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| Bill's iPhone photo of me during my return trip to the emergency room |
What a time I've had since I slipped and fell leaving the hotel last Wednesday night. First I went to the Beebe Emergency room. Of course they have all my paperwork, I've been there so many times (five now) since I've moved to Delaware. I'll try to be concise in explaining what has happened since they discharged me.
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| Not how I planned the evening when I left work Wednesday night |
I was given a leg brace (hospitals no longer do casts). Bill (my saintly spouse) helped me hobble out of the hospital at 2 AM or so. Our wonderful neighbor Bob M. had brought Bill to my car at the hotel so Bill could drive me home. I cannot extoll this man's kindness enough. He has his own health problems with his wife and he takes time out to help me and Bill. Us old folk stick together.
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| Our neighbor Bob M. checking up on me and Bill to make sure we're alright |
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| Me waiting for the results of my X-Rays to see if I had any broken bones - I didn't think I had because I wasn't in extreme pain |
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| Me checking out the damage to my leg |
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| More of Bill's picture taking |
I had my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon today but first I have to tell you of the series of events that were unbelievable.
First, my AOL e-mail wasn't working on my iPhone. Damn! After wasting time resetting my password (AOL would recognize my password) I found out from the Internet that the problem was at AOL. Of course it was. Yes, I sat at my computer with my leg brace on, feeling miserable.
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| Self explanatory |
Second, my DirecTV station wasn't working. The message said the satellite wasn't receiving a signal. We have four TV's in this house. We checked them all. Two were receiving a picture, two weren't. There was no way I was going to call DirecTV service because of my leg and I had to schedule doctor's appointments and I didn't want the two interfering. Then I find out it was ONLY MSNBC, my liberal go to station, that wasn't receiving a signal.
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| More self explanatory |
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| Me in the backseat of our car - the only way I can drive because I can't bend my leg |
I call the gas company at 8 AM. Here's what I got "Your call is very important to us." Heard that one before?
I finally did get through and they were here in less than a half an hour. We had heat back and a big $1,000 plus gas bill to match the one I received at the end of December. Hey, what the heck! You only live once, might as well be warm.
Off to the doctor's office. You should see Bill trying to get me in the back seat of my car (no pictures, too serious). I can't lift my left leg below the knee. The ligaments are obviously damaged.
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| My leg brace off so the doctor could evaluate my knee - I have a lot of swelling from internal blood clotting which he tried to remove by needle but couldn't get much of it |
Okay, this blog post is going long. I'll try again to be more concise. My doctor told me I had a "knee pad replacement." In other words when I fell I dislocated my knee pad. It's back now but that's what I felt immediately after I fell, a soft saucer like thing on the left of my knee. I don't need knee replacement.
He gave me a "test." He asked me to life my left leg. I could not. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I actually teared up (big sissy that I am) when I couldn't lift my leg. I just could not move it. I can wiggle my toes but I cannot lift my leg. That's why Bill has to lift my leg into my bed when I go to bed. In fact, I have to call Bill (and did) when I get up in the night to visit the bathroom, which I did three times last night. I can't get back into bed unless he lifts my leg.
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| The X-Ray of my knee |
Folks, I'm going to tell you something now. I am so fortunate to have Bill. He has been such a saint through all my medical problems. He's 86 and I'm 73 and who has the medical issues? Me. I'm just glad we're here for each other because I would do the same for him. I would hate to think how I would handle this if I lived by myself. This is hard enough with just me and Bill. What do people do who live by themselves? I feel so sorry for them.
When I got home I had to take a shower. I haven't taken one since I injured my leg and I was feeling quite greasy. Of course I had to take off my leg brace and try to remember how to put it back on. It was an ordeal but I hobbled into my shower with my aluminum cane (waterproof, they think of everything those medical device people).
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| Ready to put back on my leg brace after my shower - the band aid is where my doctor tried to draw out the blog that had swollen up my knee internally |
So that's where I stand (no pun intended) now folks. I won't be back to work for several weeks at least. I will have to go to physical therapy to build up my leg again. I had to do the same thing back in 1962 when I dislocated my right knee and wore a hip to ankle cast for six weeks. My leg as all shrunk up.
There, I hope I didn't put you all to sleep. I wanted to do a memorial for my friend Wayne "The Cajun" Juneau but that will have to wait until my leg heals and I can sit at this computer longer than I can now. It's very uncomfortable sitting at my computer desk now with my left leg stretched out.
I'm trying to think of a nice zippy way to end this post but I can't right now so I'll just end it here. And to remind you all, be VERY careful when you're out and about on the snow and ice. This could happen to you!