My thanks to Todd for putting an update on the Blog for me and for those that are interested in my Travails here is the story so far.

I picked up a metal splinter in Vuda Point and it must have left a puncture hole and I probably picked up the infection when walking barefoot in Musket Cove before we left.

I had a slight prickle the day before we left that became a painful spot the following day with winds over 35 knots and 3 to 4m seas.

I put some Savlon and a plaster on but by day 2 it was clearly infected and swelling so I switched to the antibiotic wash and the antibiotic cream.

The first two days were really windy with big seas but I could get about walking on my heel.

By day 3 it was MUCH worse and now a concern so I started antibiotic tablets and stepped up the washing and cream but now I could not put my foot on the floorand we still had 25knots and 2 to 3m seas.

Day 4 seemed to have slowed the infection although my foot was really swollen and now very painful.

Day 5 was worse again, lots of pain only alleviated by ice water soaking, a sizeable volcano had formed so I cut through it with a knife but no pus came out as the infection was embedded in the tissue.

Now I was concerned and with the drop in wind put the engine on and motored at 9+ knots for 36 hours arriving at first light off the Bay of Islands.

After I called the Customs to let them know we were coming I was delighted/relieved to hear an old friend, Bill, call and say he would organise things and take me to the hospital.

Michael and Gloria, more friends,  had bought a car and after we checked in Mike and Bill took me to the hospital.

They were concerned as the infection was bad and there had been a number of instances where it had spread up the leg, etc. I had worked hard to avoid this via massage and ice water but had considered calling a Pan Pan and getting airlifted off to hospital. (one woman died 24 hours after arriving in Tonga after she got an infection in Samoa)

Since arriving in the hospital I have had huge doses of antibiotics together with four types of painkiller to keep the pain at bay. (it has run the tooth abscess I had at altitude a very close 2^nd)

After 24 hours, the swelling has reduced considerably, the redness had lessened considerably, the pain was under control and the volcano was subsiding.

The doctors seemed happy but Bill was concerned that there was still an underlying problem and wanted me transferred to Whangerai to see the orthopedic surgeons there.

Eventually he had his way and I was transferred by ambulance, seen by the head ortho who Bill knew and between them they agreed that there was a deep seated infection from the middle toe down through to the site of the original abscess . I was prepped for surgery for Friday night but a few emergencies bumped me over to Saturday morning.

The surgeons cut out the abscess, slit up to the toe and powerwashed (their words not mine!) the infected area.

The wound is left open and they will repeat the clean out again on Wednesday.

It will take a while to heal but should be OK when it does.

I’ve had lots of visitors, Mike and Gloria (big hugs) Bill, Gram and JO (big hugs and kisses) and Todd and Terje (my crew) (grapes, because I told them visitors always brought grapes)

Hospital has been interesting seeing it from on the bed instead of the visitors chair but once is once too many!

The climbing trip next week has been cancelled, hopefully to be re-arranged for April, the journey to Auckland will also be delayed and I hope to have the foot ready for the flight back to the UK next month.

Hey Ho!