Day 14.          Monday 12th June 2017    Mileage: 188    Total: 590

From:             La Tranche sur mer.          To:   Le Buis, Limoges.  

Weather:       Hot sunny.

Awake with no issues during the night or much in the way of real discomfort this morning. We breakfasted and decided we would continue and move South down the coast. We packed away kit and drove to the nearest Camping Car dump site. Here we dumped waste and took on fresh water. There was bit of a queue here for that. Akin to a wagon train at a watering hole!

We drove the short distance to the Super U on the edge of town for rations. All was well until the problem reappeared! True I was carrying a shopping basket but it had little or no weight in it. We cut short the shopping and Jackie helped me out of the store to the van. After about an hour the pain subsided somewhat although I was barely able to sit. We discussed our options. I knew that a hernia, I was convinced this is what I had, if strangulated was pretty serious. To continue South into Le Landes reqion, all forest and beaches, devoid of habitation seemed somewhat  foolish in the extreme.

We had three options as we saw it.

1.    Drive South to Bordeaux and seek Suzie’s help with the Doctor and hospital.

2.    Drive East to Limoges and seek Angie and Tom’s help.

3.    Head North to the channel and return to Doctors in England.

On balance we chose Limoges.

    Suzie we thought might well have the grandchildren or be in Paris visiting her daughters. Whereas we knew Angie and Tom were at home and there was a selection of hospitals in Limoges, barely thirty minutes drive away. Also with two of them that would split any ‘work load’. I was concerned that if we made it back to England the NHS might not view the recent incidents as sufficiently far advanced to merit immediate surgery. There might even be and undoubtedly would be a waiting list!

Jackie took charge of the five hour drive to Limoges and I rang ahead and left a message to say we were in a bit of a tight spot and were coming to them for help. My Mayday call was answered an hour later by Angie who advised she had an appointment with her Doctor for 2030hrs that evening and we need not worry about anything. The appointment duly kept the Doc confirmed it was a Hernia and said if I wished he would refer me to a surgeon for an appointment tomorrow. I of course readily agreed. To my amazement he picked up the phone now closer to 2100hrs and dialled a number. I thought you surely don't expect him to answer. Then again if he didn't he wouldn't have rung surely. There was no reply. "I'll get him to ring you tomorrow. We thanked him and departed.

All smiles! You'd never think anything was amiss!

Back home I could relax a little. Those first steps had been taken. We were committed to an action plan of sorts. Tomorrow with an appointment with the surgeon in the offing we would know more. Tonight? I think I'll have a panache to celebrate.

Amazingly nobody turned in till about 2335hrs. We were all too busy catching up on events since we were here last in early May.