Saturday, July 28, 2018

Humanity.


Storms are forecast. Angus decides to replace the missing tiles before the rain pours into the house. He goes up onto the roof. On his way down he misses a rung on the ladder and deposits himself unceremoniously on the lawn. 'The Font' fusses. Angus grumpily goes to bed  and says he'll be right as rain in the morning. Come six am he's still seeing stars. The PONs get given a quick walk by 'The Font' and are then settled in the house while their owners go off to the A&E.

On a Friday morning in high summer the emergency room is remarkably quiet. In the corridor there are three old folk on gurneys suffering from heat stroke, two gentlemen in wheelchairs with knife wounds, a man who's broken both his legs and Angus who is seeing stars. There is also someone in a side room who is having a bad 'trip' but we don't see him. In one of his noisier moments a busy nurse tells us not to worry - ' He's taken some bad molly '. We nod in unison but remain none the wiser.


An opthamologist spends from nine until eleven checking for retinal scarring. After the better part of six hours a bruised but otherwise intact Angus is released with an all clear. '' Perhaps you should think twice before clambering up ladders at your age " says an attractive but stern young lady registrar in a heavily starched white uniform. Angus wonders at what age ladder climbing becomes inadvisable. He keeps this thought to himself. The grand charge for field vision tests, scans, eye pressure readings, a thorough medical and a lecture on ladders - 42 Euros.

Not an experience I'd wish to repeat but my memories of it will be of kindness, efficiency, humour, grace and patience. This is perhaps the real and unreported world immersed in humanity. The doctors, nurses and receptionists all shake hands with us, which is a very French touch.


Back at home the PONs are in solicitous mood.


Angus has to give Bob the bad news that we won't be going to the rugby match tonight. The eye drops the opthamologists has used have turned my blue eyes black. 'The Font' is of the opinion that anyone seeing me like that would scream and run for the exit. Angus is secretly pleased. How anyone could play, or watch, rugby in this heat and humidity is a mystery.



22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cheers ANGUS - from the Westcoast of Canada. We held our breath when we viewed the two hospital photos.......read each and every word carefully (holding our breath, fingers crossed)........until you were released from hospital with an all clear. Do take care. So relieved all is well, and nothing serious. Save for an outing with BOB to the rugby match. Warmest best wishes from us, to you. Now......a deep breath, and sigh of relief.

WFT Nobby said...

All the best Angus for a full recovery. One sees a different side of life from inside a hospital, especially when a patient. And there will be another rugby game next week.
Meanwhile, in this household, all attention this week has been focussed on SW France as Le Tour has been passing through. Fingers crossed for a safe passage to Paris for Geraint!
Cheers, Gail.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari oM
I too was holding my breath... Angus, our years are not too distant from each other and I know that I now won't go up a ladder, when once I 'shimmied', without there being someone below to guide me! Hope those stars become distant. Meanwhile, your experience in your local hospital is rather better than many in the UK where the heat has been causing ward overflow to equal the quantities normally expected at the height of winter due to cold!!! My one and only emergency experience that resulted in A&E attendance did nothing but shake me to the core sufficient to know that I would rather die than go through that again... YAM xx

Swan said...

I can’t imagine what that trip to the hospital would have cost in California. Just glad all is well.

10NISNE1 said...

Thank God you’re ok!

Poppy Q said...

We are glad that you were released so quickly from the hospital and are feeling better. We were wondering what the 42 Euros you were charged were for? Lucky for us, such a visit would be free for everything.

I work in a hospital and often see such men as yourself who fall off. I have often said that I should invent a ladder where one has to enter your age in order to climb it. After a certain age - it would have flashing lights and say "Sorry - too old" and the next question would be "Are You Carrying a Chainsaw". Never a good combination in my experience. Sadly ones balance seems to decrease as your age increases.

Take care and rest up.

liparifam said...

Thanks heavens you're alright. I fell many feet off a ladder outside when I was around 44 or so, and thought I had broken my arm. It wasn't broken, but very badly damaged - it was literally misshapened and would not even hang straight for months! I worried it never would, but it finally returned to normal. Now, at age 55, I am VERY careful on ladders. Wondering why you were still seeing stars? Anyway, take it easy and be careful!

C said...

Sorry you had to experience your fall but glad it was only stars you saw and not the pearly gates with St. Peter awaiting your arrival!
Feel better soon......Chris

Vancouver Barbara said...

Phewww! Glad to know that you are well and despite admonitions that you were treated well.

Anonymous said...

My goodness, I hope you're quickly feeling 100% better. When my husband turned 70, our youngest son told him that he shouldn't "go under the house" any more to make possible checks/repairs "at his age." We still laugh about that. Ladders can be very tricky all the same. Stephanie in Northern California

Peter Kouwenhoven said...

Wishing you a speedy recovery from Vancouver Island. At 63, I no longer climb ladders!

BaileyBobSouthernDog said...

We are grateful you are safe ( more or less ) this time. Please do not let there be a next time. Ladder climbing is a team sport. Make sure someone is on the ground watching! I no longer climb on the roof to check shingles or clean out gutters. I must confess, I do miss viewing the landscape from the roof. Some how everything made so much more sense from that height!

Unknown said...

Love your comment!

Anonymous said...

So glad that you are on the mend Angus. People, anyone of any age can miss a ladder rung, Angus is not a geezer :-)
Pam in NH

Kittypup said...

So glad you're all okay Angus - our intrepid furry heroes will be delighted that normal walking service will be resumed shortly :-)

Not sure if anyone had noticed that Ronaldo was obviously making a surprise guest appearance playing in the local rugby match (bottom left of the poster)!!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Glad you weren't seriously hurt, Angus. "We" sure don't fall like we did when we were 12 - It always feels like slow motion to me. Take care!

Emm said...

Oh, my stars!, as my grandmother used to say.
Don't do that, Angus! You've just raised blood pressure on several continents. Glad you're OK, stars and falls are no fun.

50 and counting said...

I've looked after an 89 year old who fell off his roof whilst cleaning his gutters.

I just expect the unexcpected now at work

William said...

Get well soon, advice on ladders is correct. My surgeon who did both my knees, and one shoulder, fell off cleaning out his gutters and broke both hands, ending his career. And he was a superb surgeon! On a lighter note, have you ever had a bottle of Domaine de Quissat, an excellent natural wine maker of Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Located in Brazens, which might be close to you. They also have a fig orchard.

Taste of France said...

Hope you're better soon and glad you weren't seriously hurt. Were you tempted by the young men blithely cleaning the gutters the other day?

liparifam said...

Absolutely - I missed the last rung on one and fell back hard onto a tile floor when I was in my early twenties; excruciating pain, but fortunately no lasting damage. I've had a couple of bad ladder incidents :( But then again, I use them a lot doing most of my own painting, curtain and picture hanging, etc...

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

So happy you received the all clear.
What is it with a man and a roof?
The Songwriter is exactly the same. Up on a ladder at every opportunity.