friday 13th - I thuoght I was safe!

[Treaclewell]

On monday, I fell in the shopping centre. Many people helped. I had an ambulance and a long day in the hopspital with CT scans and Xrays and a curious sling for a break in my left arm.
On Tuesady I stayed in bed - c ouldn't work out how to get out of my nightie, and had a phone call from the Virtual Fracture Clinic for an appointment yesterday, managed all right. Had to drag myself back from the loo and sit on top of the stairs to get up again,
On Wednesday i sat around again in bed,
On Thursday, hospita; again, and half a ton of plasther pn my left arm.
Today I feel grim. My friend has gone out. I couldn't cope with the sun in my room, so went back to sit on the stairs. My friend thought i would falldown while he was out. I told him no.
I am sitting on the top of the stairs unable to get up with tha aid of the banister, my stick, and a set of kitchen steps, weighed down by the plaster.
Why does the NHS assune one can manage?

Sounds terrible OP, sorry that happened to you.

Can you contact your friend to come back?

Hello @Treaclewell are you okay now? Can you call anyone to help?

No phone.
However, I've made it back safely. Went down to the livibg room anf watched abit of tv = interview with the ISS stranded astronauts = thats a problym"! climbed back up and am now ib bed. Those moves didn't need turns, which was the difficulty. I think i'll sleep wheb the suns bright.
Sorry about the typos. Im one hamded on a dim board.
clear sky aurora tonighr

why has your ability to to type changed from the opening post to your reply? why is it the responsibility of the NHS to make sure you can manage? do you have friends or relatives who can come and help? can you call social services and ask for some help?

Why not just pull the curtains/blinds with your non broken arm if the sun's bothering you?

I'd expect most adults with a broken arm to manage to adapt fairly easily if they're at home just looking after themselves.

the curtain fixinngs are broken, family is miles away. typing gets harder in a ssion. ut's a weekend. I'm 78. i've hardly ever called on the NHS since I had glandular fever in my 20s, when I was at home for my holidays with my parents anyway. Everything since then I've managed nyself, which since no=one ever inquired about was as well. Exept a very bad flu which I had to call on my parents for, and lost at least a day during it. They are now dead.
The hospital did not ask how I was going to look after myself. There are probably a lot of singles from the effects of WW2 on birth rates, which the NHS will need to accommodate. Not as bad as my dad's cousin's generation, but there. They asked if there was someone at home, but not of their caring skillset. Then, one doesn't know what one can do with a huge weight on one's arm until it's there.
I haven't worked out how to get a bra on yet. Well, sling off, arm through loop, but then the catches need an operating pair of hands, which in this case, like Henry Reed's soldiers, I have not got.

"I'd expect most adults with a broken arm to manage to adapt fairly easily if they're at home just looking after themselves."
Using the Loo.
Swing legs out of bed, grab stick in right hand, make way past opening to stairs (contrary ti friends fears, not going to fall dowb them). Into bathroom. Roll nightdress up all round and tuck under boobs, Roll incontinence pants down, at the same time as using right had to grasp seat and support weight (including cast which must not hit a shelf on the left) Drop onto seat and do what needs to be done, Swing to right and put lower right arm across the edge of the basin to the right, Use pressure on that, and on legs to get up. (don't know why legs aren't strong enough, but they have been weak for a while, though not for this job). Use right hand to pull up pants, and make sure pad is in place. Wash hand after flushing. roll down nightie. Back to bed. Sit on side of bed as close to pillows as possible. Support on right arm leaning back and swing both legs onto mattress, adjust position.
If I was downstairs, start with getting out of chair, climb stairs, not using banister because its on the left, pausing because of weight on the arm. return with support from right arm. May or may not use rise function of chair,
Not every adult is fit enough to just miss going to Paris to perform in the Olympics.

when i was at college we had a lecture about the Ponzi scheme that was the NHS and have been contributing to it with the knowledge that the money was going to support the people who needed it through my working life when i didn't. On the understandong that when I did it would take responsibility for me. Thats why I expect them to do so now,though why I should when I had to do their job for them in the matter of my friends mum - take her in or she's on the streets- aged 90 odd - I was told stretches credulity a bit.
Good thing - my wristband says Sex F.