Funny how one thing leads to another and other stories in Eleuthera !

So you buy a couple of new bikes and then suddenly it’s funny how one thing leads to another ! You may remember that we bought these new bikes from Ikea the other week – well they arrived and at the weekend Bob decided it was a good time to to put them together …….

Me and my new bike !!!
Me and my new bike !!!

Well one thing led to another and then there we were at the Levy Health Clinic here in Governors Harbour with Bob being stitched up by Nurse Debbie Deal ! He had cut himself on the hand rather deeply – using a lovely shiny new knife – and it needed 11 stitches in it ….. The clinic is closed on a Saturday – but the phone gets switched through to the nurse on call – and she met us there within 30 minutes.  She gave Bob some local anesthetic around the wound and then stitched him up.

Nurse Debbie Deal at the Levy Clinic stitching Bob up
Nurse Debbie Deal at the Levy Clinic stitching Bob up

In the course of the procedure we found out the clinic is extremely low on most supplies – it is obviously a government issue – but rather than sit around waiting for the problem to be solved we are going to try and take some action. Hopefully we will get a list of necessary items and then look to raise awareness and funds to provide them for the clinic. It is no use complaining about situations like this unless you are prepared to take some action – none of us would like to be the one being turned away or sent to Nassau with a medical problem that could be treated here.

11 stitches later ! Yikes ....
11 stitches later ! Yikes ….

Medical treatment here is of course a big issue – especially when there is an emergency – which brings me very neatly to the fundraiser this Saturday for the H.A.C.E organization. HACE stands for the Health Association of Central Eleuthera and I have written before about the amazing work that Chris and Alison Gosling do in conjunction with a first class team of other volunteers to run the emergency ambulance here. They receive no government funding at all – and they run and maintain the ambulance purely on the funds that are raised at the annual event.

It is at Sunset Inn 12 – 2 pm – tickets are $30 per person and it includes a meal……. Whether you are on the island or not I do urge you to support this incredibly important facility that we have here. Everytime we make a donation I make a secret wish that it will not be us who has to call the ambulance out – but we all need to have it here because we never know. Bob’s accident happened in a second – the knife slipped and he sliced through his hand without hitting a major artery or vein – but we all know of stories where a freak accident can turn to tragedy in a split second……

Great watercolor of the harbour - looking from Haynes Library end towards the town
Great watercolor of the harbour – looking from Haynes Library end towards the town – kindly painted and donated by my brother-in law Bob Billingsby for the HACE fundraiser

Also coming up at the end of next week is the blood drive – again organized by the indomitable Mr Chris Gosling – if you are here then please come out and donate a pint ! Thursday and Friday – 9th and 10th March. So important as we never know when we might be the one in need of a blood transfusion…….

Just a lovely picture !
Just a lovely picture !

On a lighter note I have been enjoying having my sister Anne and her husband here – it is such a luxury for me to have them here for nearly 3 weeks – we have been walking the beach together in the afternoons with Rudge – just chatting and being together – while Bob her husband is busy painting some lovely watercolors – see one that he has very kindly donated to the fundraiser for HACE ………

Friends and family lunch at Tippy's
Friends and family lunch at Tippy’s
Great shot of my sister Anne with Jean Ianotti
Great shot of my sister Anne with Jean Ianotti

14 thoughts on “Funny how one thing leads to another and other stories in Eleuthera !”

  1. OUCH! Indeed. The HACE efforts are more important than ever. Stuart and I have both needed medical attention during our stays as seasonal visitors. The clinic or staff were helpful in both instances. However, it is obvious that additional funding, supplies and education are lacking. Perhaps a means for fiduciary support other than a small fee for visitor services should be required! Care in the US would have been a hundred fold!

    I LUV the painting and your bike. Now to see you in Lycra biker clothes so your pants don’t get caught up in the spokes and lead to another mishap destined for the clinic!

    Do you loan out Rudge for beach walks? 😉 Obviously, I enjoy your weekly blogs.

    1. Bob and Kathy Colman

      So nice to hear from you ! yes – the bikes are nowhere near Stuart’s league and I don’t plan on too much lycra but they should be a bit of fun – pootling down to the beach with a picnic might be the limit ….. Hopefully Rudge may have settled down enough for a beach walk with you – he is being sorted out next week at the vet – so he may be a bit calmer. At the moment he is a very boisterous puppy on occasions and you never know when that will be I’m afraid ! They do a great job at the clinic with very limited resources and I hope we can do something to help them…..

    1. Bob and Kathy Colman

      I thought I was getting to be a bit of a dog bore – but next week we have a good story to tell – right !

  2. Alexander Gray

    Wowza! That’s a nasty cut. Hope it heals quickly :-/ Will the next blog be about a new biking club? I’ll join! xo

    1. Bob and Kathy Colman

      Stitches out after 6 days – and looking good ! Not too sure about the biking club but who knows !!! Lovely to hear from you xx

  3. Great picture of you and bob. Miss you guys. I would like to make a donation to the clinic, how would I go about it. Mary and I are in exuma, anyone over here I can give some money to. All the best. Dennis

    1. Bob and Kathy Colman

      Chris Gosling who runs the HACE organization works with the clinic – here is a link to be able to make a donation on line. Thank you so much for doing this …. Hope you are enjoying your time in Exuma – love to you both …. http://www.ambulancefund.com

  4. Ann Slotwinski

    Hi Kathy. We will be coming to Eleuthera next weekend so will miss the fundraiser. Is there another way for us to contribute to HACE?
    Thanks!

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Kathy Colman

Writer, Interior Designer, Foodie, and Wife to Bob. Living in Eleuthera, Bahamas

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