Freezing fog and a series of French airport strikes complicate what should have been a quick trip back to London.
Angus finds himself unexpectedly staying in an airport hotel devoid of guests. The hotel is of the type that is hermetically sealed to keep out the noise from the adjacent runway. With windows and natural light banished the place is shrouded in Stygian gloom. A Christmas tableau has been set up in the lobby. This only highlights the gloom.
Six guests in a hotel with 300 rooms. The carpets along the hallway supposed to reflect cloudscapes. Angus thinks they're alarming and look as though they've had bleach spilled on them. The place has the feel of a maximum security prison - admittedly a comfortable one.
In the terminal the animated bears have arrived. These ones are consigned for all eternity to skiing down a faux ski slope to the sound of Bing Crosby's Christmas favourites. There is presumably a factory in Guangzhou that makes these things for a worldwide audience.
Being Toulouse the airport duty free has a display of rugby balls. Not the easiest of things to take on an aircraft in your carry on baggage.
The jaunty surgeon in the black padded gilet remains cheerful. He looks at Angus, emits a whistle and informs him that the incision is ' A beauty. One of my best '. He also adds that manageable discomfort is to be expected for up to six months. Manageable discomfort is surgeon speak for pain. ' If you have twinges do something to distract your attention. Or better still have a glass of wine. Much better for your liver than painkillers'.
Distraction is a philosophy 'The Font' has been employing with Sophie. It works. The female PON is taken on long walks to places she's never been before. Sophie finds new scents and new sights to be thrilling. In fact she's segueing into being one very happy lady. There is an enthusiastic reunion involving Sophie, ginger furry rabbit ( with the indestructible squeaker ) and ten full minutes of her masters time.
21 comments:
I am reminded of a post-surgical follow up at St George's Hospital, Tooting in the early 1990s, when a similarly self-satisfied surgeon had invited a group of medical students in to admire the results of his brilliantly successful operation. The manageable discomfort lasted well over 6 months.
Good to hear Sophie is doing well under the new regime. The airport hotel sounds horrid.
Cheers, Gail.
What a good excuse to imbibe your favourite Pomerol, Angus!
So glad that Sophie is adjusting to being an "only" one, and what a good idea to take her on walks to new places.
I'm glad all is healing well for both you and Sophie.
She looks like a different dog to me; it's as if she's a combination of herself and Bob.
He's surrounding her with love and protection.
Have a great day.
Teena, Lala Bear, Lily and Teddy
x
Hari OM
It seems, with the odd delay and unheralded medical clown, that life is settling down in a Bob-less pattern. ...my vertigo would not deal well with walking on sky... YAM xx
I quite like the carpets, but even looking at them makes me feel a bit dizzy. Glad that you got a clean bill of health and a prescription for wine.
Good on you Miss Sophie.
Mmm - I'm with Gail on this - he sounds too smug for his own good! Reminds me of the old joke - what's the difference between God and a surgeon? God knows he's not a surgeon. Seriously, if the discomfort is less than manageable, a TENS machine or acupuncture may help. Glad to see Sophie is coming out of herself. Distraction / new places / finding coping with one dog is easier than two / can be good therapy for humans too.
It's so good to know that Sophie is doing well. Seeing her this morning has brought a much needed smile.
Glad your follow-up in London went well and the Font and Sophie have been adventuring into new areas. The hotel did seem depressing and odd in a scary movie kind of way. Is a reserve ginger rabbit under consideration?
Grateful you are home. The pictures from the hotel made me feel cold just looking at them. Hope the twinges from surgery will be few. I know The Font and Sophie are happy you are home!
I love when doctors prescribe booze. A family friend, at the time in her late 89s, was having some sleeping troubles. Doctor said a little whiskey before bed was better than the sleeping pills. So for several years, after tucking herself in, she took a sip from her flask. It did help her sleep.
All I can think of when I see the balls at the duty free, is a kid sitting behind me on the plane, bouncing it against the back of my seat.
I'm glad to know that Sophie is doing well - makes sense that a diva would welcome all this additional attention! I also got my stitches out yesterday, my Japanese doctor is not as colorful as yours by any means, but even here, he couldn't resist remarking on how "pretty" my incision is!
Trauma surgeons and 'fancy' surgeons are clearly two very different types of personality. Glad your incision got the good housekeeping seal of approval and that your manageable discomfort is exactly that - manageable !
And the flight would be delayed for an hour .
The rationale that a glass or two of wine is less damaging to the kidneys than a cocktail of Nurofen and Codeine seems entirely sensible .
Nothing odder than being in an almost empty hotel where the staff outnumber the guests. Something of The Shining about the experience.
It goes without saying that the furry ginger rabbit has sold out . We have asked if they can order a couple more.
She is rapidly becoming a different personality.
Guess it takes a a particular sort of character to do his job day in and day out.
Sophie is discovering that being the sole family dog means that she can be the centre of attention. She's relishing it.
The Font keeps reminding me that it's arguably better to have a jauntily self confident surgeon rather than a sensitive one who would hesitate and prevaricate and have self doubts. The admonition to drink rather than take drugs also goes a long way ro dealing with characters like that.
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