Who’ll Help Lill OL’ Me?

We’ve had to set up a PR company to manage the flood of sympathy Spook has had since word got out that his condition had deteriorated so much, he’d had his leg amputated. Messages and phone calls and shocked looks on people’s faces when they met him and thought he had a prosthetic leg already. Fast work, since he’d only broken it on 19th July.

Our dear Amy didn’t realise she had such a wide reach when she posted photos from the wedding we were all at recently….

Despite appearances, he was only bending his leg to change the blood flow to his broken leg. Whilst we all thought people would be admiring our outfits…..

The PR department is happy to report that, despite his wife’s pleas that he couldn’t possibly manage a motorcycle holiday in Bulgaria, he has in fact gone on a motorcycle holiday to Bulgaria. Apparently his Trauma nurse said that as long as there was a swimming pool, chances were that he’d come home in better nick than he went out. The retired Superintendent Physio from the Belford also reassured him that a week away from his worries (a definite glance in my direction) would do him the world of good.

To make amends for my negative attitude, I volunteered to drive him and his wee friends to Edinburgh airport in the middle of the night.

As we drove through Glencoe the minibus got slower and slower. The friends (retired members of the mountain rescue team) thought they had chosen the worst possible old lady driver. At one point Spook checked to see if I’d left the handbrake on. As we got close to Jimmy Saville’s old house they began to panic that I was going to break down outside it. A couple of the lads had a wee bit of contact with Jimmy in his later years and still have a touch of PTSD. They thought they might have to ‘do’ an Ant Hill Mob and pick the minibus up and run with it…

When they start talking about the Ant Hill Mob you know you don’t have to check their teeth to age them. I was hoping they’d liken me to Penelope Pitstop, but no one suggested it

They however, were dead ringers for the Gang.

We got past Jimmy’s but dropped to 30mph as we passed the waterfall. The bus picked up a bit and then was fine going downhill where we had to pullover for the boys to have a stress pee after all the jimmy-induced anxiety. After turning the bus off and back on again, it sorted itself out - for a while. We’d gone into Limp Mode which was annoying as I’ve had Spook in Limp Mode since July.

At the airport he was loaded onto a luggage trolley as he couldn’t keep up with his pals. No man left behind!

That’s him in front, in the pic.

Safely in Bulgaria he has established there is a very adequate heated pool.

And there is a motorbike.

What he does with them remains to be seen.

Meanwhile back home and before Spook left, Billy spent a couple of nights in the Belford to review mobility. He complemented them on their amazing care and attention and then told him he’d be pleased if he never saw them to again.

I complained that he’d do anything the nurses suggested and nothing I suggested and told him I was going to buy a uniform. I told his cousin who works on reception and she immediately wheeched off her NHS top, revealing a bonnie cutty-sark and said go and see him with that on now. Between me facing a tasering for impersonating staff in a hospital and her taking phone calls in her underwear, we were in danger of taking all the attention away from Billy. However she had another shirt through the back so it didn’t stay racy for long. Billy smiled indulgently at my uniform and then we broke him out.

Jane has had a traumatic week and just wanted everything back to normal.

So did Courr.

The fact that Spook has made it to Bulgaria is great credit to his trauma nurse and physio. And fantastic staff at Raigmore - all of whom originate from countries that are not Britain

The Hydrotherapy Pool has made a stunning difference and he can’t recommend it highly enough for peoples aches and pains. Get in there.

Lochaber Environmental Group (https://www.lochaberenviro.org.uk/) for their loan (for a donation) of their electric trike which gave him the independence to get to the Hydrotherapy pool.

Shop mobility who leant him a scooter from the very first day, giving him a semblance of independence. They operate out of a shoogly shack in town and desparately need sponsorship to build a better premises. Don’t think for a minute that they might not be for you. They are for anyone who needs them.

Meanwhile here’s a wee bit of October so far.

For a bit of culture, the MOD (http://www.scotland.org/events/the-royal-national-mod) has come to town! I nipped in to the opening night for The Highland Art Prize at McCallum’s Art House on The Parade. It’s open from 11am to 5pm until the 18th of October. It’s a lovely exhibition in a beautiful space. Well worth a visit.

Painting above - one of my favourites is by Lisa Glaze.

https://mccallumarthouse.co.uk/