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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! What the hell happened?

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

Here I am, back to continue my interesting and engaging story!

You must be enjoying the read, because here you are… but are you feeling engaged? Let’s see how we go.

Excitedly we made our way to the airport, and apart from the usual delays to finally get our hire car, at last we were on our way.

Our first week went very smoothly. Mansfield is a beautiful country town, steeped in history of the events which took place there through the bush-ranger era. Our accommodation overlooked Lake Eildon. Wow, what a spectacular view!

Having totally relaxed in the country for a week, it was time to hit the snowfields. Man, was I excited! It had been years since I had been in the snow… and for Andrea it was the first time.

We boarded the bus, wound our way up the mountain side and finally arrived atop of Mt Bulla. We couldn’t check in yet, so we dropped our suitcases off and swiftly made our way to hire our ski gear.

Here we go! Time to get my little ski bunny on the slopes. She was not very sure footed and in fact looked more like a new born deer trying to stand up. Happily though, I stepped her through the basics.

Now she was getting the hang of things I decided we could go up in the chair lift to the first station to where the snow was not as mushy. Up we went…

We had been at it for a while, when Andrea decided we should stop for lunch and started walking down the mountain. I had taken my skis off as I was feeling a pain in my back, so I told her I’d meet her at the bottom and started trying to get my skis back on.

Something was wrong! My left leg had gone cold and it was like it had gone to sleep. What was going on? I struggled to clip back into the skis and literally had to ski down one-legged.

What the hell was happening to me?

Here I am sharing my story with you, absolutely free…

So how are we doing?

What I would like is that you keep coming back each week to keep reading. This will mean that you are engaged, so much so that you will give me a comment. That’s right… all I want in return 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.

Blog Buster… The suspense builds!

Posted on February 22, 2015March 15, 2015 by Stephen James - Author

Time to continue my interesting and engaging story!

I hope you’re enjoying it so far… enough to take the next step.

“What is the next step?” I hear you ask. I’ll fill you in when you have finished reading.

As I was explaining, my life had always been full and quite action-packed. However, I was about to take the trip of a lifetime and learn all about myself. I wasn’t expecting what was waiting for me around the corner!

I planned an exciting holiday for my wife and I. In the 20 years since we had met, we had never had a travelling type holiday. We had always just gone to the coast for a week or two. You see, we always worked hard, but never seemed to have left over money for that kind of self indulgence. We were so excited! Especially me, as I was really looking forward to spoiling my girl and seeing her face as she experienced my well planned adventure!

The itinerary was a week staying at Mansfield in country Victoria, from where we could visit the surrounding countryside and visit the historic locations associated with Ned Kelly… bush-ranger country!

Next we had a 4 night stay at Mt Bulla, staying at the Mt Bulla Chalet right next to the ski lifts. My wife had never seen snow, being a Queensland girl, and I was keen to be there when she saw it for the very first time. I also loved skiing and was looking forward to sharing that with her.

Finally, we had a very self indulgent 4 night stay at a beautiful lodge called “Chateau Yering” in the wine region of country Victoria. Here we would enjoy the opulence of this beautiful historic house hotel, along with a wine tour to sample the local product, and lastly a horse trail ride to really see this magnificent countryside. Again, horse riding was something my wife, Andrea, had never done and I was thrilled to be able to be there when she experienced this for the first time.

We were packed… we were ready… or were we?

Now it’s time for the next step!

That same old question… “what is he expecting me to do now?” you ask

It’s easy, I want you come back each week of course, so you can keep reading. This means that you do find my words interesting and engaging, so much so that you will give me a comment. That’s right… the next step 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 more.