A Lady and Her River

A Lady and Her River.

It was towards the end of a lovely Summers day, on the east coast of Australia. Lying on a lounger next to a River side jetty was a lady, quietly preparing in her mind, her last swim of the day, across

the stretch of water to the sun drenched rocks, which beckened her, on the far side.

She checked the river down and up stream for any evening canoes. Certain that none approached, she rose and slipped off her clothes, to reveal that certain beauty and serenity of a mature woman, the likes of which come to mind, those ladies in the film 'Calender Girls'. To a lady, all independent minded, gained from a life bringing up children and some would say Husbands as well.

Our lady walked to the jetty and gently decended the steps into the water. She swam not quite without a garment or two, namely a summer hat and sun glasses. Quietly, she proceded across the river- her river- to the rocks, as the Sun was just beginning to lose its intensity.

In the glow of a setting sun she sat on a rock looking back at her jetty and the House on the river bank and pondered on life as it had been and life in the future. Where was he, the man who had shared her life over the years , the long partings when they were first married,He travelling the world for his much admired Austin Motor Company, “Austin of England”, was the motto. The coming of their two children , kindly a boy and a girl, later travelling and seeing some of the places they had shared by letter and photographs.

There was now a kind of glow on her river, as the sun,slowly dipped behind the tall trees on the hill behind the house. It was time to return to the jetty and her lounger,and so it was that our Lady and Her river, joined up again and she quietly swam the the eighty or so metres,back to the jetty. Leaving the water and walking to her lounger, now in the shadows of the trees, the cool breeze childed her a little and she dried and began to dress.

Someone was coming down the river bank and under the tees. Then the gentle voice of her grand daughter of fifteen years. “Are you there Grandma , Mother says dinner will be ready soon”. And so the young lady quietly watched her Grandmother dress to the standard well known to all, including her rings in exactly the correct order.

There now, I'm ready said Grandma and they walked together, from under trees and up the slope to the house, so lovingly buillt by the man, now absent from her life. A two storey structure built completely in timbers off their property in the State Forest where they had lived a good part of their life together. Some would say it is a heritage house, as it was designed to reprecate a Seventeenth Centry Barn All the poles were off the block both Iron Bark and Stringy Bark, with Blue gum clading and he never ceased to tell everyone, the angles were fourty five, thirty and ninety degrees. It was all done on the basis of, anything is possible.

They loved their home with their animals both domestic and wild, putting up with the pesky Wombats and Posums and the occasional Black snake.

Grandmother and grandaughter, entered the house via the steps to the verandah. Then through the lounge to the kitchen, where daughter was just completing preperation for dinner.

They were to have this meal in the breakfast room. On the Server was a small Chinese Urn with lid

they all looked kindly at it and daughter said, How was Father------ a few moments and our Lady

and Her River ----- replied, Fine, Just Fine.

Fin.

This story was written,shortly before the writer,went to Hospital for a major operation, on his 68mm diameter Aoorta, which was about to burst – Would not have had time to get to a hospital if it had.

Now published after a delay of a year , before” My Summer of Discontent “ 2016 – 2017

Malcolm E Mason.

The Summer of my Discontent

The Summer of my discontent

The Summer of my Discontent in Australia 2017,Which I really think got under way July 2016 our Australian Winter, when I was being checked out for possible damage to my brain, due suspected two 'Mini Strokes' the previous Christmas. big scan and ultra sound of upper body.

It was at that time I ecountered a Cardiologist, I did not consider suitable,so I let him go.

To find top personnel, I set out asking questions and located a Sydney specialist who visited the area monthly. With him was a Sonogapher, both top men. Result was my heart was over size and in bad condition and medication was presrcibed. Whilst the good Doc was doing something else I told the Sonogragher about my Sister dieing suddenly about the same time in 2014 with a burst Aorta, did not really reach the Hospital of course. I had informed my Doctor who did nothng, Anyway the 'with it' Sonogragher said really and had a look at my lower Aorta. Goodness look at this Mal. It must be 67mm and not 20 or the maximum normally allwed 50mm diameter. The Dr came in and when alerted, took action and rang my Doctor, I then saw a Surgeon who hesitated as to what to do considering my heart condition. Thats it I thought and again goodbye.

Now the biggest challenge, to find a Surgeon up the job of fixing the damn thing, at the dangerous size of 60mm. I do not remember exactly how I found him, but I did. The very best, based in Wollongong a major city between home and Sydney he is, also an an Acsociate Professor at the near by University and the Major training Hospital.

He immediately called me in. As with the previous two, it was evident I had found the right man.He looked up from the computor screen , pointed his finger at me and said YOU, have this attended to now or you will not make the new year. I must have been making too light of the problem. Ok and he started procedures for an Stent Graft at the hospital. But first, because of my heart I had to undergoe Radioactive Perfusion-Trouble!. Horrible when a machine scans very close to your face and takes fifteen minutes. I lost it ,as memories of being locked in a celler by my sister,; stuck in a concrete pipe for hours in my young days and interviewd! by the Vietcong in Saigon years agoe. The nurses got me through it and the Stress Test and the repeat. Are we having fun yet?, the worst was yet to come, in my 'Summer of Discontent'.

Following my operation, effectively replacing my Aoorta , Fifth September 2016 in Wollongong (south of Sydney) Hospital, all appeared well for a time.

The christmas period saw a very different scene. I became rather poorly. My normal Doctor went away for a extended period, without notice and things got worse. I decided to terminate me, as his client and found a highly recommended gentleman.

The new fello immediately, did a full check on me with full list of blood checks, result my Kidney,s were in a terrible state and began treatment to reduce the potasium and clear the kidneys. Also my Liver did not look good.

Around this time I had knocked my leg and I think the doc put a dressing on it, a dry dressing, apparantly because I was on an absolute zero salt regeme. Any way I also put a dry dressing on and other people, anyway the leg reacted and the result was terrible (picture1) and took some time the calm down. The good doctor said it was mainly my Kidney's.

Along we went and I was getting very ill. Weight 13 01 2017= 72.6kg down to 56.90kg on 19 02 17. (Photo 2) 17 02 17, a shocker I thought. My new Doctor did not miss a beat and continued to treat!. At April writing this I am 58.6 kilo,s hurray and aiming for 60 at least.

During January, 2017 I went dilirious and gave everyone a hard time. Dear Wife was valient.

07 03 17 weight was 57.90 then down to 5.60 a little later in March. By then I was eating, walking without a pusher and I was on the mend , could walk up stairs and actually see people in a better light. (Photo 3). Complete with grandsons 'Virtual' viewer- joke really???. Taken 04/06/2017. by grandson, with great ammusment.

12 03 17 came the weight 58.10kg, I was over joyed. Up and up now. Doc says Kidneys much better and I must get back the original problem my HEART and so The Cardiologist reception fixed me up for 31.03 17 our fifty fifth Wedding aniversary. What timing.!.

Along we went to see the third ,man of my of my own choice. He was accomanpied by the fourth man no less a very skilled! Sonographer, they and a visiting woman doctor throughly gave me the once over.
Failed Heart and prescibed a new blocker to slow my heart down giving less work to do.plus a coated low asprin to thin the blood. Down to 50 not normal 70!.Pulse.

Thus after my Summer of discontent I am on the mend in May 2107, after it all started in June 2016, when that Sonographer, being a curious person had a look at my Aorta area, after I told him, my sister had died in June 2016 from a burst one, my original doctor was also told, but did not react. Size 68mm from 20 through 50, Not pleased.

So dear readers I am alive due in now small measure to me finding the right people to do the job and with urgency , led by the surgeon, when he saw the size of the Aorta at around 68mm.

On this day after May Day , second of MAY.

Weight 57.3kg

@ 11.55 hrs blood pressure 107 / 66 and pulse 52, which is ok I gather on my current medication.

And so my Summer of Discontent ends with the satisfaction, that if a patient is not satified with treatment by any medical practisioner, they should be 'Let Go' as we say in industry and commerse.

It is my firm belief that the root cause of all this was a GP not paying due attention to a patients statement, the his sister died two years before with a burst Aorta in England and repeatedly told.

He did nothing to investigate. Oh I nearly forgot.Just before being released from the excellent Hospital in Wollongong, an assistant (or surgeon assisting)Surgeon did the rounds with senior Medical Students and one asked the question Was my Doctor informed of my sister's death from a burst Aorta, I said yes------ the good sugeon interveened and said- We will move on!!!!.

At 81 I move forward, slower forward. My dear wife Paticia,who took the brunt of my illness, got though it all ----- A truely valiant woman and thats for sure.

I would like to thank all those,who assisted me to survive, thus far. The Surgeon; Cardiologist; Sonogapher; My Doctor and all the staff of Wollongong's Private (Nuclear Perfusion) and Public Hospitals (Operation), plus our very own local Hospital in Batemans Bay, near home.

On this fifth day of June we are at our daughter and son in laws place , in their property cottage and here we thank Samatha and her family for asistance given to GRANDAD. Samantha drove freqeuntly the 800 klm's between our home 250 klm's south of Sydney and Coffs Harbour on the mid north coast of NSW. Son Timothy was also helping

There always the spiritual side of things and here no exception. At the height of my discontent and upset,I visited a Spritual Centre ,I used to run years agoe. I was, apparently visibly upset, when two gentlemen came over to me, laid their hands on my shoulders , during a meditation and held me tight. 'A Laying on of Hands' , I think Alan Bennet would term it – So much comfort came through. Later another spiritual person, gave an address, which almost covered my problems. He said to me “There IS, TIME, to do all the things I wished to do” and here I am, with this and other blogs and tweets.

Thats it for now, so on wth my blog's and tweet's

Malcolm E Mason Mogood.....Australia

Photo 1 the leg explosion                  Photo 2 Shocker Weight Loss        Photo 3 A VIRTUAL view !!!!!!!!

FIN.ww

Well,not quite! Since writing this blog, I fell heavily in a shopping Mall. My left shouder hurt for some time,so relutantly off to the that good doctor and he ordered an Ultra Sound. Goodness, with that over the doc announced that I had completely severed a tendon “There is a full-thickness tear with retraction involving the Supraspinatus tendon”. Will it ever end,?. Anyway Physio was odered and we got down to exersizes with rope and pulley. It did not really help,so I did my own exercses with some good log cutting,with my chain saw (damned heavy!.)

Feeling better these days with weight up to 65 kilos, I find the best exercize is Log Spliting , upwith the spliter and crash down to break the blocks, son cut for me the large and me the small. Well at early 82 why not push the boundaries. Bye again.

There as been a delay in publishing, so at 17 Novemder 2017, I am a steady 66.30 Kg and visibly put on flesh. They say I am a bl---- Surviver.

Malcolm E Mason 17 November 2017 Shallow Crossing State Forest, NSW