Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was my birthday. I am now 50, half a century, L, a quinquagenarian, an old man.

Just as with the New Year, good times were planned, shopping, fancy meal and lots of family round, and with pressies etc. What actually happened? A DVT in my calf, that's what happened! After a lovely couple of hours hobbling around Bournemouth, drinking coffee and chatting with Amanda, the afternoon was spent at the doctors, whereupon I was prodded and poked. Pen lines were drawn on my legs and measurements taken, as if the excrusciating pain wasn't enough information? Then the bad news, yes, it almost certainly was a DVT and not a ripped muscle. I have never smoked, always been a restless kind of bloke, and healthy, and so was considered extremely low risk........so why me....sod it!

The hospital was contacted there and then, and I was sent straight to the acute assessment clinic, and warned to take a book as it could be a long night as they were very busy. I signed in and along with Amanda settled down with our individual novels ready for a good read. Only five minutes later and I was called in for the assessment, and the nurse, on realising that it was my birthday and feeling sorry for me, kindly arranged with the lab to speed my blood tests through as a priority. The examination was VERY thorough, and I sweated near the end when one of the nurses hands got rubber gloved up. As I heard her jokingly say behind the curtain to Amanda 'now watch him sweat!', I prepared to turn over for the prostate check so longed for by every male. Alas, with a knowing smile on her face, the gloved hand was simply to check the glands in my groin.....phew! All of the tests came back after only two hours, and my whole bodies mechanics etc were in tip top condition......except the the blood clot issue. Another ten minutes were spent in a small and comfortable waiting room, where I was serenaded by two nurses, a man with pneumonia and a drip in his arm, his wife, and Amanda with 'Happy Birthday to you!' My celebratory meal consisted of a mug of tea and two digestives...McVities mind you so not so bad. Upon being invited back into the room, I was given the first of my heperin jabs directly into the belly. Another one later today, and then a scan to see watched changed tomorrow......happy days!

The picture at the start is to remind me what a garden looks like. Going stir crazy now and need to get dirt under my nails again.