Thursday, 14th October 2010 (Colette's Birthday)
06.00hrs Skipper and Terry got into the car and set off for the Airport to meet Colette, who was arriving on the 07.25 from London. The airport, located on the southern side of the Island, was a good hours drive away, so we set off in plenty of time. Skipper had a slight ache in his lower right hand side, just inside the hip. This flares up every so often, but usually disappears after a good dose of anti flamatories.
Half way to the airport, Skipper is in severe pain, very rapidly the pain became overpowering and had to stop the car. Skipper get out and started vomiting. Ohhhh, my god!!!!! what's happening? Terry had to take over the driving as skipper lay down in the passenger seat in a bad state. Terry stopped at the next filling station and they directed us to a nearby hospital. At the hospital, Skipper explained to the staff that he had this terrible pain in his lower body, right hand side, they put him on a bed and Terry took off to the airport to collect Colette and return to Skipper on his way back.
The hospital decided to give Skipper electric shock treatment for his "Heart attack" problem. Ohhhhhh My Gawd! Skipper, bad and all as he was shot out of the bed and ran outside and waited until Terry returned. The place was a complete dump, the toilets had all broken seats, broken mirrors, broken whb's and wee wee all over the floor... what a dump, but the pain was excruciating.
We rang Rally control for some advice, Suzanne got the address of a Clinic from the Manager and off we went, stopping every so often so skipper could get out and get sick. The Clinic or Clinique was called Darne Clinique. There we met Dr EE Mohith, a lovely Dutch woman, who's mother was a "Moore" from Belfast. She immediately identified the problem as a stone in the kidney, and gave Skipper a shot of something (not morphine) in the bum to kill the pain, this was now around 11.00am.
Skipper was booked into the clinique and put straight into a single room, no 414. The doctors said they would do a scan straight away, and this would be followed in the afternoon with whatever procedure was necessary. Terry and Colette departed and returned to A Lady with all the news. Poor Colette, all this stuff the minute she arrives, so she had a nap, meanwhile Aileen is baking cakes for the birthday girl and a few guests who were invited to celebrate with us on board the boat, about 18.30hrs.
Meanwhile, Neil is off with the other youngsters arranging a diving course. The "Paddi Cert" which skipper already did in the French Polynesian islands.
Meanwhile, back at the Clinique, Skipper is taken down at 16.30hrs to the theater and had the procedure done to remove
the stone, 5mm was the size of the blinking thing, and when he recovered and came to about 22.00hrs that night, was told that everything went smoothly and would be able to leave tomorrow, what a relief. But, BUT, was skipper sore.
Meanwhile, back on board, the others had a great night with Colette, and all the guests.
That's all for now.
Signed :- Stephen Hyde (Skipper)