Day 16 - When life throws one lemons

[Helen427]

Dear fellow ABB friends

A time to be very thankful for the Medical Profession and those associated with it who one meets through ABB.

Life has thrown me a few challenges recently.

Some of you will recall I took a tumble on the way home from visiting the animals at Cornwall Park, Auckland which resulted in my first ambulance ride to the hospital and a palm of stitches.

As luck would have it, the morning before my tumble I received a booking from a Guest who turned out to be a " Hand Therapist."

My next Guest that arrived was here for a Conference, yes a Medical Conference, for Doctors who specialise in 'Facial and Hand surgery, plastics" - his speciality is hands.

The Guest after that was a "Doctor" and then a Retired "Nurse."

What more could one ask for when one has injuries?

Well blow me down, as I was tending my wee garden and roses I received a **bleep** from a thorn.

I once more became known as the Michelin lady - my finger swelled up like an ocean wave.

A trip to a local A & E clinic resulted in a local anaesthetic with minor surgery, however the pain was unbearable so I popped into my own Doctor who changed the dressing/ bandage and gave me strict instructions I was to contact him if it didn't clear up and go see the Hand Specialists at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland.

I tolerated the pain overnight & popped into my local A & E clinic to get the dressing changed during the day.

Thankfully the Doctor on duty was alerted to my state and ensured, drum roll, an ambulance ride to Middlemore Hospital to see the Hand Specialists with view to surgery.

That was last week, unfortunately, White Island had erupted the day before, for those who may not be aware there's been losses of life and horrific injuries to those who were on the island and some of those people were admitted to Middlemore Hospital Burns unit with burns etc to their hands.

In between these Medical Specialists other patients who are understandably high needs priority I was slotted in for and had hand surgery.

I'd never had a General anaesthetic before, nor had I spent more than one night in hospital for anything.

As for 2 ambulance rides in the space of 6 weeks I felt so embarrassed.

Here's a classic, I was assigned a room with another local lady who so happened to be named Helen.

Naturally we had a few little fun & games antics between ourselves and staff.

She checked out soon after I arrived but not before she had gone to a shop in the Hospital and purchased a soft toy lamb, who is now called Helen!

Helen the lamb has provided some fun and lighthearted humor to all who were involved in Duty of Care including those who have carried out some very serious operations during the week.

I'm very thankful for the care I've received and have great admiration for those whom work in the Medical Services.

May we all stop and spare a thought for those in the service who will be working through the Christmas / New Years period and the sacrifices they make for us all.

Meanwhile all 3 Helen's have checked out.

Enjoy the blissful viewsBliss views across to Waitakere Ranges, One Tree Hill, Mt Hobson, Auckland

The awesome views across to the Waitakere Ranges, One Tree Hill, Sky Tower and Mount Hobson with the Middlemore Golf Course to the foreground that I was blessed to have during my convalescence. Helen the lamb is to the right on the window ledge.

Remember when life throws one lemons, there's always people who are going through equally as challenging times in life.

To all those who work in the Medical Profession, you do an amazing job!

[Cathie19]

 Thanks @Helen427 for this important reminder. White Island has been a horrific event that will take quite a long time for many to feel safe. But we all get brave when on holidays, and do take on a fatalistic approach. However, these poor victims in NZ and Australian hospitals are suffering badly from this life changing event. May we take a moment to pray for the lost lives and their families. 💐💐💐💐

🙌🏼🙌🏼

On a better note, I’d like to give you an applause, but I don’t want you to get excited and hurt your hand again! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

HOWEVER:

It is very easy to take for granted the essential services that never stop across the festive seasons. Staff not home with their families, whilst they perform important duties, be they medical, fire, police and rescue.

My youngest daughter was very grateful a few years ago to a doctor, her hero in green scrubs, who gave her pain relief at 3am Xmas Day, - from an acute abscess under a front tooth.  To all who work tirelessly, including hosts across the season, bless you! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💐👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼💐👏🏼👏🏼

[Helen427]

Thanks @Cathie19 

I couldn't agree more.

When the Medical Profession asked me what my pain was on a scale of 1-10 all I could think of was those harmed by the volcanic eruption and people killed in accidents, together with the wee lambs who have had splints on their legs, and the one with an eye socket popping out that is only partially sighted who happily go about their lives.

Yes I do worry about things going in 3's, I might have to be careful patting the animals at Cornwall Park.

Thumbs up! Or should that be fingers up! Post Op ...slightly Biblical with veil wrapped around my fingers..Post Op ...slightly Biblical with swaddling clothing wrapped around my fingers..

[Cathie19]

As your hand acting as a nativity puppet.... can you see the Christmas star?

[Helen427]

@Cathie19 

The lovely thing about having a bed beside the window was been blessed with the views over the wider city, sleeping with the curtain open to enjoy the night stars & moon....and seeing the morning rise.

We in NZ have very good hospitals & it's annoying when people say how old they are & not modern. We all should stop & reflect on what those before us lived through in the eras they were built.

I spent time reading on the history of Middlemore hospital in Papers Past NZ & found some fabulous images & stories.

Do you have fruit trees in your hospital grounds ?

They used to have them in hospital grounds to ensure healthy diets & food sources as well as self sufficiency.

[Rachel0]

@Helen427  Sorry to hear you have been through the wars.   Don't even think about trying to cook the Christmas dinner - get somebody else to do it, just in case!  

[Helen427]

thanks @Rachel0 , I've eaten more than my share of Christmas Meals prior to Christmas!

It'll probably be a cold meal as I prefer that to a hot meal in New Zealand Summer -  even when it rains!

I'm supposed to have a Guest through ABB stay over Christmas & the rate the IT experts are taking it will be posing a challenge to contact her!

I've been looking forward to her arrival for a couple of months and have a few plans & surprises for her up my sleeve.

[Sarah977]

@Helen427  What a lucky synchronistic state of affairs. I'm glad you were well taken care of. Did the rose thorn break off in your hand? Is that why you needed the surgery? There are so many thorny things where I live, one has to be really careful. 

[Helen427]

@Sarah977 

It's quite remarkable isn't it?
What are the odds?

I'd been tending to a huge bunch of Roses I'd been blessed to receive from a local Rose Festival and those in my garden.

The rose thorn scratched my finger and it flared up, my finger was twice it's normal size, incredibly painful & I couldn't bend it - I'd expect the roses had been sprayed at some stage which wouldn't have helped with reactions.

My finger was badly infected & a simple needle inserted to ease the fluid made no difference because of the position of where it had accumulated.

Do you have Blackberry & Hawthorn Hedgerow living fences where you live?
I love it when one sees random rows of roses as fences.

[Sarah977]

@Helen427  No, no blackberries here in the tropics, but there were tons where I lived in Vancouver Island. And although I love roses, I've never lived where they do well- you see them here, but they all get balckspot because of the humidity and to be successful, you have to spray them with poison, which I'm not into. What we have here where I live in Mexico are bouganvillas- beautiful, but have wicked thorns- I've stepped on some, because I'm always barefoot, and they have some kind of toxic substance in them, so it hurts like crazy for a couple of weeks. Funny, Google says they aren't toxic, but everyone who lives here knows they are.

[Helen427]

What colour Bouganvillas do you have in Mexico @Sarah977 

We used to have them adorning fences and properties here, mainly the pink, crimson and apricot ones - the later more on the coastline where the soil is different.

There used to be a beautiful one at Cornwall Park gracing what used to be the information centre.

Someone always cuts one along Parnell Road when it blooms which is unfortunate as it gives such pleasure to those who venture that way.

Have you tried laundry water around your Roses to rid Blackspot?

[Sarah977]

@Helen427  Many colors- red, pink, purple, apricot, white. Yes, it's a shame when people come along and cut flowers in public places when they could leave them for all to enjoy. And bouganvilla doesn't lend itself to cut flowers anyway- it's woody andonce you cut it, the flowers only last for a day or two.

I haven't tried laundry water because I don't grow roses- because of the blackspot. But my laundry, and other grey water is all routed to water plants, it doesn't go into the septic.

[Robin4]

@Helen427 

I guess I could say, we all have a cross to bear....wow, I have had my fair share throughout my life,  but Helen, New Zealand is such a beautiful country and the people are the nicest on earth!

And yet you just keep on having monumental challenges to face. The climate can go to extremes.....try a plane landing in Wellington on a windy evening! NZ is on the Pacific rim fault line as we have seen graphically illustrated in Christchurch. An Australian nut case bought havoc to your country with a gun, and now you are having to deal with another disaster in White Island.

You don't deserve it Helen, you people are too good to be brought into a catastrophic situation every couple of years the way you have been. My heart goes out not just to you, but to Jacinta Ardern who once again has to be that front person who somehow has to right the ship......all the civil workers who have to keep on coping and most of all.......the spirit of all Kiwis which I know will never be broken!

Helen, you will get over your personal injury's and.......don't worry about the odd lemon or two, you are up to the challenge!!!!!

Cheers.......Rob

[Helen427]

Thanks @Robin4 
Nature does what nature does and that we cannot control.

Don't start me on personal injuries as I've had more than my fair share, unfortunately, alas I've been very blessed with those assigned Duty of Care this time around 🙂

I'll enjoy my lemon slices over summer in my chilled water, they quench one's thirst.

[Miloud0]

Salute @Helen427, 

Really, so sorry for what happen to you and i am glad that you are well now, thanks for the doctors. Thank you for sharing this post with us and i hope for you the good health in so near future 

Thanks, 

Miloud