The Fine line between pleasure and pain
You never know what a day has in store for you and the line between epic and fail is very thin. Today was a reminder of that line.
We started our day and lazy cozy fashion everyone sleeping late and enjoying the pastry laden breakfast with a view of a completely foggy beach.
We strolled down the promenade to have lunch at Terrace overlooking the beach which had by now become sunny with a light breeze – perfect sailing weather.
Eva helped us navigate the sailing requirements and Tom, Evie, and Tyler got on their wetsuits and lifejackets and made their way down to the shore to sail off on a lovely 16 foot catamaran. The conditions were great, and we had a lovely hour long sale back-and-forth in front of the long beach. Around 4:30 the kids jumped off the boat near the beach and Tom continued sailing for a little while longer.
The winds had picked up considerably and with less weight in the boat, Tom was zipping along the waterfront. Everything was going great, until suddenly it wasn’t. A large gust of wind set Tom’s boat into an almost instant capsize. He fell off the back in the water knew immediately that you dislocated his shoulder.
Two youngsters with surfboards paddled out to help. While one of them stayed with the boat, which thankfully was only 200 m offshore and directly in front of the sailing school, Tom kicked his way to shore
As a crowd gathered around Tom, who is clearly in pain, Eva and the kids were walking along the promenade. Eva said to the kids “isn’t that your dad‘s boat? But where is Tom?”
By the time they got back to the sailing school a French nurse was calling an ambulance and within 10 minutes the sirens could be heard. The pain was intense but not as intense as it was when the paramedics removed the wetsuit which had been holding much of the dislocated shoulder in place.
Eva, the ongoing translator, traveled with Tom in the back of the tiny red ambulance as it bounced painfully along the cobblestones to the hospital 15 minutes away.
The hospital experience amazingly efficient and easy. Eva filled all the paperwork while a myriad of doctors buzzed around. Finally, Tom was given a small inhaler and within 30 seconds of breathing in, he was out.
When he awoke the shoulder was back in place and the pain was gone. Amazing. Tom got some x-rays and waited for another hour to be discharged and by 8 PM, 2 1/2 hours after falling off the boat, he was getting into a taxi to be driven to the pharmacy to pick up meds and a sling.
Back at the hotel, the kids were delighted to see Tom walking and not in pain. They went back into town for more crêpes while Tom looked at the sea and drank French red wine.
And so concluded our visit to the lovely St. Malo! The next morning we are to leave for the airport for our 10 o’clock flight to London.
You never know what the day will bring and the line between everything being fine and things being completely altered, while omnipresent, is nearly always invisible.
