Travelsonabike2 The Netherlands Thursday 27th-July-2023

Garry McGivern Travelsonabike2 is cycling in the Netherlands on Thursday, 27th-July-2023, in Achtmaal. I decided to stay put today. It started to rain at about 11 o’clock last night and continued to rain all night and into this morning. And then continued to rain all day. Such a good move to stay and not move on.

What a difference to five years ago today. I think although I’m not entirely sure, for obvious reasons. But I think the UK were in the middle of a heatwave. And today was the day I was put into an induced coma. I’d been in intensive care for a few days with sepsis. But things were now going from bad to worse as the sepsis was taking a stronger hold.

My kidneys, heart and lungs had all started to pack up. And to give me a fighting chance, I was sedated. Not that I knew any of this I was away with the fairies. (nothing new there!) It was worse for my family and friends. But thanks to the great staff at St Richards Hospital in Chichester, I made it through and I’m here now to tell the tail.

This time five years ago

Unfortunately, I’m still suffering as a result of the sepsis. And still have a temporary hip, which, coincidentally, I had a routine phone call with my surgeon today. Although, he seemed more concerned with my DCM (degenerative cervical myelopathy) and wondered if I should be seeing a neurosurgeon sooner rather than later. That’s filled me with confidence, and I do wonder if it is a lot worse than I like to think. But hey, what will be will be.

Great news on the tent front. It’s been raining for at least 18 hours, and my tent remains as dry as a bone on the inside. A somewhat different story had I had my MSR with me.

Self-harm watch; cuts 1 bruises 2. And the cut was only because of a broken nail that I hadn’t realised I had. It broke my skin when I scratched. The bruises were from the night. It’s either that woman that sneaks in each night and gets a little rough. Or I beat myself up at night. Probably the latter, disappointingly.

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