Hospital Barbados

Kicked in the chest by the hoof of a mule

Whilst the hot sun was burning the sand

I looked at Carol and she looked at me

And I told her I didn't feel grand

The pain was intense and I rolled on the bed

'Was it my heart?' was the question

It continued to grip me and pouring with sweat

We worked out it was not indigestion.

Carol went get help and was gone for an age,

Although it was barely a minute

Thought the picture of Christmas won't quite be the same

Especially if I won't be in it

'They're coming, they're coming,' the poor woman said

Who worked at the hotel reception.

'Only five minutes and they will be here,"

But I felt it was all a deception

At last they arrived, the ambulance crew

And a doctor who said, 'Don't you worry,

It's not his heart - maybe acid reflux.

I was now in a bit of a hurry.

I was writhing in pain and I needed some help

So Carol got all of them moving,

They bundled me down in hard plastic chair

With the doctor still quite disapproving,

I was jostled and bumped down the two flights of stairs

Then the ambulance built up some speed

With loud sirens blaring and blue flashing lights

I thought this is something indeed!

Lurching and swerving to Bridgetown we raced

Not strapped to the stretcher, I'm sure

I was hanging on tightly to stay on my back

To avoid being thrown to the floor

The doctors were brilliant when we first arrived

And at once tried to calm us both down

Carol stayed close and was holding my hand

Her face was just one worried frown

I was pumped full of morphine and other weird stuff

Then they pumped me with morphine again

They kept asking and asking 'Now how is the pain?"

Just give it a score out of ten

"Still ten!  It's still ten.' I was out of it now.

I felt that I wanted to die.

'Don't talk like that.' Carol brought me to earth

With the drugs I was now on a high

'I need written permission to give you this jab'

I writhed on the hard plastic bed.

'Just do it, just do it, I give you consent.'

'It will not be pretty,' she said

Carol was then asked to go from the room

And the needle was thrust in my chest.

I must have passed out from the fear and the pain.

That was probably all for the best.

I was x-rayed and echo scanned, put through the mill

They had saved my life that was for sure.

By the time we arrived at the large HD ward

The pain had subsided to four.

I had pipes in my wrists.  I had tubes in my nose.

I had pains in my chest and my head

I was battered and shattered and fearing the worst

As I lay in that hospital bed

The night was a long one.  Uncomfortably hot

Machines beeped and chirruped all night.

Would I see morning?  That ran through my head

Would the family manage alright?

The dawn came at six and the sun hit my face

A Barbadian December day

The noise of the ward was a comforting sound

I'd made it through.  What could I say?

My lips and my throat were incredibly dry

But I had no water to sip.

The nurses were busy.  I struggled to speak

I needed to now get a grip

Uncomfortable, sweaty and chest feeling tight

Eventually somebody came

Exhausted and feeble, was washed like child

Grateful, embarrassed and tame.

Carol arrived with the news from back home

Messages loving and kind.

Georgina singing some nursery rhymes

The tears in my eyes sent me blind

Everyone rooting for both of us now

Carol exhausted, I know

The holiday ruined - but both of us here

The chest pains now starting to go

The night came too quickly. I needed some sleep

I thought I would struggle again.

They took out the catheter - that helped a lot

And I managed to sleep without pain

I awoke in the morning - the radio played

The 'Caroling, Caroling' song

It filled me with joy as I heard from my bed

Staff Nurse Jackson was singing along.

She skipped down the ward as she sang the refrain

She was tiny and dressed all in white

And like Hardy's thrush, she quite filled me with hope

I think everything will be all right

I hope that the family stay strong and well.

No matter if turbulent weather

Blows hard and long and may batter us down.

We'll be stronger by being together

 

Hospital bed, High Dependency Unit, Bridgetown Hospital, Barbados. Monday December 9th 2013.