No chance to catch up with lost sleep as Della had become very ill but Dr Newby of Little Paxton was the duty doctor for St Neots Surgery and he visited and then diagnosed a throat infection but no asthma.
My health screening at The Evelyn Hospital followed and looked good. The evening in looking after Della and helping Debbie with her Biology for a testing examination the next day
Instead of Diana and I getting a chance to catch up on the sleep that Sam had cost us, we were to get even more disturbance in the next night. Della was having soreness and breathing difficulties and became so anxious during the night that she ended up with something that had all the symptoms of an all-out asthma attack. Several times she came in for attention and, in the end, Diana had to sit with her and then woke me up worried again in the early hours wanting to know if she should take Della to the hospital casualty department as she could hardly breathe.
**"Read More" BELOW for the complete story**
It was my advice to telephone the casualty department first and then theirs to contact our doctor rather than taking Della out in the cold and fog. We waited as long as we dare and then telephoned to find out that Dr Newby of Little Paxton was the duty doctor for St Neots Surgery. I had helped his children get to school when the bus was cancelled in the past and, though doctors almost never seem to visit these days, he was willing to come over and then diagnosed a throat infection but no asthma. This news came as a relief to Diana and a great tonic to Della who markedly improved thereafter on hearing of it.
Still she had to spend the day in bed and Diana cancelled her trip to Cambridge to be with her. I had my appointment there which had already been rescheduled twice and so I had to get out with Sam quickly beforehand and then get going. They are building a new operating theatre at The Evelyn Hospital and so taking up much of the car parking spaces but fortunately I arrived early and in good time to find a place. The screening process is quite a performance. First you have a blood sample taken and are then allowed to eat a light breakfast which you have ordered. This was welcome as I had been allowed no food since 10.00pm the previous evening.
Then I had to undress completely, put on a gown and was taken along to be weighed and measured by the nurse. A sight and hearing test followed and so far all was well. It made me think that I do not need to wear my reading glasses if the light is satisfactory. Then I had to blow into a machine which showed the force and capacity of my lungs on a graph. My capacity is less than many others as I have found in the past. The doctors examination next who looked into my ears, eyes and examined my testicles, skin and, by internal feel, my prostate gland which was, in total, quite an experience coming from a lady doctor. A long interview discussing any minor ailments such as my ankle, snoring, rashes and irritations.
All this over, I made the journey home wondering how Della was doing but I found her much-improved on arrival. I shared with Diana the task of sitting in with Della and this let Diana go to her "keep-fit" class this afternoon. Some launcher-dummy work with Sam before dark when I found that he could handle two dummies at a time, marking them and retrieving them upon request, but became quite confused when given three to handle! By the end of the evening, I had completed the onerous task of archiving my last two month's journal entries and even had time to help Debbie study her Biology for a testing examination tomorrow. It was sad to see how much Debbie did not know about her present topics concerning plant and animal nutrition. I had to make her study quite late to make up lost ground.