Tuesday 15 September 2009

Wee Man lugged this beautiful stone back from the beach at Bude. We were staying in a caravan on a farm - just us as it was a new venture for the farmer's wife and she had just one caravan. So it was idyllic for us....

... idyllic 'til 'im-out-of doors developed a stomach pain. It got so bad we left him resting while we went back to visit the donkey sanctuary - a favourite for the kids. But in the end we went to the local doctors.

The nurse saw him and did wonder about appendicitis but the doctor popped his head in and muttered " virus " & prescribed pain killers & sleep. We returned two days later & the diagnosis was the same.

I don't know how he drove home ( how guilty did I feel that I can't drive ? ) The next morning he took himself off to Bournemouth hospital where they didn't know what to do with him either. By this time, appendicitis was a real possibility so they wrote " nil by mouth " and prepped him for an operation. Then they changed their mind and put him under observation. Then they changed their minds again up went the nil by mouth sign and so it went on !

Meanwhile the In laws arrived to stay locally to see the grandchildren. They spent most of their holiday driving backwards & fore wards to hospital !

Eventually my husband was discharged with a bag full of strong antibiotics. He still has his appendix ! They decided to bombard with pills rather than operate as it could burst & develop peritonitis. Needless to say, he has never forgotten that particular holiday !

PS ...on a brighter note, before he got ill, we visited Morwellham Quay - went deep into the tin mines, dressed up in period costume, made rope & sat in a lesson in a Victorian school ( what would they have done with two dyslexics ? )

It's a wonderful place and if you get the chance try to visit.

6 comments:

  1. Hey Bude... don't make it bad...!!! Take a sick man and make him better..!!

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  2. He he. Think he'd rather have had his appendix chopped out ... being a sailor and all that... doesn't want a repeat of THAT out at sea !!!
    (ooh - doesn't bare thinking about...he has been known to peform his own dentistry - ouch !)

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  3. What a beautiful stone! I had my appendix out two years ago..... was in hospital 5 days before they took it out.... nil by mouth for 5 days and really, really poorly afterwards for another two weeks in hospital. Lost a lot of weight though (if there is an upside!). The moral of the story is: if you are going to get appendicitus, dont get it over a Bank Holiday.

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  4. Oh dear, we have had a few sicky days on holiday (and nights, come to think of it), but no story as bad as that. Poor chap...

    My grandma was a teacher in the 1930s and when I started specialising as a dyslexia teacher, she was interested but also horrified. She said to me: 'Do you mean that I could have punished children for being lazy when in fact they couldn't help it?' I am afraid that she must have, but she knew no better... at least she was open-minded enough to learn about dyslexia, right up until the end of her life.

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  5. Oh Floss sadly there are still teachers who refuse to accept it. When my mum was teaching it was called " Lazy Middle class child syndrome !!!" Mum knew better though and she helped me to help my two. The school SENCO was so defensive I couldn't believe it & I stood in the playgroung in tears more than once. They kept saying " she might not be dyslexic ! " & I answered " let's find out then and if she is we can get the right help."

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  6. I remember Morwellham Quay but it's been such a long time since my last visit! Too long!

    Your beautiful stone will always remind you of your holiday, not that you need reminding!

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