Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas: the re-arrangements and some developments...

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts, emails, text messages and phone calls about our present situation. I have appreciated every comment, every invitation to Christmas lunch, every word of comfort and support. Your kindness is so overwhelming and heartwarming.

Over the past 48 hours there have been a few developments.

Firstly, I have continued to improve. I have finished my antibiotics (yay!) and am eating normal food again (I made Hainanese chicken rice last night - was absolutely delicious). I even had a flat white this morning so I am totally fine and raring to go, courtesy of the caffeine.

I also had a rather interesting phone call from my doctor this morning - it turns out that the second round of test results revealed I had an acute case of salmonella poisoning, not viral gastro as they first thought. It's pretty rare to get salmonella nowadays - this was the first case she has seen in years apparently - but when you get it, it's pretty heinous. It accounts for the extreme pain I was in for a few days there and the fever over the weekend. Just for the record, I'm about 95% sure I know where I picked it up and it wasn't anywhere near my home...

The doctor has given me another script just in case there is a reoccurrence over the Christmas break but she said I should be fine, particularly if I am back eating normal food again and even drinking coffee.

On the home front - we've been overwhelmed by the invitations to share so many of my friends Christmases but have made the decision to stay at home this year. As such, we've been scrambling to try and create an acceptable celebration at home. Mr Kitty's family always celebrate Christmas Eve as the primary holiday and there are specific foods he likes to eat so we've had to try and procure them, or a workable substitute, at very short notice. We've managed to find a nice ham (nothing short of a miracle, actually) and a lovely looking fillet of beef for dinner tonight. We've scrapped the idea of a Christmas pudding and I'm making Not Quite Nigella's Surprise Gift Pavlovas instead.

It's certainly not the same as the celebration we planned, but Mr Kitty and I are happy that we are spending the time with the people who mean the most to us and who, no matter what, won't let us down: each other.

And as for my parents? well, your guess is as good as mine. Since that last incident I haven't heard a word from them. Not an email, no inquiry as to how I am getting on. Given I was so desperately sick you'd think they would at least try and make sure I haven't been readmitted to hospital at the very least... I even sent them an SMS asking them to join us at dinner for Mr Kitty's aunt next week while we are in Melbourne and they haven't even done me the courtesy of responding.

For people in their sixties they certainly are proving to be ridiculously immature and childish. The one thing that I have learned in this whole debacle is that you can only be responsible for your behaviour, not anyone else's. I'll admit that my response when they asked us not to come for Christmas was probably not as good as it could have been - that's natural when your parents reject you and place their own interests ahead of yours, showing no concern for your emotional or physical well being, particularly when you are highly emotional and have been so ill you have to go to hospital.

Their reaction to my illness is now absolutely ludicrous because salmonella is completely non-contagious, unless you happened to eat the same piece of undercooked chicken as I did. They couldn't have caught anything from me, so in the end, their selfishness and desire for self preservation has done nothing but estrange their family. I hope they are happy with their ridiculous hysterical behaviour (which we did point out on Wednesday as part of the process was hysterical and silly), because I have to say this morning we had a bit of a giggle about the whole thing and how dumb they look now. If you can't laugh and all that...

So, we've got the champagne chilling and the pavlovas are cooling in the oven and I am looking forward to a wonderful relaxing few days before we get on the road and spend next week with our friends in Melbourne, eating and drinking and making merry!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas Day. I hope it is filled with merriment, fantastic presents and delicious food. Most of all, I hope you are spending the day with the people who value, love and cherish you.

Kitty xxx

9 comments:

BuBbles said...

Such a tumultuous last few days for you but look at you! You've come out the other side and as you say, are raring to go! You're making the best out of a bad situation and good for you. I've been in a similar situation with my parents and I know it's no fun, no fun at all.

Have a fabulous homemade Christmas with Mr Kitty and enjoy Melbourne.

Merry Christmas!

BuBbles
x.

MissPosy said...

Wishing you and Mr Kitty a very Merry Christmas! x

Not Quite Nigella said...

Kitty this post shows what a true champion you are! Don't let the way that some people behave be your burden. If they choose to act immaturely then it is absolutely their own problem and not yours. Have a great Christmas and I'm sure one day they may see how badly they've behaved! :) I'm so glad you're making the surprise pavlovas. They put a smile on the faces of those you serve them to :)

Semi Expat said...

You and Mr Kitty will have a fabulous time. Wishing you the best Christmas together... all the best for 2011 Miss Kitty... X

KittyCate said...

Oh my goodness, salmonella, how scary, you poor thing! I am so glad you are on the mend. And so happy to hear you have Christmas organised - I hope you have a truly lovely day tomorrow xx

Kiki Chaos said...

Hi kitty, I was thinking about you today and hoping that you ended up finding a way to enjoy yourselves. It sounds like it turned out to be a lovely cosy day for you guys. Merry Christmas!
Kiki

Anonymous said...

Hi Kitty

I'm sorry to hear that you have been sick and that your family has been causing you some stress. I hope you did have a great Christmas and you recover soon. Thinking of you....

Sass&Spice x

Faux Fuchsia said...

Hope you are better. Does your mummy read this blog? If yes, will she be super cross? Families can be so complicated. Hope everything improves. xx

Miss Kitty-Cat said...

I am feeling much better FF. I don't know if she reads my blog - she's never commented or mentioned it to me. I still haven't heard from them. Sad, but it's their choice at this point. And honestly I am feeling so much more free from the entanglements and selfishness I usually have to put up with that the break is really quite welcome at this point.

Sometimes what appears to be terribly negative can have some positive outcomes. Always look for the silver lining.