Saturday 9 March – I awoke to discover the mini Vesuvius on the top of my finger had erupted during the night and was gently oozing, and I was soon covered in molten … ok, don’t get carried away … (see nice pic!):

Fortunately, there was no pain and it continued to weep for the rest of the day and for many days after that. This was also the day when I would test my solo right hand piano skills in performance. I had recently started playing in a local Blues Band when the Three Bonzos and a Piano weren’t busy and tonight was the first opportunity for a try out. Every good blues band has a solid, dependable bass player, and my good neighbour Brian was to become my new left hand … as well as my driver. I had abandoned the 88 notes full size electric piano with weighted key action in favour of a lightweight touch sensitive 60 notes ‘keyboard’… no point in taking twice the length of piano I was able to use (there are not many instruments I can think of where you can leave half of it at home and it is still usable!). It had the essential piano and organ sounds of an acceptable quality as well as lots more buttons and gizmos that I didn’t know how to use. After setting up, slowly and single-handedly, the band eventually kicked off with some favourite blues songs and I gradually got into it this ‘unbalanced’ act as the evening progressed. By the end of the night, with the audience bopping around the pub, MY LEFT HAND had swollen enough for the knuckles to disappear, even though I hadn’t used it.

By the next day, the hand had reduced back to normal and for the next few days I kept it mainly undressed to allow the infection to escape … which it did … and it still is as I write this nearly 3 weeks later.

A few leaky days passed until Friday 15 March when I was due to be seen by the Infectious Diseases Team once more. After some checks with two student doctors present, my doctor called in the eminent professor heading up the ID team. He explained how the organism is very slow to develop and multiply which is why it can take 2 years to incubate and once it has been discovered, 2 more years to zap. It was originally found in skin lesions in a South African toad in 1959 and was named after the species: Xenopus laevis. Often found in flowing hot water systems, including hospitals(!) and immune to common disinfectants, it is normally pulmonary (on the lungs) but in rare instances has been found to be extra-pulmonary … which is the type I have contracted.

I had a list of questions to ask which included:

how long till the finger is back to normal size?

when will it stop leaking?

will I need further surgery?

where did I really catch it?

what is it’s name?

… why me?

Answers – on a postcard:

I may eventually need further surgery to reduce the size of the finger

In all probability I contracted the bacteria through a graze in my hand when coming into contact with the fish pond filters and pump.

It’s name is … wait for it … drum roll … fanfare!

MYCOBACTERIUM XENOPI

Well, hello – not very pleased to meet you – when are you leaving?

For keen googlers, this is a good starting point:

Click to access 225.full.pdf

… and my cousin-in-law Martin sent this for your delectation:

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/dee/waterborne/skininfections.htm

The prof decided he wanted to monitor me on a weekly basis with a blood test, etc until the drugs had got used to me, in particular to keep an eye on the liver functions.  I was pleased they were monitoring me closely … they even took photos of my finger and asked for all previous photos which they could use in their research, teaching and archiving.

Various suggestions have been made regarding the future of our pond, including filling it in, concreting it over, and even frying the fish! It was about the time to prepare it for the Spring opening maintenance and I had decided there was no way I was going to come into contact with any part of the pond or its contents – so I hired in our pond man to prepare it for the new season. He cleaned out the pump and filters and discovered that the UV bulb in the water sterilisation unit had failed and needed replacing, along with a new glass tube and ‘O’ rings. He also discovered a leak which he could cure when the new parts were fitted, but first they had to be ordered which would take about a week … meanwhile, we wouldn’t be able to run the pump.

Wednesday 20 March – the second of my weekly visits to the Clinic for Infectious Diseases for a health check and a blood test – the previous week’s blood test had shown some slight inflammation, but no more than could be expected on the drugs I was taking … all very reassuring.

Following the appointment, my wife and I were due at our daughter’s house in the centre of town to meet her partner’s parents for the first time, as the next day was a BIG DAY in all our lives, especially hers …!!!

…Thursday 21 March – you guessed it … the WEDDING DAY of our daughter Charlotte to Russell, two very wonderful people ideally suited to each other! I took care to make sure the finger was well covered so as not to frighten the guests. We were driven down in the morning from home by our neighbour in her classic Bentley – very smart –  to the Registry Office at the Town Hall where the small ceremony took place, followed by lunch round the corner for a small group of relatives and close friends. All in all, a really nice day for everyone and good to have something else to focus on for a while…

Going back a short time, here is how the finger looked a month before the operation. As well as the fattening up of the finger you can clearly see the curve which had been going on for over a year:

NEXT – A TRIP UP T’NORTH