15 August 2013 – Fairford

I should not be writing this entry as we were supposed to be exploring the silk routes of Georgia and Armenia this week and next.  Unfortunately, we had to cancel our trip at a day’s notice.  Gerry had suffered severe abdominal pains overnight a week ago and Annie ended up summoning medical help.  As a result, Gerry was taken by Ambulance to the Great Western hospital in Swindon and admitted.  Interestingly, after 5 days and a loss in weight of 8 lbs, the specialists could not determine what caused the pain which by now had cleared.  One possibility was that a bowel obstruction had been caused by scar tissue from an appendectomy done in 1978!!!.  Gerry is now home and, apart from feeling washed out, is on good form.  There will be a follow-up scan and trip to the consultant in a few weeks time just to make sure. 

Once again it is a lesson to us all not to take anything for granted and to enjoy each and every moment we are given on this earth.  I had gone to bed feeling absolutely fine and within 8 hours was writhing in agony in the back of an emergency ambulance. 

Many thanks to the wonderful British National Health Service – Everything worked as well as could be hoped for.