Back on Friday, 7/23 we decided we would need more alcohol than we had in the house to get through to our Malta trip. So, it's off to Vegas getting home about 15:30. We sat down with a couple of glasses and proceeded to relax by watching some of the mindless stuff now found on television near you.
At some point, I have no memory of the next couple of hours, I got up, most probably to get another drink, and fell headfirst on the floor. My wife must have given me a quick checkover then called 911. Our Ring doorbell camera have two strong slim guys carrying an old fat one out of his house at 19:47. We went to our local hospital emergency care unit then where loaded onto a helicopter for a quick trip to UMC in Las Vegas. I woke for a couple minute while in the copter but didn't really wake until I'd been at UMC Trauma for quite a while.
In the morning I was told that I'd broken both the C-1 and C-2 vertebra and was taken to another unit for 'storage'. My wife showed up and we talked about things with various people. It turned out the most positive outcome for a situation like this is to use a large screw to attach C-1 to C-2 then let them grow together forever more. So that was our plan.
To make a long and aggravating story short, it was 23:00 hours on 7/29 before the screw was installed! During this entire time I was confined to my bunk. If I needed the lavatory, it was via a bedpan or a drip that was installed on my penis. Food was delivered, medication was delivered OFTEN and blood pressure checks, etc were also applied every 2 or 3 hours. The procedure itself took 6 hours from the time I was picked up until I was released to Post-Op.
Friday the 30th was full of some 'meetings' where we were taught about broken vertibrea, etc. We started talking loudly about leaving and finally about 14:00 on the 31st were given permission to go home. It was 18:00 before they got their paperwork done but at least we made it home and I celebrated the beginning of August in my own bed!
So, the first thing is that I've got several doctor's appointments in the next couple of weeks. I've also got a shiny, new walker so that if I feel uncomfortable I can use that for support. We've canceled our Malta trip hoping to reschedule at some point but have no idea just now.
I've got to get out and take some photos! Thanks for stopping by; keep washing those hands!
1 comment:
OMG Don! That was an unbelievably close call! Do as you are told and get through this! That is NOT thw way you want to get a helicopter ride!
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