A little mishap

Ten years ago, I slipped on the back step of my mother in law's house and landed on my arm, chipping the bone in my right elbow. 24 hours ago, I did just about the same thing - slipped over in my concrete yard here and this time dislocated my left elbow, quite badly it turns out.

The cleaner we'd gotten in for the morning was with me when I slipped. I was checking on her out the back when I stepped onto a shiny part of the concrete and lost my footing. It was one of those 'oh shit' moments when you just know you've lost control and that it's going to turn out badly. When I looked at my arm I could see a lump near my elbow and thought I'd broken it. It felt broken. I couldn't move my arm and touching it was not a good idea!

My first thought was to get to my phone and call ex. With the help of the cleaner I managed to get inside and do just that. I called him and said "you need to come home, take a taxi and come home. I've broken my arm." Of course he panicked a little, then called his mum and together they came to help. They also called my doctor to find out if I needed to go to hospital. We went straight to the emergency section, which luckily for me had no other people waiting. I was seen by a male triage nurse, then admitted as a local (it costs less) because I'm married to one, and seen by a Chinese doctor. Because of their work ethics, the Chinese are often seen as more competent than the Malays. I guess I must have the same bias because otherwise I wouldn't have noticed who was treating me.

The next hour passed with ex holding my hand (which took me by surprise) and telling me that it was going to be ok, that this will pass. he kept me informed of what was going to happen. He thought they'd give me a strong pain killer and that I would trip out and said he'd always wanted to experience that. Now, which one of you guys is going to come over and break his arm for me, so I can make his dream come true. LOL - just kidding - really! As it turned out, whatever they gave me didn't trip me out and only just took the edge off the pain. I did tell him though that if it affected me in any way, he was to ignore whatever I said. I've seen my mum under the influence of morphine and it's not something you want people to take seriously, so I thought I'd put out a disclaimer for my actions while I was still lucid!

A little while later I was wheeled through a series of corridors to the x-ray room, ex in tow. More pain and 15 minutes later, they could see the results of my mishap. Only one bone had come out but it was a good distance from where it should have been! Later I was made comfortable in a ward with 12 others. The nurses shyly relieved me of my wet trousers and put me in a hospital sarong. A more senior nurse came and explained that they were going to sedate me so they could "pull my arm" and could I please sign the consent form. I scratched out something resembling my signature and shortly after they wheeled me out to the treatment room and gave me another something into my intravenous line. I thought I'b be awake but drowsy when they did my arm but while I was waiting there I took a little nap and when I woke up, I was all fixed up! The emergency splint had been removed and replaced with a sling and the pain had gone! I was so grateful and amazed! I hadn't even felt them touch me, let alone pull my arm back into place.

So I've now experienced the services of the local government hospital, which in all honesty, wasn't too bad. The doctors spoke good English, the nurses did their job and I was all fixed up in less than two hours - which seemed like more because OMG, the pain! And I'm a real wuss when it comes to dealing with pain - just ask ex who admitted to being embarrassed when I'd yelled as the doctor set my arm ten years ago with no pain killers! I was grateful that they successfully sedated me when they set my arm back because I knew from 10 years back, that that kind of pain makes you scream out loud!

I stayed overnight. The kids came and saw me and brought me little 'get well' cards and some things to eat, which I was grateful for because the food was terrible - so spicy and very basic. Rice and (not very substantial), curry. I found I couldn't eat much anyway, so I read my book - ex had picked out The Power of Now (Tolle) and I had my phone with me so duly rang my mum and my sister 10 minutes later and found that she already knew! Mums!

Am back home now and more comfortable. mum in law is cooking for us and ex is doing the school run and shopping. will write more later.