Worst

We were lucky enough to have health insurance. In Australia there is a tax surcharge on higher incomes that costs more than simply buying the health insurance. The hospital welcomes the insured patients because it brings more private money into the system. We insure against illness, and we help to fund the hospital.

The only benefit of the hospital insurance, the key benefit, is that it allows you to choose your own doctor. Wilma chose Miss WMaixner, MBBS (I fancy that the BS stands for Brain Surgeon)FRACS, Director of the Department of Neorosurgery at the Royal Children's Hospital.

The family was told that the doctors would discuss the situation at a meeting with their colleagues, on Monday at 12:30 pm.

If you ever suffer from a cerebral arteriovenous malformation, or a cerebrovascular accident, you will be anxious to understand your situation. Sadly, it takes a while to reach a verdict.

Peter finally realised that we could lose Rosie, and took some pictures of the delightful child. The right hand side of her face had been botoxed. In every picture she presented an upturned mouth and a focused eye on her left side, and a downturned mouth and a relaxed eye on her right side.

Sunday morning

Wilma had been in the hospital for nearly 48 hours. She was still wearing the clothes that she had arrived in. She had slept in a reclining chair next to the bed. Peter brought her a toothbrush.

The family had no idea what the situation was. The doctors had disappeared. The family had been told that Rosie had a cerebral arteriovenous malformation, an AVM. She might also have had a cerebrovascular accident, a CVA, a stroke, either before, during, or after the previous day's operation. Wilma recognised the symptoms because her mother had been ill and Wilma had helped her through it.


The drugs had made Rosie giddy. She fell down in the hallway at the ward. She couldn't see properly and her right side was funny. She was encouraged to use a wheelchair.

Peter took the troops down to the McDonalds in the foyer. Jessye shot off with the wheelchair and the children disappeared.

When the food was ready, they came back. Rosie stepped out of the wheelchair towards her Juniorburger and fell down again, grinning on the good side of her face.