Jake the Peg

(Taking the lead from Kate, I am trying to continue my occasional theme of using song titles for my postings....we'll see how it goes)

So, the following morning my knee is swollen to the size..well, of a very swollen thing, and I can't put any weight on my leg. Having had practice when I knackered my knee last time I still manage to get a shower. Well, my hair was a mess and I wiffed of wine (see previous posting).

Luckily the time difference meant I could get travel insurance details from work, and was able to contact our *people* who told me which hospital to go to. It was called "Clinica Biblica" - yep that's Biblical Clinic. Conjures up some bizarre images, doesn't it. Anyway, the nice man in Urgencia (that's Emergency to you and me) got my x-rayed, and confirmed nothing was broken or dislocated, merely (!) strained. Basically I had damaged all the ligaments. And then he put me in plaster from thigh to ankle.....blue plaster!



Said I should keep it on for three weeks, and sent me off with my x-rays as a souvenir. OK - so then I ask the travel company to send me home, which was the point I discovered that you aren't allowed to fly in plaster, and would I mind staying in Costa Rica for three weeks!

So then the hunt begins for hospital who can fit me with a leg brace......more than 24 hours later, by which time I am gettting heartiliy sick of room service and costa rican TV, I am told to report to......Clinica Biblica. Actually, this time I am seeing the orthopedic specialist, who turns out to be a charming Colombian, who removes the plaster with one of those scary electric saw things, then announces I am fit to carry on my travels to Colombia (I think he was biased), but he writes me a note to say I must travel business class...heh heh heh! He also gives me a prescription which includes three injections that I have to administer to myself....injections...that is syringes....with needles!

Anyway, I did go to Colombia (business class), and it was lovely. What a beautiful country! And I discovered the way to jump all the queues at airports.....get wheelchair asistance! oh, except in America. That is still as crap as ever. They even make you get out of your wheelchair to go through the security thingie. Fine for me, but there were some proper disabled people....and they were the airport's own bloody wheelchairs.

So, I'm back now...obviously...still limping and a bit stiff in the knee area. Going to the hospital next week. Good old NHS. Back in this country 5 weeks after a serious knee injury, and have to wait all that time to check I haven't actually done any lasting damage to myself. What do you want to bet I have to wait anothr 5 weeks for the MRI?

Just for you, Kate!

And because I happen to have an hour or so to kill in the BUSINESS lounge at Atlanta Airport.

OK...so....I had to go to Central and South America for a couple of weeks. We have abunch of customers out there who are way overdue a visit. Plus, my new company has a division to manage the whle region, so we are working on some other stuff too.

Meeting in Costa Rica, then a 10+ day tour of Colombia. Got to admit, was not madly keen on the Colombia bit, but hey ho..it's a job...it pays the bills (just).

Anyway..I shoulda known it was going to be a bad trip when I split wine over myself at the beginning of an 11 hour flight. Then I managed to break my watch trying to adjust the time. When I finally arrived in Costa Rica my colleague was nowhere to be seen. My flight was an hour late...but even so....Turned out he had emailed me instructions, but as he has a Blackberry and I DON'T (that's another story) I was left at San Jose airport, not speaking the old lingo, and fending off eager taxi drivers to the best of my ability.

Anyway...eventually rolled up at the very nice Marriott San Jose. It's about 10.30pm by now. And then, about approximately 11pm, I trip over my laptop case, go down lack a sack o' potatoes....and an excrutiating pain in my knee. Who remembers my fateful pregnancy, and my dislocated knee at 6 months? Well, this is very similar! I am freaked, but realisingly it's not actually dislocated this time, I decide to go to bed (well, i'd been traveling for 24 hours plus at this stage), hoping it would all be fine in the morning.

What do you think? All better? No need to call the travel insurance company? WRONG!

And.....that's part 1, Kate. Tune in next week for more tales of our intrepid heroine as she intrepidly continues her travels against alal odds, and has to give herself injections...yes, injections...with a needle.

A taster....

Soon to come...a tale of woe in Costa Rica....highlights include a critique of the Costa Rican health care system....experiences in a plaster cast.....and how to jump the queue at airport scurity!! Those of you who read my facebook page as well as my blog have a head start....

The squeamish may wish to look away now

I broke my toe! I haven't ever broken a bone - not in 42 years. Pity my first break was as unimpressive as my little toe (right foot). So, I have never had a proper plaster cast - not even when I dislocated my knee. That was just a crepe bandage and a thing to hold the leg straight - I'm sure it has a proper name. It was a blue felt caliper, for want of the correct terminology.

This time, I get a bit of stuff between my toes and some sticky tape. But, man, look at that bruise!


I did it by stubbing my toe on the door jamb in the bedroom, on the way back from the shower. Slippers from now on, I suppose.

I am flying out to Germany this afternoon. I am wondering if I can blag a ride on one of those golf carts at Schipol Airport!