Well folks. Apart from working 12 hour shifts, I do have a life away from expats but at your requests, I will continue. Angie has told me to date events, so we know where we stand. Arrived Sept 2006 Collapsed on 7th March 2007 and spent 21 days in an induced coma during which I was given the last rights and nearly had the machines turned off . Townsville hospital is probably like most other hospitals in Aus. The design being from one main plan where you could be in any industrialised city in the western world. This was the case for me when I woke up because I thought I was still in Scotland. I never knew why, what, where or who but I had a massive scar running from my throat to halfway down my stomach. I couldnt talk as there was a tube in my throat and I was totally disorientated. I had bandages like boxing gloves on my hands and people were around my bed. I recognised Angie and the kids and my sister.
My brother and two of my sisters had gone back home to Scotland and I never even saw them. There was celtic magazines and books by my bedside which was the evidence that they had actually been in Aus. My memory was shot to bits and for some reason I thought I drove a big black 4x4 when it was actually a gold wagon. I couldnt remember names in my phone and would get ratty when Anj tried to convince me that I knew these people.
I mentioned the boxing gloves which reminded me why I had them on. I was prone to pulling out my tubes which wasn't very clever as the alarms would go off and a crash team would rush into my room to put the tubes back in. This happened on numerous occasions so the staff decided to put these on and tape me to the bed. Previously, I said I was determined, well I slid down the bed, loosened the tape with my teeth, pulled off the gloves and pulled out the tubes. They decided to wheel my bed into the corridor so they could keep their eyes on me. So here I was, lying in the corridor with a sitter beside me for 24 hours a day (sitter is what it says. a BABYsitter).
It's around this time that I begin to realise what is actually going on and my memory slowly begins to return although I'm still driving the 4x4: I recite a phone number and realise its not an 0141 number (Glasgow) and its at this point that Angie tells me we are in Australia. The memory returns slowly but I'm still very ill. My mind is returning but the body is not up to much. A nurse asks me one day if I can shower unaided. Of course I can says I. What do you think I am. I move my legs out the bed and stand, only for my legs to give way and right on my arse I landed. I was totally embarrassed and managed to drag myself to the bathroom where I hugged the toilet bowl sweating. Me not the bowl. (too weak to even get up and sit on it). My first thought was "shit. I'm paralysed" Now was probably the first time that I could recall being scared.
It was all about getting better but god it was a long road. Every day Angie brought the kids to the hospital. They would go to a small school within the hospital to get some sense of normality and then come and see me in the afternoon. I was given an etch-o-sketch to communicate with and I moved out of the "sick" ward and downstairs to the rehab ward. This told me I was getting better but after doing an ecg one day, I was taken back upstairs as something wasnt right. Whatever it was, it didnt last as within a few days, I was back downstairs. The tube was still in my throat and was taken out to talk at visiting times and to eat. They gave me this puree to drink as juice or coffee could have caused infection by going down the wrong way and setting me back months. Was this stuff awful. They told me I was dehydrating and no bloody wonder having to take this crap.
One night when she was wheeling me around the hospital, we passed a drinks machine. "I've to get one of they drinks as long as its an isotonic drink" I told her. "No chance" says Anj. "Honest." says I. "I'll kill you if your lying" she says and buys me a berry drink. When I say nectar, I'm not telling a lie. I drank this with no side effects and repeated this event the next night guzzling the lime version. Did I get shit from the dieticians on the Monday. Back to the puree for me and x-rays to check where the juice had went. Bloody self importance if you ask me which was a sign I was on the road back as I know best as opposed to professionals who have trained for years in their field. This time the gamble paid off and I was correct. Lucky, Angie called it but anyway it was immaterial.
I look like a bag of bones and I'm now desperate to get home to Mackay. I've started my rehab but up and down a gym hall and I'm jiggered. A psychology student visits me and gets the sharp end of my tongue for trying to treat me like an imbecile. She wanted me to try out her simple (really easy) memory test and I refused telling her I wasnt some performing seal. Her boss visits me and asks to do IQ tests but sets the bar higher because I have a degree. "Thats cheating" says I and proceed to get an average score. I'm pulling all sorts of excuses out of the hat and manage to scrape by. Considering at this stage, I dont know if its new year or new york, I think I'm doing well. Basically she needs to give me the nod before I can get home so the charm is turned on and again, it works.

Thank you for finally posting the next instalment and OMG, what an instalment
Bl**dy glad I didn't have to nurse you though

Looking forward to part 3 so crack on!

This story is so interesting it's like reading a good book only for someone to go and hide it before you get to finish it! Look forward to reading the part 3...soon I hope!

You take your time with the next chapter Framac! It was with baited breath that we all waited and hoped that you would come out the other end which of course you did!

You've got guts in abundance and so have your wife and kids and you deserve everything that is good. Stubborness is an old shipyard lesson that is learned and never forgotten and only those who have had a shipyard education will understand!

What is it they say 'Clyde Built' ?

Take Care Buddy

Lone Ranger

Fantastic reading! Hope you are getting on with Part 3.

Jo

Talk about drama queen

Aboot bloody time.....Was getting a wee tad worried there for a while

Now for part three

Cheers and soooo glad to hear your wit and humour pouring oot!

Ginny

good to see you still have your sense of humour

Forgot to ask Framac, are you Rambo in disguise?

Naw but coz am aff the fags and eating like a horse al soon look the size of your trusty steed Silver

Thanks for Part 2 (finally ).

Looking forward to Part 3.

Gina

Yes, where is part 3?
And don't go giving some pathetic excuse about having to go to work like you did last time!

Oh bimey nearly missed that...you gave it a new thread title!!
Claire

Wow, great installment.

Gems

Big drama loving jessy