Having no car, and no cellphone (for the last 4 years I've refused to carry one, and I've never regretted it) I've been somewhat forced into an anxious period these last 3 days.
On Monday morning, both Warren and I went to our GP for what seemed to be the same infection troubling us both.
I was in very minor discomfort, but Warren was in absolute agony. Our family doctor booked an appointment with a urologist for him on the spot.Warren drove himself to the hospital, and I haven't seen him since.
Neither, up until this morning, had I had any word on how he was doing. I was thinking maybe a bladder infection - kidney stones at the very worst.
But by this morning my colleagues at work were getting worried about me, and asked by email if there was anything they could do to help.
Bless them. They called the hospital and were told that my partner was detained after his operation, still had a catheter in him, but would probably be ready for discharge by early this evening.
I can't tell you how big a relief that was.I'd been through the whole calming rigmarole with the meditation, the Druid Rosary, and invocation of Hecate and Anubis -all of which helped me to remain in a state where I didn't absolutely freak out and start shouting at the dogs.
Not knowing something is one of the worst forms of torture.
My ataraxia somewhat restored, I took a turn in the winter garden - snipping back here, tidying fallen branches there - in canine company under hard, bright Joburg winter sunshine.
In my ritual area I was weeding out the opportunistic plants from my herbs, when I stopped. A ring-neck dove was calling, loudly in the late morning quiet of this suburb.A wonderful smell was reaching my nostrils. I turned, and saw the jasmine creeper in pink-and-white bloom. Any jasmine lovers out there will know there's nothing so heavenly as the scent of jasmine.Even, to my great surprise, in the middle of winter.
Life happens, the plant spoke clearly to me, when and where it wills,on its own terms, often in the face of extreme provocation.
Well said, Sister Jasmine - and thank you.
Pic: My Surprisingly Blooming Jasmine plant -that's a giant cycad in the background.
Whew! Close one. Glad things are returning to normal for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Livia.
ReplyDeleteIt's not quite over, yet, though.
It's half past five in the evening now and when one of my colleagues called the hospital again, Warren was in theatre and not expected to be discharged today at all - which is a totally different story to the one we were first given.
Och - I've survived worse than this, I guess.
Love,
Terri in Joburg
Sending love and light your way.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sister Hecate
ReplyDeleteLove,
Terri
Seconding the love and light.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Paul
..and thank you, too, Paul.
ReplyDeleteWarren finally got home -driving despite being warned not to(you can't tell some people)before noon today (Thursday).
He's resting in bed, a bit woozy and still with some pain and a plastic catheter still inside.
He must have that plastic part removed in two weeks' time.
Love,
Terri
I can understand your not having an active cell phone, but don't you have a land line? There must be ways you could have called the hospital.
ReplyDeleteAny time any mate of mine was in one I was there everyday. Well, maybe it's a different culture over there. But I would want to know how she is doing and hold her hand for a bit if she needs it.
I have a cell phone that isn't active but it's still good for calling 911, they can't block us from making 911 calls in this country just because we aren't buying any minutes.
I would think that the hospital would have been able to send you updates in emails, they do that here. Strange.
Anyway, sounds like he will be okay. You didn't say what the infection was.
Hi Billy,
ReplyDeleteNope-no landline here.
I refuse to support the venal Telkom corporation -I don't use them for internet, either.
Once, I was offered a really good job with them, and turned it down without a thought. I hate most big corporations.
I'm going to get a little, cheap cellphone and keep it at home now, though. aarrgh.
I would've liked to have been with Warren, too. It really killed me that I couldn't- the hospital is a long way away, and I couldn't even call a taxi.
My work colleagues eventually came to the rescue, though, through email -they called the hospital and got given a fine old African run-around.
Warren had kidney stones -pretty big ones, which the ultrasound he took last week completely missed, as the technician looked at the wrong kidney.Love,
Terri
Hi, my name is Jasmine Little, and I have no car and no cell phone. I was totally creeped out reading this and realized it was not about me, but about a Jasmine plant. Anyways, thanks for being a Jasmine lover!
ReplyDeleteIf you weren't feeling well yourself, then if was better for you to stay away from the hospital. So I think you did the right thing. You're lucky to have such nice co-workers. I've never had kidney stones and hope to never get them -- but once they're gone, they're gone, right?
ReplyDeleteHello Anne,
ReplyDeleteI had a lovely week off work - which I could have done without. But you're right, I have a great company and colleagues.
Kidney stones unfortunately can recur, they just form again I think, if you're partial to them.
No, that's not the right word, but you know what I mean.
Warren's medical team are going to try to work out what caused the stones in the first place by having him pee into a bottle.
Love,
Terri
Goodness, I'm glad everything turned out alright. Kidney stones are extremely painful!
ReplyDelete