Thursday, February 28, 2013

Avocado for Tea

We are having avocado for tea tonight. Buying an avocado is an art; if my thumb dents the skin it has reached the age of ripeness; doesn't move at all - needs to ripen; sinks into the flesh -.  awarded it’s over ripe certificate.


I slice into the skin to reveal the dark brown stone housed in two tone flesh, saliva seeps from the corners of my mouth. I peel away the skin and like licking the spoon after childhood cake making, my reward is the remaining flesh scooped out and sucked from my green fingers.

The peeled avocado pear is like an unfilled boat, prawns are the ideal sailors, splashed with pink Marie Rose sea-spray; ready to sail on waves of lettuce.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

When the Air Hits Your Brain

Encouraged by Kate Dunn my contribution to the Blogging world commences. 


Without our brains we are nothing; with our brains we are everything.  


Since  the unexpected discovery and removal of a right sided meningioma brain tumour in November 2008 Dawn with a Difference has emerged

Tripping, nausea and ongoing severe headaches were not sufficient to direct me to the doctors surgery even though I was a nurse. It took a Grand Mal (now called Tonic Clonic) seizure in the middle of the night to raise the alarm.  A CT scan revealed all; surgery chased its tail. Always doing things with style; rare complications scattered my recovery; paralysis, infection, further surgery and epilepsy.

During one of my Neurosurgery outpatient visits I showered the registrar with questions: why do I feel waves going through my head, why is my head so heavy when I lean forward, why am I  so tired, why can't I concentrate for long.... his lucid (well documented) reply was: "When the Air Hits Your Brain You Are Rarely the Same". 


  • Gap: A unified space or interval - Over many years the tumour moulded its home in my head

                                                         Right                     Left
Tumour on the Right 
The dark mass at the top of my head is the tumour


  • Gap: A break in continuity; A breach - Removal of part of my skull left me with a temporary Sunroof; or technically No Bone Flap after an incredibly rare infection.


The gap in my skull at the top was my 'Sunroof'


Sunroof closed with Titanium Plate August 2009

  • The Biggest Gap: The divergence in development - No two brain tumour journeys are the same. A different path in life seems inevitable. To Cope or Not to Cope is the fundamental question. 


Mind the Gap A-Z  
will sprinkle your brains with my journey 


Technorati Tags