A. No, life is a numbers game.
Warning this post has some rather graphic images!
‘Is Mr Uphilldowndale accident prone’ I’ve been asked a number of times this week. I don’t think so, it’s more a case that he does rather a lot of ‘stuff’ that has accident potential, it’s a numbers game, just like buying lottery tickets.
Let me explain, we all came back from our holiday in Wales last weekend, then Joe went to stay with his friend Peter in London, Mr Uphilldowndale went back to Wales to do a week long sailing instructors course at Plas Menai, Tom continued his ‘being a teenager’ studies and I went back to work. On Wednesday I came out of a meeting to find, six missed calls on my mobile, two from Mr Uhdd and four from Tom. The message from Tom went along the lines of ‘Dad’s rung, he say’s you are not to worry… he’s come off his bike and hurt his knee, he’s in A+E at Bangor hospital. Oh yeh, and he says he’s not got much charge left in his phone.’ Lovely.
It transpired that Mr Uhdd had gone for an early morning spin on his bike (he’d taken it with him to nourish his exercise addiction, as he can’t go fell-running at the moment because of a foot injury). He’d ridden across a metal swing bridge at Felinheli (this blog has been to Felinheli before) the bike tyres lost traction on the bridge and down he came, heavily, dislocating his finger and what can only be describe as slicing open his knee.
Now I’ve brought you images of his wounds before, there was the fell-runners knee and the bee-sting incident. But these shots are a little different and if you are of a squeamish disposition, click away now and look at some scenic photographs.
Here we go,
Five… (I’m not sure which is worse, the finger or the knee)
Four… (have you just had lunch?)
Three…(it’s not pretty)
Two ( there is still time to leave)
One… (Ok don’t say I didn’t warn you).
The dislocated finger, now manhandled back into place with the aid of Entonox and local anaesthetic (the white blob is his wedding ring).
The knee, image taken by Doctor in A+E (you know you’ve done a proper job when the Dr wants a souvenir)
The knee took a bit of sorting, two trips into theatre under general anaesthetic and three days in hospital, it is now all stitched up and strapped down and we are all safely back home now.
October 29, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Oh.My.
Two things spring to mind: Ouch. And I hope Mr. UHDD has really, really good insurance (both health and life!). What can you do now to exercise while waiting for these injuries to heal???
October 29, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Your question about health insurance suggests that you don’t live in the UK. We still have a mostly free health service in the UK (although this seems to be under increasing pressure) which means that the cost to me for the ambulance, emergency treatment, x-rays, consultants, anaesthetics, bed, nursing care, food over three days was precisely nothing. The only cost I had was to buy a paper on Thursday.
One thing our National Health Service excels at is accident and emergency treatment and care. Also our other emergency services are not charged for. UHDD didn’t post the photograph of the view from the window of the ward towards Snowdonia (magic), but yesterday I saw the air sea rescue helicopter (possibly piloted by Prince William as he flies that helicopter) delivering patients to the hospital twice (the first apparently an injured patient airlifted down from the mountain Snowdon), and the air ambulance came in once. The cost to the poorly patients of these services is pecisely nothing.
I made a good choice in having my accident where I did – Ysbyty Gwynedd (Gwynedd Hospital) is first class for trauma. I was very well looked after by professional and caring staff in excellent facilities.
Life insurance? I do have that, and I’m probably worth more to UHDD dead than alive!
I’m not sure what I can do for exercise other than hobbling about, but I think I’ll be needing some (free) physiotherapy. I’ll find out more about that next week.
October 30, 2011 at 3:18 pm
You’re right, I live in Canada – and our health care is also, thankfully, universal. Having said that, it does not cover ambulance service or air transfers (especially those piloted by a member of the royal family!)
October 29, 2011 at 6:05 pm
My sympathies as that looks to be a really nasty injury! I hope that Mr UHDD fully recovers in due course. xx
October 29, 2011 at 7:31 pm
I will send my cycling son(in-law) the url for your accident prone husband. We have a few of these incidents in our lives but we keep on going.
Mr Uhdd, here’s wishing you a complete and prompt recovery.
October 29, 2011 at 9:39 pm
That is an impressive wound! Happy healing.
November 3, 2011 at 9:40 pm
Thank you, now you’re a girl that knows a thing or two about healing.
October 30, 2011 at 8:37 am
Euugghh! (And that’s from a retired nurse!)
Wishing Mr UHDD a very speedy recovery of both knee and finger…
October 30, 2011 at 11:01 am
That seems the standard sort of reaction, Mrs Doctor said ‘Gross!’
October 30, 2011 at 9:50 am
He doesn’t do anything by halves, does he? Mr. UHDD’s knee injury made my left knee twinge in sympathy — the one I fell onto and broke the kneecap half in two — that took two surgeries, about a foot and a half of surgical wire and the better part of 9 months to get back from. As for the dislocated finger, I make my living typing so I did a full-on cringe with that one. Hope he gets well soon on both counts. (Was he wearing short pants when he fell? and if so, why???) Also, you’ll want to find out how to keep the scar tissue from tightening up — I used vitamin E oil rubbed in. You’ll probably need some PT, and at least some massage to break up the adhesions.
October 30, 2011 at 11:15 am
urk! thanks for the warnings, but I scrolled down anyway (I love x-rays) and wasn’t prepared for the knee!
Hope Mr UHDD is up and about quickly (I imagine he’ll be a bit impossible if he can’t be active) and the knee especially heals up nicely.
October 30, 2011 at 11:58 am
Well, if you’re going to do it, do it in grand style. (Undislocated) fingers crossed for a speedy recovery, Mr UHDD.
October 30, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Happy healing !
October 30, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Mr UHDD
Not quite true, you do pay – via your pay packet. And I for one am glad we do so and that, as usual the NHS turns up trumps. Yes, we grumble but it does make me thank Beveridge and Bevan (who was Welsh).
If the knee takes some healing, try Manuka Honey UMF plus 5,10 or 15, great for wounds.
Keep on keeping on.
October 30, 2011 at 4:08 pm
I agree entirely about the paying bit – both that we do pay, and that it’s worth it.
October 30, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Maybe I shold have said that the cost is zero to the patient at the point of use of the service.
October 30, 2011 at 3:28 pm
GACK. “He say’s you are not to worry” indeed. Puts me in mind of all those phone calls about Rob the Firefighter that began, “Mrs. F, he’s all right.” Best wishes for a speedy recovery. If all those strenuous activities are hazardous, well, at least they build a strong body that will heal well.
Astonishing how much blood and bone and fleshy bits the useful skin covers. Makes a person want to apply quantities of lotions to it as sort of a hymn of thanks for its excellent service. Should we ever manage to create a National Health Service in this country I would send up a hymn of thanks for that as well.
October 31, 2011 at 6:30 pm
+1 for a NHS for us. If I had sustained Mr. UHDD’s knee injury it would have required my entire $5200 in co-pays and deductibles, I’m sure. BTW, Mr. UHDD, I haven’t seen anything that disconcerting since I accidentally walked in on an autopsy.
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
October 31, 2011 at 1:58 pm
eeeeeuuuuurrrrrggggh! Worse than I thought! Ogglets send very best wishes. Hope you make a full recovery and nice juicy scar!!
October 31, 2011 at 9:57 pm
urgh – I know A&E Bangor from a broken collar bone – but that looks quite err grim – hope things are recovering well
K
November 2, 2011 at 12:43 pm
Very bad luck. I hope the recovery goes well.
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