06/10/2025
📍 The last 6 months… aka Hotel Hospitals!
It’s been a wild year — one I wouldn’t wish on anyone, but I’m sharing this for awareness, not sympathy.
📍Admission 1 – March (St John of God, Subiaco)
On 20 March, I had a hysterectomy that should’ve taken 90 minutes — it took 4 hours.
Surgeons discovered scar tissue, adhesions, and that my bladder had fused to my uterus. I haemorrhaged and learned I have POTs & a connective tissue disorder (hEDS). I was told to “buckle up” for a 3-month recovery, not the 6 weeks I’d planned for.
📍Admission 2 – April (Hollywood Private Hospital)
By 12 April, I was back in emergency with severe vomiting and a post-op infection. Fentanyl IV, ambulance ride, three more nights in hospital, discharged 14 April.
📍Admission 3 – July (Maldives Hospital + Hollywood Private)
We went overseas on 7 July — my long-awaited bucket-list trip. A mix of cabin pressure, pool time, and a coffee mix-up led to internal organ damage.
The incredible team at Pullman chartered a speedboat ($500 USD) to get me to a hospital with a gynae team. Thankfully my internal stitches held. Once home (12 July), I was admitted again to Hollywood Hospital for infected tissue removal and antibiotics.
📍Admission 4 & 5 – August to September (King Edward Memorial + Hollywood Private)
On 22 August, after a couple of wines…I went to the bathroom and felt a pop.
Thirty+ centimetres of my intestines had come out of my body.
000 & Ambulance to King Edward Memorial, emergency surgery at 1 a.m. after 3 hours in ED agony — two surgeons and a gynae saved my life, removing part of my small intestines, reconstructed my bowel and restitched & glued my pelvic floor.
I spent 8 days at KEMH and another 8 at Hollywood, discharged 6 September & had the longest wait to see if I needed a stoma bag or if they saved my bowel in time.
📍Admission 6 – September to October (KEMH → Hollywood Private)
Just when I thought the storm had passed, 24 September brought the chills and pain again. Bloodwork showed infection markers “off the chart.” I was admitted once more — first to KEMH, then transferred to Hollywood Private.
After 13 days, I was finally discharged this week.
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Novel continued!
💭 Why I’m sharing this:
Living with chronic and invisible illnesses like EDS, POTS, allergies and endometriosis can be isolating. People see you “looking fine” — but that doesn’t mean you are!
If a friend says they aren’t well, believe them. Don’t make them feel guilty for cancelling plans — believe me, it’s hard living life not knowing how you will wake up feeling on the day – so shout out to the low maintenance friends who understand when you can’t commit to everything right now!
To anyone with allergies — I SEE YOU TOO! AND the parents who are fighting for their kids navigating allergies! Our health isn’t an inconvenience; it’s a matter of safety. Every careless exposure added days and discomfort to my own admissions.
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❤️ Gratitude:
To my ride-or-die friends who didn’t just say “let me know if you need anything” — they showed up unannounced with cooked meals, snacks, entertained my kids, drove me to appointments, coffees & chats.
To my friends & family who juggled kids, meals, taxis, and emotions.
To Kate & the Global Travel Network for supporting me when I physically couldn’t show up for clients. Often volunteering time & not billing me for the hours 🙏🏼
My beautiful & understanding clients who have been patient with me - especially when I was navigating last minute support to finalise your travel plans - thank you for your continued trust through this turbulant time.
To those who’ve sent messages, gifts, and love — thank you for seeing me & loving me when i havent had much to give in return.
To my love, Harley Litchfield — the way you’ve shown me love, stepped up for the family, taken 2 months off work & been my rock.
I love you and can’t wait for our Euro trip — I AM SO EXCITED TO MARRY YOU NEXT YEAR
I’m learning to let go, ask for help, and lean on others — even when it goes against every fibre of my “I’ve got this & push through” nature.
Fingers crossed 2026 involves zero hospital time & bring on the wedding ❤️💪🏼
