Latest update...........

May 1st…………

News from the Hyperbaric Room……… Oxygen Treatment Centre.

It was the worse cold I can ever remember and I needed to be right to start voluntary work with Merlin. I missed out on a weekend away with my family, but I just couldn’t have made the trip, let alone enjoyed their company. I somehow managed to make the last day of training and it was then that I found out that the other operator who had completed the course with me had dropped out. So what could I do ? Yep! A full week.

The first day, the Tuesday after Easter, was a bit of a blur. All of us new at the game, staff and members, then the Press walked in. Photographers, reporters, members there for first time treatment. Thank God you only have one ‘first day’. We survived…………….. just.

Day two, and our fist serious problem. What turned out to be a panic attack half way through an hour long session. Luckily the ‘dive’ was only to 5 metres, but we knew the member had suffered heart problems in the past so we took no chances and had to abort. A paramedic arrived within minutes and immediately put the member on oxygen, something she had already been breathing for the last 30 minutes. He was more interested in the chambers and our set-up rather than the lady with chest pains.

Week two and we found another trainee operator. She’s a recently retired nurse from our local Hospice. Safe hands and knowledge that will come in very useful. It was a five day week for me while the Treatment Manager showed the lady around and went into detail to get her up to speed, but she coped very well and will make an excellent addition to out little team.

I stole a weekend away and catch-up time with family and friends. I managed to see my daughter and grandson; granddaughter was at work. They are all fine. Then over to Cag’s sisters for a planned weekend of auction, bell ringing and antiques fair. Sound exciting, and really it was. Plenty of interest, good company…………….. and a fair bit to drink! On the Monday I dropped into the Exeter Treatment Centre, to check out some of the minor system problems we had run into. I ended up driving, or diving, their two chambers while their operator wandered off for a brake. Interesting.

I returned on Tuesday to another four days of work because our new addition had developed a cold, and that’s a ‘no, no’ where other peoples health is concerned. Thursday, and the manager ‘went sick’, well, not really, just stayed out of the way and left me to run the show. At least they know that they have cover should it happen for real. And it was interesting………….. with no problems............. thank God.

Life has certainly changed. A purpose has been found, and that's not all ???