This morning I had to call on the services of the Ambulance Service for my own rescue for the first time in my life. It was complicated by the fact that I could not get to the front door to open it. In fact I couldn't get up off the floor. My back has given me problems in the past, but this took the biscuit. It took the whole tin full.
When there is a key in my door, you cannot unlock it from the other side. There was a key in the door, so my neighbour couldn't open it for the ambulance and I couldn't get to it. Call the Police, borrow a neighbour's ladder, try to get in through the bedroom window... The security latch can't be reached from outside. I crawled to the window, managed to haul myself to where I could disengage the lock and collapsed again on the floor. The Policeman climbed over me, opened the front door and vanished before I could get his name or thank him. If by any chance he's reading this - Thank you!
The Paramedic now arrived with all her kit and paraphenalia. I don't think I've ever had such sympathetic treatment - and I did ambulance work for the first six years of my service in the Fire and Rescue Service - or such a professional examination. She got me on Entonox, reduced the pain and then got me onto the bed. Then she did an ECG, checked for anuerisms in the abdomen (A major cause of back pain apparently), took my Blood Pressure and assured herself and her controller that, back spasm apart, I was healthy. While we wiated for a doctor to get back to us she even made me a sandwich for breakfast and made sure I had plenty of liquids on hand.
With the doctor's response in hand she administered the appropriate medication and made sure I was comfortable. I shall always be grateful to this lady and to the Policeman - but my neighbours have been superb as well. Both have been in to check on me and on Paddy Cat who - I think - enjoyed the excitement! I have just sent off an e-mail to the Ambulance HQ expressing my gratitude and thanks and will now try to contact the Police HQ for the same reason. When someone does something well, we all to often take it for granted, I learned a long time ago that a simple thank you to these professionals makes all the difference in the world!
This is what public service and neighbourliness is all about. And the state of my back?
Well, the new medication has made a world of difference. It ain't fixed yet, but it's a heck of a lot better than it was!
When I am writing I like to have an image of the person I am describing or writing about. My latest attempt is a book called Ego Sum and it traces the life of a man, born noble, enslaved, escaped and restored to family and friends, who then gave it all up to serve his God and Saviour. So these two sketches are my attempt to depict him in the role of slave and shepherd and in later life as the Bishop he became.
