Greetings from the stranded beetle.
The post OP cast has been removed, revealing impressive bruising and nicely healed stitches.
(Don't look if you are of the squeamish type.)
And this is the new cast, I had a choice of black or pink.
And so I am now counting down the days (28) until this rock solid beauty will be removed and I can - hopefully - progress to a moon boot and some form of walking. For now, imagine me bum crawling and one-leg hopping with various helpful contraptions, twisting and turning my way from chair to walker to knee-scooter, wriggling my toes per instructions and doing a silly looking work-out to look after muscles and strength - if the dog lets me since he remains ever hopeful that I will just get up and do the stuff he thinks this granny should do and jumps for joy ontop of me when I lift my good leg and my arms.
This is the good story, the health recovery story. And I am feeling hopeful.
And then there's the rock and the hard place scenario.
I am in my daughter's home, I am looked after with love and care and all the attention I could wish for. I could stay here until I can use both legs at least in a way that will make it possible for me fly back home on my own (33 hrs, two stop-overs). We think hope I will reach this stage by mid June the latest. That's one option.
The other option is that R comes here (yes, he remained at home in Germany for too many reasons to explain) and we both return together earlier than June with him as my travel support, probably mid May.
And then there are these factors to consider:
- daily, in fact hourly increasing airline ticket prices, especially on the best long-haul route via Singapore (the safest and "shortest" route for travel between Europe and NZ and Australia and SE Asia), I will definitely not fly via US for reasons and via Canada or Japan/Korea/China will take several days and while we are not poor, it irks and feels dramatic at the same time
- as airlines react to jet fuel shortages, flights have been cancelled already, especially on this route and booked tickets have gone into the nirvana
- once my renewed visitor visa has been approved, I will be able to stay until end of June without a chance to renew it - unless WWIII breaks out
- I will be running out of my immune suppressing medication by mid June, and as even world wide courier services are affected by reduced flight options and jet fuel prices/shortage, no guarantee of getting it in time and no it's not easily available here
- while all treatment costs of the fracture are picked up by NZ accident compensation, my international health insurfance cover for anything else that may hit me health-wise will run out by mid June
So we are back and forth throwing the dice and no doubt, we'll come up with something. We've lived this across-the-world life for long enough to trust that there will be a way.
To be continued.
Your surgeon did a nice job with the incision and the sutures. They look very nice and tidy.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize your husband had gone back home already. So many questions and so many decisions to make before you get home. I must so though that the decision to get a pink cast was an excellent decision. It's very pretty.
It's a good thing you had extra immunosuppressive drugs to last through the injury and subsequent healing.
I hope things go well.
The husband never came in the first place, this was to be my trip.
DeleteI didn't realize. Makes sense now.
DeleteI forgot to tell you that Jack has fifth disease and I wouldn't have realized if you hadn't mentioned it. My training was so long ago, I had forgotten about it. That's what he was sick with last week I guess. The rash on his face just showed up yesterday, so thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou've done well considering, eh? The next steps (pardon the pun) in your journey home will come together somehow or another, and it sounds like you've good supportive people around for them. I do hope your continued experience of healing is easy and enjoyable. As an active person, it's always hard to set aside a space of inactivity in our lives. My friend is scheduled for foot surgery in June, and already is planning what she'll do while off her feet for a long time. You had this thrown upon you, however!
ReplyDeleteThat incision really does look very good and as the kids say, "I've got 100 problems but my healing incision is not one of them."
ReplyDeleteOr something like that.
These things DO always seem to work out but my god, what an emotional and mental toll they take before they do. Are you a fretter? I am, of course. I fret myself into paralyzation, all the while realizing it does no good at all. I feel that you are probably more sensible and pragmatic than I am. By far.
Damn, woman. So, no crutches to help you get around? Not a good time to be stranded on the other side of the world. Hopefully by June things will be resolved (pardon me while I laugh hysterically at this notion).
ReplyDeleteI've got crutches, a walker and a knee-scooter. Crutches are the hardest as they really hurt my armpits, but the scooter is fabulous - if the grandchild lets me use it.
DeleteBased on our past experience, if the crutches are IN your armpits causing pain, they are too tall. There should be a gap between the top of the crutch and your flesh. Weight goes on the hands.
DeleteThat's a beautiful job of suturing, the surgeon is to be commended for taking the time and not using staples. A stapled wound takes years to flatten out.
All the best to you and R for whatever you decided to do.
Codex: right now focus on your health and your exercises. I know. Easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteYour incision looks great. No swelling. All great.
Just a suggestion but you should be able to have a pharmacy send you the meds.
Ongoing recovery one hop at a time.
It's a bit more complicated when sending meds from Europe to NZ, preferable in a cooling box, via customs. The meds I take are not standard stuff, I got plenty of the top of the range painkillers etc. for free here but monoclonal antibodies are impossible. Currently checking out fedex to deliver my stash sitting in the fridge in Germany.
DeleteCodex: did a brief search. Sending straight to doc may avoid customs problems.
DeleteUnderarm crutches? Wrapping foam around the armpit ones?
I don't have access to a rheumatology/immunology doc in New Zealand, this medication is not prescribed by general practitioners. The accident treatment is carried out by the emergency dept and the fracture clinic at the main hospital in Wellington (orthopedic dept) and it is not related to my pre-existing autoimmune disease. No international travel health insurance covers chronic pre-existing diseases - believe me, I have been checking for years. My. current travel health insurance covers only unexpected flare ups provided I can show that I have been well for the previous six months but bringing medication is my personal responsibility and what I did bring was enough until it wasn't because I had the accident and will now stay longer.
DeleteI think I'll get it through customs - it's on its way - as I have a medical certificate to bring these meds with me into NZ.
I get around with a knee-scooter (google it), great stuff.
Codex: fingers crossed. I know knee scooters, but just saw motorized ones. Almost looks like fun. Almost.
ReplyDeleteOh, man. It does look like they did a nice job! And I'm really sorry about the extra complications my people are heaping onto your life.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm glad you've had the surgery and things are looking good (from a healing standpoint), but what a pickle regarding your next steps! As you said, you will no doubt come up with a solution, but I know weighing the options is complicated.
ReplyDeleteElegant incision suturing. It does seem that one option simplifies everything else yet it may not be the preferred option. I trust that it will all work out somehow. You are resourceful. I’m glad the healing is going smoothly and that your days are filled with daughter, grandchild, dog, scooter, all the simple ineffable joys.
ReplyDelete