h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi You! Belated happy birthday. For one of the loveliest love stories I've ever come across go and read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/360/F93647?thread=194182&post=2417673#p2417673 If you can't get to it via there go to A781751 Rites of Passage. Blood=Power section, page four, post six - by Bernadette (not the bit about the chicken nuggets!). xx

Maggy,

Thank you for this .

I had a very different 50th birthday to the one I expected. The previous evening, my father was taken ill, having collapsed in the bathroom with no breathing or pulse. His neighbours phoned my - the husband used to be an ambulance paramedic and he had given him mouth-to-mouth, etc. He told me to expect the worst.

So, next day, I set out with my son, having put arrangements in place to feed the cat, notify people at work, etc. Phoning earlier, I had been told that he was doind well. The live on the Isle of Wight, so we went over on the ferry. When we arrived at the hospital, we were a little early for visiting time, so we had something to eat in the restaurant. Dad was happy and cheerful in the Coronary Care Unit hooked up to monitors. Next day, he was moved to a general ward downstairs. He was first of all told he could come out on Saturday, but then one of the doctors said she was not satisfied that they knew why he collapsed, so he is staying in for further testing and will be there until at least Tuesday. Mum was so disappointed.

When I told the people at work, several of them said they would pray for him and I think that this did make the difference. When I went to bed on being told, I was first full of thoughts about funerals, and then I thought, no, I couldn't help him that way, I needed to be positive. I told him mentally that he wasn't allowed to die on my birthday and sent him positive thoughts and I went to bed much happier.

Much love.