October at A Deer Cottage – An Unexpected Turn of Events

Oct 31

4 min read

October has certainly been a month I won't forget in a hurry! What started as an ordinary morning, with me outside working on one of my handmade A Deer Cottage signs, turned into a rather unexpected and life-changing experience.

On the morning of 15 October, while trying to hang one of my signs outside, I had a nasty fall from the fence and broke my tibia and patella. Unfortunately, it was a particularly unusual break, with the surgeons explaining that I had fractured the bones in a rare way towards the back of my leg.

It was quite an ordeal. I was outside in my dressing gown when I fell, and with my phone inside the house, I had to somehow get myself through the garden, into the garage, through the laundry and entranceway, and down the stairs to the lounge where my phone was waiting. It was quite a journey, and I eventually managed to call an ambulance.

Little did I know what lay ahead!

A Long Stay in Hospital

I spent 16 days in hospital, including surgery to rebuild my leg. The surgeons used metal plates, screws and a bone marrow graft to repair the damage. It was a complicated operation, and I am incredibly grateful to the surgical team for the work they have done.

My recovery will be a long one. I am not allowed to put any weight through my injured leg for 12 weeks. After that, the specialists will assess how well the bones have healed and whether the reconstruction is strong enough. We will then look at whether I need a total knee replacement, or whether the healing has been sufficient and I can avoid one.

So, for now, this is my new normal for the next few months: learning to navigate the house, managing the stairs, getting used to having help with everyday things and accepting that I simply cannot do everything myself.

I have a long road ahead, but I am taking it one day at a time.

Some Unexpected Hospital Highlights

Although hospital wasn't somewhere I had planned to spend the middle of October, there were some lovely moments amongst the challenges.

I made some wonderful new friends during my stay, and I was lucky enough to have an amazing view across Lake Pupuke, towards the area where I grew up as a child. It was quite special looking out over such familiar surroundings, especially one evening when a beautiful, full red moon appeared in the sky. It was one of those unexpected moments that makes you stop and appreciate the little things.

And then there was a very special surprise!

My beautiful daughter Lily flew over from Melbourne to see me. Having her arrive unexpectedly was just incredible. It meant so much to have her close by during such a frightening and difficult time. She eventually had to fly home again, but I will treasure that surprise visit and the time we had together.

A Deer Cottage Keeps Ticking Over

One of my biggest concerns has been A Deer Cottage. As many of you know, I absolutely love welcoming guests and looking after all the little details that make their stay special.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to do that for quite some time, so I have made the decision to keep A Deer Cottage ticking over, with the help of my wonderful husband, Te Kani, and a very good friend who has offered to help us.

We already had four guests booked in, and Te Kani stepped up and did a superb job getting the cottage ready for them. He also took care of everything afterwards, including the clean-up. I am so proud of him and incredibly grateful. He really has been a trouper!

It isn't quite how I imagined running the cottage, but I am determined to keep things going where we can. I will just have to become a little more of an armchair manager for a while!

And, of course, there are still my handmade signs. I have one more to put up, and hopefully Te Kani can enlist a friend to help him with that job. I think I might have to retire from sign installation for a little while!

My gorgeous hand made signs waiting for Kani to do his magic...

A Different Pace for Now

This month has certainly reminded me how quickly life can change. One minute I was outside working on something creative for the cottage, and the next I was facing surgery, a lengthy hospital stay and months of rehabilitation.

I am having to learn to slow down, accept help and be patient with myself. Those aren't necessarily things I find easy!

There will be days when I feel frustrated, and I know there will be good days and not-so-good days ahead. But I am incredibly thankful for the people around me who have stepped in and helped when I needed them most.

Te Kani has been amazing, Lily's surprise visit was a very special gift, and I have been touched by the kindness and support of friends and family.

For now, the garden, the signs and all those little jobs around A Deer Cottage will have to wait. My priority is healing and getting stronger, one small step at a time.

Thank you to everyone who has sent messages, thought of us and supported A Deer Cottage during this unexpected time. It means more than you know.

Here's to a quieter November, a little patience, plenty of help, and hopefully some progress with my recovery.

Life certainly doesn't always follow the plans we make, but we keep going, make adjustments where we can, and appreciate the people who walk alongside us.

Take care of yourselves, and we look forward to welcoming you to A Deer Cottage.

With love,

Angela & Te Kani

A Deer Cottage ❤️🦌❤️