Chinese Scooter Club

GuzziHero · Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:59 pm What a year!!! (and its only July!)

The first half of 2008 has been a complete and utter rollercoaster for me. The story so far:

- My father starts the year suffering from chronic gangrenosum ulcers which have worsened over the previous 8 months. In fact, on Boxing Day, I had my first ever face-off with him because of his negativity.

- February-March, dad is told to have 2 weeks bed rest to help the ulcers. On the first day, the district nurses recommend he go into hospital...he is in there for 4 1/2 weeks. I have 3 weeks off work unpaid to look after my mother (who has degenerative memory problems)

-(plusungood) April 15th, my father falls very ill.

-(doubleplusungood) He deteriorates on the 18th, is admitted to hospital on the 19th, diagnosed with septecaemia due to the leg ulcers plus a failing kidney. 3:45pm, my mother and I are told that he has suffered total organ failure. We turn his life support off. He dies just before midnight.

+ We get a very good funeral director, recommended by a neighbour. I give the eulogy at dads cremation on the 30th. Did a damn good job, too.

+ 1st May, mum comes off anti-biotics for a water infection.

- 5th May, mum falls ill. She says she just feels cold, I say it looks like an infection.

-(plusungood) 6th, mum is admitted to hospital with a water infection. 6:30pm, I am informed that she has septecaemia

-(doubleplusungood) 7th, I get a call at 6am to go to the hospital. Long story short, she has severe septecaemia. They try kidney dialysis to give her a small hope of survival. It fails, her BP is too low. Me and my sister turn her life support off. She dies just before 7pm.

By this time I dont know whether or not my head and my ass have swapped positions -

+ She is cremated on the 16th. Same, brilliant funeral director. Sister gives the eulogy.

+ I find out that the house is not joint ownership between me and my sister. It has been left, 100%, to me. Along with my mum's classic Vespa and my dad's Volvo 760...

- ...which has been left in the garage for 4 years with the handbrake on. it wont shift. Cheers, dad!

Things start to improve -

+ 9th June, I'm doing up my FZR1000R to sell so I can buy a Guzzi California. I'm nearly home from a test ride, a woman pulls out on me, totals the bike. This is good, I know I will get more for it from insurance than I would get for selling it.

+ 11th June, I buy the Guzzi, a 1994 model. It arrives on the 19th. After a few teething troubles, I lurrrve it.

+ 12th June, I find Chinese Scooter Club. Find everyone very friendly and helpful. Buy a new Haotian Swift. (havent got it yet...)

+ 19th June, I buy a Haotian Swift.

- Get quoted £297(!) for insurance. My own insurance agrees to swap my old bikes off their policy, and put the Guzzi and Swift on. They canno find Haotian on their computers, so insure it as a Lifan.

+ I take the documents to register the bike to Bikers...

- ...who tell me the insurance wont be accepted. Meh.

+ I go with Rampdale for the Swift...

- ...who put the reg number down wrong.

- My internet then goes down for a week because BT forgot to re-order it when I changed the phone line into my name.

- The other car I inherited from dad, a Vauxhall Omega, breaks down. I'm told its possibly a gearbox solenoid.

+ I get my moneys from the bike insurance. £1050, and Ill be claiming my excess back off the insurance of the monkey who hit me!

- And most of that profit is now being absorbed because the Omega needs a new set of rocker covers, a coil set, new HT leads and a timing chain.

Meh.

joe_T · Tue Jul 01, 2008 11:32 pm

and I thought my life was going bad cus I cant find a job. sorry to hear about both your parents :( . hopefully the rest of the year will bring better things.

macker71165 · Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:43 am

thought I was havin a bad year! good luck for the future mate! sincerley mean that....tony!

px166bajaj · Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:41 am

Sorry to hear about your Mum and Dad. It can be a really lonely feeling when they've gone.

Sometimes, you never realise everything they did for you until you become a parent yourself. :oops:

GuzziHero · Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:56 pm

Thanks guys :)

On a positive note, my Haotian Swift arrived yesterday, and my tax disc for it today, so hopefully Ill get to a CSC meetup soon!

Yellow Scooter · Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:59 pm

At least things are starting to look up now that the scoot's here. You can take your time fixing the car now, if you choose to.
:D