coast. It will be interesting to see what her blood pressure will be when she is visiting Charlene.

To all of you, keep a close eye on what you eat, because your health is really important. To those of you with little children, watch what you feed them and set a good example for them, they, and most certainly you, will benefit from it.

Nanna

I took Nanna to the doctor today, unfortunately my doctor is still on leave and I did not want to wait until Thursday, so I took her to the standby doctor that is available when our doctor is on leave.

He feels that Mother has had a mild stroke, and I have had to take her to have her cholesterol checked, will have the results back tomorrow. He seemed pretty sure about it after what I told him. Mother does suffer with swollen ankles and she drinks a water tablet for that but he wants her off it, because her blood pressure is low, I have been measuring it every morning, Andrew's Mom was kind enough to let us use their machine the last few days, will have to buy one for so that we can have one available. Mother's sugar levels are also a little higher than what it should be, diet will correct that, but to get Mother to listern is another story. Mother thinks that she must just quit sweets and all will come right, but the big picture is very different, and believe me I know, I have just been through it all these last 2 to 3 months, but ultimately I can try and control it as well as I can but ultimately the end decision is Mothers, and she decides what she puts over those lips of hers. One good thing is that Mother walked with us last night, obviously not at my speed and not as far, but she had a nice little walk. Exercise is very important right now as well. I had to get her special knee high stockings for her legs, she will most definately need help putting them on every morning, she does not have the strength to do that, but hopefully I can get her to sort that out herself over the long run.

So right now, it seems that Mother will go up to Jhb this weekend with Tracy and Kevin, I am not sure if they are leaving on Saturday or Sunday.

Just want to thank you, George and Sharon, for all your help and organising the church people to come, that did not cross my mind, I should have thought of that. Thank you for phoning them back later as well, anyway, just thanks for all the support, it was not easy to experience what I went through, and it is all well appreciated. I just thank God all the time that Andrew was with me at the airport, I don't know what I would have done if he was not there, because I could not have sorted the baggage, Mother, organise a wheelchair etc etc etc. You also offered to send over money, but right now it is not necessary, I have so far covered everything that needs to be covered, at least the doctor understood that Mother is not on a medical aid, and never asked for some crazy tests to be done, so that is good right now.

I just wanted to bring you up to speed on the progress, will let you know tomorrow, what the results are on Mother's cholesterol.

I need to start working, I only have 3 hours left to do what needs to be done, and this is really a crazy time of the month for me here at work, will most probably have to do some work at home tonight.