Chapter seventeen
Peritonitis.
1980-1985
“Come home Carole, I'm dying,” I scream out, but nobody hears me. I'm lying across the foot of the bed and can't move the six feet to the phone. I lie there as my body fills with poison and travels to my brain. Then I become delirious.
When Carole comes home, she asks me how I'm feeling now. I tell her that I'm feeling better, as the pain has gone away. She goes out to the kitchen and starts the dinner. When she returns to see if I want anything to eat, my body has gone into shock and I'm shaking all over, involuntarily. Carole can see that I'm in big trouble and requests that she call the doctor, and for the first time, I agree.
When she comes back from the phone, I ask her what the doctor had to say.
“The doctor wasn't there, as it's after-hours, but the nurse suggests that I give you an enema suppository and to call back in the morning,” Carole answers.
“Have you got any suppositories?” I ask.
“I have, but I don't think it's the right thing to do. I want to think about it for a bit.” Carole rings back and tells the nurse that it's far more serious than maybe the nurse realized. She insists on speaking to a doctor. Dr. Young is not there so Dr. Railton comes to the phone. Carole describes the symptoms and he says that he is on his way. It is a journey of about 10 miles but he is here in quick time. He examines me and rings for an ambulance to take me to Auckland Hospital.
With the arrival of the ambulance, Stuart gets all excited and runs to Carole saying, “The Way-oh is here Mum.”
The ambulance driver brings a nurse who helps carry me out on a stretcher, as they won't let me walk. I promise the family that I will return but I have my doubts. I can actually feel that I am dying as I feel the life force slipping away. I'm once again suffering terrible pain. I tell Carole what she should do if I die. I remind her to stop the hypnotherapy adverts and cancel the renting of the office, if I don't come back.
“Don't be silly. You'll be back,” She reassures me. Then we both have a bit of a weep. Lastly, I tell Craig that he is to be Dad while I'm away. He takes me l<