Monday 1 September 2014

Seizure

An odd title for a post that starts with a picture of a roadside cafe stop? It's been a very odd week indeed, and one that started so wonderfully well, and so I want to begin at the start of last weekend. The title will be better explained later. I'm not even sure if it's something that I should share, or if indeed you all want to hear, but this is, as I have said in the past. 'A DAY IN THE LIFE'. I must apologise for not commenting more on your posts recently, but events have been, how can I say, distracting.

We had booked into a campsite on the edge of Dartmoor for three nights, packed everything up on the Thursday night, and made a nice mid-morning start on our journey the following day. There was no rush, and so we stopped at this little cafe for a cup of coffee, before setting off again.


'Camp Gary and Amanda' was soon set up shortly after arrival at the site, with all mod cons and creature comforts installed. We particularly love our rather bright and tasteless Blackpool Beach windbreaks, and they go with us every time, much I expect to the dismay of other campers. But this was our patch for the next few days, and we were claiming it!
  

We like a comfortable nights sleep as you can see.


We were both very tired, and so after an afternoon of reading and rest, and then a spot of food cooked on the barbecue, we went to bed early, to be nice and awake the following day.

We had planned to visit two National Trust properties, and the place for today was Cotehele House.
Not far from the campsite, the journey involved lots of driving through some lovely country lanes and scenery.





The place is lovely, and we spent the whole day there, ending with a late picnic down by the small harbour.


I even got to play with a few boys toys while we were there. These were the real thing, hence the gloves, to prevent sweat and oil from hands damaging the pieces. This particular sword was surprisingly easy to handle, and was used in a sideways cutting sweep to cut through men, and horses legs. Brutal times.


A pint at the pub was followed by some dinner back at the tent, which in turn was followed by some cake, a few 'snifters' of JD, and some games of dominoes, all presided over by Travel Ted of course.


We awoke quite early the next morning, and the view across to the moor was breathtaking. Dartmoor holds some very dear memories for me, as I spent far too much of my time wild camping and exploring on it in my youth. My first adventure was at the age of 14, when along with a mate of the same age, we hiked from Okehampton at the mostly northerly point, to Ivybridge at the most southerly, then along to Plymouth to catch the bus home. Armed only with mental pictures of the place from reading 'Hound of the Baskervilles, some basic camping gear, a map and a compass, we took two weeks, and it was simply the best adventure ever.


After breakfast we headed to our second place, Antony House. A property that is still tenanted by the family that have lived here for generations, and who can be seen on occasion walking and talking amongst the visitors. The house is warmly personal, as you would expect from it still being lived in, and containing all of the current family's personal belongings. The gardens are exquisite, and are the base for an intense garden training programme that has seen many a gardener employed in some of the finest gardens in the UK.


This particular corner was our favourite, with three photographs of grandson, father and grandfather, all in their youth. My glass lust was satisfied by the collection of Nailsea paperweights and doorstops, and Hydrangeas and a lovely lamp completed the setting.


There were two of these wooden plant holder. They are made of wood, and people just walked by without giving them a second glance. I thought they were rather special, and so skilfully made.


There were intimate areas around every corner, and this knot garden was one of them. Although this style is included in some of my favourite types of garden, I felt that the hedges were a little too high, making the view and feeling rather cold.


We stayed at Antony all day as well. We had a bite to eat in the tent, and this time one of our favourite camp food, tinned curry and new potatoes. It was very cold by about 9pm, and so hot tea accompanied a game or two of backgammon, and of course some tummy warming JD and some biscuits. Even Travel Ted had to wrap up warm.


It had been a rainy and stormy night, and the morning was pretty much the same. Not what you want when you have to pack up camp and head home. We were at least lucky enough to get a very brief lull in the rain, and so all was thrown into the back of the van in a messy heap. We drove to the shower block on the way out to freshen up, as we wanted to grab breakfast in Tavistock before the drive home. 

It was here that things started to get strange. I was in the shower, and half way through had one of the most disorientating experiences I have ever felt. On reaching to hit the shower button to keep the flow going, it moved toward me, whilst the walls moved away, and then sideways. Convinced that I may be about to faint, throw up, or both, I quickly sat on the floor, and thankfully the feeling passed and all was well again.  Must have been just a faint.

We both got back into the van, and then enjoyed a lovely breakfast, and chatted about my fainting session amongst other things, as we sipped our tea. It was still raining hard when we set off and took the road that cuts through the middle of Dartmoor itself. A wonderful drive, beautiful scenery, and lots of memories for both of us, of the days spent in our earlier years together camping out there.

By the time we hit the main drive back, the weather was atrocious, but steady progress was made, and I even commented to Amanda that we should be home early, a comment that we both thought may tempt fate, and how it did!

It was as we were approaching the top of a long hill, on a very fast moving dual carriageway, in driving rain and fog, that the van decided to die on us. As it turned out by the end of the day, just some dirt in the fuel being sucked up. But break down we did, and with a third of the van sticking out into the carriageway. With the weather condition so atrocious, speeding cars coming up behind us had to veer around at the last minute, luckily warned a little by our hazard lights. I called the AA breakdown, who as it turned out were useless, if not dangerous, but that aside, I noticed that my hands were shaking, something they never do. I ignored it, we talked for a few seconds, and then it happened. A feeling similar to that in the shower, and leaving me just enough time to tell my very worried wife that I was  'going again', only this time I went. I came around to a scared Amanda shaking me, and doing her best to re-assure me, in what must have been one of the scariest situations I can imagine. I thought I had fainted, but as it turns out, my face had dropped on one side, my arms, legs and head were shaking, and I was talking in slow motion. Needless to say, in the next instant she called an ambulance.

So there we have it, a broken down van, a very dodgy place to be stuck, an ambulance and then two police cars to ensure that the van is not going to cause a crash. The van at least was moved a few feet further onto the grass, and we both were made safe and secure in the ambulance, whereupon I was connected to wires and tubes, had blood taken, the works. The ambulance was told to move by the police, the police were told that there were just a couple of further tests to do before they could, and the police shouted to the ambulance driver to MOVE. As I mentioned earlier, not a good spot to break down. The drive to hospital was quick, and during this rather surreal ordeal I thought of Travel Ted, still in his seat in the van window, on his own, possible until the following day.....silly I know.

The next how ever many hours were spent being wired up again, and going through numerous tests for a stroke or TIA, all of which came out ok thank goodness. Doctors suspect that it was a seizure, whether it's the start of epilepsy, a one off fit, or somethin g more sinister, further tests will tell. Son-in-law and his mate came to the rescue at some point, and managed to get the van going and bring it home at least. The van has been fine ever since. When we got home, all was very strange indeed, simply because of the events that had suddenly unfolded thoughout the day. I was scared, Amanda too, and we were both incredibly tired. I was lying awake at 3.30am, when a feeling rose in my legs as though a heat lamp were on them, it spread to my stomach, the otherworldly, nauseating feeling came back, and I just lay there, terrified that I was going to die. I didn't, and even stayed conscious, and after talking to Amanda, fell into deep sleep. The otherworldly and nauseating feeling came back again in the toilet three hours later, and no black out. It's now a week later, and nothing else has happened. Notification from the seizure clinic should arrive today or tomorrow, with an appointment to have my head wired up, so that they can get to the bottom of it all. In the meantime I am not allowed to drive for a year, and not allowed to use ladders, steps or hedgetrimmers, and so Amanda now has do work full time with me in case I fit, drive us everywhere, and family pulled in wherever possible to handle the dangerous machinery. I am not happy. Life is very complicated at the moment, and for the foreseeable future.

I don't really know why I need to write on here about this, maybe it's therapeutic in some way to go over things, yet again. Maybe it's something another can gleen any help from if they read it, I don't know. 
I do know that at the moment I feel as though I am about to pass out at any moment, and possibly not wake up. I feel scared, tired, and don't really know how we are going to manage to keep it all together both at home and at work. A working day is about to start, son-in-law is arriving in an hour to drive us around some of the properties. I am dreading it, not my usual feeling, but life goes on as they say. I keep trying to read all of your posts, but can't concentrate. I'm sure it will all pass, but for now I will be dipping in and out of blogland.

TTFN








17 comments:

  1. What beautiful sights & adventures you've experienced. I shall be praying re. your medical challenge. Once properly diagnosed, medicines can help control the seizures. (Our son had several years of them in his adolescence & is now seizure free and off meds.) You will be in my thoughts and prayers. I KNOW how disconcerting this can be.

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  2. Dear, dear Gary ~ I am so sorry that you're going through this. Scared, I should say so. My heart aches for the both of you at this time, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

    We don't know why things happen in our lives, but being a believer in God, we know that He is very much in control, He knows all that we are going through, and He is working all things out for our good and His honor and glory. Through trials we are hopefully drawn closer to Him.

    Love and hugs to the both of you ~ FlowerLady

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  3. Hi Gary

    We were shocked to hear the news and are praying for you all. There is really not much that can be said other than the reminder that god is sovereign over all and that you are in the Great Physicians hands and He only makes right decisions. We will be in touch.
    P&P

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  4. I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. I was diagnosed with seizures in 2011. I would go for a period and not make any new memories. Like you all normal tests showed not problem. They even did the EEG. The second one I had they said there's no snese do the the same test. they will show nothing. They did say there's one test we didn't do and that's an EEG with sleep deprivation. I had to stay up all night and go in at 9 AM That showed an area of the brain with faster wave lengths. I've been put on medication and had no problems since. Your seizures seem to be of a more serious nature. Life goes on with seizures. There's no reason to really be alarmed.

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  5. I so enjoyed reading about your holiday and then as I got further down your blog post,Gary, I read with horror the nightmare you and Amanda have been and are going through. I hope things go better for you in the future and wish you a speedy recovery.

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  6. So sorry to hear this.
    What makes it all the scarier is it happened in such bad weather.
    Not much to do but wait for the results and take it from there.

    cheers, parsnip

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  7. After such a great adventure I do hope things level out for you. Do take care of yourself first and get better.

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  8. well all of that is very disconcerting and being unable to drive is such a disaster for independence!

    please dont question yourself for writing this, all of us use our blogs to tell our story and right now this is a major plot twist for you all.

    faith is hard to find at times like this but i look forward to the day when you can say you are living triumphantly.

    you have my prayers
    k

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  9. Hope you get more information soon and know what you're working with. Take care and just tackle one thing at a time. Wonderful that you have people who can assist. Don't stress them out by doing things you shouldn't yet. Sending you all the best. (Hug).

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  10. Dear Gary - I hope it turns out not to be serious. I understand though that you would be worried. The worst will be having Amanda drive you everywhere and do much of the work. I hope you find a way to manage it all.

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  11. Gary,

    Please know that my thoughts are with you and the fair Lady Amanda at this time of tremendous uncertainty and worry. I truly hope that in the coming days a diagnosis and root cause is arrived at and prescribed corrections are made that will return you to full steam and open throttle.

    Best wishes my friend for both a speedy and complete recovery. – gary

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  12. A speedy recovery my friend, our thoughts and prayers are for you and Amanda.

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  13. I was born to live in a house like this....I truly was

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  14. I was sorry to hear this. Are they positive it is not Paradoxical positional vertigo? I have that, and makes everything spin and is upsetting. Hopefully they can figure this out, and get you what you need. I can only imagine how upsetting it is for them to tell you not to use all the equipment you need to use for your business. Your business is your life, and I understand. Keep your chin up, rest and we will pray for you, big hug across the ocean to you and Amanda, Gina

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  15. I'm so sorry for all the stress of this. Anyone would be scared. You will be in my prayers, Gary.

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  16. What a BLESSING that broken down vehicle was. .Otherwise, you may have been blacking out while driving down that high paced road. .and you both. .as well as other people may have been seriously injured! Hoping they make a quick diagnosis and treatment plan! Keep us all posted!! Blessings!!

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  17. Thank goodness that the tests came out ok! I hope the further tests prove to be nothing serious at all. Sending you well-wishes sir!!

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