Been back to the Flu clinic- and waited three hours for an x-ray of my head as they thought I had a sinus infection (sure sounds like I do!) but I am clear and can go back to work.
So I phoned Chef and I start back on Wednesday- have energy now so I will shortly get the washing up done, my work clothes washed and the flat tidied again!
I made an appointment to go and get a hair cut tomorrow- amazing how quickly it grows at times!
Jim rang me yesterday as he hadn't seen me for a few days- the penthouse I cleaned is already rented out and he needs me to finish the cleaning by the weekend when the new tenants are due to move in. I shall ring him shortly and let him know I can clean it tomorrow- get it done and out of the way!
And in other news, I managed to find a webcam in Carrefours reduced down to 12 Euro- woohooo! lets plug it in and see what it does :)
Lots of love from a snotty sounding woman in Cyprus
K xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I don't know what it is and if it can be any worse!
I have no damn energy! Took me half an hour to try and scrape myself out of bed today- needed to change the bed sheets as I have been hot and sweaty and they are covered in cat fur.
I know a normal flu leaves you feeling shitty for a couple of days- but I am now into day three (started feeling ill Thursday night) and, if at all possible, I feel worse not better! My head is all muzzy, the nose is stuffed, my throat is permanently on fire and I still feel as though I have been hit by a truck. I can't even lift a bottle of water without aching....
On the good side though- there isn't one. But there are some crappy jokes I have heard.
I phoned the Swine Flu hotline- and all I got was crackling.
With the Swine Flu you need oinkment and with the Bird Flu you need tweetment.
Boom boom.
I got flu. Hoepfully not THE swine flu but still a nasty stinking flu-type bug. I started feeling icky last night- took some paracetamol and one of my huge Vitamin C tablets last night and felt shitty this morning so I found the details of the swine flu clinic on the Consulate website and went up to the hospital. They told me to keep taking the paracetamol and check my temperature and prescribed some stuff that the pharmacist said was useless.
So, I am taking lots of fluids, resting and taking vit c and painkillers (not that they are doing much as I still have a headache and feel like a truck has hit me!).
Chef is not very happy but I really don't want to go spreading this around as its apparently not good for pregnant women- and both Chef's girlfriend and Michaelis' wife are pregnant.
I am watching Castaway- Tom Hanks is trying to light a fire- success. Strange the things you want to watch when you aren't well......
I can't concentrate on anything much so will go for now. I am glad you are not here to get this!
With love from Cyprus
Me xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi my love
There was an earthquake this morning just before 9.30 am. I texted you straight away- such a weird sensation- everything went wobbly and the bookcase behind me rattled!
http://www.emsc-csem.org/index.php?page=current&sub=detail&id=137610
The European-Mediterranean Seismology Centre reported it. There are links to witness statements- I submitted a report as I felt it but it isn't showing up yet. It was near Limassol and must have been a strong one to be felt as far away as here, the Troodos region and even in Nicosia! Willow went a bit strange as she stopped eating, looked at me then ran into the bathroom before going out on the balcony.
Just been to 302- I got a phonecall from Val yesterday in a bit of a panic as the owner rang her to say his daughter and friends are coming out on Friday. Luckily there is plenty of bedlinen and towels there so the beds are all made up and all I need to do is a quick wash and polish. Have to do Jasmine 8 and Venus Beach this week too! Busy busy!
Love you lots!
With love from Cyprus
K xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am heading down to our local beach for a quick lie in the sun before work.
Our Executive Chef is in the middle of the photo (with beard)- directly to his left (or the right as you look at the photo) is Michaelis who is in charge of the kitchen I work in- and then myself, Chryso (pastry chef) Kumar, Simon (sushi chef) and then James (Chinese chef), and his assistant who left and I can't remember his name!. On the left of the photo (from left working towards Chef in the middle) is John (butcher), Thingie (can't think of his name lol but he left as he had to go and do his National Service) then Rado (Zimi/ Taverna cold kitchen chef), and then Antonis (taverna chef). Row behind is Aliki (taverna grill chef), Loris (Brasserie assistant chef and hidden in the shadows), Stass (pizza chef), Andrea (pasta chef) and Ludovich (Brasserie chef).
Missing from the photo now is Andrea (now working in place of Kumar with us in the pub- and yes, a third Italian Andrea!), Valentinos and Popi from the Golf and Antonia and another girl who do the staff food and commis-chefing to help us with all the mise en plus.
There will hopefully be a fourth person in the pub kitchen soon to help us out- if so then I get to train them up to be cold kitchen and I get to help in the hot when its busy! Fingers crossed!
If anyone is interested, our Executive Chef has his own website: Andrea Crippa and of course, the website for the Village Square at Aphrodite Hills is Here.
Thats all for tonight!
As always, with love from Cyprus
K xxx
Dear David
So good to speak to you on the phone earlier- will have to try and work out why Skype doesn't work so well. Maybe not enough RAM in the PC although I thought it was fine- at least the older version of Skype works! Don't you just hate it when companies put out a new version of something that doesn't work properly?!
I have been thinking about you lots- still looking at various pages of information about strokes. TIA my arse is my main thought at the moment. A TIA would have lasted around 72 hours and not showed any symptoms like you are still suffering from. Still, I hope the blood thinners work and are able to free the clot. I wish I could have got you back to the UK quicker now. Everything was in such a panic for the first couple of days you were in hospital, I had so much to cope with. Did I tell your mum, your daughter, did you need to go back now, how could I afford it... the list went on.
I know you can't remember much about being in hospital. It must be strange for me to tell you everything you did. I slept by your bed for the first two nights. The nurses were so sweet, giving me tea and breakfast in the morning and trying to get me a lunch when there was extra food. The stuff they wanted me to give you though! Eww! I remember a green mush and a brown one. They didn't taste of anything but it didn't matter so much as you were on a Ringers Lactate drip for food. You had problems swallowing water and nearly choked a few times then got angry with me when I tried to help you sit up a little. You wouldn't swallow tablets and wouldn't even swallow the pastes they made to get the drugs into you. You asked where your mum's sister was- I remember you saying, Where's Vera? When I asked Vera who? you replied Auntie Vera and then fell back asleep before I could tell you she has been dead for many years.
I had to help you pee- had a ready supply of bottles to hand- those special cardboard pee tubes. I had to wash you when you didn't tell me in time or we missed the bottle slightly. I spent most of the time when I wasn't in the hospital washing clothes over and over getting the smell out of them and trying to get them dry and back so you could wear them again. Thankfully, you didn't need a poo!
You tried to pull the drip out a few times as you were worried that horrible male nurse from Surgical would try to put morphine in your arm again. You ended up with the drip well and truly taped to your arm! I watched the nurses and read your med sheets to make sure you wouldn't have anything you were allergic to.
You had injections in your tummy- a sub-cutaneous drug they gave you to try and break the clot up. The doctor explained to me that your stroke was caused by a piece of plaque from one of your arteries breaking off and blocking a small blood vessel. I worried that it would happen again. I still worry about that. I know it must be hard to give up smoking, alcohol and caffeine in one go but you have to otherwise your mum, your daughter and me will be planning your funeral. Its hard to fathom that fact, hard to swallow, but its the truth. If you have another stroke, you will not be so lucky.
I remember you sitting in bed for the first time and asking to get up and sit in the chair for a while as your back was so painful, you only sat up for about half an hour before you were begging to lay down again. I moved you around so many times- eventually helping you sit up to eat dinner and lunch.
You had visitors too- Thomas was in seeing Lucy, Steves' wife (can't even think of her name at the moment!) and Sanchia who was in seeing her husband who had double pneumonia and they were worried originally that it was Swine Flu!
Most of the patients on your ward were only in for a day or two- you were admitted early Thursday morning but left the following Monday. Your recovery was amazing- you went from lying in bed to being desperate to leave the place! I had to ride the moped home and you went luxury style in a taxi. At least we have a lift just outside the front door!
I worried so much about leaving you home alone, I was so glad that my mum was arriving the next day. I had to leave for work about 2 o'clock and she got to the flat by about 5 that evening or so.
Now I worry still. I know you must be feeling down about what has happened, its so difficult just as you were recovering from that TURP operation and the bladder/ bowel infection..... you got your strength back up from that and POW!
If there is a local stroke support group, you must go even if you are tired. It will do you some good to talk to people who are going through the same thing as you- you can compare notes if you like! It will also give Jo and Tom a break- and if you need more time away from them, ring your mum up and go and stay with her for a week or so. And, please please please, ask her to buy you a new mattress- its not good to sleep on an inflatable for so long! Jo should know that your back is already bad from breaking it way back when... I can understand if she doesn't have the space, but you need some very specific stuff to help your recovery!
I love you so much. Its hard being here on my own. The cat has fallen asleep on the sofa and I didn't even get to watch the film I wanted to (The Missionary with Michael Palin- another Handmade Film). I have one more very short post to add after this one- a team photo that Chef took of us all. He wants to do another one with us all wearing toques (the tall hats that we never wear as they fall into the fryers!) but this has most of us on it- just a shame its only a small one he posted on his website. We all look quite professional!
Lots and lots of hugs, kisses and cuddles from Cyprus.
Kathryn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi World
Here is the promised update on how David is doing.
Yesterday (Thursday 13th August) David finally got to see the stroke specialist at the hospital. It sounds like he spent most of the day there having various tests done- an MRI scan of his head and neck, blood tests, reflex and neurology tests.
From his blood results, they have increased the dosage of the blood thinners he is on- but that is also explained by the difference between English and Cypriot dosage guidelines- he is now on 200mg of whatever tablet it was rather than 100mg. They have also put him on a course of Folic Acid so I guess he is slightly anaemic- at least its not iron tablets which can make you constipated!
The reflex tests were predictably wonky on his left side- not just caused by the stroke, but also due to David breaking his spine and pelvis back in 1972. His left side has always been weaker since that- we had fun trying to learn to cha-cha-cha as it involves very quick foot movements and we had to break it down really slowly to get them right.
Speech is getting easier for David and he doesn't need to see a speech therapist- its not caused so much by muscle weakness as just getting very tired when he tries to talk for long periods of time.
David explained about the vision problems he has- he says that at times, it seems like there is a fine mesh over his eyes. No news on what may cause this, so I guess it is another side effect from the stroke. If necessary we will get him to an opthalmologist to have a good look through his eyes and make sure everything is okay there.
He will be going to see a physiotherapist to help him with balance and back to see the specialist in three months *sigh*. On Monday coming, he has a visitor from the Stroke Association coming to see him and hopefully they will be able to give practical and mental support not just to David but also to Jo and Tom.
I will keep you all updated if there is any more news
K x
Dear David,
I haven't taken many photos yet- been inspired but still feeling 'meh'. I worked for a couple of hours today on my day off- we are serving so many customers now that we need so much more mise-en-plus doing. I made over a litre of guacamole! I told Michaeli that it had better last through tomorrow!
This is a photo of my school friend Alex and I at Aphrodite's Rocks (Petra tou Romiou) the day after you returned to England. We've known each other 22 years now- met in secondary school and kept in touch. Alex is a mum to two gorgeous kids (Rio Jade and Hayden) and regularly has 'me' time away from them.
This photo was taken at the Beach Party at Riccos' beach in Yeroskipou. I took it in Night mode which is why its a bit wobbly but it shows the fire twirler that was there, the moon, the reflection of the moon on the sea and even the little lights on Moulia Rocks. It was a good night- the music was fantastic and the crowd was great. Busy but buzzing. I can't wait for the next one!
I had a pizza for tea and will get ready and go out in a short while. I'm not staying out late tonight as I have to be in work at 1pm. The hotel is fully booked as tomorrow is Assumption Day (something religious anyway) and the villas are busy so I am sure the pub is going to be packed all this weekend. Its hot here again, I have the fan on me as there is only a slight breeze. The cat is whingeing- I brushed her earlier and got four handfuls of fur out of her before she started complaining- I think I got all the dead fur out anyway and it might stop her throwing up furballs on our bed! I give her cuddles, but she misses company when I am not here, she's too used to having someone around all day!
You haven't texted me yet to say that you are back from your day out with your mum and sister. Or maybe you are back but resting before tea. Whichever I shall ring you when I get back from being out.
I love you and miss you,
With Love From Cyprus
Kathryn xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
HI there
Just a quick update to let you know that I am now back online after having to get my computer re-built- but at least its now running XP and its FASTER than 2000 Professional although I still get the weird problem with the BBC website (videos on there are using Flash player and it causes Firefox to freeze- and watching videos' on YouTube is still a no-no)
I miss you David- I hope that you are able to talk properly to the specialist tomorrow. Its been a long wait for this- but it will be what you need.
I have to go get some sleep now- its gone 2am and I have been downloading Firefox and getting the monitor working better- forgot it has an auto- adjust button!
Lots of love from Cyprus
Me xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Just a quick note- I bought a sound card for the computer so I could Skype David while he is away... then I spoke to David on the phone and asked him why the videos on YouTube weren't working properly- try updating the driver says he.
So, I go off to nvidia, notice that I am running version 77 and should be on version 99... and leave the computer to update itself. And now I have the permanent blue screen of death and the damned thing won't even start in safe mode! I think there is a conflict between the driver for the graphics card and the one for the monitor- but what it does mean, is that I have to take the computer to the repair shop and probably get everything reinstalled all over again.
*wah!!!!!!!!!!!!!*
I had a lovely morning on the beach- had a lie in then scootered down to St George's beach as it is good to swim there, sat in the sun and had a splash. Lovely- and my tan is coming along very nicely!
I am posting from the internet cafe- still have a few minutes before I have to leave for work.
Yesterday was busy at work- 175 plates left the kitchen- and there were 5 of us- four in the hot kitchen and me in the cold. Don't know why they call it a cold kitchen when the damned air con doesn't work!
Kitty cut her thumb really badly- I had to try and mop it up as we had orders in the hot kitchen and I had to get help as I could see she needed stitches. She was taken to hospital and ended up having 5 stitches in her thumb! Ouchy!
Will be out cleaning tomorrow- have to do Jim's place as I haven't been there for nearly two weeks then hopefully I will be finding out about another one off clean. I need to get a car sorted out soon as I have the opportunity for more cleaning jobs.....
Will have to go and get the staff bus- speak to you all as soon as I can- hopefully I can get the PC fixed Tuesday morning.
Lots and lots of love from Cyprus
Me xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello my love!
I miss you so much! My brain's still slow - I stare out the window and drool! I told you that on this coming Tuesday evening at 7.30 pm I'm to have another CT Scan. I wonder when I will see the stroke specialist.
It's quiet here - lush green cos of all the rain we have been having. The garden looks like a jungle with sunflower plants over 8 feet!! I expect to hear the roar of a tiger, the shrill trumpet of an elephant - Tom and Jo cut down a big tree that was growing in their neigbors garden.
This is all for now my love!
Wishing you every joy and happiness
Love You!
David xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Morning world!
Just spoke to David at Jo's house. His mobile phone was turned off. Apparently he is playing a flying game on the Wii and they are waiting for some batteries to charge so he can have a go at the Wii Fit to help his balance.
The doctor should be phoning him this morning with details of the trip to the specialist who will be in Canterbury so less worries over travelling. He is also going to be referred to a speech therapist- but there isn't much wrong with his speech thats not caused by tiredness and fine-motor muscle loss.
David was yawning down the phone at me- they will stay in and wait for the phonecall then toddle down the road for a walk. It must be hard for Jo to see her Dad like this but what choice did we have? Its all so difficult....
I woke up at half past nine to the cat whingeing for breakfast and head-butting me and trying to bite me. So, I fell back asleep and woke up at half past ten and now have one of those weird slept-too-much headaches! Going to try and get something usefel done this morning- might not though ha ha.
Until later!
From Cyprus With Love,
K xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Well, David had his first visit to the GP today and managed to register there. He will be seeing a stroke specialist shortly- should hear in a week to ten days and has to have more scans but it seems like that is routine. So, again, its just wait and see. I'm sure they will check his blood too to make sure that the drugs are doing what they should.
Today was fairly busy at work- 137 plates left the kitchen today. Chef gave us a hand to get everything done- nothing left late which is always a good thing.
I'm in a weird state of in-between-ness at the moment. I don't want to go out in the mornings- but I don't want to stay in. I don't want to come home after work, but I don't want to stay out. I don't want to sleep alone in the big bed- but get too tired not too and over sleep. What to do? I shall have to start getting different routines going- force myself to get up early and do something with my mornings. I will be brave and go out on Friday night- down to the pub to see David East (Keith) and spend some time with friends. Be strong and stay positive!
I worry about Jo having to deal with her dad- she doesn't know what its like yet. David gets so tired, I hope he adjusts to the atmosphere and weather there and starts improving again like he was over here.
I found Sue (fairyhare) and Kyle (Sue's son) and David from the moot on Facebook. *sigh* I miss some people from the Uk so much!
I shall leave it at that for now- will try and get up early tomorrow and get some stuff ready for the post when I get paid- other things earmarked for pay day include a sound card for the computer so I can try and Skype David and save on the phonebills!
Night night world!
With love from Cyprus
K xxxxxxxx
Hello my love,
I am missing you so much! I feel so alone and depressed. I want to cry.
I don't know how to fill the forms in. I just don't know. I want to hold
you in my arms.
Well here today, I've been sleeping a lot. My head aches - just been
sleeping and waking up for meals - I had a bath and a shave this
morning - up at 7 am - I don't know what benefits I shall get - all
rather complicated may be the doctor tomorrow will be more helpful.
All the hotels seem to be booked up. Mum wants to come down for a week,
I see them staying somewhere far away. Rosalind wants to come down by
train - it's managing all the suitcases - Mum prefers to come by car.
She will not let me ask your Mum to go get them - it will cost 100
pounds here and back again by car - a lot of money.
My head's adrift - as to what you do with the letter from the Ports
Authority send it to the lawyers. Buggered if I know what it says - all
Greek to me!!
Chat to you later my one and only
David xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Well, its me posting, but I don't feel like me.
Valentino asked why I wasn't speaking to him- as if I haven't told him dozens of times what is going on already. Bloody Cypriots at times! Chef said he doesn't like seeing me like this- I said he just has to give me time to adjust. I'm living on my own and its something I've never done before! Holidays are different- I don't know exactly when David is coming back this time which makes it harder.
Willow was crying earlier- that pitiful little meep that she does at times- doesn't help that I've got no cat food in the flat other than biscuits! She'll just have to be patient- I will go to Papantoniou in the morning and buy one tin until Monday morning when I aim for UKays and the cheap stuff!
I have too much to say and don't feel like sharing when I could be telling David over the phone.
I cleaned 302 this morning and must remember to do my invoices and ask if I can get a new mop bucket for there (the bit where you wring the mop out is cracked and its not so easy to squeeze all the water out anymore) and ask them about the possibility of more double sheets- they have plenty of singles as I discovered today! I brought one load of washing home from there- looks like what the owner was using just before he left so its not too much.
I weighed myself today too in the flat- I'm down to 75 kilos again. Still slightly overweight according to the BMI charts but if I keep losing weight while David is away there will be nothing left of me!
We had a very nice treat today at work- not only pizza for tea (they were testing out a new dough using fresh yeast and no eggs- yummy!) but when we finished and Chef was leaving, he said we could have whatever we wanted to eat- so I had a chocolate mousse tort and a scoop of caramel ice cream! At last, the carrot and not just the stick!
It went easier tonight too- Kumar brought his friend in to be our assistant/ KP for the summer season after Chef asking us yesterday if we knew someone who would give us a hand as the kitchen needs three people all the time. Around 100 main courses today and it didn't feel like it was that busy even though most of it was done in an hour and three quarters. Once Sam (Sanjeev) has learnt the menu, it will be even quicker!
Well, I will leave it at that for now, mind going blank.
To you all, with love from Cyprus..... me xxxx
Dearest David
Missing you even more today. I don't feel 'normal'. I wander around thinking about you- Loris gave me another hug today as he could see I didn't want to talk.
I texted you- no reply? I hope you are well, you sounded so tired when we spoke. I am glad you spent the day at my mums recovering from the flight and everything. Apparently, the flights into Gatwick were delayed due to an emergency landing of a flybe flight from Paris to Wales that had to make an emergency landing due to the passenger cabin filling with smoke. No one was hurt though- and one of the runways was shut for 3 hours.
I have to make the bed before I keel over- I washed the sheets and my work jackets.
I had a great morning with Alex, was so good to catch up. Took her onto the boat and there was a letter stuck to the back window from the Cyprus Ports Authority- its all in Greek. What do I do? Its dated the 2nd July- strange that Geoff didn't mention it. Do I just pass it onto the lawyers? I don't want to go near the harbour master at the moment- tempted to email them from you and say that if they don't communicate in English they will pay for the translation or we will just keep ignoring them.
Its cooler here tonight and I can feel my eyelids dropping. I have to clean 302 tomorrow- but will be home after that so will try and ring you wherever you are.
Sleep well hunny.
From Cyprus With Love
Kathryn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi David
By the time you read this... well, no doubt it will be late/ early morning. Its quarter to two am and I am thinking of bed already. I walked home from the bus through the old town with my MP3 player plugged firmly into my ears.
It was busy at work from when I arrived. Everything went to pot- ran out of stuff, orders went out late, what can we do? I asked for help from Ludo (Brasserie Chef) and later got told off by Kumar for doing so- he doesn't care that the orders take 45 minutes to leave the kitchen. Well, sorry! But I do care.!
I spoke to Panayiotis, the Food and Beverage Manager- if I am still missing you really badly, he will give me a couple of days off to fly over and see you. Its tempting but too expensive. Damned summer holidays!
Willow is whingeing away- running around and wailing. She's got food, I think that she's wondering where you are. I'm wondering that too- somewhere over Central Europe would be my guess- half way to England by now. *sigh*
There was a nice breeze outside- but its from the wrong direction for us to get in the flat. Never mind. I shall take the fan to bed in a short while and see about getting some sleep. I hope you manage to sleep on the plane.
I am trying to check out your flight on flightstats.com and just noticed that google has another logo. I can't find how to get the picture to show you, its got dragons. I think the glass of wine I am drinking has gone to my head too much- I haven't eaten all night since that slice of pizza for lunch.
Flightstats is telling me that your flight has not yet departed, I hope you aren't still stuck at the airport! I am sure you would have rung by now....
Your number is not available- I am sure you are somewhere in the air fast asleep. Dream of me sweetheart :)
I have to go to bed now- my eyes close despite trying to stay awake, despite waiting to hear from you. I will set my alarm for tomorrow as Alexandra is coming to Pafos! No doubt I will be up early, you know I don't like sleeping here alone too much. I will write more in around 6 hours or so- and text you when you land safely.
Until then, my love
From Cyprus, With Love
K xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi.
I'm Kathryn and this is my blog. I'm 33 and living in Cyprus with my partner David who is 61.
On the 27th May our lives changed. David suffered a stroke.
I was at work and it was busy. I noticed I had a missed call from David- he'd rung me just after 9pm and it was around twenty minutes later when I managed to check the phone. Strange. He never rings me at work- he texts.
I rang him back.
And the phone rang and rang and rang.
Even more strange, he always answers a text straight away as the phone is next to him.
I leave the kitchen and head somewhere so I can hear.
He answers the phone with the words I will never forget.
I have had a stroke he says. He sounds weak, very faint, doesn't seem to be making much sense.
I nearly drop the phone in panic, heading back to the kitchen, trying to talk to David and get him to keep talking to me, calling out for help, I don't think I'm making enough sense but the pub manager hears me and other cooks appear. I have to write our address down so that ambulance can be called in Greek to make it faster, I end up with a glass of water sitting in the Executive Chefs office, not caring about the tears running down my face, trying to get David to keep talking to me as I need him to be there so the ambulance can get in. I need a phone, I have no credit.
I hear the words taxi and lift float around as I beg David to keep talking to me, where are you, what happened, keep talking, keep talking.
Charles the pub manager appears and says that I have a lift home with Zenia who is heading back to Paphos, I run into my kitchen and Andrea the pasta chef is trying to make something from my menu, I notice the orders and I don't care, I grab a few things and run downstairs for my bag. I can barely remember coming back upstairs but I am back in the pub and then I'm all of a sudden heading home.
And our friend calls me. She had given me a lift to work that day and David had shown her Aphrodite's Rocks. She went back to our flat after some something and David managed to let her in. She got him dressed and stayed there and then the ambulance arrived.
Worrying in the car I directed my lift to our road, just as the ambulance was turning to come out. I run after it, car horns must have stopped it, I hammer on the back doors, thats my husband in there, let me in let me in.
He's lying on the stretcher, not able to smile, I see a look of something in his eyes. Worry? Love? I'm not sure, I'm just glad he's there, he's still in there.
It seems to take forever to get to the hospital, they must have gone the longest way possible through town. David gets wired to the ECG, his pulse is around 67. I'm trying to keep him awake, I need to know when this happened, need to know that he can hear that I am with him.
We arrive at the hospital and David gets wheeled in. Not to a room, to a curtained off corner. They take his blood pressure. 120/70. He hasn't had a stroke they tell me. Not possible. His blood pressure is not high enough. They don't seem to notice his face drooping on the left side, his lack of movement, the attempts he is making to tell them of the pain is his in with a bad headache. He can't speak clearly and I have to leave the department. Relatives not allowed inside. I wander in and out, in and out. He gets taken for a CT scan. Nothing shows.
Eventually he gets taken upstairs to Medical. I ask when visiting hours are. They tell me I can stay the night so I make sure David is as comfortable as can be, tell the staff that he broke his back years ago and his legs might twitch and then get a lift home. I can't remember coming back to the flat but I knew I did. I emptied out my work bag, tipped a few things in it- a blanket for me, maybe a change of clothes and wash kit and head for the moped and back to the hospital.
To be continued......