One broken ankle and one short cruise

Wouldn't it be nice to have time to sit around and watch TV, snooze, read and write? Yep, that's what I always thought when trying to squeeze everything else in.  So now that the opportunity has arisen - over it.


Rushing home last Wednesday 14 February, I twisted my ankle and went down arse over tit.  Strangers quickly came to my aid, helping me up and checking that I was OK.  Yes, the ankle hurt, yes my knee hurt and yes my palms hurt, but I was OK.  Embarrassed and glad I was wearing pants - granny knickers stayed safely hidden.

 

Managed to hobble on to the train. Who happens to be on the train and carrying an icepack?  Angel Maree of course.  Ankle still swelled like a golf ball and hurt like hell, but made it to Hampton station where Emi had to half carry me to the car and off to Sandringham hospital we went.

 

Now we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day, but still not where we wanted to spend the evening.  Anyway, finally got checked out and x-rayed and fears confirmed, ankle fractured.  Difficult decision, take pants off and go home in knickers or slice them.  Enough embarrassment for one day,  chop them - and on went the cast.

 

Home with a pair of crutches that I was crap at using and in danger of falling over and breaking the other leg - or worse.  Anyway, pain wasn't too bad, idea of relaxing with my foot up looking good.

Next day, managed to get to the loo and hiring a wheelchair was easy enough - because crutches were never gonna cut it. Main objectives for the day accomplished. 

Farewell favourite black pants!



Friday 16th we were off on our 4 night cruise and navigating passageways on a rolling ship on crutches was not going to happen.  Doc didn't think there was any reason not to go, although dancing was clearly going to be a challenge. 

 

Packing was OK. Shoe requirements instantly halved (3 shoes - not 3 pairs, just 3 shoes).  Being in a wheelchair certainly had some advantages  - priority boarding. No lines and straight on.  And would you look at that, a bar 3 steps on.  Good place as any to wait for Joanne and Fernando (with Josh and Amelia) to board with a glass of bon voyage bubbles.

 

Overall, the cruise was OK (except for the lack of dancing and didn't even play bingo).  Cruise ships are probably better set up to handle wheelchairs than home and the staff were very helpful. We enjoyed a few of the shows and of course plenty of food.  Showed great restraint in the cocktail and bubble department as falling over was not an option. Fabulous catching up with Joanne and Fernando - the things we need to do to see each other!

So why didn't I get heaps of reading and writing done?  No idea.  When you have to sit still, you don't want to.  And the ankle?  It's probably more painful now than it was, trying to keep it raised as much as possible, but finding that by the end of the day its  swollen and aches. Still not getting as much writing done, but doing well on the siesta front.

 

Fingers crossed that x-rays next Tuesday show things are healing and the visit to the orthopaedic doc on Thursday has me out of the cast and into a boot.  Because I am not very good at keeping still and not doing anything. 



Well would you look at that - chipped nail polish