I don't know exactly when this sign was put up at the top of Tygerberg Hill, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't there back in 2002 when I was, in fact, pushed up the hill in a wheelchair.
Allow me to take you on a little trip down memory lane. I sustained an unfortunate moshing-related injury at my graduation party in April 2002 - I tore a ligament in my knee and ended up on crutches for 6 weeks (and believe it or not, there was absolutely NO alcohol involved in this incident).
Sometime during those 6 weeks, our friends Nicholas and Chanel phoned us up one Sunday and suggested that we all go up Tygerberg Hill for a picnic. Of course, hiking up the hill on crutches, while not at all impossible, was going to be annoyingly slow and extremely tiring. So, ever resourceful, Nicholas borrowed a wheelchair from one of his family members (yup, apparently there are people who have spare wheelchairs lying around :P), and the three of them took turns pushing me up the hill in it.
It's a memory I really treasure - particularly since we lost Nicholas to a stop-street-jumping truck driver in May 2004. Paul's dad's recent heart-attack scare reminded me once again of how fragile we are, and how important it is to build up a storehouse of memories for the future. What are you doing today to make memories with the people you love?
John
Kerry Anne: – It was by chance I found your blog. I was looking for references for Tygerberg Hospital. I noted your question “what are you doing to store up memories?”, or words to that effect.
Kerry Anne, I have been asking the same question of my immediate relatives for some time. I’m the main carer for my 98 year old Mum. I should repeat that. I’m the main carer for my 98 year old Mum. Which, of course, means I’m no spring-chicken. My old Mum has been through the mill of life, including losing everything to Nazi Blitz, Clydebank, 13th March 1941. She has the most amazing philosopy, still able to manage her life, with my help, independent of all other care. I have been “storing” memories for some considerable time. As well, I’ve been “storing” other memories: of my career, friends, marriages, children (note that marriages/children take less precedence than career/friends).
I’m happy to share many of these. However, Kerry Anne, my question is this. Have you been “storing up” your memories? Should we be made aware of these?
Is your request self-fulfilling? Or simply a device? There are plenty of those on the Internet.
Thanks for the blog. The ‘photos of Cape Town, etc, are really nice. I shall never see it in person. A really good friend has relatives in Pretoria, and has visited Cape Town many times. His surname, Lawless, is known in sporting circles down there. He sings the praises of your country.
Feel free to reply, or ignore,: “c’est la Vie”
Christolene Bates
On 29 September I also took a walk on Tygerberg Hills after being in Cape Town Parow for 22 years!
I enjoyed every moment and also walk the wheelchair path to check it out as my husband is wheelchairbound after a stroke that damaged his brainstem. I am his carer as he only have very little movement in his rightarm which enable him and his woodenspoon to use the computer and with some inventive biting of The Burger, he can read that on a daily basis.
Anycase, while up there I notice some parking space in front of your bord, whem down at the office, I enquire as the other entry bords states No Vechiles!
The guy, I think it was Jimmy inform me that the disabled person and wheelchair must be dropped off and the car must return to the entrance???
What if the person is able enough to drive and get himself in his wheelcair, so all alone?? or as in our case my husband need full assistance but I must leave him all alone for at least 20 minutes to remove the car and then 20 to get it again.
I have not go further into this matter as a big group arrive, but it just let me wonder how much the people who make the rules know about the reallity of the use of a wheelchair and that every person in a wheelchair have different abilities.
We of course will not go into the rest of intertainment,accomodation,restaurants or overcrowded shops+ + + + a total new life and way of thinking!
MURNA LOTRIET
Hallo daar
Ek is lid van die Voortrekkers in Kraaifontein. My dogter is die jaar as jeugleier vir Oord Kaapstad gekies en hulle soek ‘n projek waarmee hulle kan help
Hulle is almal Hoerskool leerder van Kraaifontein tot in Goodwood. Ek het gehoor dat die rolstoel roete oop is en dat iemand gevra het of daar mense is wat kan help om die rolstoele te stoot omdat dit soms moeilik is. Kan jy my kontak en laat weet of julle nog sulke hulp benodig, want ek glo die kinders sal dit baie geniet om betrokke te raak by die projek.
Indien julle dalk weet van ander projekte waar die kinders betrokke kan wees sal ek ook bly wees om daarvan te hoor veral as dit ander kinders in rolstoele behels.
Groete
Murna