Bartimaeus

I need to thank people for their continued check-ins on Shane’s health and asking how I am. Shane has been mildly frustrated by the uncertainty of what happens next and that things that are going to happen “today” or tomorrow, often do not happen until the very end of the following day, and has had a number of issues with cannulas not working and being replaced. However he remained fit and active and while his neck is still stiff and feels different, he does not complain really of pain. Some parts of the side have no feeling and others feel odd.

On Sunday I arrived in the middle of the procedure of the stitches being removed. The nurses were anxious that they may be hurting him but he assured them the area they were working on was actually pretty well numb. He also reassured them that I was less squeamish than he was so I wasn’t going to mind being a by-stander. I said I wasn’t too good with tolerating actual pain. In fact I felt more for the nurses who were doing a careful painstaking job while kneeling on a hard floor. I think they were in more discomfort than he was during the procedure and could have done with some knee pads! Kudos to those two! Shane is relieved and more comfortable without them. He was looking forward to his next shave, the thought made me wince.

Over the weekend , with a combination of a lot of walking and a different pair of shoes, I developed the occasional sharp pain in my right foot. By the time I came home, it was bothering me and I looked to see there was a blister on the sole of my foot. No change the next day and I was wondering how I would fare walking to and from the the station, or whether I should go in at all, but I found that the 3 year out of date blister plasters I still had did an excellent job of cushioning. While I was aware of an uncomfortable pressure, especially when I stepped on the dimpled areas to alert the visually impaired of a road crossing point, I was relieved that there was no longer a sharp pain, and also that, being sighted, I could side step all the ridges and dimples with ease. I was also grateful that I was sighted and not in nearly as much pain as my brother-in-law has been for months awaiting his hip replacement. If he can get home from hospital the same day, then I could surely put up with a blister. 

When cooking my tea I wondered if I had cut myself with the knife, but I couldn’t see anything. There is nothing like chopping some jalapeños in brine and vinegar and squeezing lemon juice over your salad to find the tiniest of cuts. Still a quick rinse and no p!aster required. I was much better off than anyone on Shane’s ward with their dog bite, infected tooth or broken jaw. The weekend reveller with the broken jaw didn’t say much except to mumble requests for more painkillers. Shane has been rebooking and deferring our trip south and I have contacted the marina to tell them we will have to delay returning the electronic key. I enjoyed a brief view of boats and sculptures at the canal basin on my way home from the hospital at the weekend.

Shane said he could get himself home from hospital on Tuesday, when he got his discharge papers, and more antibiotics. I decided to go out and meet him on the way back from the station, though he said it wasn’t necessary. I nipped out in a light fleece but was soon hurrying through a squally shower. I could see sunshine at the end of the road, so turned to look for the inevitable rainbow.

As I crossed the links I got an even better view. It was worth getting a little wet to stop and admire it. I soon met Shane who had stopped to see the rainbow elsewhere. I could have decided not to go out in the rain, but then I would have missed this lovely sight.

I think some people are worrying more about us than we are about ourselves. I sometimes wonder if I am lacking something that I am not feeling more stressed!  We are just not worrying too much about the rain, and appreciating the rainbows.