MY DRAMATIC AND EXCITING JOURNEY TO BE ON MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT NZ!


Posted on 11 Oct


I received a phone call at work in early August. It was Warner Brother's asking if I'd like to be a Celebrant on Married at First Sight NZ. Errrrrrm, "YES, YES, YES" (I think was my reply).

I've watched every episode of MAFS Australia and NZ Bachelor over the years. I call it 'wedding homework'. :)

When the lady on the phone told me the dates of filming, I was devastated. The weddings would happen some time between 16 and 18 August. "NO, NO, NO" I cried. "I will be in Bali". Oh well, they had said, maybe next time. And with that, the conversation was over.

This was one the best and worst phone conversations I'd ever remembered having. I ran in to tell my boss, Brian (who is an avid MAFS fan too). "Change your flights" he said.

I rang Warner Brothers back and asked if I could officiate the last Wedding possible (late Friday afternoon) and proceeded to cut my trip short by three days. (At a cost of one business class seat at NZ$650 I might add! There were no economy left.)

I'd only had my appendix out four weeks before my trip to Bali. From the intravenous sedation I'd been given, I'd also grown a 5cm blood clot in a superficial vein in my wrist.

Not too much of a biggie (normally) but given that I'd had a P.E (pulmonary embolism) after giving birth to Number Two and I was about to fly to Bali, the Drs weren't taking any chances. I was straight back on blood thinning injections called Clexane. These are injected into the fat of your stomach daily. I engaged (with bottles of wine) a local nurse friend, Katie to inject these painful little suckers for me.

I was on Clexane for three weeks and only got the all-clear that I didn't have to take the needles to Bali - the day before we flew. My flatmate, Azza was pretty stoked too as he was going to have to inject me (I certainly wasn't doing it myself).

Two days before I was due to come home early from Bali for the Wedding, I fell ill with what I assumed was a kidney infection. I knew it was pretty bad and it started to ruin my holiday. I tried to mask the pain with pain killers to make it home.

I flew home incredibly uncomfortably, even in business class! I had an excruciating four hour layover in Sydney to top it off.

I got home late on Thursday afternoon and drove straight to my local pharmacy. I walked in saying "I don't know what's wrong with me" and pointed in the general vicinity of where it hurt. It sounds like you're appendix, three of them concurred. "Nope" I exclaimed, "I had that out a few weeks ago".

They told me to get to my Dr as soon as possible. I went home and booked for the next morning, Friday morning (the day of the Wedding). My Dr told me I had a significant infection and to go home and rest. "I can't" I told her, "I have one of the biggest Weddings of my life this afternoon".

Off I went with my antibiotics in tow and being told by my Dr, if it gets worse, go straight to hospital.

I did my best to be as chilled as possible the whole day. I knew I wasn't well, but I was super excited to be taking part in one of the MAFS Ceremonies.

I didn't take any pain killers from early morning as I was reluctant to be 'high' and trip over or mince my words. I struggled through the afternoon.

I was lucky enough to meet the Groom (Haydn) and Bride (Bel) separately about five minutes before the Ceremony. I was thankful for that. I probably would have been a bit overwhelmed watching the ex-bachelorette contestant walking down the aisle (knowing who she was) if I'd not met her first.

The Ceremony was a dream and it was wonderful to see Haydn and Bel's automatic connection with smiles and hugs. It made my job easier for sure ... I could only imagine how awkward it might have been, had they have not been at peace in one another's company so quickly.

Post-ceremony I crumbled. Almost collapsing in pain, I realised I must have survived through the Ceremony on adrenaline. I tried talking to the guests for around five minutes. My hand sat, pressed in the small of my back and I knew I had to get home. It was the worst drive of my life.

It was 6:30pm when I drove home. I could barely keep my eyes open, suffering pain and the illness was setting in hard. I had no pain killers in the car and it had been quite a few hours since I'd had any.

By 7pm I had made it home, dropped as many pain killers as I was allowed and fell in bed.

I woke up late the next morning and knew I needed hospital.  I phoned my sister in tears. Kim came to collect me and took me to hospital.  I ended up there for four days on antibiotic drips.

Watching the actual MAFS Season 1 Episode 3 on Sunday 8 October I was petrified to see if I looked gravely ill.  I didn't!  Thank goodness.  Haydn and Bel looked amazing and I was worried I'd ruin the picture.

Thanks MAFS for having me, illness aside, it was an awesome journey through the weeks.  Now bring on the rest of the episodes!   I can't wait to see how Haydn and Bel and all the couples pan out.

And yes, it was a LEGAL CEREMONY. (Many of you have asked).

Haydn and Bel

PS. I thought you'd also find it funny to know, the nurses had to replace the lure in my arm in hospital on Day 3. I asked if I could have 'ward leave' for a few hours. My flatmate, Azza picked me up from hospital and took me home so I could get ready.

I quickly put on a wedding outfit and performed a small intimate family wedding (8 pax) in Herne Bay for Vicki and Erin.

Afterwards, Azza drove me home. I replace my outfit with my ugg boots and trackies, took off my make-up and went back to hospital to have the lure put back in my arm for another night in hospital. #commitment #dedication #lovemyjob

Hospital and Ceremony