Not a great couple of weeks

This last couple of weeks has been a bit of a trial. I debated whether to blog this or not. But I guess the good and the bad make the whole picture. So not for sympathy, but because remote travel has some risks. Here goes.



Two weeks ago as K was packing up to go to Rathmines near Newcastle I noticed three insect bites under my left arm. Not a welcome sight as I blow up into large boil like lumps from mosquito stings. I have layers of scars on my legs as proof. Generally I disinfect the skin and cover and if I resist the urge to scratch they pop a blister and go down. Two bites did. One didn't.


So for nearly a week I was treated at our wonderful clinic in our tiny town with intravenous antibiotics while we got the lump down from what looked like a third breast under my arm to a size they could operate on to drain and clean.

I was not very cooperative under anaesthetic coughed, aspirated, got air into the plural cavity, had to be evacuated by plane to Darwin. Went to sleep in Katherine 2pm Thursday, woke up in Darwin Friday mid morning. Missed the whole show. Well I'm not known for doing things by halves.


It's funny what your brain does.   I'm coming to, trying not to panic as they pull the biggest tube out of my mouth and there is a man saying, "Get her glasses on. Her sister says she will panic if she can't see". My head goes "Sister? Must be in Darwin." Cos my little big sister lives in Darwin now.


So they transported me 118 km to Katherine, flew me 380km to Darwin, looked after me in ICU, have me in outpatient accommodation this week so I can get the wounds dressed.... I have a hole where the bite was and a tube hole that went into the lung on the other side. They have cared for me, rung my husband daily, supplied my drugs and wiped my tears. And they are gonna get me nearly 500 km home at the end of the week.
Both hospitals were brilliant. Try getting that kind of care in some other countries.


Oh and I am ok.
But if you live or travel remote the possibility of something going wrong has to be faced squarely.


No pictures of the lump either......



Cheers Sue
A Ferg on the Move