Fishing... Lucky To Be Alive...

Did I say a few days ago that sometimes I
end up in  unexpected places... Well I certainly have
this time... I hope you're not squeemish.


I showed you this photo in my last post...  Well I had some
Pipis, took my rod, the tide was coming in and I walked
round the dirt road to this spot to go fishing... I
did catch a good size Kahawai... But then I somehow
fell in... Face down into the sea, but my leg and foot
slipped between the rocks and got caught. I had climbed
through the fence and was standing on the rocks to the left of
this photo. I got a real fright  and then adrenalin must have kicked in.
Using my arms and one leg I managed to push myself out of the
water, free my leg and get up onto the grass.
There was blood everywhere and when I tried to stand my left
knee wouldn't support me.  I knew the gashes on my leg
were serious... I had to get  help and there was no one around...
I couldn't walk... So I crawled back round the road.


When I got to this corner amazingly there was a car and
a man. He came running to my aid, took one look,
got more help and called the ambulance. In such a small
isolated place the first response was the fire truck
from Maketu then the ambulance from Te Puke which
took me to Tauranga hospital 3/4 of an hour away...
That wasn't my plan for Tuesday!
The photos below are taken while I was waiting...
And surveyed the damage

 

My foot and knee... My whole leg swelled up really fast.
 I left my jandals on... There is a big wound and hole
under the ball of my big toe... They kept the dirt and grass out. The blood
dried up fast and I wasn't aware of any significant pain.

  I spent 12 hours in accident and emergency... X-rays showed
my knee was broken... The tibia plateau... A corner
of it was shattered... All behind the knee cap. Looking back I have
no idea how I crawled round the road. The next day I spent
3 hours in surgery and recovery. The above photo is a couple
of days later, all trussed up in a brace and on lots of pain relief.

Yesterday it was decided I could get up and
have a shower... that was a huge effort...
Then all the bandages and dressings were
taken off. I watched with interest and curiosity...
What would be underneath?

The skin off the front of my shin... This
will require the most care to heal.

The damage that was under my foot that
I couldn't see... The  hunk of flesh that
came out was put back in the hope it
will grow... And stitched up.

The big hole on the side of my shin
is all stitched up...

And this big wound is from fixing my knee.
There is an L shaped metal plate in it and
several screws... All the colour is bruising
and red antiseptic. The little squares are
from the dressings.

And here I am today... Hospital gowns and leg braces...
The latest fashion! It's going to be a long healing process.
 I can't walk on my foot or put weight on my knee
for 12 weeks... Therefore I can't drive my bus... Oh dear...
But I'm very thankful to be alive I could so
easily have drowned.