OH has fell down the stairs

[comeoneileenn]

Just moved into our new house today and OH has just gone and fell down the stairs the ambulance has just taken him to hospital.

I've got a job interview tomorrow and everything is still in boxes.

How bad are broken ankles will he still be able to look after the kids while I go?

@LockedInMadness

Not as odd as an ambulance for a broken ankle

Totally agree. Fair enough if he couldn't walk on both legs but for just one potentially broken ankle he didn't need an ambulance, ever heard of a taxi? No wonder people are dying waiting for ambulances if they're taken up with minor things like this.
When I broke my foot in several places I hopped on the other one until I got to the hospital fgs.

Oh well done you, here’s your martyr medal 🥇 If the ambulance service hadn’t thought it appropriate they’d not have despatched one, now jog on, or hop off

@comeoneileenn

Sorry guys rough night last night he rang me at 2:30 to go pick him up. He has to go back today as they couldn't do the x-ray as it's to swollen so he has a splint and crutches.

Don't know how I'm going to manage I've got boxes of clothes everywhere the new drawers aren't up or the dining table. Our family are an hour away and MIIL won't go on the motorway so we're fucked.

OP, how about going on your local Facebook page or Nextdoor and asking for recommendations for a handyperson to help you out? Also, I bet if you explain your situation you will have offers of help. People in real life are much nicer than MN would sometimes have you believe.

@comeoneileenn I think you phone up the supermarket and explain what's happened and ask to reschedule. In the circumstances it's justified and the only thing you can do really. I hope his fracture turns out to be fairly straightforward. what absolute rotten luck

Is the poster claiming to have hopped to the hospital on one leg for real? . I thought it was a pisstake but everyone seems to be taking her seriously.

My sister 3 years ago broke both her ankles falling down the stairs. It's a long recovery unfortunately. Xx

Only on MN would someone berate someone else for calling an ambulance for a broken ankle...ffs. "When I broke both my ankles I walked on my hands to A&E. People die waiting for ambulances you know."

It depends. I'm my husband's carer so when I broke my ankle I had to just get on with it. I also did childcare with 2 year old grandson. I managed, you won't be gone for 24 hrs will you. I used an office chair in the kitchen so whizzed round on that, my main problem was I couldn't get on with crutches, the nurse in A&E said in her whole career she had never seen anyone as useless on crutches as I was.

Once the cast is on it isn't that painful, the itch is worse than the pain.

Good luck.

@Thisismytimetoshine

Is the poster claiming to have hopped to the hospital on one leg for real? . I thought it was a pisstake but everyone seems to be taking her seriously.

To be fair, I don't think she's saying she hopped to hospital. The wording was:

When I broke my foot in several places I hopped on the other one until I got to the hospital fgs.

From which I assumed that she hopped to get around the house but had some sort of transport - car or taxi - actually to get to hospital.

Still a daft and potentially dangerous thing to do, however.

Just wanted to add that when I went back to fracture clinic I was next to a man with similar break, he asked the doctor if he could tell his wife he needed to rest it and shouldn't stand up doing the washing up. The doctor refused and said with a simple break (which his and mine were) he would be much better to keep active.

I have a friend who had a complicated ankle break and was in hospital for days and needed surgery.

No one on here can judge which your husband has so don't panic as it might not be too bad.

I hope it is just a bad sprain or something minor. You could try putting a request on a local Facebook page. It would work in my town.

If not the I hope you can rescedule the interview.

I was a single mother on my own with no help and managed a 4 year old when I broke my ankle, he will get crutches and pain relief .

"Basically they're hearses. Unless you're dead, don't call one."

Apart from the obvious problems of calling 999 when you are dead, it's hardly an emergency. A delay in being seen is hardly going to matter because you would not be getting any deader. Unless you are a zombie of course.

Honestly I can’t get over when people have family they are relatively close with (I know this isn’t always the case) and they won’t come!! If MIL won’t drive on motorways why can’t she train it? or drive the A roads.
God I’d I’d have even called in a friend to drive me anything I could think of.
I’m sorry they won’t come. Do you have any friends locally or within a 2 hour Journey to ask? If there was ever a time when you need someone to step up it’s now.
I know ppl will say you can manage but it’s not about that is it 2 toddlers and a your OH down is a struggle for anyone.
My DH broke his knee and I was having to look after him and 2 young DD’s MIL came while I went to work as he couldn’t get off the sofa the first week or so except to be helped to the loo and back.

To be fair I think those who are saying you shouldn't have called an ambulance are just aware of the shortage in this country. Not saying they are right, unless you are there you cant tell. Some falls/broken ankles would be fine to go in a car, others not, will depend from situation to situation. My brother was the first person on the scene of a motorbike crash recently, the young man had his bone sticking out of his leg but because he was conscious and no other visible injuries he was put in a queue for an available ambulance with a wait time of an hour. My brother was terrified of things like internal injuries he couldn't see, he's not a doctor he could only tell the call handler what he could see. Waiting over an hour after a bike crash is madness.

Oh OP you must be exhausted.

Maybe see if the supermarket will postpone your interview even for a couple of days.

Drop DP back at the hospital with a sandwich, even if he has to sit there for a few hours, and then spend today tackling the most important boxes. Everything else can wait a few weeks. Keep the kids topped up with telly and snacks to give you a bit of headspace- the world won’t end if they eat crap and sit in front of screens for a few days.

Beg your family and friends for help. If you’re near me I’d help you out!

I see The Four Yorkshiremen posters are out in force again

OP, I hope you manage to sort something today. Must be incredibly stressful for you at this stage. Good luck with the job hunt.

The ambulance thing on MN is bonkers. The call centre prioritise ambulances and a broken ankle definitely warrants an ambulance fgs.

Although the paramedic on a skateboard did make me chuckle.

I'd your DH managing time get around a little. As a single parent I've had injuries and had no choice but to look after dc. If I broke my ankle that would still be the case. It's hard to say at the moment as you don't actually know what he's done or how bad it is but majority of dc can stay in one room for the duration of a movie, snacks and toys can be provided. Only you know if your dc aren't ones that can do this. Agree with a op who said explain to the interviewer what has happened and that you hope there will be no interruptions as a result but that it's possible. Re the ambulance, no need for all the sarcasm. Majority of people would call a taxi in this situation I imagine, not least because on a Friday night it's likely to be a hell of a lot quicker. You see plenty people hopping in to A&E. Dd10 broke her arm last weekend and untacked and brushed her pony and attended a birthday party before the A&E trip.

My god there are some stupid posters on here.

A bit late now but that sounds awful, I'm sure that you've concluded by now that he won't be able to look after the DC so sending instead.

Sympathies. I broke my foot, your DH has my sympathies.

Boxes, etc: Give yourself a break. Drop your standards and roll with it. Never mind if everything stays in boxes. It is okay to camp out for any length of time until you feel better or can get help. Same applies to food/cooking. Okay to camp or eat out or have scrambled eggs for a time. There is no rush to get the house sorted.

Interview: explain to employer and/or try to get a baby-sitter.

Best of luck! It is okay to drop some balls and concentrate on the important bits.

Aren't there @Noidea. Until its been scanned its hard to tell but ankles are delicate things even a bad sprain can put you off your feet. With any kind of injury, surgery whatever you only have one chance to heal so he needs ro be really careful.

My auntie whos very active has just broke her ankle this week falling down the stairs and is completely out of action and dependant on immediate family for pretty much everything.

I hope he feels better soon OP

@giantangryrooster

Just asking as a foreigner, given the outrage of the use of ambulances on MN, do you only have one for the whole of Britain?

You'd think so wouldn't you!

But on another thread everyone will be saying to 'call an ambulance' for a broken nail.

MN is mad these days, I really, really miss the 'old days'

Ambo here- you are absolutely fine to call an ambulance for a broken ankle just for future reference, a long fall break as well; you could be looking at spinal difficulties so best not to move (or hop!) And let the professionals do their job.

Yes you might have an hour or two wait if you're otherwise breathing fine and totally alert.

OP I hope you managed to reschedule your interview, sending lots of gin and flowers!

I hope he is feeling better soon OP, and you get some,thing sorted.
But, I am loving this thread, posters ridiculous comments bring out the best retorts in people