Bites and Appendices

It all started Wednesday morning, no I tell a lie, before then.

We went away to a lovely little fishing port on the Vendee coast for a weeks break in a friends apartment. With permission we took the dog as the apartment was ground floor and had a lovely little fenced garden.

The apartment overlooked the port which had grown over the past 20+ years into a fantastic harbour with moorings for millions of Euros of yachts of all sizes. Oh yes it had changed somewhat since our last visit there.

We had a nice restful time, the dog enjoyed his first visit to the seaside and was absolutely joyous running free on the sand and ploughing into the waves and over and over again. Totally in his element!

On our last day/night, something bit my ankle - twice. It wasn't too bad, didn't itch or anything. We came home Saturday and ankle was OK but I took the precaution of slathering it with hydrocortisone. Ankle fine Sunday. Sunday night and Monday during the day my foot became more and more swollen. Off to docs on Tuesday and she said just keep it clean and carry on with what you are doing (antiseptic spray and hydrocortisone). Well, Wednesday morning, after a very painful night, I hobbled down to the kitchen and found the cast of Antz 2 on the kitchen floor. I couldn't believe the amount of the little blighters swarming all over the place.

Then himself came through:

"I've been sick" "Oh God I've got such a pain in my belly".

I felt his head, no temperature.

"Are you OK, how's your ankle?" he said.

"Yes I am fine, I had a xxxx night, it itches like xxxxxxx and these bloody ants are everywhere!"

"I think it was that spinach and cream thing you did last night"

"No, that was OK, maybe you just have trapped wind, If you were younger and female I would say it is ovaries". (boy was I in a mood!)

Black look!

Have a little toast" I said, he did and it promptly came back.

Our doctor does not work on Wednesday as she has a young son and children only go to school here half day on Wednesday. A bit like shops and banks were in the UK many, many moons ago.

So himself goes back to bed for the day and I proceeded committing fourmicide and dealt with all those delightful and industrious insects.

I kept a check on him during the day. Still no temperature but a lot of pain.

Thursday am he went to doc and she said "appendicite" gave him a letter with instructions to go to Urgences (Casualty/ER.)

I do not drive!

I packed a bag for him and called some friends who quickly came over and took us to our local Hopital.

The Triage nurse took all our details and then the put my man on a bed in a room then wired him up for for ECG (beaucoup de poil!), tried to get a line in for blood test and drip and then waited for our local Hopital's version of Dr Ross. He was absolutely charming but did not speak a word of English. c'est pas grave! We understood when he said 'gaz'.

But 'gaz' it was not.

When the surgeon went into his gut on Thursday morning he found a large abscess on his appendix. Poor guy, no wonder he was in such pain. His gall bladder is OK though!

It is now Saturday evening. I have been in to see him, courtesy of another friend, and have also spoken with him. I should be able to get to see him again tomorrow and with a bit of luck will find out when he is coming home.

My bites have cleared up but still have some bruising on my foot and two nasty scabs!!

The ants have been totally exterminated in spite of Disney thinking they are cute!

I am now looking forward to the post-operative care I will have to give. I am not cut out for nursing, never have been and never will be. And he knows....