Termie termite

[Mr Termite]

Mark

The right leg tendons are going to be the long-term problem. Clearly meccano doesn't cut the mustard here! All the clever articulation that the surgeon's restoration has done needs to be supported, and that is gonna take time. The original diagnosis said 3 months, but the tendons may not have been known about then. I'm hoping home by end November at the earliest, now. Trouble is, with no mobility on the right leg, the poor girl can't even get to the loo! It takes at least three people to get her into a wheelchair, and that has nothing to do with body weight, which has dropped a bit, natch.

The orthopaedic surgeon visits today, and he may well have some news for us. He will certainly dictate the forthcoming regime for the physio team - important in restoring mobility in the bits that can be allowed to work. At present, that only covers the left arm! We think the splint comes off the right arm next week, and the left leg gets the green light late-October - but all this is subject to further inspection, of course. The many broken ribs - there were at least 10 - collarbone, sternum, bones above the nose, fingers etc all just mend, of course, and she has had little gip from any of these except from the collarbone.

Look at that list, and you can see how lucky she was that nothing critical got damaged! Thanks again, Nissan!

[Lorry]

Good grief, Evel Knievel would have been proud of injuries like that.

So the targets look like home before Christmas and running around by June

[Mr Termite]

Deb seems to have seen another doctor this morning, and the visiting orthopaedic surgeon this afternoon, for which I was present. The news ain’t great, really – she’s there for at least another two months, probably. Substantial bone growth is needed around the breaks in the right knee before it can be weight-bearing, and that’s that. Physiotherapy starts tomorrow, we hope, based upon the chief physiotherapist being present & taking notes during this afternoon’s consultation. The orthopod seemed a bit disappointed that he had old x-rays. We don’t understand why, as fresh ones were taken at Rouen last week, but perhaps they were mislaid there. More will be taken soon, so he has a better idea of what progress has been made to date – the Rouen surgeon seemed quite pleased, so perhaps we have some better news to follow. I’m trying to be cheerful, honest!

Once again, I pushed Deb round the grounds in the wheelchair, enjoying warm Autumn sun. Clearly we won’t be doing that in a month’s time! They’ve now dug up a crane for lifting her in and out of the chair, which reduces the number of volunteers needed for this event!

[Andy]

Fantastic news of Debs relocation and progress.
Ian how are you coping?

Good to hear you re able to push her around a little, make the most of it as for when recovered the status quo will resume.
Kind regards an wishes to you both

[mgmark]

Ian,

Thanks that's all good news, if frustrating, and thanks for sharing it.  Give it a little while and she'll be demanding a leccy wheelchair to make runs down to the local cafe for expresso and gitanes.....

Mark

[nopanic - neil]

Ian,

Thanks that's all good news, if frustrating, and thanks for sharing it.  Give it a little while and she'll be demanding a leccy wheelchair to make runs down to the local cafe for expresso and gitanes.....

Mark

I agree.

BUt knowing Termi - it will be a racing elect wheelchair  - that can run 24 hrs and is not as quiet as a Audi 

[garyfrogeye]

Ian,

I've been reading this from the start and deb's list a breakages sound pretty complete. 
I hope that the two of you are over the worst and things continue to improve.
Please don't forget to look after yourself.

Gary

[Mr Termite]

Deb has managed to scrawl something for me to transcribe here. Even though it’s quite short, she found it exhausted all the strength in her right hand, which is, of course, still in a splint.

“I can’t write properly yet, so am scribbling this in hospital for Ian to transcribe. Just to say a brief thankyou to everybody for your posts (which unhappily I have thus far been unable to read as I have no Internet access) and special thanks to all those who have sent cards, letters & presents. They certainly help to keep me sane during what is going to be a pretty long haul in hospital. Happily the only pain is in my backside & that is from boredom! I’m going to be allowed to start walking in November & hopefully will be home for Xmas when with luck I’ll be able to reply to you individually.

Meanwhile thanks again for all your good wishes. Drive safely!”

Late this afternoon, just as we were coming back from our wheelchair promenade around the grounds, the physio called Deb in and she started her first full session there, which is a relief. The physio has told Deb candidly that 18 months may be needed to restore full strength in her right leg. He also feels there are better places than his particular hospital for patients with Deb’s kind of injuries, and will be discussing this with hospital seniors and the orthopaedic surgeon in due course. She will be back in the physio treatment room first thing tomorrow, reflecting his recognition that Deb’s needs may be more urgent than some of his other – far older – patients.

Earlier, we spent a few pointless moments adding up the number of fractures Deb suffered in the crash. We are sure it is at least 25, possibly several more. Ouch!

[Mr. Invincible Mou]

 

That is good news Mr. T I'm glad to read that Debs is fully on the road back to LM 

He also feels there are better places than his particular hospital for patients with Deb’s kind of injuries, and will be discussing this with hospital seniors and the orthopaedic surgeon in due course.

  I do hope for your sanity, that he is not going to suggest somewhere such as Rouen 

[smokie]

..... Deb found her lane blocked by a car lying on its side – having just been punted there by the lorry – and she drove into its roof! ....

I'm quoting this to prove to those at the South Coast Chapter meet last night that they were wrong and I was right! 


Having read the thread again from the start just to locate this info, all credit to Ian for keeping dropping by to update us in what must have been the most traumatic month or so of his life. I'm not surprised by 25 fractures, neither am I envious!! Again, get well soon Deb.

[Mr Termite]

Anyone interested in seeing a current picture of Deb can click on this link

http://www.lizardms.com/fans/

- she's near the top of the page. The Lizards' second place in GT2 at Petit was enough to give them the team and driver championships in GT2.

Pic was taken outside the hospital on Sunday. I did try to post it here, but the software simply told me there was an error, and when I tried again, insisted I'd already posted it! Doh!

[Brian(Liverpool boys)]

Pic was taken outside the hospital on Sunday. I did try to post it here, but the software simply told me there was an error, and when I tried again, insisted I'd already posted it! Doh!

Ian, hope you don't mind I have uploaded photo for you worked fine.
Brian.

[mgmark]

Outstanding - a smile, thumbs up and not a fag in sight (yet....)    And a blanket to keep the legs warm.  I suppose that an old persons single slipper sheepskin footwarmer wouldn't go down well in the Xmas stocking......

MG Mark

[Mr Termite]

Have a care, sir! Not just any old blanket but a pukka Flying Lizard blanket! No ordinary tat for Termie!Actually I think she might be getting her mama to get her a footwarmer type thingie as you describe. Putting a pair of socks on is still some way away - and that's with a helper able to do the putting! Poor girl came within an ace of getting a pedicure at Rouen, but then it was interrupted by some more pressing medical procedure. Now we hope the equivalent lady at Le Grand Luce will appear. Such people provide great service - but necessarily do a single tour of the hospital, and if you're not available for them at the time, they have to pass you by.

[knetter]

From the pic it seems that Deb is in good spirits. I hope she has a speedy recovery, at least quicker then the projected 18 months.

Give her my best regards,

Roy