Our future... not in SA as we hoped...

A difficult post to write... looks like we will have to stay here... with Lance's diagnosis. 

After his suspected stroke in November 2010 (2 weeks after my major surgery... what a month!), he has had ongoing tests, MRIs, hospital appts, seeing specialists... they deduced he has Schermann's Disease... as well as Ankylosing Spondilitis. 

The latter is the worse disease.. it's a degenerative bone disease... worse case scenario is hip and/or other body bone parts replaced... and in a wheelchair... good scenario is he manages his illness with meds he is cirrently on... and exercises well, eats the right foods.. and manages his pain, and has a decent life. 

Hence the problem with coming back to SA... 

He needs to go for a hospital checkup every 2 weeks, his meds cost a fortune, he needs ongoing MRIs to watch how the disease spreads etc. Sees the rheumatologist and needs physio. Medical Aid in SA won't even cover him at all, and his medial costs would financially cripple us there. 

My meds alone would cost loads (on 3 different asthma meds daily, sometimes 4). I have been hospitlised twice for it in the last few years... so would also need medical cover, and I cannot get this in SA either. 

So, with neither of us being able to get medical cover... unless we won the lottery, we would not be able to cover our monthly medical costs, or any hospital visits.

They (the banks) have also changed the law in SA so that if you are not a resident of SA (even though a SA citizen, with SA property, with a SA passport and ID book), the banks won't give a mortgage...  This would make things very hard for us as we plan to open a school and would need a mortgage to do that. 

That aside though... his health comes first and we can afford the care he needs now and will need more as he gets older, here.

So with a heavy heart I am saying it looks like we won't be returning to SA for a long while.. unless we win the lottery and can buy a house for cash and be able to pay for Lance's care as he gets older.

So I am continuing my studies (was offered a study grant earlier this year - an amazing door to have opened!), aiming for Masters... and plan to extend my current childcare business in August 2013... and also start a new Day Nursery in a commercial premises too. Am in talks with the local borough re this. I would have done this years ago had I known we would be staying here forever.. so, now that I know... it's onwards and upwards dealing with our future, here. 

And making sure we visit our beautiful South Africa at least once a year.