Good evening!  Charles Quigley here.  Thought I'd do a quickie update, to let y'all know me sis, Meegin, is out of hospital, after spending a month there.  She came home this afternoon; she's been in bed since she got home.

Meegin is very weak, not to mention, sore.  She had appendicitis that turned into peritonitis; it liked to have nearly killed her.  She was extremely sick; she spent over two and a half weeks in the Intensive Care ward of one of the local hospitals (Nashville Memorial).

It will be a while before she is able to travel again.  I have already called the Australian Embassy in New York to have her Visa extended; they said no worries, so she is here for another six months or so.  I know she was wanting to go back home to Darwin, but her health comes first; she has no choice but to stay here with me, where I can take care of her.

Meegin is currently in the livingroom, sitting in a chair, blanket wrapped around her, watching the fireworks from Sydney that I taped.  I made a video tape of it; she has a look of longing on her face.  Doctor has her on oxygen, as she isn't breathing deep enough; he is also having her do breathing treatments, where she blows into a spirometer to promote coughing/easier breathing, which does not sit well with her stomach, which was split open like a pig due to emergency surgery.

It about kills her when she coughs.  It's all she can do to keep from crying from the pain.  Which is why doctor gave her powerful pain meds, and then she will sleep a good part of the day while I find time to do things and take care of her when she is awake or up.

If I am not here, a nurse from the visiting nurses organization will be here with her to help, in case any problems unexpectedly pop up (I pray they don't).  Or me neighbor, Markus and his girlfriend, Cathy, stay with her; that way someone's always there with Meegin.

Meegin will have physical therapy several times a week to help her regain lost strength.  She will have this done on Tuesdays and Thursdays at hospital.  She will probably do therapy at home as well if she feels up to it.

I am glad me sis is home; I missed having her here.  It's just too bad her holiday was cut short:  she arrived December 1, got sick December 2, and was in hospital until today, January 4, a month and three days in length. 

She is in no shape to travel, so this is why I had her passport extended, so she can recover from her surgery/illness.  I can take care of her as she recovers.  No worries; she be apples before too long ...

I love me baby sis so much; she and I are the best of mates!  :)

And she can have her Vegemite and kangaroo burgers again, just like when she is back home in Darwin, Northwest Territories, Australia!  :)

I have plenty of that; when I miss home, I break out the Vegemite and 'roo meat, and there you go.  :)  Instant holiday to Oz!  LOL

I love it here in Nashville:  nice and cold in winter, hot in summer, but their seasons oppo:  when it is winter here, it is summer back home; when they have summer, it's our winter.  'Twas very strange, hard to get used to when I came here to live ten years ago, on account of me job.  Transferred; now I am used to the way of life here.  Lot slower than Sydney; more laid back.

And I don't have to worry so much about spiders, 'less they're brown recluses or black widows, but they don't have nothin' on the funnel web; now those are nasty li'l beasts!

And now I can no longer worry about the crick in me back and neck from sleepin' on those nightmares they called beds at hospital; spent many a night fightin' the couch or bed, as they weren't long enough for me lanky frame!  *OUCH!*  Glad to say the cricks are going away; feel much more like meself.  :)

Hospital cots or couches are NOT made for people over 7' tall!  LOL

Well, I am going to call me mate Erich back home in Sydney and tell her me sis is out of hospital; he told me to let him know when she was released.  He'll be glad to hear it.  I know her boyfriend Steve-o will be glad to hear the news; he's been callin' nearly every arvo, askin' for the latest news on his girl.  It's also time to have a smoko.  I will write in a few days with another update on Meegin; take care and see you around!

~Charles.  :)