Stockings, pills and London doctors (from South Africa)

Last night I woke up with a cramp in my left (bad) leg like I have never experienced! You know the type where you're woken from your sleep and you want to jump around the room to stretch your calf but every move makes the cramp worse! Ha ha! It was quite funny!

Well, that was the first sign that all is not well with my steel-injected-peg-leg! This morning I noticed that it was severely swollen and that there were red and blue bruises all over my ankle and calf, within a short while most of my lower leg was blue. So, I stopped into a pharmacy who phoned the doctor - they were afraid that I had developed a deep vein thrombosis. But, I am thankful to report it is nothing as serious as that!

The doctor who saw me was from South Africa (a graduate of WITS University where I once studied as well). She was very helpful and kind and is fairly certain that there are no clots in the leg. The bruising and swelling are a result of the flight and yesterday's walking. However, to avoid anything more serious she gave me some anti-inflammatories, a few asprin (to thin my blood), and some very cool 'flight' stockings! So, when I fly home on Sunday I'll be the only guy on the flight in women's pantyhose (well maybe not, but at least I'll be the only one with a legitimate excuse ;-)

What's the downside!? Well, I had an appointment to see my friend Angie Shier-Jones at 14.00 and had to see the doctor at 14.30, so I didn't get to see her. Also, my leg is sore and my pocket is £65 lighter! Yikes, thank the Lord for Medical Aid back home! You can be sure that I kept my receipt and will try to claim when I get home!