Hi everyone,
David was right; I came back to earth with a crash when I got back to Hobart on Tuesday. By the time I had gotten up at 5am, caught a plane from Brisbane to Hobart, gone from the airport to burns clinic for review, then to choir (lugging 23kg of a suitcase up the street, it wasn’t far), then home, I collapsed in noisy tears on Tuesday night!!!!
Lottie was angelic as usual on the way home. I was a bit nervous about tackling Brisbane airport, but as soon as I entered the building, Lottie just went into assistance dog mode and stayed completely by my side. If I walk faster, she trots faster, and if I slow down, she slows down. And she curls up and goes to sleep in the cabin.
The choir of high hopes had a performance last night for ‘sleep out for the salvos’. It was great, I get so much out of being part of the choir, and it has made such a difference to my life. About a year ago I was still in and out of psych units every week or fortnight. I haven’t been near one for 6 months or so.
Only problem was that my right eye was playing up. Because of the burns and subsequent lack of oil glands etc, I have dry eye syndrome. Every now and then, my right eye will feel like it has something in it. It will become really irritated, and painful. I put in ointment before I went out last night, and then took some Panadol when there; it just got worse and worse. Anyway, after the performance I took some codeine and drove home. More ointment, and eventually I taped my eye shut. Maybe I should get a patch and a parrot on my shoulder?? I already had an appointment for the eye clinic this morning.
Thank you for the burns retreat, it was fantastic. An experience that recharges my batteries and keeps me moving forwards. I am hoping to see you all in Melbourne, and an out in a request for a water activity? I have a bit of a fear of the sea and rivers etc, because I cannot swim much at all now due to my shoulder problem. I would love to get out into the ocean again. I did on holiday in India, but almost ended up being sucked out, and a friend pulled me safe. I don’t go in alone, at all anymore.
Keep up the ‘inyourendo’ Grazi, I love it.
Take care,
Lucy and the ‘devil dog’
Lucy & Lottie
Hi everybody,
I’ve got to tell you that for days after the retreat finished I couldn’t stop thinking about what I had experienced while there. I’d like to share with you something that I shared with David prior to leaving the retreat, I told him that before I agreed to come to the retreat, that I originally only came just to get away from Sydney for a few days and that I thought to myself that I didn’t need to come to something like this, I was doing O.K. I thought to myself “what could I possibly get out of this, I’m doing well, I’m all over this trauma type stuff, but hang on, maybe I can help them, and they would obviously need it more than I do”. What an arrogant, contemptuous dick, hey. It still amazes me that I can still be such a dickhead. You know, just like the rest of my journey, I walked away from the retreat on Monday a very, very humble man. Again I learnt so much, and may I say that you guys are the bravest people I have ever met; the courage you all showed to attend the retreat just blew me away. I think each and every one of you is great and I’m so proud and privileged to have spent time with you, and I certainly hope that we will all continue being friends.
You know, I realised days after the retreat that we never get over our tragedy, but we have found an unbelievable way of dealing with it, TOGETHER, and I for one felt like a new person having shared mine and your experiences over the weekend. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Karen and Grazi, well, what can I say, you guys are going to lead this organisation to greatness; again, I am so proud to have met and gotten to know you guys.
David and Stephen, you blokes are absolutely unbelievable, just when I thought I was so good and knew just about everything, well, you guys showed me that we all continue learning, and that there is strength and courage together. Thank you.
Well that’s about it for me, again thank you, and know that I love all of you guys and I can’t wait to see you all again, so bring on the rest of this year, bring on the next retreat and “LETS GO GET EM”.
Frank
Thank you for the opportunity of co-facilitating the 4 day retreat with Stephen. As he is the founder of this sort of retreat and is very experienced in how they operate he was very kind to allow me to co-work with him and I reckon our styles were very complimentary [with a good mix of fun and serious, of light and shade]. Without your work and that of Grazi this retreat would not have happened- so you both deserve a big thank you. As outlined in the retreat folder the retreat is an empowering experience designed to bring together individual burn survivors and through interaction, and encouragement of acceptance, aid in the development of coping skills to be applied in day to day living.
At this retreat we had a participant from Papua New Guinea and Stephen from Canada, and the others were from across Australia. You took some risks, because you engaged me (a person without burns), and we allowed on 1 night, family and friends to attend. As getting participants to feel comfortable with strangers and with their own situation is a big part of the potential success of this retreat these were big matters for us to try. I believe that my non-burns status became a non issue quite early in the retreat as what was of relevance was whether participants were comfortable with me and my style of co leadership and whether they were getting what they needed to get out of the retreat to make their attendance worthwhile. The material in the folder was very useful and participants can use a variety of bits of its content when they need to. For Stephen and me our job was to ensure that the safety parameters come boundaries come expectations of working together were sufficient so that participants felt safe enough to take some controlled risks outside of their comfort zones and have a chance to have some fun and learn some things that might be of some assistance to them. As you know I like the ‘Patch Adams’ approach with lots of wit and fun and then blending in serious stuff. Stephen and I were both comfortable enough with our skills to digress from the agenda and to change programming as participants requested change, and we let each other lead whenever it was needed.
We both had covered a range of options and it was interesting how these complimented each other for example my last exercise of giving and receiving positive feedback to and from all other members of the group was a perfect fit with Stephen’s written exercise covering the same matter, so that participants get the same messages reinforced in different formats maximizing the likelihood of participant benefit.
Highlights for me include; people taking risk and sharing both their laughter and tears with one another. Shy participants gaining some confidence whether it is starting to talk to starting to dance in front of others to sharing their stories to playing music in front of others. To see those who have been before looking after new members.
Also for me it was great to see how everyone interacted on the night we had family members along where everyone saw others with burns and saw how each other could function without all the stares (cause on this retreat burns were the norm not the exception).
For me also I find that although exhausting the retreat was very satisfying and as I stated it is an honour and privilege to work with people who have and are in the process of overcoming such great adversity as these folk, and I do love it when people move from being victims to survivors.
Thanks David
Hello my other family and what a difference you all make to my life. What a heart-warming experience yet again. That was my third retreat and plenty more to come. I get so much out of sharing with others through my own experience and just seem to get stronger by the day. I am so blessed in ways and it shows through the people that cross my path in this lifetime as I call it.
As the doctors only gave me 50/50% chance of survival, I am forever grateful and thankful for simply having a breath of life. First and foremost thanks Kaz and Grazi for making these retreats so successful (bloods worth bottling) and many thanks to Steve and David for your wonderful senses of humour and facilitation. It was much appreciated by all. And I am so honoured and privileged to have met new faces and touched base with faces I have met before. I always walk away from the retreats feeling kind of lonely and a tad sad, as the feelings I experience within the depths of my heart truly affect me in such a positive way. Even though I was so tired, there was always room for a quite giggle in reflecting on moments that truly touched me.
Its head down and bum up for me once again fundraising again this year. Last year I felt a little slack but still managed to raise $1500, the year before $5000.Am hoping to get over that mark this year, and being the determined, stubborn Sagittarian that I am, I am more than certain I will achieve. After this retreat it has made me more passionate in wanting to help others to come and experience these treasured moments and to meet others (and we are all so lovable). How could they say no? HA.
Anyhow last but not least I had a great time and lots of laughs. It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later at the next stop in Melbourne. May the air smell sweet and the ground feel stable for each and every one of you?
MUCH LOVE CAROL XXX
I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to attend the Burn Retreat. I was so touched to see everyone in the retreat the same as me, in some way or the other. It helped me a lot as most of the questions I had was answered in the sessions and during the times when we had to listen to others share their ideas and experience to encourage others with their questions.
One of the most important things I learnt was to accept who I am as it was said the outer appearance dose not really matter as the real me was inside and that does not change who I am. And to be positive and live each day with hope and to walk the journey with me head lifted high and up straight no matter what people say because I am not a Burns Victim but a Burns Survivor.
I meet and made friends and found this family which I really belong to as I found love, joy, laughter. I would certainly recommend the retreat to anybody who as had burn injury.
Your organisation gives hope, support and encouragement and I thank you for ongoing friendship and support.
God Bless you,
Hadassah
Hi all,
Well what a retreat it was great to see all the old and new faces thanks everyone for coming. I was wondering whether it was worthwhile to keep having or going to these retreats, well it’s more than worthwhile I feel it’s bloody important to keep them going. I got so much out of this one it was so good to see the outcomes and how people have progressed , there are so many of us that are an inspiration to ourselves and others so the message is good.
As the patron I am so proud of you all and especially the counsellors and medical nurse without them this would not work thank you.
See you next year
Take good care
Peter Hughes
Hi Grazi,
Karen asked me to write something about the BBQ, how does this sound?
It was very special for me to be invited to attend a BBQ at the BFA retreat. It was very evident that the burn survivors were very relax and at ease with themselves – I contribute this to the sessions held throughout the day (I was not at these sessions), there was a sense of unity, spirit and laughter.
Thanks
Beatrix