22 days ago I went head over teakettle.
The morning had gone spankingly well. I had meditated the sun was sining on the white, white, frost and I got dressed early to go for a solo walk .
Down the hill, round the bend. The grass crisp and hard beneath my trainers. Down the avenue a quick tree kiss and then I reversed. Round through the farm, the fields laid out frostily before me. The white met the green met the brown met the sharp blue sky. I walked through my field, and decided that instead of going through the kissing gate, in case the little slope was too slippery, I would slide through the two gate posts.
One right foot down, up went my heel, down went my hand and the jolt to my my body was so sharp that I sat like a rag doll, wondering how life could turn on a sixpence.
I could feel my arm swelling as I walked down the hill, through the rocks and back through the avenue. There wasn’t so much pain as discomfort.
I woke the old git. Who slid out of bed and tried to help me move the arm.
Into the car and to the local Cottage Hospital. I had called to make sure they were awake.
Ther man on reception told me they were open until 8.00 that night.
Five minutes later I was sitting in the waiting room.
There was me, the ‘oosbind, a little boy and his mother and two nurses. One I knew, one I didn’t.
I was put into a cubicle, Ally asked me questions, then looked at me, threw several faces of concern and empathy and said she was sure it was just soft tissue damage. That’s what they call a sprain now. She picked up the telephone and called Uckfield cottage Hospital.
The Xray opened at 12.00. That was when the appointment had been made for.
After breakfast, my arm hanging painfully, we set off. Twenty minutes later we were sitting in the Uckfield waiting room. Three nurses, Radio 2 and the offer of tea. I declined.
Slinging along
I wore my sling on the train. I took my sling off when I got to Dean Street. I sat cradling my arm as I sucked through a straw on a big juicy juice. I didn’t kiss my host, he had the bug. I hugged his son who was 17 and facing a future that … Read more