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Wednesday 21 January 2015

Guardian Angel's Day Off

Well, maybe not a day off, just one where his/her head was turned the other way.

Leaving St M's in a hurry yesterday, busy morning several hold-ups I was hurrying to get to Sainsbury's to do my large weekly shop.

Successfully negotiated cobbles of Pebble Lane turned into the paved square and tripped on an uneven one, fell very fast and very heavily on my knees then 'splatt' on my face.

Blood was pouring from nose and I was somewhat shaken to say the least.  Two wonderful Chinese fellows ran out from their restaurant one phoning for an ambulance the other trying to pick me up.
When they saw the state of me one of them grabbed some napkins or kitchen roll or similar and held it to my face while the other knelt down on the pavement behind me and half pulled up so I was leaning back on him.  Poor little fellow was half my size and he was shaking even more than me.

Ambulance arrived took over and took me to the local hospital.  Arriving at about 12.45 pm.  From there it was a longish wait for Triage who fast-forwarded me (about half an hour) to see a doctor who would assess the damage and recommend treatment.

He was a really nice chap and took great pains to get all the facts right before telling me he thought  rather than deal with it there they would get the plastic surgeon to come and see me.

All this time blood was hardly being stemmed by the succession of pads they gave me.

Finally at 4.30 the Surgeon had a look and told me I had sliced my nose to the bone, cutting the main artery to the nose which was why they couldn't stop the bleeding and he was not sure whether the nose was broken.

The next half hour was about the least pleasant one of my life, injections in my mouth lower and upper lips, in the inner corners of my eyes my cheeks and then worst of all about 8 or more tiny ones in my poor nose,

He then cauterised the artery which slowed and finally stopped the bleeding and then proceeded to stitch my nose from top to bottom washed some of the blood off me, put plaster strips on the nose and said that was it.

I won't pretend I was brave, I wasn't, it hurt, all the time and my hours of holding things to my nose to stem the flood had left my arms weak and shaking.

After the usual questions about my life a lovely nurse persuaded me that now was the time to make use of the offers of help from my neighbours.  Looked one up for me, phoned her, explained the problem and she came and collected me to take me home.

It was then 7.30pm and I had had nothing to eat or drink since my coffee at St M's at 10.30.

The Close grapevine had got to work and someone had put my heating on and two of them brought a batch of tins of soup.  One made tea and the other heated the soup.

I had been told I was not to lie flat but sit propped upright with pillows at night and also not to lean forward or bend down in case the bleeding starts again.  Nor am I allowed to blow my nose, th eone thing I am dying to do.

That's my latest tale of woe, but oh my goodness, is it peppered with wonderful kind caring people.

The angel may have been looking elsewhere, but luckily for me no-one else was.

18 comments:

  1. Oh what a dreadful experience for you - frightening, painful and undignified. I do hope everything heals well and you let others do things for you so you can get plenty of rest.

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  2. Not a nice day really Nancy, but lots of goodwill from lots of people so not all bad.
    Thanks for the good wishes.

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  3. Oh, Ray, what an awful thing to have happen to you! I'm so glad you had so much help and please do go on accepting it until you feel better and your poor nose has healed. A fall like this really shakes you up, as I know only too well, so be kind to yourself and take it easy for a while.
    Hugs from Mid-Wales. xxx

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  4. I have no real alternative to taking it easy Perpetua. Even if I felt ok my face looks as though I have had an encounter with Muhamed Ali.
    I was told my whole body would ache today and they were right, so, no fell-walking (no pun intended), or rock climbing for a few days.
    Thanks for the hugs X

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  5. More hugs from New Zealand. Glad you have such good care both from the hospital and your neighbours. As the others said take it easy for a while.

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  6. Thanks Heather, much appreciated.

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  7. And more hugs from Cornwall....I am so sorry Ray.....just what you didn't need! It sounds as though you had plenty of help but over the next few days please accept any offers that come your way...
    All I can offer are my prayers as well as virtual hugs...let the healing begin!

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  8. Thanks Jean for prayers and hugs, both needed and welcome. My next-door neighbour works from home on Thursdays and is coming in at mid-day to collect my full shopping list. Bless her.
    The biggest problem at present is having to remember not to lower my head and when my nose runs not to blow it.
    Luckily I heal fairly fast so should be much better when the stitches come out next Tuesday.

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  9. Ray...this is the first time I've visited your blog ( I've come via Perpetua)....and what a horror story. I am so sorry to be introduced to you with this nasty and painful experience. I do hope you are feeling a little better by now, and are accepting all the help that people can give you. I look forward to looking in on you again...hopefully when things are feeling much better !

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  10. Hallo Janice. Welcome to the Hammer house of horror. I am feeling considerably better now thankyou and promise I don't usually fill my blog posts with misery. (Well, not all the time anyway) so hope you will visit when the prospect is sunnier.

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  11. Dear Ray, how dreadfully awful! Well done blogging about it all and also for keeping your sense of humour! Best wishes for a speedy and painless-as-possible recovery. Bless you...

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  12. Hmmm. Sense of humour glowing dimly. Thanks for the good wishes Broad

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  13. Oh, Ray! I am so sorry to hear this story, even though you told it so well (as indeed you always do). I add a hug and some prayers to those already dispensed above with hope that you will find rest and healing. This is a time when a loving kitty would lie around with you until you feel better. But then you'd have to feed it. Glad people are feeding you!

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  14. Thanks Penny for the hugs and prayers, maybe they will give me the necessary courage to face having the stitches out next Tuesday.
    I am not reacting to the kitty hints :-)
    The swelling and bruising are beginning to fade so that's a bonus.
    Blessings.

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  15. Good grief you do like to do things well don't you Ray! Much love, gentle hugs and prayers winging their way up from down here. Stay safe and heal well xxxxxxxx

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  16. Bless you Jane. Yes well, not one to do things quietly am I?
    My facial bruising is healing very well and already fading to yellow around the edges so all good so far. X

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  17. Oh my goodness, Ray, what a horrible experience. I do hope you are up and mending soon. Thankful for all the lovely people who helped you out though.

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  18. Yes a fairly horrible experience Sue and not one I'd want to turn into a habit.
    My brilliant neighbours are doing a wonderful job and the swelling has gone, the bruises getting paler every day so, going in the right direction.
    Tomorrow afternoon I have the stitches out (Not looking forward to that), and after that I will know just what damage I have done to my
    face.
    Who knows, I might have improved it :-)

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