Made It!
20 January 2019Well, as you all will know...I made it. Swam down the lake from Makarora River to the Log Cabin on the Wanaka waterfront in 16 hours and 10 mins. I don't know where some of that time went...it all melded into one.
Firstly I want to thank all of you who have donated. While I was swimming, I got into a dark place in my head and what got me out of it was when my support crew told me that over $4000 had been donated, and I had only been swimming for 10 hours. You guys didn't even know I would make it. I was blown away!
I am slowly recovering at home, with my main effects being exhaustion and tendinitis in my right wrist.
I have had a lot of time to reflect on the challenge of the swim (the preparation and the actual event), and how this directly relates to the challenges people face in life. And most importantly how we can make these challenges just a little bit easier. We can't take away challenges in life...they will always come up...but we can ease this burden on people.
For me, when we lost Darryl, it was a relief to know that I could get counselling for Finn, fully subsidised. We lived in Christchurch and it was provided by the District Health Board. Because he was only 7, he got 6 sessions of play therapy, and although what he said etc. was completely confidential, it was reassuring to know that he was getting some help. With losing one income there was no way I could have afforded it.
So moving to Wanaka, which is seen as a very affluent society, there was none of this available for those who found themselves in the same situation. Grief and loss does not discriminate! And not everybody in Wanaka has the money to pay for extra things like this that may pop up. The fund specifically pays for subsidised counselling for children and/or their families when they are enduring times of grief and loss. This is far ranging and examples are that it could be as a result of: a death; major injury or illness (to the child or parent); relationship breakdown of the parents; some other parental challenge that affects the child.
All counsellors in the Upper Clutha Area are aware of the fund and know how to access it on behalf of their clients or if people want to know more they can call into Community Networks and talk to somebody about it.