March | 2015 | xlntreads

Blog Buster! The next most popular activity on the mountain after skiing…

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

Hi,

… and then,

Well, in the stark light of day, reality was setting in.

I still didn’t know what was wrong with me. The doctors also didn’t know, but had offered that all my vital signs were strong and so there was no need to panic.

Back in the room, it was time to see if “google” could figure this out. What else was there to do, after all skiing was out! Scanning the many pages on offer really gave us no insight. Believing it to still be a pinched nerve, we researched some gentle stretches that might alleviate the problem.

Health wise, I felt fine… except that I had a completely paralyzed left leg and buttock.

I started working on my stretches and enjoyed doing research on the computer. This entertained me for the day and we decided not to cut our holiday short as resting was probably the best thing for me.

The next morning I awoke. Bugger… the leg was still a piece of jelly!

I was getting the hang of getting around though, and as cabin fever started to set in, I decided it was time to start enjoying myself and check the mountain out. That’s right, I am not a person who can just lay about.

My first expedition was to be a trip in the shuttle bus that circulates around the accommodation and facilities on the mountain. This way I didn’t have to do any walking, I could see what was available and we could possibly figure out some things to do that were within my limited abilities right now.

Brilliant!!! We discovered the next most popular activity on the mountain after skiing… Lodging. This proved to be my savior. This was definitely an activity that we both could participate in. Lodging, for the uninitiated, is the art of socializing by frequenting the local restaurants and cafes. Check out this photo! My clever little wife has figured out a way to get a picture of us both without it being a “selfie”, and I’ve added one of her as well.

We were actually starting to have fun! We were making “lemonade out of lemons”.

See you next week…

I hope you’re enjoying the read. Please share your thoughts with me, just send a message in the Leave A Reply box.

If you’d like to find out more about my books, just click here and you can preview all my books.

Blog Buster! The longest mile!

Posted on March 22, 2015March 22, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

Hi,

Here I am again! Yes… time for “Then what happened?”

Well, we ate and I felt better for that. Now time for that wash and a good night’s sleep.

Back at the room, after an exceptionally arduous trek down the mile long corridor to our room (it probably wasn’t that long, but with half a leg working and on crutches, it felt like it). Picture one of those scenes you see in the movies where the corridor seems to get longer and darker, the more the actors try to reach the end.

Finally in the room, it was time to have that wash. Aghast, I stared, one of those old fashioned showers in the bath tub. Using the shower was out, there was no way I could safely stand up in there. I couldn’t even get my leg over the side of the bath tub. So, very carefully, my darling wife helped me. It was a bit like the fireman’s lift being executed to get me in… getting out was a bit easier.

Clean and fed, now for my good night’s sleep.

We settled in for the night. The bed was comfortable, the room was warm, and I was restless. There I was lying there with all this numbness. I felt like Sigourney Weaver in the Ghost Busters movie, hovering above the bed. I couldn’t feel the bed under me, I couldn’t feel my feet, I couldn’t feel my left leg at all. All that ran through my mind all night long was, “Is this it?” and “Am I going to be paralyzed forever?” Then the horror really set in, “Was I going to be wheelchair bound for the rest of my life?”

The next morning I awoke. Yes… I must have finally drifted off for some slumber. Waking up, the first thing that I thought of was how horrible that dream was. Then it set in, when I tried to move. I was still paralized.

We decided to make our way down to the restaurant for breakfast. It would be a great chance to see things in the light of day and try and work out our next move. Off we went down the enormous corridor again. Did they extend it while I was sleeping? It was even longer today.

Sitting in the restaurant, the staff fussed over me. That was kind of nice, after all I felt really crappy right now. Then, there across the room I saw someone I recognized. I am an avid Australian Rules Football fan and have barracked for North Melbourne since 1972. I was amazed to see “Lethal” Lee Matthews, quite a legend in the game, sitting in the same restaurant. I couldn’t believe it when he spoke to me, asking about my leg. Everyone was presuming that I was the victim of a skiing accident, and he was no different.

It hadn’t dawned on me what to say to people when they asked what happened. So, I just nodded and agreed with whatever explanation they came up with, after all their guess was as good as mine.

Stay tuned next week… that nagging question kept at me. What is happening to me?

I hope my story is still interesting. I would love for you to share your thoughts with me, all feedback is good.

Plus… this isn’t all I’ve written. To find out more about my books, just click here and you can preview my books.

Blog Buster! Things were getting serious…

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

Hi,

I’m back with my continuing story!

Things were getting serious!

“How on earth can we get to help?”.

Andrea went back to reception to find out our options and discovered there was a physiotherapist across the road from our hotel, or we had to get ourselves up a steep hill to the emergency medical centre.

Off she went to investigate… while I lay helplessly on my back in the hotel room. The numb sensation continued and I simply couldn’t get my brain to tell my left leg to move at all.

On her return she informed me that our only hope was to get to the emergency centre. So, off to reception again. This time, armed with the advice from the physiotherapist that a skidoo could be requested to take me up the mountain, we stood our ground (well, I actually “sat” my ground). Andrea grit her teeth at the staff insisting that a skidoo be ordered. Finally, they relented and help was on it’s way. Hallelujah!!!

Great! I was to get help at last, wasn’t I? Not to be… ages passed before they even looked at me. A few x-rays later and, with much scratching of many heads, finally they came to the conclusion that they didn’t know what to do with me. I had confused things by not having a broken bone… they knew how to deal with that.

It was now nearly 8 at night and we were unwashed, tired and hungry and the only options we had, were to return to our hotel, or get an ambulance to drive me down the mountain to a remote country town several hours away to seek further medical advice.

We decided to return to the hotel, wash and get some food. After a night’s sleep we would way up our options and decide what to do next! So many hundreds of dollars later, we left the medical centre. Having no ability to move my left leg and limited movement in my right leg, we inquired about hiring a wheel chair. Of course! No wheelchairs on the mountain. Insanity prevailed and I took the only thing available… I had to buy a set of crutches.

A $20 taxi back down the mountain (500 metres) got us to the hotel. Once again the valet’s were there to help. What a god send they were. There was no way that I could climb the 16 steps up to the hotel. So, like a pile of linen I got lifted onto the loading platform and up I went to the hotel level.

Time for some food… then a wash and a good night’s sleep. I just wanted to get straight to the restaurant.

Stay tuned next week to find out… what do we decide to do?

So, what do think of the story so far? I’d love for you to share your thoughts with me.

Plus… as I have mentioned before, you might be inspired to find out more about my books. Just click here if you want to find out what I’ve written and get a preview of them.

Blog Buster! Injured… remote location… what do you do?

Posted on March 6, 2015March 15, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

This is the next installment in my interesting and engaging story!

I hope you enjoy!

Something was definitely wrong! After skiing down the mountain one-legged, I was terrified. I couldn’t feel my left leg at all, it was just like jelly.

Andrea was at the bottom waiting for me, looking a little worried. I should have beaten her down and she was suspecting that something was wrong.

The first thing I thought of was that my ski boots were too tight and somehow cut off my circulation. Andrea managed to help me get to a table to lie down and helped me get my ski boots off. This didn’t help at all. On reflection I was underestimating the gravity of the situation.

We were cold and hungry and couldn’t think straight. We decided to go into the cafe to get something to eat and warm up a bit. While there, we inquired about how we could get medical treatment. The answer we got wasn’t very helpful, the medical centre was halfway up the mountain and basically you have to get there yourself.

Finally, the adrenalin kicked in and our “flight or fight” instincts took over. Both of us had chosen fight! Andrea immediately took our unnecessary equipment back to the hotel, while I waited helplessly for her return. While at the hotel, she alerted the staff to our predicament and the valet staff leapt into action. They arranged for our room to be made available straight away. Andrea raced back to tell me the good news.

The next few minutes were precarious! Andrea had to help me get my ski boots on… and I couldn’t help as both feet had lost feeling now. I was not in control. Then she acted as my crutch as we made our way along along an extremely undulating pathway, over the slushy snow to get to our hotel. Disappointingly, not one person offered us any help and in fact wouldn’t even clear a pathway for us.

At last the welcoming door to the hotel… The thought of being able to lie down on a bed and try and relax was all I could think of. The reception staff were marvellous and checked us in quickly. The valets had already taken care of our luggage and it was waiting for us in the room. We were relieved to at least be in a comfortable environment, but we both knew we had to get answers.

How on earth can we get to help?

Stay tuned next week to find out… what happens next?

So, what do think of the story so far? How do you like my writing?

Remember… all I am looking for is for you to share your thoughts with me.

Plus… as I have mentioned before, you might like who I am and what I’m writing about. If you do, you might be inspired to read one of my books. Just click here if you want to find out what I’ve written and get a preview of them.