Oh dear - not another one!!
on So Now It's Cambodia (Cambodia), 22/Aug/2010 09:30, 34 days ago
You're not going to believe this regular readers but Paul's in the wars again!! This time I was walking back from a visit to the University Music Department when I stepped off a high kerb onto the road. They are in pretty poor condition in a lot of areas and I have been very careful. I think this time there was dip in the road surface which I hadn't seen - I must have landed on it from some height and my right ankle just buckled under me-it felt sort of "floaty". I've got a fracture and have to wear a plaster for 6 weeks and am trying to master the art of using crutches!!!I crashed to the ground and bashed my left knee hard. It felt very strange - there I was in a heap in the road with motos zooming past me, trumpet case on my back and people laughing behind me! It all happened very quickly and was really a shock.I'm glad to say that contrary to what we have been told, Khmer people did come to help - a couple of very nice ladies-one of whom said she was a nurse for an NGO over the road. A policeman even asked me if I wanted to go to hospital - again they have a reputation for not helping (though I might have had to pay for it!).Poor old Alison was called out of her meeting and came to my rescue - by this time they'd got me sitting on a plastic chair. The nurse was stroking my knee and feeling my foot and thought there was no break but she really did help to calm me down - very kind of her. We had to get help from VSO office to get a doctor's appointment. She cleaned up the various "grazes" and sent me for x ray. I had to wait overnight for results as the person who could read them wasn't at the clinic.The doctor phoned with the results mid morning and told me which hospital to go to. It was a long ride on a tuk tuk - very hard to get into one footed!! She had said to ask for the Thai surgeon. He was away so I was seen by a Khmer. He was very nice and calm and Alison thought he was good (as I did too - I just hope he's got it right!!). He used a new style plaster cast which is like a sock which they then add water to and it becomes solid! Amazing - this was a new one to Alison too - she was impressed. The advantage is that it's ok to get it wet but I haven't tested it yet!!So now I'm holed up here at the Pavilion Hotel - the staff have been fantastic! - though I have to move for one night to Mystere and Mekong down the road then return here for the rest of week. Alison has important work to do this week so is on her way back as I write but will come back at the end of the week.I have to say, using crutches is not the easiest task and up and down the stairs here to the room we were staying in was a nightmare. I looked up how to use crutches on the internet and have learnt some very useful tips. One suggestion is to go up and down on your bottom! It even said to go down forwards - not backwards!!! I'm beginning to see life from a disabled persons perspective already - all the access to toilets here is via steps and that's tricky on crutches let alone a wheel chair. One web site said the hospital should give training on using them but there wasn't any - however, they were at least, brand new!!The hotel has a couple of guests with similar recent experiences who've commiserated - one did his just stepping off a bus in Australia and still has a removable boot to show for it - so it's not just me!!So life changes here again - I was planning more exercise as I've put on some weight and get little at home - we had seen a gym advertised which we were going to try but as I had chosen to walk a bit as a warm up instead of getting a tuk tuk that's all on the back burner now. I think maybe walking isn't as good for you as people say!Do feel free to add/e mail your comments about "hoppalong" and "not having a leg to stand on" - as any distraction is going to be very welcome over the next few weeks!!!Hope all is well with you....