Just when I thought I had found my balance… Working from home and the adaptions that come with it. It was all about to change. Life threw us a massive curve ball. I have just hopped on a late call when my husband came home from work. He was calling out for me. Normally, he will find me downstairs in the office. For whatever reason I was working from the kitchen table (too many cups of tea I suspect) …

Before I could see him, I could tell from his voice he was distressed.

And then he walked into the room his whole body was shaking violently. I mean seriously violently. Something was seriously wrong. I kissed him, phone nestled between my shoulder and ear and reached for blood pressure machine. He sat down and submitted to the blood pressure test, without the usual protest, “I’m fine.” 

Ninety percent of the time he is. He has been gifted with great genes, metabolism and low blood pressure. The machine informed us 177 over 96 with a pulse of 90. And he was burning up but shivering like he was frozen. I redid the test, still listening to my client. 176 over 97 with a pulse of 97. I politely tell my client I have to take my husband to hospital. 

I grab my handbag, car keys and turn to head to the door.

Martin had disappeared. He comes back with a coat on. It is 26 degrees. This is crazy. I take him straight to the hospital wondering what it will be like in emergency with all that was going on with the Corona virus and how are the staff coping. Meanwhile, Martin is shaking violently in the seat next to me. Before being admitted into emergency his temperature was taken and he was told he had a fever 38.4. And he was put in a wheel-chair (remember he is shaking pretty badly) and he got wheeled to another section of emergency, but not the section for Corona. He did not have a cough, nor has he travelled recently. This is where I saw for the first time the seats in emergency taped to mark the physical distancing that has rapidly become the new norm.

He gets admitted to hospital.

The conclusion was he had an infection that was causing the extreme physical reactions. By this stage his temperature was 39.4 and his shaking could easily be mistake as a seizure which one doctor thought he was having. He had a team, around him “House” style. They could not find the infection…

Overnight they lower his body temperature and blood pressure, but still had no answer for what had occurred. Late the next day he was discharged with strict instructions to re-present if any one of three scenarios occurred. A few hours later, the scenarios had occurred, but he was adamant that he did not have a fever. And we could not check as we did not have a thermometer. We had tried to buy one on the way home however they were all gone. He was shivering again, so of course he did not think he had a temperature. His explanation was he was exhausted and needed a good’s nights sleep to see if he would improve. He still suspected he had a normal flu.

I slept poorly that night and when he woke, he informed me that he had broken the fever.

I told him otherwise. He took a call from work and started to organise a meeting. We had a serious argument that ended with me saying something like “get in the freaking shower and get to the freaking hospital.”

I am not sure if it was our argument or whether he was realising he was not well, but he went to the hospital. I offered to take him, however he called an Uber… not sure if it was escaping my anger and frustration at his male martyrdom or consideration for my work or a bit of both. I was relieved that he was going. And with the relief came a few tears, before I jumped on my call. And selfishly, I don’t worry when he is at hospital. He is where he needs to be. And perhaps I could have a power nap at lunch time.

I was still on my conference call when at 11.05am I received a text saying. “It’s an abscess. Surgical team required.” I quickly call him.

It is serious. They were prepping him for surgery.

There was no point in rushing to the hospital as I would not be able to see he until he was out of recovery.

However, I am relieved as we know what we are dealing with…

A little later I get a message saying, I am using Siri because I am shaking so much… Followed by a call that did not make sense. I thought he was being casual and not talking into the phone, however he was incoherently crying from the pain, the morphine (aka truth serum) and the infection in his body. Before talking to me he had Siri’ed the girls and told them he was scared he would never see them again. He was scared and seriously ill.

And according to the doctor it was close… and now he is home, happy and healthy. The turnaround is amazing.

I must say thank you, thank you, thank you to all the amazing people from cleaners, admin, nurses, doctors and specialists at The Prince Charles Hospital. You are amazing!

Have you thoughts about what you would do if life through you a big curve ball?

For me, if this curve ball was a massive wake up call. one I could write about at length. However, if you indulge me and permit me to I can give you any advice for these uncertain times…

Embrace the moments you have with each other
Remember the compliments forget the insults
Argue and resolve things quickly
Enjoy the beauty around you
Laugh, drink and dance.

Tell each other that you love them, often…

Live and love life…

What’s your curve ball strategy?