Life begins at forty I've recently written! Well to the horror of those close, me included, I've recently endured a spell in hospital. Week ending the 16th August 2008 goes down as one I don't care to repeat. I said goodbye to my mum on the Monday, who had been out here in SA for some seven weeks; I had a day to wallow in my loneliness then bang, and I mean BANG! On the Tuesday night I woke with a growing pain in my chest and upper stomach, a pain that just wouldn't go away no matter how many pain killers I swallowed. By the morning I conceded that I needed to see a doctor and ended up in town at the surgery. An ESG showed worrying signs and I was sent of to hospital in Humansdorp. There treatment began and a heart attack was thankfully ruled out. I was admitted into hospital where I continued to be treated for an infected ulcer. Friday saw me being shipped by ambulance to a rather rundown hospital in Port Elizabeth; I was sent there for the test where they stick the scope down your throat, however I never got such a test. I did undergo various nasty X-rays with a tube up my nostril and down my throat. As a result, the doctors were able to rule out a hernia (again, thankfully). I was sent off to another department where the treatment for an affected stomach ulcer was again started, and in time Louise and I were eventually sent home (YAY).
Back home, I've continued with my pills and I'm pleased to say that I'm a lot better. It's all been a bit dramatic, particularly when I went into hospital with a suspected heart attack, but it's also been something of a wake up call for me. Stomach ulcers come for a reason; I know that I need to assess my whole lifestyle and make changes. So, life does indeed begin at forty, a new life (all be it, a blander one!).
I just want to make a note here of my thanks to Louise, my family here, friends everywhere, family in the UK and all the hospital staff who have been a great help and support to me.
