Breakdowns

A tale across two cities

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. A week ago we drove north escaping the busyness of Sydney to seek refuge at the sleepy beach town of Fingal Bay.

It was Saturday night when the car, which is close to the end of its service life, began having problems. An audible rattle from the engine a sign of more to come.

My own internal issues had been worsening over several days, with jaundice symptoms and increasingly frequent lower abdominal pain.

The engine stopped. All the dashboard warning lights lit up. In an old car like ours, some of these are faulty so are on permanently anyway which doesn't help. We managed to restart and nursed the car back to the nearby holiday home but had to push it the last few metres. In these situations mechanics strongly advise not to continue driving as if nothing is wrong because it coauld be fatal for the engine. Being a long weekend we postponed calling for roadside assistance.

In the hours following my light dinner on Sunday evening my gut pain became intolerable. I didn't sleep. Supermarket painkillers weren't going to be enough to coax me through the rest of the trip. On Monday I checked in to the ED at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, travelling there in our other car. Based on the severity of my condition and the results of an Ultrasound and a CT scan the doctor advised me to return asap to my familiar team at SAH in Sydney, and thankfully prescribed some better painkillers. I was discharged about 10pm. Fortunately a friend who was holidaying near us was driving back the next afternoon and had room to take me. Thanks Bruce and Laura.

The NRMA inspection on Tuesday was straightforward. The engine had overheated. The dipstick was dry. The oil level had been dropping slowly but with no visible leak. It took 2L of oil to fill. The radiator was empty, another invisible leak. We were advised to contact a mechanic for a more comprehensive diagnosis, to verify the car could make it back to Sydney. After ringing around we located a mechanic with availability the next day. A pressure test. A bit of an engine clean and an oil refresh. Replace a leaky radiator cap to maintain essential fluids.

I arrived at SAH on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday my diagnostic tests continued with an MRI. I had to be topped up with fluids, being a little dehydrated and malnourished. Any increase in core temperature would be dangerous, requiring powerful antibiotics before I broke down. Fever began to take hold on Thursday, but now seems to be under control. On Friday I'm having a procedure to open up my bile ducts to reduce pressure and bring bilirubin levels back to normal, to flush out my system. All the while checking my symptoms and providing the necessary pain management.

Next week the vehicle is having a full service, but it might not be around much longer. I can always get another car.

Finally, here’s my melancholic theme song for the week.