There’s a snake in the Kitchen! What am I gonna do?

Hubby came home from work and as he wasn’t feeling well he went straight to bed and that was where he stayed for the weekend with me dosing him up so that he would be OK for his op on Tuesday. On Sunday night I was watching TV when Diane called me to the kitchen. Digby was acting strange while barking and looking in the door area. We thought it might be a rat behind the bin area, so after blocking the kitchen area with Diane and dogs behind the board, I armed myself with the vacuum cleaner pipe and investigated. First I moved the bin out carefully expecting a rat to run out at any moment but when nothing happened I went closer to look. There didn’t seem to be anything at first but after a careful examination I noticed something that looked like a tail on the edge of a packet. Diane found me a light which I shone on the spot. Now I was able to see that it was a little snake coiled on top of the packet with its tail hanging over and the head looking at me. Diane wanted to phone our security company to come and take it away but I told her that is not what they do and anyway it was harmless looking. Very gingerly, with Diane watching in horror, I moved the packet out onto the kitchen floor. The snake wriggled off and stopped against the wall between two bottles put there ready for bin day. Slowly I moved the bottle closest to the back door and from a safe distance pushed the snake towards the door with the cleaner pipe. It slid out and went onto the back step where I pushed until it slithered down the side of the step and disappeared. Both of us were very nervous after this, with Diane refusing to even come into the kitchen at all. It was a long and very skinny snake and probably just a house snake but it still gave me the chills every time I thought about it being in the kitchen. I closed the door and when it was time to let the dogs out before going to bed stamped around before opening the door to make sure nothing was on the step waiting. Diane told me I was pathetic but she had no room to talk as she was standing in the bar area watching me. When I got up Monday before I opened the door I also had a good stamp around again – no good taking chances – as Hubby says “For every snake you see there are a hundred others”. Hubby was feeling better so he joined Diane and I on our trip to Pretoria to get a passport for Diane. What a nightmare trip! The road works are absolutely ridiculous with all the lane closures every few kms. Some areas it was blocked but no work being done. In Pretoria once we had finished we went to a News Cafe where we had a tasty lunch with rock shandies as it was so hot. Coming back we decided to go round past the airport to avoid the road works. The trip was fine until the airport area when we hit more road works. I don’t think there is a highway around Gauteng that is not being worked on. Most stressful to use the roads! When we got home I phoned the Dr’s rooms with the authorisation no. For Hubby’s op and was informed that Hubby only needed to arrive at nine thirty. That sounded much better than six in the morning.
Tuesday morning we were up and ready early arriving at the Dr at nine only to be told we only needed to come in three hours time. Pity we weren’t phoned and told this before we left home. Anyway, off we went to the workshop to check on things and fetch invoices. We then made our way to the bank and then the coffee shop. I felt bad as Hubby wasn’t allowed anything but he insisted on going there and I had a quick coffee and muffin. As we finished at eleven the receptionist phoned to say we could come now. I don’t know why as we sat there until after one before Hubby went in. I left to do some shopping and arrived back around three. Hubby was out and awake at four and after having a cup of tea and a walk around he was allowed to dress. Before leaving he was given a cup of soup which I am sure he was grateful for as he had last eaten just before ten on Monday night. His face really looked painful as it was covered in caked blood and very swollen. The sore on his lower eyelid had been removed and a flap from his cheek cut to do a skin graft. When the Dr did the nose he found four separate cancer sores so cut them off as one and cut a flap from the other cheek to do the skin graft over that wound. The Dr said that under No circumstances were the dressings to be removed from Hubby’s face and he must not let his face get wet. When we got home Hubby went to bed and Diane and I quickly went to Meyerton to fill his prescription. Once back I made supper and then gave Hubby his medication and put the drops in his eyes. He really was suffering as the anaesthetic had worn off. When I put the drops in I noticed how his eyes were full of blood and his wounds were oozing still. After supper Hubby fell asleep and when I went to check on him I was horrified to find him full of blood. I cleaned him up and he went back to sleep for a while but the pain kept waking him. Around eleven I phoned the hospital to tell them about the bleeding and was told to bring him to get a pressure bandage put on to stop it. When his wounds started bleeding badly again about half eleven we left for the hospital. Driving at night and me is not a good combination anymore. Luckily there was very little traffic around and we made fairly good time. At the hospital Hubby was checked out while I opened a file for him and then he was checked by the Dr on duty in casualty. It was decided that a pressure bandage was the best option and the Dr applied one to Hubby who ended up looking like a Mummy. Diane was up waiting when we got home and we all had a Milo before eventually getting in to bed at half two.
By Thursday morning Hubby looked terrible as the bruising on his face was coming through and he was on swollen and purple. The rest of the week was spent looking after Hubby and doing office work in between. On Saturday a couple of friends came to visit him and see how things were going. On Sunday Hubby had a very bad day as the stitch on the eyelid was scratching his eye continuously. Today we went back to the Dr for the follow up visit and the stitches were taken out. What a difference! Hubby now feels like a new person. With the dressing off he looks much better as his face is now cleaned of all the blood. He is just rather swollen but that will soon go down.
All for now. Enjoy your week.

Latest Update

Monday we had an appointment in Bedfordview so we decided to make up for our bad lunch on Sunday and eat while we were there. As usual it was a good meal and we enjoyed the food. We returned home early as we had a lot of computer work to get through and most of the week was spent in front of the computer. Of course we had our breaks of a chill glass of wine to keep us going with the normal routine in between. Friday was our musical evening again and Diane and I thoroughly enjoyed the evening out. The entertainment was provided by The Cantare Harmonia Girls Choir who really were worth going to see. The music was a good mixture from Spiritual to Fields of Gold, It’s Raining Men and Mamba Italiano. We were sorry when they finished singing. The evening was one of the best we’ve had so far. Saturday Hubby and I went to a birthday braai for Godfrey. It was a surprise for Godfrey and Hubby and a couple of friends took him out for lunch and a viewing of old cars to keep him away from home while Sandy and Kirsten organised everything. He was most surprised when they arrived home to find everyone there waiting for him. We had a great time chilling and chatting over drinks and food until about nine. Brian and Joan returned home with us to continue our chat over coffee. Sunday was just a chill day with all of us reading and relaxing. This last week has been hectic with statements and all the usual end of financial year work to get through. Diane has also been very busy with all the computer work that she been doing. We really have needed our daily chill glass of wine.
When Hubby and Don went to Swartkops a couple of weeks ago they both got burnt badly in the sun and unfortunately the skin cancer on his face has flared up and has been rather painful. Brian made an appointment for him with the plastic surgeon he went to when he had the same problem. The appointment was on Monday and he came home late afternoon with a request form for the cancer to be cut out for me to send to the medical aid. This I sent off via email first thing Tuesday as the op was scheduled for Thursday at six in the morning. At lunch time I phoned to see if the authorisation number was ready only to be informed nothing had been received yet. I had to give our fax number used and was told to wait while the guy who I was talking to went to look. I was cut off before he came back. For the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday the same thing kept happening whoever I spoke to. I had to keep resending to various different people with the same result and eventually was put through to the supervisor who found the fax and started the process. As I was still trying to do my year end work and was getting rather stressed as time was running out Hubby took over trying to get results. While he did this Diane and I rushed out to Meyerton and then into Alberton to do various errands that needed to get done. While in Alberton City we had a hurried but enjoyable snack at the Coffee Shop. We also managed to find some presents ready to take overseas when we go – less than two months now. Time is just flying now. We also took a bit of time to start getting things together ready for the trip. Late Wednesday afternoon things were still not sorted out and Hubby cancelled the op with the surgeon. Thursday morning Hubby started again with the medical aid provider and after much fighting got authorisation for the op. We had to reschedule with the surgeon and inform the medical aid of the new date otherwise the authorisation would not be valid. All the phone calls and stress really was unnecessary but unfortunately that seems to be how things work these days. After finally getting things sorted out Hubby left for the workshop and Diane and I carried on with our normal work. Thursday night we decided to go out for a meal as we really needed to chill after all the stress of the week. As Henley was the nearest we decided to try there as we were not up to a long drive. We remembered the little German place and went there. It was already busy even though it was not much after six. After ordering our drinks we decided on having pasta and while the food was being prepared we chilled over our drinks. It felt good to sit relaxing! Our food really was tasty and as we enjoyed it so much we decided to end the meal with a pavlova each which was delicious. Friday was spent catching up on cleaning which has been rather neglected all week in favour of office work but at least most of it has been done.

Op Day

Was up a little earlier than usual as Hubby must have breakfast before seven. I let the brats out and then sat with my cup of coffee. It was a perfect day in Paradise. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and the birds were singing. I made and took Hubby his breakfast. I had mine outside sitting under the trees again. When I got back inside I realized I hadn’t even noticed my surroundings. Next I decided to give the duck some bread. I went down to the cage and as I threw the bread into the pond realized my mind was definitely not on what I was doing. The poor duck had to dive sideways to avoid getting hit on the head. As the bread hit the water I thought `Oh, oh I didn’t watch out for land mines’. I checked my shoe and sure enough I had stepped into one. Luckily the grass is long and thick so I was able to clean my shoe.
I had better start concentrating but not so easy when worrying about Hubby and his op. People really don’t think! Yesterday someone told him that their mother didn’t survive the op and someone else said how bad the cut was across their stomach. Please! Those are things to say after the op has been done. Poor Hubby is also worrying hectically. Neither of us has slept well this week. His early mornings are more than likely due to this stress. I phoned the Dr’s rooms at eight to get the authorization number for the op (I did have it but don’t ask where I put it) so that the admission forms can be completed. No sooner had I finished the forms when the phone rang. It was a different woman from the Dr’s rooms asking me what time I last ate. I told her Hubby had eaten at about half six. She asked “Oh’ isn’t that Mr. L. What a dis! Do I sound like Hubby? She was phoning to wish him well for the op. Nice of her but now Hubby was even more worried about the op. I cleared up after breakfast , got ready, put the dogs out and we left for Alberton.
First stop was Sars to take in the return and then up to the workshop. We arrived there about half ten and Hubby went to check on things while I was busy in the office. The wreck of an MG car that Hubby had bought for spares arrived. He was so happy and dived straight in to check out the engine etc. I told him to leave it as he needed to stay clean for hospital. Needless to say the plea fell on deaf ears. Diane and I quickly went to get paint stripper for a Lancia that is getting worked on.
When this was done we set off for the hospital arriving just before the check-in-time of twelve. Once the paper work was completed we set off for the ward with his file. All his vitals were tested and recorded and he put on his hospital gown ready. There were three guys in the ward waiting to be operated on by the same Dr. At one we asked the Sister when operating would start and were told the Dr. starts at two so Diane and I decided to go get some lunch. We left the hospital for the shopping centre next door but instead of eating us two shopaholics shopped. The shopping centre was full of clothes shop that we just couldn’t resist and we each got a new dress. We were back at the hospital for two and found Hubby on his own as the other two had been taken through. The first guy was back within 20 minutes. The Sister came and gave hubby his pre-op tablet and then put him on a nebulizer as he is a smoker. Hubby clowned around with the equipment and pretended to fall asleep. Just before three he told us` whatever they gave me doesn’t work as I’m more wide awake than ever’. The next thing his head rolled to the side and he started snoring. We told him we knew he was just pretending again but he just carried on. We tried to wake him and realized he really was asleep. I adjusted his head to a more comfortable position and he stopped snoring. The Sister came in, laughed at him and removed the nebulizer. He soon started snoring again and we were so embarrassed as he is a loud snorer and the guy and his wife opposite the ward just sat and watched him. We were very relieved when they fetched him at about four and followed him out of the ward watched intently all the way by the couple. Diane and I watched him being wheeled into the theatre and then went down to the café for something to eat. We were really starving now.
After we had eaten we went back to the ward to see if he was out but the space was still empty in the ward. We sat for a while and then went to sit in the waiting area outside the theatre. At about five forty five Diane went down to get takeaway cappuccinos for us. While she was gone I noticed the guy who had taken Hubby to theatre and asked him if Hubby was out yet. He went to check and came back to say that Hubby was in the recovery room. No sooner had Diane got back when they wheeled him out. We followed back to the ward. Hubby was awake but in a lot of pain and still very sleepy. The Nurse Aide started checking him and then the Sister dashed in full of apologies for not being there when he got back. The wife of the second guy to be operated on had been in such a state that she had gone and thrown his false teeth in the bin. The Sister had been checking through all the bin bags downstairs and luckily had found them. The things you do in the line of duty! Painkillers were added to Hubby’s drip and he was checked to see all was ok. He was very thirsty and hungry but could only have a drink when he was more awake. As he was still so sleepy we headed for home about seven.
When we reached home it was almost dark. Diane dashed inside and I went to let the big dogs out into the yard. Walking away from the cage I remembered about landmines and didn’t want to walk across between the two paths so I leapt across. While I was in midair Amber decided to run for the gate and barreled into me. I went flying sideways and crashed onto my side. As I landed I felt my foot twist sideways and nearly died from the pain of it. I rolled onto my back and just lay there to recover. The dogs swarmed around licking my face. I was going to shout for Diane but realized she wouldn’t hear me as she was right at the other side of the house. I tried to get up but my foot was too painful to put pressure on it. I rolled over and got onto my knees and slowly and painfully managed to get up. I hobbled to the gate and let the dogs out before making my way inside. The Dr. had said Hubby would most probably let out tomorrow so I decided on giving the bedroom a good clean and change bedding so it would be all fresh for his homecoming. I even scrubbed the shower out. Diane was busy on the computer while I did all this. At about eleven I went into the pantry for some reason or other and was horrified to find the floor full of water. The trip switch for the fridges had tripped and they were busy defrosting. Thank goodness they were still cold. I put them back on and then proceeding to start mopping up the water. There was so much water so I got the broom and swept it all out the back door. Much easier! Well that was the third incident for the day and as things come in threes I was now safe. Diane made us a Milo and then I finished the bedroom and got in the bath. By now my ankle was like a tennis ball so I took an anti-inflammatory tablet and went to bed. Cheers for now…