Back home again!

 We packed up & left on 2nd August. Well Delana packed up, as I was not able to function by this time. I was deteriorating rapidly & we had the cut off the final planned two weeks of our trip & head to Pretoria, so I could find out what is wrong with me. It took Delana two & half days to drive to Pretoria & she did all of the driving. This is no mean feat! 

From the verandah.

Male Nyala

Nyalas are daily visitors.

Common Duiker

Spotted Hyena investigating.

At night Large Spotted Genet comes to visit.

Trumpeter Hornbill

Crowned Hornbill

Retz's Helmetshrike

Collared Sunbird

We then drove to Sabie Park arriving on 8th August. We spent the next few days at home, as I was seriously ill & couldn't achieve much. 

Quite a large Crocodile, seen from the picnic site.

Marabou Storks & White-backed Vultures

resting after feeding on the Lion kill.

Hooded Vulture sits in a nearby tree waiting.

Here they come!

A young male.

Coming to drink, just where the Crocodile is!

Delana drove around to get a closer look.

We didn't do much as I couldn't do anything! We did have a pride of Lions opposite the house for about a week, as they killed a Cape Buffalo & kept returning to the kill. So we obtained some decent views & one day Delana drove into the park for a closer look & managed to get some photos. 

On the S3, opposite the house.

On one of my better days we drove into the park at mid-day & was rewarded with an incredible close encounter with a Leopard. 

Receiving my chemo.

We spent the next few days after 25th August in & out of hospital having various tests & scans. I also had yet another operation (my 11th) to fit my port so I could receive my chemotherapy. I then commenced my chemo & it did not go well. This chemo regime is a different one from before. I get two drugs simultaneously admitted intravenously, which takes two to three hours. Then I get fitted with a small pump which places a third drug into my system over the next two days. Over the next two weeks I should feel slowly better before the whole cycle starts again. But this didn't happen. I was very ill & spent most of my time in bed, only recovering somewhat just two days before it all starts again.

I had my second cycle of chemo on 10th September & this went much better than before. I began to feel OK just two days after the two day cycle. When I say feeling OK I don't mean normal. I am still very sick but at least I can function, albeit at a very slow pace. I had a consultation with my oncologist & she said I was looking much better & that the chemo (even though at an early stage) seems to be working!

On the way back home through the park we came across a lone Wild Dog who had lost its pack & was frantically calling to try & reestablish contact with them.

We packed & left Sabie Park on 13th September. We spent a pleasant evening with Laurens & Anelle in Pretoria before commencing the long drive south to Pearly Beach.