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NEEDLES & OLIVES 4 - Extension

 1.


Comicon Africa! I've wanted to take my boy there, but I was previously unable to. For 2023 I bought our tickets the day they were made available. We're over the whole cosplay thing, but we were sure gonna go nuts on merch.

Solid. 

2.


Today is 23 September 2023. Day 2. Sold out! Everyone is there, including my son! I'm beaming with joy. 

It took several phone calls to make sure he gets a lift there, comes rain or shine. I was truly set to leave this hospital yesterday. I had my pen out, ready to sign discharge papers. But my lungs are making me pay for something. One day I'll find out. 

I was fully prepared to wake up this morning (23 September) and drive my boy to Comicon and drop him off. Sleep. Then pick him up. It was going to be my thing for him. 

The little man held down our fort for 9 whole days, on his own, with our trusty pitbull.

Things didn't work out in the dramatic mind-theatre way we tend to dream up. 





3.

In an isolation ward, in an attempt to keep new infections at bay, I'm forced to say it to myself that I'm not in control of everything. I need not be in control of everything. It's okay to sleep the whole day. 

A friend said this to me, "your epitaph is going to suck. Here lies Gugu, who worked herself to death." 

I miss chasing Lola around the yard, and playing tug-o-war with her. This dog thinks I exist to steal her toys from her and she loves it. She has no idea how large she is, so she body-slams me quite often and wants to lie on my chest. 

I can't breathe, but I love it. She brings me a great measure of joy. 

I miss Lola. I want her to snore like a truck at night and irritate me. I want her to wake me up to open the door so she can go pee. 

I just want my Lola. 


4.

I miss Television. Not the box, the work I do. I miss making a small difference in lives, bringing joy and conversation. I miss training the next generation of content bosses. I miss the drama. 

The fast pace has caught up with me, but I'm not ready to pause yet. I'll be back. 


5.

Internet strangers! We always know that there are some vile characters on social media. Folk who are out to cause chaos and rob others of their trust in humanity. 

I can safely say that those demons are a minority. 

The amount of support, conversation, and encouragement I have received from total strangers has made me a hopeful being. We're all people with the same challenges, just shaped in different ways. We all fear the same things. 

I'm not an island. I need people. I am happy that we can all be digital neighbours to each other and share a laugh over mundane things. 


6.

Am I leaving the hospital. Yes, certainly. When? 

It doesn't matter. 

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