Second degree burns!

I am typing this with one hand as I have just got back in from a French A&E after doing myself a mystery.

Whilst starting to cook tea - a very simple omelet - just after I had got the oil to smoking hot, I dipped a piece of bread in the pan and the pan tipped over my left hand. It hurt. A lot.

Cold water, then Eirene drove me, Annie and I with my hand in a jug of water to the hospital about 20km away.

Humbling wait in the hospital - despite being in pain there was something going on - perhaps a motorbike accident - people very anxious and teary. A small waiting room, what stuck me was how friendly everyone else was - when a new person arrived, Bonjours all round. The other oddity I observed was what I guess was a shift change, where all the doctors and nurses exchanged kisses. You wouldn't get that in a blighty based workplace, where even a kiss at the end of a work email would be considered a bit taboo.

Eirene surprised me at how much French she knows.  i would have been fine if we needed to let them know that I had reserved a room, but struggled with the rest.

When the water in the jug started to get warm, or if I took it out, the pain was intense. I left it in the jug but could see the top of my hand was white leathery in appearance then big blisters were forming. These were lanced. Ouch. Pain killers administered and ointments and a compress bandage applied.

The pain has died down now and the worry that I may have cooked my skin to death (it looked like I had - all the skin was flapping, had no elasticity or feeling (apart from pain) and dead looking) has been countered with an 'it will heal OK' prognosis.

I had written a blog earlier - about our Lodge, but it wouldnt upload for some reason.. I was going to sort that after tea. I may revisit / try again later with that.

Silly moi.