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A VERY special friend recently told me that "no-one can go back and make a brand new start, but anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending".

Well, today is that day for me as it not only marks my brand new ending, but also my fresh new start.

Taking you back to my column a fortnight ago, I discussed the topic of how important a back-up system is and how we should never underestimate it ? especially when injuring oneself. This week is no different, for what started out as a small injury to my back ? or so I thought at the time ? has, in fact, manifested itself into something a tad bit more serious.

You see, it would seem that the Bridget Jones in me has once again gone and outdone herself, resulting in me needing a back operation that will put me out of action for the next six months.

Although the doctors are not entirely sure as to when exactly it happened ? what with me constantly falling backwards over my office chair, or slipping down a flight of stairs sometime last year, or getting knocked over (twice in fact, most recently three years ago while attempting to cross the road, I kid you not) ? the result is that I have somehow fractured my spine.

Contrary to my optimistic belief of two weeks ago that all I needed was the care of my mother's touch to solve the problem, it has become clear that unless she has the hands of a orthopaedic surgeon to perform my spinal fusion, which will take place this morning, her care will only come in to play once I am discharged from the hospital five days from now and taken back to the Little Karoo to stay with her for my six month recuperation period.

Yes, you heard right, I shall be trading in my "city girl" ways for that of a farm girl for the best part of 2008 ? but I will still try to entertain you from afar with my weekly columns.

To be perfectly honest, when I first heard the news, I couldn't help but think why? Why now? Why me? As I have so often said, when we find ourselves asking these kinds of questions, we should rather be asking ourselves why not? Why not now? And why not me?

Yes, I'll admit that it is certainly not a pleasant thing to go through ? or so I have heard ? but many things in life aren't, yet we get through it as best we can, because we have no other choice.

Often life throws us these curve balls and the choice we have is to either try and miss them, or reach out and catch them, thereby learning from the experience and coming out stronger for it ? and that is exactly what I plan to do.

People often say things happen for a reason. I would have to say I couldn't agree more, because for months now I have felt stagnant; as if I have been going no where slowly. Now I am forced to take charge and change my life for the better ? something I might not have done, had I not been forced to.

So, goodbye I say to my days of smoking, to living my life as if I am invincible, and to treating my health and body as if it were forever young. Hello, I say to a world of keeping fit, living responsibly and treating my health and body as it so richly deserves, and that is with the utmost care and consideration.

I leave you with probably the only wise words Adolf Hitler said: "What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger." Until next week.

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