Joe's fall in Perth

Tuesday, Nov. 10 

2:00 p.m.,  –  That was a shock. Working outside, no bra, in my work clothes, I took a phone call from a plumber in town. I nearly didn't pick up as we hadn't phoned a plumber for any reason. He'd pick Joe up off the ground and called an ambulance for him. Joe told me where the car was. 

Joe had fallen in February, 2026. Not as badly. He had a fall in the summer at the park.

Joe, ever the micromanager, suggested I phone someone for a ride into town. To heck with that. I hitchhiked and a neighbour I'd not yet met, Michelle, drove me in. I thanked him profusely. I grabbed the car and headed for the ER. Thank goodness for a tracker. 

2:28 p.m. –  I made it to the hospital in wind and rain. 

I parked and paced in the waiting room until they'd found him a spot in the ER. They let me in. He wasn't looking great. Finally seeing him was a relief. He was sore. Dr. Drummond, glad he was there, was seeing him. The paramedics put a neck brace on him, worried about his neck. They took it off, as he'd had a sore neck for a couple of days, and it was an old injury.

As always, I took photos of his wounds to compare later as he begins to heal. 

The story was that he'd hurried across the road and tripped stepping up onto the sidewalk. 

3:30 p.m. – I dashed home and put the ice cream and meat in the freezer. The joke Joe Brian had with the paramedics was that it was a shame about the ice cream. It's non-dairy, and it seems OK! 

4:40 – Back to the hospital, and he had rested. The X-ray technician took him for X-rays. 

I went outside to take a photo of the poppies. They are magnificent. All crocheted.

I wandered, and noticed this signage. How funny.

When Joe returned from that, Dr. D. said that they were going to give him some drugs, and set the wrist, then put on a cast. Eventually, we were told, the orthopaedic surgeon will probably reset it when he goes to that appointment. 

This was my chance to see his wrist. Oh my.

5:00 p.m. – From there I went back home for a grilled cheese sandwich. I only burned one side and emptied the dishwasher while I munched. I forgot to take water with me. Thinking I would just have to pick him up. The hospital corridors were locked up, isolating the ER from patients, and there was a security guard.

They sent me home, they would call me when he was done. I had a text from Smiths Falls saying the CT Scan appointment was for 6:45. The staff hadn't phoned, but sitting alone at home was driving me up the wall. I was worried about the drive back to town in the dark. Ironically, I passed the ambulance that took him to the other hospital for the CT Scan.

I sat and read Do or Die in the ER waiting room! 

 

They were lovely skies! 

7:48 p.m. – It was a very quiet ER! Someone came in just after this and jinxed it telling me he'd said it seemed quiet. There were 3 people there including Joe, who had had a fall. 

We asked for a plaster for his now bruised hand.

The worst was over. They'd  put him in this cubicle to fill him with drugs and reset his wrist. 

We got closer to a diagnosis as the evening wore on. The scans indicated that he didn't have anything wrong with his head. 

9:50 p.m. – we pulled into the driveway and settled in for the night. What a relief.

Wednesday morning

We were relieved to be at home. I motored into town prior to the Remembrance Day ceremony, as you can't get there from here. The lovely ladies at the optometrist fixed his glasses for him. Can you see the right side?! 

He has some bruising, but it is not as bad as it could have been. We changed his bandaids after he shaved with his left hand.

I phoned plumber George, who helped by calling an ambulance and waiting with him until they arrived. He was curious about how it all worked out. Bless his heart. I thanked him profusely.

Thursday, Nov. 12

He is resting up.We both had naps yesterday.  It's not pretty. I help him get dressed and undressed. It is a process. 

He has open wounds on his forehead, left hand, which we've kept bandaged. 

His back is very sore today. He's got more bruising.

He can't get downstairs as the railing is on the right side.

The patient is learning what he can or cannot do. He cannot go downstairs, since the railing is on the side of his broken wrist.  Joe's been walking around the house to help keep up some activity. I help him put on and take off his clothes. He cannot cut his bread in the mornings. We shall get though this!

Both eyes are black, from hitting his forehead. Poor man. We see the orthopaedic surgeon today. We'll see what happens.

Friday, Nov. 13

Off we went. It is tricky finding the right clothing. Sweat pants are good! One of the nurses said they are his best bet, after I said I was going home! 

Carefully strapped in, I drove him to Perth Hospital. We took stock. His left hand is still bruised. We'll see what happens. It'd be nice if that cleared up.

9:15 – in for an X-ray, and on to wait for the surgeon. 

9:30 – Settled into a room. 

She saw us and gave us the information. Six weeks in his cast.

He's broken his radius. 

Sean put the cast on. He said to try to exercise the fingers and by Monday he needs to get his hand into a fist, or he'll lose the function after six weeks. Exercise by squeezing a sock. 

11:00 – I got woozy, and had to sit down. Just too much talk about bones, and healing, and breaks, and surgery. I had to sit down in visitor chairs as we moved down the hallway. I could feel myself blacking out.

I think I figured out why. I have a loathing of hospitals. Back when I was in my early teens, I recall visiting my beloved aunt. The person in the bed beside her had had a foot amputation. There was blood on the bandage, not my strong suit, and I had to leave the room.

Joe wet out to pee, and came back into the room and said that it could be worse. He told me someone was out in the hall with a foot amputted. 

I drove us home, doing groceries in the afternoon, after lunch when I feeling better. 

Back home for lunch, I was feeling better. I heated some soup, and he was happy. Joe had an afternoon nap. 

2:55 – Changed bandages. Left hand looks bad. 

Saturday

The patient is learning what he can or cannot do. He cannot go downstairs, since the railing is on the side of his broken wrist.  Joe's been walking around the house to help keep up some activity. I help him put on and take off his clothes. He cannot cut his bread in the mornings. We shall get though this!

Both eyes are black, from hitting his forehead. Poor man. We saw the orthopaedic surgeon Friday.  We go back next week to see if all is well, for another X-ray. 

The broken wrist is coming along. He is doing exercises with his fingers, as prescribed by Sean who wrapped the wrist. 

There are some challenges. His left hand has a scrape, and a bruise. If you look at him, you'll notice he needs to shave his head every three days or so. He's opted for electric razors, after a bit of a cut above his ear.

I bought him a skull razor, which is much better if you've sore hands.

He is learning to ask for help. And had been told not to supervise my chores that used to be his. 😛 I've been making coffee, it was a secret recipe I've not been privy to. Apparently the machine needs 5 scoops of coffee. Joe's never counted. I wrote that in sharpie on the top of the machine. 

He's got bruises on his arm from them trying to put in IVs.