30 March 2010

More answers to prayer

Though it might better be titled less mysteriously - something like 'Accident.'  I thought I would tell what happened here, as some of you have talked to me on the 'phone and others have not - word gets around.

I left the house at 5 this morning to do Susan's paper run.  When I got up, my stomach didn't feel all that hot - a bit nauseous, in fact - so maybe I have some virus or other (the doctor thinks it more likely to have been food poisoning, but if so, it could only have come from the fried rice I ate last night that Susan had made and put in the freezer - perhaps some ingredient in it was a bit off).

Anyway, the run consists of one part - done on foot - that generally takes me until about 8 (Susan does it faster), followed by another in the car that I finish around 11.

By 5:15AM my stomach was getting worse.  I drove home and took two Panadeine - which have codeine in them, and codeine can settle the stomach - also stop the mild problem I seemed to be having at ... um ... the other end.

I scarcely got the Panadeine down when I threw up - on the grass outside (Susan: I have hosed it down so you can't see it :-)).

I put two more Panadeine in the car and went on with the run. Definitely not feeling the best but by about 5:45AM I took the Panadeine, and, what with emptying my stomach and the Panadeine, I felt fine.

Because of this, I was running a bit late.  About 8:30 I got to the last of the on-foot run - Pukekohe Family Health, for those of you who know it.  My stomach was definitely not great then.  I went into the public toilet there and - yes, did it again.

But then, I felt fine - as you are likely to do after vomiting.  So I started on the car part of the run, though by now I was wondering about going home and finishing later.

I got to Nandina Lane, off Ray Wright Road - the Pukekohe-ites will know it or can look it up on Google Maps - and knew I was going to be sick again.  I actually opened the car door and was sick right there - mostly on the road, but some on me, the car.

OK, that's it!  I am going home to rest up.  So up Ray Wright Road, turn right into Upper Queen Street - uh-oh!  What's this?  I am not only nauseous now, but something is funny with my vision!  I slowed way down, even though the speed limit was 100Km/h.  That, as it turns out, was fortunate.  I suppose that's the 'More answers to prayer' bit.  Just about the place where the speed limit changes down to 50, I know I am in trouble.  I had better pull over to the side of the road and wait - for whatever happens.

That decision was, perhaps, 30 seconds too late.  The next thing I know is I wake up, with a shattered windscreen in front of me, a pain in my lower lip, and the driver of the car whom I had head-on'ed - perhaps at only 30 or 40 Km/h, thank God! - is screaming at me and calling me names.

The rest is routine.  Out of the car - I don't know if I got out or someone helped me out - lie down on the verge, ambulance shows up, off to Middlemore.

I take pills for high blood pressure.  The doctor's theory is: loss of fluids through vomiting, and I had been drinking almost no water (afraid of throwing up); drop in blood pressure after the third vomiting incident; brief black-out.  Something similar had happened to me a couple of years ago at mid-day Mass at the Cathedral.  In that case the doctor had changed my anti-high blood pressure prescription.  I had to lie down on a pew for 15-20 minutes, then was fine.

Current situation - and, yes, you are all invited to pray - I need answers to these prayers:
  • Split lower lip (I presumably banged it on the steering wheel) - a few stitches
  • Car impounded to the police can assure themselves there is nothing to charge me with (e.g. bad brakes, whatever)
  • Car almost certainly a write-off
  • The rest of those papers not delivered and the place where the car is impounded wouldn't let me get them out; I must try to get them out tomorrow, in order to finish the run (using the car we still affectionately refer to as "Adele's car" - thank you, Adele - and I pray for your clutch expenses!)
Thank God that, aside from a few minor lacerations (shin, toe, wrist), the only moderately serious wound is my lip.  I trust it will heal and I will be able to play the horn again!  No teeth loosened, thank God!

I just wanted to let you all know.  And my stomach seems fine now, only 12 hours later, which seems to argue for the doctor's food poisoning theory.  But I am only able to eat things like yoghurt.  Oh, well, good job I like yoghurt!

PS - I should add that an angel brought me home from Middlemore - Eddie, to be specific.  He came from work in Albany, stayed with me, drove me home, with a (fruitless) stop to try to get my stuff out of the 'van, and a stop at the Papakura Police Station to pick up my keys - which turned out not much use as they had removed not only the key to the 'van but also that to Adele's car (but I have Susan's one for the latter), got me home at 5PM, then had to hurry to a recording session in Parnell.

Angels are very real.

4 comments:

Eugene said...

Yes, be thankful for God spared you yet not the car! Do take care of yourself and you should eat some proper food.

I'm still not happy about the doctors who didn't shave you to stitch up your lip. They are just not professional enough.

Erin Manning said...

Goodness, John, what a scary story! I'm so glad to hear that you are okay!

freddy said...

Just wanted to let you know that you and your family are in my prayers. Hope all's well soon, and God bless you!

John Thayer Jensen said...

When Eddie (my son) came to pick me up I told him how glad I was that major surgery had been avoided - they didn't have to shave me. He was considering malpractice complaints :-)

I'm praying, short-term, that I will be able to deliver those papers today - really, really important, actually.

And, long-term, that I will be able to play the horn again. So far my lower lip feels semi-numb. I hope some nerve hasn't been damaged.