Don't ask me to visit you in hospital ...
.
.....just in case.

Ever since my teens, I have had the occasional brush with the slightly spooky.

I appear to have some weird "spider sense" that tells me when someone is not going to be released from hospital, fit and well. It only operates sporadically but is freaky when it does. The first couple of times I had this feeling, I dismissed it. When you're visiting an elderly (80-odd years old) relative who's had a severe stroke, it's no great feat to predict a trip to the undertakers is looming.

The third time was seriously spooky. I was visiting a friend in Simpson's (Edinburgh's then maternity hospital) when I bumped into an old schoolfriend I hadn't seen in years. She invited me to pop up and see her mum in the Gynae (sp?) ward, where she was recovering from a hysterectomy. After coo-ing at the newborn for some time, I left the maternity pavillion and went to the main hospital.

As I approached my friend's mum's bed, I was struck by an odd "tingle" in the neck. When I said hello and sat down, I had the overwhelming feeling that her mum wasn't going to recover. I (hope) I kept that hidden from them both, chatted away for a while and left. I told MrWitch when I got home and he just gave me "that" look. The one that suggests he's just realised he married a weirdo.

Two days later, my mum phoned me. My friend's mum had died suddenly during the night, due to an undiagnosed aneurism in the brain. Oh.

Fast forward a few years, and my father in law is in hospital being treated for a blood clot on the brain. He was doing well after surgery and expected to make a full recovery. It would be a long recovery, but the prognosis was good. I visited a few times with no "tingle" until the last time I saw him. We visited on a Saturday evening and I just had *that* feeling again. He was awake, aware of us being there and able to squeeze our hands on request. The doctors were cautiously optimistic. Yet I had the feeling I'd never see him again.

When we left the hospital I had tears running down my face and MrWitch wanted to know why. When I told him, he just went pale. We went home and tried to tell ourselves that my imagination was getting the better of me. The doctors were hopeful, no more clots had formed and he was responding to treatment.

We got the call at 5am the next morning. When the phone rings at that time, it's never good news. My father in law had developed blood poisoning and was fading fast. By the time we got to the hospital he was gone.

Thankfully, it's not happened since then. I'm still quivering inside every time I go to visit someone in hospital, though. Just in case.

To finish on a lighter note, I also have a "football spider sense". On countless occasions, about two minutes into a game on TV, I make a final score prediction. I'm right nine times out ten. It's sickening. If I got that feeling a bit earlier I could put a bet on!
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:08, 5 replies)

Good news!
In-game betting is your friend!
( Nikfuf Eetr Northern Midlander, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:12, closed)

Freaky!
You can bet in game now :)
( Redsushi! Whoop! Whoop! Yes, that one!, Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:13, closed)

^^The only gambling we ever do
is the old fashioned way. At the bookies. Do they take "in game" bets at Ladbrokes? If so, might give it a try.
(TheWeeWitch hasn't been here much recently .., Thu 3 Jul 2008, 15:17, closed)

get online gambling account
or add me on Messenger and then tell me the full time scores and I'll do it.

Seriously, if you are getting it right 9/10 (hell even 8/10) it's worth doing.
(Lannes, Sun 6 Jul 2008, 3:41, closed)

betting-in-running
not sure about ladbrokes, but they certainly do it at William Hills.
(freshly juiced my mum always said it's rude to spit...., Wed 9 Jul 2008, 23:23, closed)