All Stop for a Broken Leg

April 2008

When I went to visit the boat builder on the 23rd of April, I was trying to go across a bluestone cobbled gutter area and my wheelchair stopped, I did not. After piling out of the wheelchair like a rag doll forwards onto concrete, I thought everything would be okay, but when I looked at my left leg it was considerably shorter than it should have been - one broken Femur was the result. It was a nasty break starting couple of inches above the knee and spiralling up for another four. Into an ambulance I went and off the hospital, four days later (not fun waiting for theatre time), I eventually had the leg operated on and a 12mm diameter stainless tube inserted from the knee to the hip. Good thing I couldn’t feel the leg pain, but it was an interesting operation that I stayed awake for. I'm strange that way, I like to stay awake for anything like that! The doctors found it strange to have a patient talking to them and watching, via video camera (in full colour) and x-ray display, of them drilling, slicing, hammering and screwing away at my leg. Having watched orthopaedic surgeons in action, I wouldn't like them to try and do any cabinet making on the boat or around the home! They may be great surgeons but their tool skills need some work - drill twice, measure after!

Far from stirring the boat builder into action, everything stopped on the boat and no more work was done until June. The boat builders are very frustrating in that they promise everything, and don't complete very much! There always seems to be another job that supersedes my job even though they're getting paid promptly and in full.