After the Fall
My postlapsarian period
On Tuesday 1st July at approximately 4am, after struggling for almost an hour to get off the loo, I was walking along the corridor with the idea of going back to bed. My legs suddenly gave way and I landed on my back, hitting my head and shoulder on the way down. I lay there for 2 and a half hours while waiting for an ambulance, with Hilary and a kind friend trying to keep me comfortable (they didn’t). At 6:30 the ambulance arrived and the crew used very clever technology, a pump-up seat – invented in Presteigne, incidentally – to get me sitting up. Then they called the fire brigade, who were able to get me into a carry chair, and to strap me in so that it looked like a straitjacket, and then to lift me downstairs and into the ambulance. We arrived at Hereford County Hospital at 8:30am, into A&E and from there to Garway ward, which I later discovered is a geriatric ward, hoorah.
And here I still am, coming up to a week later. Bum.
Excitingly, while I’ve been here, publication of The Breaking Wave has got closer and closer. Later this week the full artwork will be available to view. Media interest is growing and the book is just about to go to the printers.
I’d like to say that I’ve dictated this to Hilary who is uploading it at home, but any mistakes are all mine. I can see comments on my phone (though the NHS wifi isn’t very fast) but wanted to share with you the exciting news that you can pre-order The Breaking Wave here today!



Ordered, of course. Why break the habit of a lifetime? What a grim night for you, old chum x
Hope you're back on your feet soon Ian. Breaking Wave duly ordered.