Flap's first private viewing

The resocialising began Friday night as we popped round to see the sisters who had arrived from the UK on Thursday. These are my aunts, three of my moms eight sisters, who had traveled for a holiday of a lifetime to NZ. All three have had a tough time of it over the last couple of years as they nursed their husbands through illness and buried them. There's only one brother-in-law alive today out of the eight. A very close, loving group of strong, independent women, who I hold very dear to me. There's many a memory that we will revisit over the next few months, some sad, some happy, some downright embarrassing! So to have gotten through our ordeals and be alive and kicking at the other end is indeed a miracle that we can now look back on together. I am so incredibly grateful that I got through this and the girls are here, I'm getting better each day, and we can spend some time making new memories together. Boy are we in for a few laughs!

Me and J, with the help of mom, set up a surprise visit. Knocked on the door, Aunty BJ came to the door, her eyes popped out of her head when she saw us. So many times she had opened the door to me back home, it was just the same, beams of warm, chocolatey love coming right out of her. Man it was good to see her. Up the stairs I went and opened the door "Surprise! Surprise! It's Cilla 'ere". They were gob-smacked! "Can't believe you're standing in the doorway only a week after surgery! You look fantastic!" "We've all been praying for you". I know you have and I'm eternally grateful because all of that collective energy, whatever you wanna call it, healing vibes, the power of prayer, you're in my thoughts, all of it from everyone, gave me strength and hope. Knowing you have family and friends rooting for you on the outside really helps when you find yourself stuck in the dark clouds.

Not having read the blog, their sons and daughters and grandchildren were blogging on and telling them about it, we went through a quick overview. These ladies are the greatest story tellers. As we swapped our stories, theirs of their battles with caring for their husbands, mine with my flap, it became apparent to me that these women had been to hell and back yet they had taken it all in their stride. The fears, anxiety, confusion, life/death moments, that me and J had just been through (not for the first time, people, we're old hands at this game) plus the exhaustion they must have felt with the physical and emotional stress of caring for men who were probably twice their build, left me speechless. And now they face a new chapter in their lives without their companion. Coming half way round the world at that age (not disclosing age!) is a major achievement. My hope for them is that they have a wonderful holiday, taking time to reflect on what each of them want for themselves for the coming years. Travel brings distance and distance brings perspective. I don't care what anybody says, that journey is life-changing.

It wasn't long after dinner that Aunty BJ came up to me and said "let's see what they've done to you". Straight up. I wasn't apprehensive about slipping my leopard print silk scarf off my flap because I felt at home. They knew me and my former neck but I was surprised at their reaction nonetheless. "Oh what a magnificent job! They have given you a whole new neck! You can see the shape of it it's fantastic! Look at it". They all loved my new neck! And so I loved it too!

Positive reinforcement is probably the technical term. I call it unconditional love. And I can't get enough of it!