- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Right, you asked for the story, so, get a cuppa, make yourself comfortable and I shall begin.
Once Upon a Time ........
It was December 23rd at 11.15 am Hattie and I left home for our daily long walk, it had been raining for days. At 11.30 am my right foot slipped from under me, up in the air I flew and landed on my left arm and hip. I lay there for a bit trying to compose myself to get up thinking I had just bruised myself. After several attempts it was not happening. My left foot was sticking out at an angel (Penguins come to mind!) the pain was pretty bad. I looked at my phone NO SERVICE, I started to cry. Hattie was sitting soaking wet looking at me as if to say "what the hell when are we walking". I thought about what I was going to do. I know that there is sometimes a signal on the track behind me so I dug my right foot into the ground and hauled myself backwards on my hands or elbows for about 200 meters. I made it but still NO SERVICE, By this time I was soaking wet and had been on the ground for 2 hours. Not a soul around as these tracks are very remote and I hardly ever see anyone. I had another cry and thought my family will know I am missing as I have been gone for a long time.
As I lay there in quite a bit of pain I saw two dogs coming up the track, please don't let these dogs be lost, please let there be an owner. Sure enough a man I had seen before rushed up to me. He had a signal and called David, he kindly stayed with me until David, Joseph and Thomas arrived. They tried to get me up but it just wasn't happening so David called an Ambulance. Bless Thomas he took his coat off, sat on the ground and propped my head on his lap. He had brought an umbrella too so at least I wasn't being rained on. Time slipped by and no Ambulance, David gave them accurate coordinates so all we could do was wait. Poor Hattie was by my side throughout but she was wet and cold so I got Joseph to take her home, dry her and put her robe on. Bless her she was resilient to leaving me constantly looking back and resisting walking. A Paramedic appeared and quickly realised he needed help. It took him over 30 minutes to find me and he had another 20 minutes walk back down the track I was on the get to his Ambulance, then at least another 20 minutes for them both to walk back. I was shaking with the cold by now so Joseph ran home made me a hot water bottle and ran back. About an hour later the Paramedics arrived, it was extremely hard to find a vein but eventually cannula in, morphine in. The Paramedics were chatting about how the hell they were going to get me out of the forest as the Ambulance would not make it down the track due to a fallen tree. Then the suggestion of Air Ambulance to winch me up
, call made, by this time it was pitch dark and still raining. After the AA checked our location they called the Paramedics to inform them the trees are too high and it's now too dark and dangerous. So they decided another Ambulance crew was needed which meant another long wait as they had to walk in the dark through the forest. They arrived but none of the crews had a splint so they used the umbrella, lifted me up and got me into the chair. One person on each side and off we went, it took over 30 minutes to reach the Ambulance. Thank god it was warm. Also waiting were the Mountain Rescue team and the Police. How embarrassing. After a few checks we began to reverse out of the forest which did take sometime. By the time we arrived at the Hospital it was a total of 6 hours. More check ups and drugs, my jeans cut off, I was moved to a room. Next day x-rays which confirmed I had broken my hip (femoral fracture) hence Penguin foot 
I had to be transferred by Ambulance to Glasgow Hospital for surgery, so off we went on the 2 hour journey. After many more checks the surgeon arrived with two options. 1. If my hip could be repaired that's the best option as apparently I am still quite young and it's best to keep my bones. 2. Full hip replacement. We decided that if it was repairable then go for it. Thank heavens it was repairable and I had surgery on Christmas Eve. Being in hospital over Christmas, obviously and quite rightly no visitors allowed was awful.
I thought I was going to starve to death as the food was disgusting. So on the Monday I begged the Physio to let me go home. I had to prove I could use a zimmer frame, crutches and walk up a flight of stairs on one crutch. By god I made sure I did it. Yeah they let me home. So David started the 2-3 hour journey as it was snowing to pick me up from Glasgow Hospital. Home at last. I cannot weight bear for 6 weeks so zimmer frame for me which makes me feel old, hate it. I have to go back to the Hospital for more x-rays in 6 weeks and see the Consultant to check all is healing well. I don't know if I got this bit right as I was on morphine but the Surgeon said it will be 2 years before they know if the hip has fully healed. I will need x-rays every 3 months then 6 then 9 months. If it doesn't heal I will need a hip replacement.
I am doing my exercises regularly and zipping along on the zimmer. Bored out my mind but home with my family. Apparently a Physio will visit me at home but nearly 2 weeks on I haven't heard anything. I guess Covid has something to do with it.
So there it is warts and all. A daily dog walk that went so horribly wrong. An accident that we can all have. I sooo miss my walks with Hattie and am doing everything I can to get back to normal.
Charlie and I make a great pair!
Thank you xxxx
Once Upon a Time ........
It was December 23rd at 11.15 am Hattie and I left home for our daily long walk, it had been raining for days. At 11.30 am my right foot slipped from under me, up in the air I flew and landed on my left arm and hip. I lay there for a bit trying to compose myself to get up thinking I had just bruised myself. After several attempts it was not happening. My left foot was sticking out at an angel (Penguins come to mind!) the pain was pretty bad. I looked at my phone NO SERVICE, I started to cry. Hattie was sitting soaking wet looking at me as if to say "what the hell when are we walking". I thought about what I was going to do. I know that there is sometimes a signal on the track behind me so I dug my right foot into the ground and hauled myself backwards on my hands or elbows for about 200 meters. I made it but still NO SERVICE, By this time I was soaking wet and had been on the ground for 2 hours. Not a soul around as these tracks are very remote and I hardly ever see anyone. I had another cry and thought my family will know I am missing as I have been gone for a long time.
As I lay there in quite a bit of pain I saw two dogs coming up the track, please don't let these dogs be lost, please let there be an owner. Sure enough a man I had seen before rushed up to me. He had a signal and called David, he kindly stayed with me until David, Joseph and Thomas arrived. They tried to get me up but it just wasn't happening so David called an Ambulance. Bless Thomas he took his coat off, sat on the ground and propped my head on his lap. He had brought an umbrella too so at least I wasn't being rained on. Time slipped by and no Ambulance, David gave them accurate coordinates so all we could do was wait. Poor Hattie was by my side throughout but she was wet and cold so I got Joseph to take her home, dry her and put her robe on. Bless her she was resilient to leaving me constantly looking back and resisting walking. A Paramedic appeared and quickly realised he needed help. It took him over 30 minutes to find me and he had another 20 minutes walk back down the track I was on the get to his Ambulance, then at least another 20 minutes for them both to walk back. I was shaking with the cold by now so Joseph ran home made me a hot water bottle and ran back. About an hour later the Paramedics arrived, it was extremely hard to find a vein but eventually cannula in, morphine in. The Paramedics were chatting about how the hell they were going to get me out of the forest as the Ambulance would not make it down the track due to a fallen tree. Then the suggestion of Air Ambulance to winch me up
, call made, by this time it was pitch dark and still raining. After the AA checked our location they called the Paramedics to inform them the trees are too high and it's now too dark and dangerous. So they decided another Ambulance crew was needed which meant another long wait as they had to walk in the dark through the forest. They arrived but none of the crews had a splint so they used the umbrella, lifted me up and got me into the chair. One person on each side and off we went, it took over 30 minutes to reach the Ambulance. Thank god it was warm. Also waiting were the Mountain Rescue team and the Police. How embarrassing. After a few checks we began to reverse out of the forest which did take sometime. By the time we arrived at the Hospital it was a total of 6 hours. More check ups and drugs, my jeans cut off, I was moved to a room. Next day x-rays which confirmed I had broken my hip (femoral fracture) hence Penguin foot I had to be transferred by Ambulance to Glasgow Hospital for surgery, so off we went on the 2 hour journey. After many more checks the surgeon arrived with two options. 1. If my hip could be repaired that's the best option as apparently I am still quite young and it's best to keep my bones. 2. Full hip replacement. We decided that if it was repairable then go for it. Thank heavens it was repairable and I had surgery on Christmas Eve. Being in hospital over Christmas, obviously and quite rightly no visitors allowed was awful.I thought I was going to starve to death as the food was disgusting. So on the Monday I begged the Physio to let me go home. I had to prove I could use a zimmer frame, crutches and walk up a flight of stairs on one crutch. By god I made sure I did it. Yeah they let me home. So David started the 2-3 hour journey as it was snowing to pick me up from Glasgow Hospital. Home at last. I cannot weight bear for 6 weeks so zimmer frame for me which makes me feel old, hate it. I have to go back to the Hospital for more x-rays in 6 weeks and see the Consultant to check all is healing well. I don't know if I got this bit right as I was on morphine but the Surgeon said it will be 2 years before they know if the hip has fully healed. I will need x-rays every 3 months then 6 then 9 months. If it doesn't heal I will need a hip replacement.
I am doing my exercises regularly and zipping along on the zimmer. Bored out my mind but home with my family. Apparently a Physio will visit me at home but nearly 2 weeks on I haven't heard anything. I guess Covid has something to do with it.
So there it is warts and all. A daily dog walk that went so horribly wrong. An accident that we can all have. I sooo miss my walks with Hattie and am doing everything I can to get back to normal.
Charlie and I make a great pair!
Thank you xxxx
That must have been an extremely long and frightening two hours! Glad you are on the mend. Don’t overdo it, mind!