How do we adapt to change? 

How do we face a challenge? I was about to find out. 

I was busy preparing for a trip to Italy with my sister Catherine, leaving this Tuesday. We were doing a language course in beautiful Rapallo, visiting Elena’s mum in Genoa and my niece Roberta in Lerici. We were so excited. 

Then early last  Friday came a message from Elena,  Peter’s fiancé, from Kampot in Cambodia. Pete had been hit by a car on his bike in Phnom Penh where he is teaching. 

Elena rushed up to find a very seriously injured Peter. The news for his right leg wasn’t good and by Friday afternoon our plans had changed. 

Italy was off and we were flying out to PP Friday night. 

Peter was in ICU. They cleaned the crushed leg and foot and reattached his severed artery. Things were not looking good. 

We just needed to get to the hospital the Royal International Hospital of PP. We hoped they were good as he can’t be moved. 

Our arrival was very emotional. He was in extreme pain and had just come round after surgery two. 

His Doctor explained the injury to us and it’s incredibly gruesome. His tibia is shattered m, as is his fibula. Nerves , muscles, tendons all broken and an artery severed. 

They had repaired the artery and thank goodness it was repumping. Circulation started. 

But the wound is still dirty and there will be daily operations to clean and try to avoid infection. 

We moved into a small hotel owned by a friend of Peters from the AFL team. What a supportive group they have turned out to be. 

We picked up Simpson their sausage dog and he is living with us in a family room! Steve’s loving it! But he’s adorable. 

Fast Forward to Tuesday. I should be on a plane to Italy with Catherine. But here I am. 

We are on tenterhooks waiting for confirmation from Peter’s insurance company that we can leave for Bangkok,  hopefully this afternoon. 

They can’t do any more here. The surgeon is not experienced enough. We’ve just been hoping for no infection ( there is!) a good blood count for flying – it’s just about right thanks to the generous A- donations by friends  and pain management for the plane. 

Stay tuned for my next instalment. 

Please pray for us. 

Waiting………

Then there will be months of bones fusions, reconstruction and  skin grafts. But he’s alive.