As you can see I haven't been active on my blog since 2010. I suppose that my Facebook took over, simply no other excuses! Firstly let me warn many of you who have never been on my Blog I’m rather dyslexic so spelling mistakes a plenty, sorry, but I’m sure you'll get the gist of what I’m trying to saying. I do take great comfort from the fact that Churchill and Richard Branson are also dyslexic and they didn’t do too bad did they? October 2013: So where do I start? Today in hospital I suppose. I like most men are big cowards when it comes to anything to do with medicine in fact both my parents were doctors and in a way I blame that for me being a hypochondriac, well that’s my excuse. I do visit the doctor with aches and pains but that’s about it, oh and do get my PSA injections annually to check my prostate is in shape (no fingers up where the sun don’t shine!!). You getting the picture? About 18 months ago I took myself to my doctor Victoria Chacón, whome to many of the English ex pats she is a lifeline, anyway this time it was with a pain (again) on my left hand side. After examining with the usual silence she sent me into Marbella’s private hospital the USP, now known as Quirón. What for i asked meekeshly, my eyes closed and waiting for the worst of worst diagnoses. ‘ You are quite swollen and I need to know what it is’ . Then I asked the usual question ‘Do you think it’s cancer’ she said she didn’t know but insisted I see the specialist this afternoon. Driving in I’m convincing myself of the worst ‘It’s cancer and I’ll never come out alive, its the end’!! After arriving and been examined, by a beautiful young doctor who told me that I had to stay in for the night as she needs me to be Scand in the morning, I ask her immediately what anybody else who was as frightened as me would ask; did she think it was cancer? No sooner did she reply in the same way most doctors do ‘We don’t know yet’. That I found myself in my room attached to an intravenous antibiotic drip and needles being shoved in me for one blood test or another. I’m convinced this was it, I will NEVER come out...This is all a typical male thing!!!! Next day I was wheel-chaired down to be scanned and later was told that it was an infection called Diverticulitis (read about it here http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/diverticulitis-topic-overview) that i would need to stay in for at least 4 days no food or water only antibiotics. Before leaving hospital the doctor explained that upwards of 60% of Americans have the disease and that one can live with it, its possible that the pain would occur every so often but can be eased with pain killers and antibiotics, she did warn that in severe cases surgery would be necessary. I lived with it for the 18 months until 6 weeks ago I collapsed at home with the most incredible abdominal pain imaginable and was rushed into hospital where I was told my colon had ruptured and that it could develop into something very serious they nursing staff proceeded to prepare me for emergency surgery!!! Knowing this that this type of surgery would end with me up wearing a colostomy.bag for up to three months I was determent to refuse the op! Much to the chief surgeons horror I told him I didn’t want this operation so after some heated discussion he agreed that he would wait 24 hours and if there was no improvement he would insist in surgery. Well, it did improve slightly so we agreed another 24 extension and by the end of the week with the infection all but disappearing (which he later admitted that he’d never seen this happen before) he let me go home with the agreement on no uncertain way that surgery WAS necessary, possible in 6 weeks time when the infection clears enough, but the good news was that this procedure is a keyhole operation, with no bag necessary and a week in hospital followed by a two to three week healing. So a folk that’s where I am now writing this from room 114 at the hospital in Marbella I’ve been here 7 days since the operation been allowed back on solid food after a week of no food or water, all tubes and drips removed and feeling good hoping to be allowed home tomorrow. Before I finish this particular blog I must add that it’s true, some of the finest medical care is here in Spain where there surgeons are world renowned I will follow this up in a week or so ...