"What have YOU done today to make you feel proud?" Heather Small (2000)
"What have YOU done today to make you feel proud?" Heather Small (2000) |
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4th March 2002 |
Smile!!!!!
This picture came about on a hot day in sunny South Africa. Whilst visiting friends, the leg became uncomfortably hot so it was taken off and shows in the background. And then I had the bright idea of using the stump as a drink stand ..................! __________________________________________ Some 4 weeks after the accident, I was starting to get my bearings again on life and what was happening around me. But I needed much assistance, such as having 6 nurses to bed bath me and change the sheets twice a day because of the level of sweating my body was doing. It was after one of these baths that I was asked if there was anything else I needed before the nurses moved onto the next patient, and I replied I needed a bedpan, so sister went off, got it and placed it under me, gave me the bell chord and said to press it when I'd finished and she'd be back to clean me up, and shut the door. I was dressed in one of those hospital gowns that comes down to your thighs, and is split down the back, and they had rolled the sheets down, so that my legs were uncovered. 5 minutes later there's a knock on the door, another sister comes in and says "We have a visitor for you", and before I can do anything in walks Sir Stirling Moss, a huge smile, 2 bottles of wine and he immediately asks how I'm doing, etc. Now I'm in a dilemma - do I ask him to leave a moment, or stay where I am throughout his visit? I choose the latter, and so there I am, on the throne, talking with a king and hero of mine!!!!!!!!!! 30 minutes later (!!!!!!) he says his goodbyes, promises to return in 3-4 weeks after a trip to America if I'm still there, and departs. As he closes the door, I'm falling about on the bed laughing my head off, and press the bell push. Sister comes in all worried that I haven't pressed it before, and then seeing this laughing lump on the bed!!!! So I explain what's just taken place and she can understand my laughter. 4 weeks later, Stirling did return, this time with his wife Suzy, and they tell me of the racing at Laguna Seca they'd been involved with. After a while, I "confront" Stirling by saying "I have a confession to make", and you can see Stirling is wondering what is going on. And at the same time Suzy's ears have pricked up!!!!!!! After telling the story, it was Suzy who added the final comment. When Stirling left after the first visit, he commented to her "I think he was pleased to see me there". But Suzy said "Knowing what we now do, I think it was much more likely he was pleased to see you go!" __________________________________________
__________________________________________ Very quickly after entering hospital I was catheterised in order to measure urine output levels and the like. 3 weeks later it was time to have it removed, so two nurses came to my room, one a trainee to perform the act whilst the senior one watched from the end of the bed. The trainee deflated the balloon that is inside the body, and just as she was about to pull out the tube said "I've never done one of these before!!!!!!" And before the alarm bells had time to react, she pulled!!!! The nurse in question may well be a good nurse when it comes to care, but her bedside manner left something to be desired!!!!! __________________________________________
__________________________________________ In hospital I had a slight embarrassing problem! The muscles to my stump would go into spasm for no reason, then tighten and cause the stump to raise up under the sheets!!!!! Many a nurse fled my room with a look of admonishment and surprise, with me shouting after them "It's not me!" A few weeks later Colin McRae had a HUGE accident, and Jim Bamber managed to capture the mood perfectly with the following cartoon, which is equally applicable to the pair of us!
__________________________________________ At the Truck racing weekend in June 2002, Jackie and I decided to try camping again for the first time since before the accident. We got to the marshals campsite, were assisted with the frame and canvas, and Jackie finished off doing the bedding, etc. Once finished, other marshals were going to the clubhouse for a drink and we agreed to meet up with them shortly. But as a consequence of wearing my prosthetic limb all day, the stump was hot and the skin very irritable, so I chose to take the limb off, wrap the leg of my jeans under me and travel over to the club in my wheelchair. Once inside the club, my colleagues then asked me where my leg was. "Well, I've put it to bed, as it is only ONE YEAR OLD! Like any baby needs its sleep. The older part of me has come out to play!!!!!!!" __________________________________________
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There is much humour in a situation like this, as well as
sadness. Here I will be adding pictures and stories relating to events that have
occurred to me in recent times.
