Being Kimberley...: My So'Co & Finally, The Fundo ...

For the first time since keeping snakes, Stefan & I had to say goodbye to one of our beautiful babies as they suddenly passed away over the weekend a few weeks back. It's incredibly sad to loose any pet, but to loose my very first baby was just heartbreaking. We are not sure why it happened, I can only think that it must have been something beyond our control as we would have had him seen too if we knew it would result in his death. I woke up on Saturday morning, checked on them all as usual but found my beautiful boy had died over night. I was inconsolable. I felt like I had somewhat failed him, he wasn't old, only 3 & a half. However, some people have told me that I did everything I could & it wouldn't have been avoided. I don't know if they are just trying to make me feel better about the situation but it's been hard. I kept myself busy all over that weekend making my Christmas Goodie Bags, stopping every few minutes to break down in tears, it was bloody hard, but as we all know life goes on. We decided to bury him on the Sunday morning, but soon as I was back I had to clean his viv out as it was too hard to look at.

Stefan & I aren't stupid, we keep a lot of snakes as you all well know & will hopefully have our first successful breeding season this year. We know that we will come across losing a snake more than once, it's sadly apart of life but it doesn't make it any easier. Especially how much I love them & how they are the biggest part of my life (along with the husband of course!)

One of my other beautiful babies won me a Halloween Competition just a few days later. I usually change my profile picture on facebook to represent anything seasonal & I was playing with some of my halloween decorations one morning & took a few pictures with Kenya, my desert royal, slithering amongst them. It looked really cool so I entered it into a few competitions online & I won one on the snake groups in fb!! The prize was a picture of my choice printed onto something like a t-shirt / mug / placemat & such like. I knew exactly who's picture to have, my beloved So'Co. It felt only right, I am having it printed on a t shirt & he will hang pride of place above all the other babies watching over them.

Kenya - The Picture That Won The Competition!

RIP My beautiful boy - you will NEVER be forgotten & you will NEVER be replaced. xxxx

My So'Co

The following weekend was really nice, we saw the exotic girls for a nice catch up & takeaway on the Friday, it had been ages so it was nice to just chill out with them & have a natter, even though they took the piss out of our Pumpkin carvings! The Saturday I got to see Jo, Mason & my goddaughter, Honor who is growing far too quickly for my liking & then we went to visit Stef's auntie & uncle for an hour or two. Sunday morning was very chilled at home & then we went to my friend Kim's who was cooking us an amazing roast - I had such a lovely afternoon, I hadnt seen her brother for years & we both met his girlfriend that day, we had a few games on the x box & watched a few cheesey Sunday films, the food was lush!! (Well Done Kimmy) The company even better. I left their house with that warm fuzzy feeling inside, I love having special time with people who you know want to spend that time with you... I'm a sucker for making memories, give me that over presents any day.

Sunday 3rd November @ Kim's!

I have also been able to catch up with Sarah & Munchkin Leo, Hayley & Chase & my special friends Dave & Marie - Spending time at their house is great, they make me feel like one of the family, I feel so relaxed & we always have a good giggle.

So now I come onto the boring medical part! After week's of nagging / chasing / tears / tantrums & losing my hair, I have my fundo operation date!! Today is Friday.... They rang me on Wednesday afternoon... & I am to be at St Mary's for 7am on Monday! Nothing like short notice hey?! But I can't complain, it's finally happening. I won't lie to you, I am slightly shitting myself, the operation doesn't worry me. I have had a double lung transplant & I have made no secret about my heart scare in July actually being worse then the recovery of my new lungs... I think I can take whatever pain they throw at me. It's the 'after' part that I know I won't enjoy.

Everyone is different, I have met & spoken to several people that have had the fundo - The team say basically you are meant to have a six week liquid diet afterwards & that you may still have difficulty eating some foods as they get stuck / can't digest. I know some people who still can't digest bread & potatoes, but some that have no problem at all & are eating everything as normal. I of course won't know how I will be until after the procedure. I really wanted to enjoy Christmas so really hope & pray that I will come on leaps & bounds with recovery & not have too many problems. They have told me because of my stomach complications that it will be 'open' surgery & not keyhole, however, they have told that to a few people before & once they have gotten into theatre, found they could do it with ease, so it'll be a mega bonus if I do wake up to find they haven't had to reopen my tummy scar (I know that will be a lot more painful unfortunately) At the end of the day I have now been waiting for this operation for five months & it's now happening, I need it, there's no question about it - I want to 'get better' so despite what happens afterwards I just need to suck it up, stay positive & for me, most importantly, fight to come home again as soon as possible....

I love my food so the next six weeks plus will be bloody hard for me, I really feel for Stef as no doubt he will get the brunt of my moodiness & I can't help but be a complete bitch sometimes, even though I try not to, you aways take it out on those you love! I just need to keep focused & think this will all help me in the long run. I may even loose some of this horrible weight I have gained & fit into a nice slimming christmas dress! Until Monday.... Starting from now, I am going to be stuffing the hole in my face with as much as I possibly can, & where possible, my favourite foods too ! Lamb, Potatoes, Bread, Crackling! Who knows, if or when I will be able to eat them again! Hopefully the latter...

I will keep you posted as much as I can with how everything goes. As soon as I return home, my Christmas bags will be going on sale! Yes, I have finished them already! I would have put them up for sale this weekend, but as I am being admitted on Monday there really is no point as I won't be able to meet people / deliver or send off in the post - I am super excited about my bags, I have had so much fun making them & I think they are even better than the halloween ones!! I have even made double the amount this time so people who missed out on the ones before can hopefully grab one or two this time round - They will be selling for £10 a bag this time & I hope to make double what I did for EDCF when I made the spooky goodies. Pictures & details of contents will be on my facebook very soon.....