He was one of the first people to survive Coeliac Disease. He nearly died, I think his lowest weight was under 6 stone. He was over Six foot One. I knew what people looked like that died in the Concentration Camps.
He had to leave the Sea which He loved, as His diet could not be catered for. He went to work at Beechams in Worthing. He retired in His early Fifties on a pension, because He was the only person to have the guts to go and shut down a fire in a chemical plant that could have blown Worthing and the surrounding aria to smithereens, and let out some very nasty toxins no doubt. His Family came first. He never recovered from the trauma really.
All He had was an asbestos suit. This was a critical situation and no one could have survived the temperature He was going into. He reminds me of the story of Meshak Shadrack and Abednigo in the Bible. That’s why I can believe the Bible for the story of the fiery furnace.
Well it’s even more of a story behind this. My Mother lost Her first South African Husband to a Brain tumour. His first operation two years prior to His death removed most of the tumour, leaving Him paralysed. My mother read about a new science in a magazine called physiotherapy. She sent for this book from America, and spent two years exercising Her first Husband. He was an amateur tennis champion. She had him playing tennis again.
They came back to the UK in 1953 to see the Coronation, and for Her Husband to have another Brain operation. It was a 16 hour operation, which left him brain dead. He was on a ventilator and there was no protocol for turning it off. My mother had to do it. She never recovered.
She had two children already and was pregnant. I think she gave birth about four months after. She now had three children. She did a secretarial course and supported them. They stayed in the U.K. and lived with Her parents.
My Father fell in love with Her and they got married, even though she was Seven years older than Him. They also had the same birthday. I was on the way.
My Father bought the house, and brought all of us up equally as His own Children.
In the meantime my Mother had all her belongings sent from South Africa. Including one large American Fridge. This thing grew Mold like it was on steroids. We didn’t eat the cheese unless it had mold on it. It tasted better!
Anyway by this time My Father was working for Beechams in Worthing, where no doubt there was one of those clauses that say you don’t own yourself, or any of your own discoveries or designs. However my Father knew the stuff that grew in our Fridge was exactly what Beechams needed to make their Penicillin and future drugs from. He kept that fridge going for years!
This stuff used to mutate. It was fascinating to put it under a microscope. Which I think I got for my Sixth Birthday Present. Hours of fun. Apparently I pestered mercilessly for one. Then the Chemistry set, and all my pocket money went on getting new supplies. It was a lovely little thing with up to 300 times magnification. Mouth scrapings we’re a special delight.
So there isn’t much point in me taking antibiotics. Also I am very proud of my Dad for sharing the moldy stuff out of our fridge with the world. I love my Dad.