How I Spent My Birthday

I awoke very early after a rugged night of many trips to the bathroom. Much of the pain had subsided, but now there were new sensations I'd never felt before. Later I mentioned this to my son and he consulted my daughter, FirehorseMia. They considered calling an ambulance. This scared me. Where would an ambulance take me?

Calls to my Medical Centre in Christchurch were not answered. My son took me to his Medical Centre in a nearby town. They were fully booked, but the nurse managed to contact my doctor's surgery and made an appointment for 5pm.

We went back home to wait, and then made the 50 minute journey. I was feeling so wretched that I had no interest in the countryside. Usually I love to be driven so that I can look about.

My doctor found that I was "significantly dehydrated" and sent me on to the Emergency Surgery. There I was tested for all sorts of things and given treatment that included 2 litres of fluid into a vein. What a difference that made!

My son went off and fetched his sister and for the rest of the evening, as the cold fluid dripped into my arm, I had both my children for company. It wasn't such a bad birthday after all.