It never rains but…

Sometimes, it seems as if someone’s luck has simply run out.  You remember my friend who, while on holiday a couple of years ago, became terribly ill and finally came home by air ambulance?  The hospital in Madeira treated him with antibiotics which nearly killed him and he was finally diagnosed with vasculitis, had to give up work (and so did his wife, to look after him) and he is permanently disabled, although he’s come on very well since his diagnosis.

We went to his 60th birthday party last Saturday – they moved from a large house to a smaller bungalow just round the corner from us.  And I’ve just heard that he has had a fall and broken his ankle.  This is pretty serious of course because he now has terribly poor circulation.  In addition, he mustn’t put weight on it but he hasn’t the strength in his arms to bear his weight on crutches.  Even worse, his wife has hurt her own ankle while walking their dog, a young and boisterous golden retriever.

I’ve phoned and left a message – she’s probably at the hospital.  I’ve offered to walk the dog for as long as necessary.  I don’t mean one long walk, obv, but to take dog walking off their hands.  Or feet.  Oh dear.  Poor loves.  It’s terribly worrying.

Update – have spoken to friend near Canterbury.  She has also had a fall, hurt her knee, which joint she had replaced a couple of years ago and landed smack on her face, which is a bit of a mess.  I’ve offered to go and fetch her, but she thinks she’ll be okay.

If you have blessings, count ’em tonight, darlings.  

11 comments on “It never rains but…

  1. janerowena

    I think it’s the time of year that makes blessings seem very distant at times. I am dotted about with arthritis, but that’s nothing compared to my husband’s friend dying suddenly of cancer, or your poor friend who is going to be scared to even get up out of a chair in future.

    Reply
  2. allotmentqueen

    Oh dear, he’s only months older than me. I know I do hobble around a bit, especially on stairs, but I was rather planning on being around rather longer. Life can be a bit of a bum, can’t it?

    But I do sort of sense a dog coming on here.

    My update is youngest son has now arrived in Berlin and I’m starting to feel the emptynest syndrome. Okay he’ll be back on Sunday night, but he is my baby. And he’s gone to look at concentration camps, Checkpoint Charlie, Jewish War Memorial, etc so that is a bit gruesome. And it’s -5C and snowing. But, hey, he wants to be a historian so you have to put up with such things.

    So blessings probably outweigh whatever the other things are – surely not curses?

    Reply
  3. Z

    Life. Or shit, I suppose. It’s dealing with whatever comes along with all the grace one can manage. And of course it is all right to feel sorry for ourselves, that someone else is in a worse state doesn’t lessen our own aches and pains.

    She hasn’t phoned back yet, but we’ll hear tomorrow. I don’t know how bad the break is. Andy usually takes the dog for walks using his mobility scooter or else Gill takes him, but looking after him for the next few weeks might be a big help.

    When I went to Poland, I couldn’t face Auschwitz, but the young have fortitude. Hope you don’t feel too bad without him, I do remember the feeling.

    Reply
  4. allotmentqueen

    I would like to think that visiting such awful places would make for a better future. Although, knowing my son, that in itself wouldn’t be an issue. But a little reinforcement can’t be bad. I sort of wish I could visit these places myself but I think I’m probably past it.

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  5. martina

    A friend of mine visited Prague, Berlin etc. this past fall. She brought back great photos and stories.
    I’d like to count one blessing–the friendship of Z!

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  6. Blue Witch

    it’s the time of year for falls. In every group I belong to there is at least one person who has fallen badly in recent weeks. I only just avoided joining their number yesterday when I fell over a rogue hosepipe at ankle level. Jarred but not broken.

    I too feel a dog coming on…

    Hope your friend is OK.

    Reply
  7. Z

    I have to be quite gentle on myself, I’ve got limited capacity to go looking for trouble now.

    Martina, you’re lovely, thank you. I loved Krakow and look forward to visiting Berlin and seeing Elle and her family again.

    Yoga Gal, thanks – yes, things go as they’re meant to, sometimes you have to be led.

    She’s broken her fibula. We’ll have the dog for as long as they want, he’s here now, asleep on the floor after a long walk on the marshes. I’m going to get fit, it seems…

    Reply
  8. Z

    Well, at least it’s plain she can’t cope and she’ll have to rest. But how much bad luck can a person take?

    Pictures of Ben later.

    Reply

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