Life at No.22, New Zealand

When Life throws a Curveball

Suzanne

It isn’t a matter of if you will experience a “Curve Ball”; it is when it will occur.  By the way, they never come at a convenient time!

For us, it happened when I finally released my head from the proverbial sand and acknowledged that I had to get a sore on my hand checked out.

It wasn’t healing.

After two biopsies, it was diagnosed as being skin cancer.  The Little C.  Not a major and certainly not life-threatening; it just needs to be dealt with, so the medical establishment informed me.  So, in between sorting out our apartment, buying furniture and emptying our storage unit, I have had a few trips to doctors and specialists, with a nod towards the other typical “things” in life.

From the beginning of December, I won’t use my left hand for a week or two,  if not longer, as it will be in a sling.  So, for December, I will also not be tapping out a blog post. Unless I get myself organised and get a few posts completed before the big day and after we are entirely shifted in, my focus won’t be on moving and choosing what to sit on and lay our bodies.  On a few occasions this past week, I was starting to feel like Goldilocks, though porridge wasn’t involved, just a wide range of beds and an assortment of furniture.

Fingers crossed, we receive our new bed and entirely shift in this weekend. 

Getting back to all things blogging.  What I can concentrate on is reading your blog posts and generally have my left-hand man, the Squire, to be just that, my left hand within reason.

Our change of plans in returning to Europe had to be replanned, which will now happen from April next year, instead of this month.

So, apart from this glitch.

We are feeling positive about having to spend more time back in New Zealand.  As the saying goes, there is always a positive to every negative.   Then there is the bonus of enjoying and living in our new apartment immediately instead of waiting for a year.

Not forgetting the bonus of spending more time catching up with family and friends.

With future planned housesits next year to look forward to completing plus many more adventures in between.

So, there ends the life of another curveball.  It was caught and thrown back with much more energy and enthusiasm than when it was received.

Published by Suzanne

Travel and Life Musings from New Zealand and Beyond. . . . . . .

69 thoughts on “When Life throws a Curveball”

    1. Thanks Claire, yep nothing too serious. I just hope my post may have more fair haired people check out their skin more often. Skin cancer is so common down these parts.

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  3. So glad it’s been caught now Suz, and not left for too much longer. It will be frustrating for you no doubt but you’ll be in a much better place when you return to Europe next year. Hope all goes well in the coming weeks. Take care and do what you’re told 🙂

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    1. Hahaha at me doing as I am told. Have you being chatting to the Squire 🙂 Occassionally I do as I am told! Yes, absolutely we shall be in better form to do more travelling next year. Thanks Deb 🙂

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    1. Damn no puns 😜 Thanks Geoff, though I have a feeling that the Squire will need more sympathy than me as I make a lousy patient!!.

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  5. Hope it all goes well for you and yes, it’s very frustrating when you can’t use a limb for some time. Are you left or right-handed? Don’t worry about the blog, it will be there when you return and it sounds as if you have more important things and such a load on right now. 🙂

    Hailing from The Land of Oz, or should that be The Land of Skin Cancer, I get checked every couple of years – plus, living on a boat for 21 years didn’t help either. I had one check here a year ago and not sure if it’s as thorough as in Australia…€100 later, cash only of course (this is Calabria) and 15 minutes of time, and I was out the door. Maybe I should fly back home for a complete medical once-over!

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    1. Thanks Nilla. Yes, a through check up wouldn’t hurt. The sun down these parts is too harsh. I had a big lump come up and it got messy. Funnily enough it’s looking ok now after the doctor mentioned surgery 😊

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  8. I guess it’s “nice” you can be home and, as you say, enjoy your new apartment. All the best for surgery and recovery. Enjoy the warmth of NZ at the moment, a good time to be home – it’s jolly cold here in Spain currently. Will miss your blogs, hopefully you’ll keep posting photos still?

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    1. Thanks and we are so pleased we brought the apartment after what has happened. Yes. I will still be using Instagram and reading 🙂

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  9. Thinking of you Suz. Sometimes these things are sent by way of making the body slow down and compulsory relaxation. Will get over at some stage so in the meantime take care.

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    1. Thanks Jan, not sure I like these compulsory relaxation encouragements. I know what you mean. Will be good to see you when you come over.

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    1. Thanks April and I am sure it will go well. I promise I will try to be less impatient. What was that flying back me? Something pink.

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  13. Eep! I am sure it’ll be fine, but it’s horrible to hear the big C word. My sister has really fair skin, and she’s had to deal with this sooo many times. 😦

    Still, it’ll be cool to see you explore Kiwiland for a while and you must be looking forward to catching up with friends!

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    1. Josy, I am sure it will be fine. Too many people are being affected by skin cancer, Unfortunately, during my younger years getting burnt while sunbathing was done on a regular basis. Something I haven’t done for years. Though we do notice how harsh the sun is when we are back home. Terrible that your sister has had to have surgery so many times.

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      1. Yeah, she has to keep a map of her moles, then when they change, she has to get them removed. 😦

        It’s great that the ozone layer is starting to improve, but the sun feels sooo strong in NZ.

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    1. Thanks Maura and Terry. I will have an extra slice just for you, with a slice of kiwifruit for good measure 🙂

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    1. Absolutely agree regarding laughter. Life is far too short and crazy to take it serious. Thank goodness no more bed laying and saying “Is it too soft, or too hard?” 🙂

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    1. Thanks Lyn. Yes, you could be right Lyn. I do believe everything that happens has a reason attached. Some are more understandable than others. Air tickets are getting rescheduled 😊

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  19. Sorry to hear about the skin cancer Suz. You’ll be fine though , and will have put it behind you in no time. Didn’t NZ have the biggest hole in the ozone layer over it?! Not surprised to hear that you’re staying longer as I couldn’t believe you were giving yourselves so little time in your new home. I’d say ‘take it easy’ , but doesn’t sound as if that’s going to happen for a while. X

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    1. Thanks Jane and yes I will definite be fine. Just one of life’s hiccups. When we booked our return tickets we hadn’t brought the apartment. Just waiting for our bed to arrive and we shall be all sorted. We are looking forward to it. We do have a large ozone layer not sure if it’s the largest. Hope alls well with you and the family X

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  21. Hope it all goes well Suzanne. I can completely emphasise as I’m having hand surgery in just under two weeks and will be out of action for six weeks afterwards. Yes, life definitely throws us curveballs. At least we can read hey? All the best to you. 🙂

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    1. Thanks Miriam and all the best for your operation. That’s life and makes us all appreciate the good days more!! I’ll remind myself that when it gets painful!!!!

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    1. Thanks Anabel. Its annoying to have it on my hand and near my thumb. Glad to hear you are vigilant now after your cancer spots. I got burnt in the UK!! Surprised me!

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  23. All the best Sue. It does come as a shock but after a wee pause, I’m sure you’ll be back up and running, better than ever. On the upside, for me anyway, we might actually get to catch up before you’re off again. Take care.

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    1. Thanks Wendy and that is an upside for us too. Though we won’t have a car from Monday. Yes, it was a wee bit of a surprise though we are good at bouncing back and regrouping. There are a few positives to us staying back.

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  24. Sorry to hear about the glitch, Suzanne. Luckily, it isn’t melanoma (the one I feared it would be and the one Mark is highly susceptible to) and you are in your home country to deal with it. Every negative comes with a positive, you are so correct. Wishing you a speedy recovery and an OK adaptation to the new plan – at least it will be summer! Are you right or left handed?

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    1. Thanks Liesbet and yes, luckily it isn’t melanoma. Too many people are affected by skin cancer down this way. I am right handed. I know what it’s like having the use of one arm as I fractured my left elbow. All good and we will be rearing to go after a long break. Looking forward to more adventures!

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    1. Yes you could be right Sue. All good and positive and upbeat about our next adventure here and next year housesitting. Thanks xx

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  26. Tough news Suz but glad you’ve caught it early and can get on with sorting it out. How nice to be able to spend time recuperating in NZ, can’t imagine a better place to be. Hope youre back to 100% very soon.

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  28. Hi, #BryntinsBLT came by your blog today.
    (Unfortunately the BLT bit stands for Blog Leap Tour, not that I am about to bring you a tasty sandwich.)
    I’ll be leaving a link to this post on a #BryntinsBLT post on my blog later today and will now be leaping off to visit someone who has already liked your post before I got here.
    The idea is just to randomly jump around and see where I go in the world and I hope the (sparse but growing) readers of my blog, seeing me discover yours, might leap around the links too.
    (If you have pingbacks turned on you can see where it came from if you like and join in the touring!)
    Anyway, sorry to interrupt. Carry on.

    Oh,, and best wishes of course Suzanne.

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  29. Pingback: #BryntinsBLT: Big Loud Twit – O4FS

    1. Thanks Sarah, and yes I’m hoping for a quick recovery as it’s going to be annoying not to have use of my left hand for weeks. I shouldn’t complain as it’s not a life threatening issue!

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