Tables Turn...

Wow, what a weekend. 

Early start. Saturday was up and into it. A big hug to our Melbourne hosts Graeme and Karen who as always are such amazing value, and it is no effort at all catching up with them...such incredibly easy people.

Gen is a stickler for being on time, we took several calls by 8.55am for the 9.00am agreed time.  We had an appointment to check out Gen's little place just 3 minutes away from where we were staying, in South Melbourne...mmmm! Gen and Suz were staying a couple of doors down at the Seasons, a 4 star (ha ha 4 star at a stretch) hotel.

The inspection, well we were about 10 minutes late but all OK. Bit grubby, actually disgustingly grubby, but no tenant damage. One of the 3 tenants was there, nice young lad, very polite.

From there we were off to Port Fairy where we had booked in to a boutique style Hotel. This was a 3.5 hour drive and we thought we were heading toward home. Turns out we really didn't get much closer to Adelaide at all but, well, who cares. 

Last night the four of us went for a late afternoon walk along the river and onto the beach front at Port Fairy. Very pretty place. It was a lovely sunny winters day around 4pm. We walked for about half and hour and then turned to head back. We were greeted with black clouds and just after turning around it started with mist and ended up pouring with rain. We all got totally drenched. And I mean totally.

Obviously none of us were too keen to end up with colds so it was back into our rooms, and hot showers and hang all our clothes out to dry over night. A memorable walk. 

5pm and my weekly catch up with Janine. I really look forward to those chats and we work through what is happening, feelings, thoughts and it is all about heading off any melt down as I move through this rather challenging time.

One thing I touched on in my last blog was the really weird feelings I have had recently. I am convinced it is coming off the Morphine, and Janine agreed. Gen looked it up at dinner (and as they do....googled it). The answer from the stuff she found was that 3 to 4 days is the withdrawal period. 

By 6.30 it was off for an early dinner at an Italian Restaurant, it was awesome, and I would say this was my first meal as close to pre cancer that I have had in ages. I still struggle with any alcohol so consumption is very low still.

I have been so stuffed that I went straight to bed when I got home. Power were winning up in Darwin against Melbourne but NO COVERAGE!!!! Sylvia and I have been there for the past 3 years and given Karen who we had stayed with in Melbourne is on the Board of Melbourne, this was a huge game. Sylv and I tried every thing to get 5aa live streaming but to no avail. So it was only via the AFL app that we kept up with the scores. Very frustrating.

Great final result, and of course the Crows fans will be crowing big time this week...number one!!

Sleep has become patchy and having a big meal and going to bed was a bad idea.

Then today. Sunday breakfast was good, and we were done and on the road by 10.30am. After a brief cruise of Port Fairy we knew by now we had a six hour drive home, and we were into it. 

Sylvia agreed to take the back seat with Suz, and Gen with her long legs took the front passenger seat. I was feeling much better and was keen to drive...and given it is my new toy I must say I really do enjoy long hauls in a good car. 

Now wait, there is a twist coming. 

The Toop's have spent much of their holidays as a family in cars and we have always done long hauls. In 1994 we went around Australia for 6 months and we find a lot of great conversations happen in that environment. Today was no different. We covered so many topics. 

As is typical, once we get underway, we are reluctant to stop. Today was no different. We drove for two and half hours and were contemplating stopping in Mt Gambier, kept going, then Millicent...nup keep going, and we set Kingston as our lunch and fuel stop. 

Well, 40 km out of Kingston Sylv complained she couldn't feel her back! We had been playing around with the air conditioning, and realistically Black Beauty is a two seater plus two generous additional seats, but never intended to be a long haul car for four adults. 

Every one had been pretty comfortable but today was a sunny cold day, and we had NO DRINKS AT ALL, no stops for the best part of 3 hours, and we got the shock of our lives. Sylvia fainted in the car!! 

This scared the living daylights out of the three of us. We pulled up and Sylv came around and we got her out of the car, and thought all was cool, then she fainted again!!! We had no idea what the hell to do (yes, we have all decided that we need to take updates on our first aid courses, we have all done them but way too long ago). Suz was straight onto 000 and short version is that they dispatched an ambulance and so the day took a massive turn. 

Suddenly I am back in the carer mode with the girls and Sylv becomes the patient. 

Suz went in the Ambulance while Gen and I went ahead to fuel up, get some lunch and meet up at the Hospital. Fuel went well, and Gen was thinking something special from a Kingston Cafe...well we ordered, looked at each other, assessed the cafe and I whispered in Gen's ear...."mate I'm going back to the servo to order it there, you stay here and start walking back to the Roadhouse, I'll pick you up"...the Ambo went past us in front of the Cafe and our intuition was 100% correct. Pitty we had ordered and paid before the intuition cut in, so we totally binned the whole lot from the cafe. The cafe was disgusting and unhygienic. We would have all ended up in Hospital.

Did you know that Country Ambo drivers are still volunteers. I think that is just awesome. These people were amazing. We sure are getting to know the medical world.

All ended well. The diagnosis was dehydration, and I am so not surprised. After rehydrating and checking things out, I am VERY pleased to report all is well. 

We arrived home (Vineyard) around 6.30pm,  pretty late compared to when we thought but all in great shape and with more of life's lessons...1) we need water to live and function, 2) we need to refresh our first aid skills, 3) even the simple things in life can make profound differences in our lives, and most profound, 4) nothing is certain. 

The girls headed straight into town and Sylv and I will head down in the morning. Tomorrow I turn 55. Older and definitely wiser.