1:44 p.m. - 2004-05-05
Hop-Along part 2
OK - so I REALLY should have gone to emergency or a walk-in clinic on Saturday . . . .
Hubby and I toddled over to the X-ray's r us store, we waited, we got x-rayed, we waited, we got x-ray neg's, I peeked . . . .
I don't know a darn thing about diagnosing these things, but I do recognize when something is desperately wrong!! My foot was surely broken. You could see it as plain as day! The long bone leading toward the bruised, beat-up baby toe, two little v-shaped eruptions. Thankfully not broken in two, just twisted up real good.
We drove over the my GP for a proper diagnoses, by this time its 2:30. She confirms what I saw and immediately tries to find a "casting" place to get me into. A difficult challenge in an already depleted medical system. All the places gave the receptionist the same answer, "Don't send her here. We're already backed up and we close in two hours."
The alternate solution was to wait until morning and get in then, or go to Emergency and let them cast it.
I foolishly thought this was the most immediate answer.
I was wrong!
We got over to emergency around 3. I started the paperwork part - 1st Treage (sorry I'm not spelling it right - but that station that determines the immediacy of a situation), then checking me in, then . . . . wait . . . . wait . . . . wait.
Three hours later I see the emergency doctor, and he informs me that IF my GP (who'd sent me and first diagnosed me) had sent me with a little slip of paper saying she'd diagnosed me - I woulda' been scooted through this process 2.5 hours earlier. These were not music to my ears. He then adds insult to injury by putting in writing . . . . "42 year old woman wearing unsensible shoes walks and falls off said shoes."
This is going on my permanent record people!!! I'm going down in history as the "Unsensible shoe lady". This rates right up there with the guy who goes into emergency with a vacuum hose attached to his private parts . . . . no wait, my situation isn't nearly as embarrasing as that . . .
I digress - there is part three to all this. They don't really want to put a good old-fashioned cast on my foot. No - they try every tactic they can to convince me that that would be "cumbersome", "uncomfortable", "inconvenient" for me.
By now, it's 6 o'clock. I've already had a very very very very long day. I have missed work, eaten early so as not to miss my doctors appointment and am therefore hungry. Don't freakin' tell me you don't want to put a cast on it when that's exactly what I've been waiting for!!! (It was the "unsensible shoe" comment that did this doctor in in my good books)
They convince me that an "Aircast" is the way to go. That it is much easier because I can take it off to bath and sleep. Which I wouldn't be able to do with a conventional cast. However, here's the glich - the "Casting" place has been closed since 4:30 and won't be open until the morning. I'll have to come back!
Can you feel / see / know my frustration here gang?
Long story short - we trucked back to the same hospital today, but to a different area, and I am now the proud owner ($165 later) of an aircast. Which I will live, work, and breath in for the next 3 - 6 weeks.
Does anyone have any sympathy for me? Come on - give me your love. Please, please, please.
Anyway - I'll keep you posted on the progress, but heck - there isn't much else I can for a while.
Cheers - LJ
