Termie termite

[Mr Termite]

Time for a bit of an update. Her termieship doesn't actually get as much time for this as she'd like - she really is a very busy girl in hospital, and weekends at home just fly by! Progress is slow but kinda steady. Termie tends not to notice that she's moved on here and there, so isn't always as full of good news as she might be. Biggest event of recent weeks was the visit by the insurance company's doctor. You might have expected him to breeze in, look at whatever the hospital were prepared to show him, ask her how she's doing and be gone, to collect his no-doubt fat fee. Wrong! He spent two hours with Deb, getting her to stand, sit, turn, stretch, talk and basically use every part of her body to see how well absolutely everything is working. The hospital doctor had urged her to prepare a list of discomforts etc in advance, so that helped. We expect a draft (!) of the report this week, for Deb to comment. What he did point out, when Deb was being mealy-mouthed about her progress, was the increased articulation on the wretched right knee, which the hospital notes show to have improved markedly over the  - then - 6 weeks since she was allowed to be weight-bearing. Because this is France, the ambulance-chasing culture does not exist, so the compensation will be less than might have been the case in the UK - but then we don't know whether the marvellous facilities Deb is "enjoying" would have been available in UK, either.

One other item - Deb's voice. She has lost a great deal of power in this area. When she raised the point with the hospital doc, an ENT specialist was summoned within days, and undertook a full exam, finding no evidence of damage on the voicebox. Deb will now receive voice-training. Full-width healthcare? Not half!

[Perdu]

Ian thanks for this update

very important for us to know how the lass is doing

The knee improvement can often be disguised amongst the general "oh dear I dont feel good itis" so it does sound as if she is doing very well indeed.

The news about voice training... (might be bad news after all, when old stentor lets go again!)


No only kidding Debs honest

The fact that they will help in training the voice is an indication of just how much they can and will do and is very commendable, beat that huh?

keep her spirits up, and yours too

well done all concerned

bill

[Andy]

I hope the report is an accurate one dispite the time Deb was given a work over, But then is money more value than health albeit the crap Deb has gone through for no fault of her own.

Best wishes to you both as usual, I trust you be in fine fettle
Andy

[Topcatz]

Sorry to say, I've been a bit lax over the past few months and have let checks on Deb's progress slip (along with all other events on CA), but really glad to read there is significant progress.

Here's wishing you both a really great 2009 and hoping the progress continues at a pace.

TC

[Mr Termite]

Having just read the dreary news re Ferrari Spyder, our stuff is really quite trivial and almost cheerful by comparison. It is now 6 weeks since Deb’s first weekend at home, and, frankly, it is hard for me to say that her mobility has improved a lot. While her left leg and the right hand have come on well, the right knee is still being singularly unco-operative, and remains very painful to stand on. Deb and her physio, the estimable Gerard, have been alert to this fact for some time, and conclude that some of the metalwork installed by the undoubtedly gifted surgeons at Rouen is now working against, rather than for, her knee’s articulation. [As an aside, it has been suggested more than once that at most lesser hospitals than Rouen, the leg would simply have been amputated.] On Wednesday they managed to get their views across to the resident doctor on his weekly rounds. He looked at the x-rays, and thinks that a particular screw might now need to be removed. 5 months of bone growth should have rendered it redundant, anyway. He will need to discuss this with a surgeon colleague at Le Mans main hospital, but if the point is accepted, Deb can look forward to an operation. And that’s the point – Deb told me the news as if it were a step in the right direction (pardon the pun).

The other development is the arrival of the draft (!) report from the car insurer’s doctor. You will recall he spent 2 hours with Deb, covering a lot of issues, including who’s doing the housekeeping, the horses, the garden – hardly doctor stuff. The report is equally comprehensive in scope, and runs to 11 pages! Deb has copied it to the intern doctor to ensure nothing's been missed. We do feel that the best is being done on the claim front.

[Perdu]

As one walking around with a few redundant internal screws (arm when aged 14) I can sympathise with Debs on this. Unwanted occasional weather forecasting ability doesn't make up for the frequent discomfort, so the possibility of at least one piece of un-needed shrapnel is a good idea.

So having a remove is a good  thing and I'm sure Debs will be better afterwards

Good luck honey!

Ian thanks again for keeping the news coming in, makes us feel a bit like family.

bill

[JDS]

Ian/Debs,

Fingers crossed re: the outcome of the consultation about the knee. I was told exactly the same (re: amputation) and luckily the surgeons at the hospital I was flown to were marvelous and I still have two (95%) functioning legs, BUT, I had exactly the same issue with a knee that started to seize uo. It was found that the 'nail' that they inserted through the center of my leg had started to knoeck against the inside of the kneecap and so was decided that it should come out. A few days later a very simple operation and the differance was and still is amazing. I have almost full movement back in the leg now and the other one, while still full of scafolding has also settled into situation normal.

While this is not about me, what I'm trying to say is that although Debs must be fed up to the back teeth with hospitals and ops, should they decide to rid her of some of the scaffolding it could well be advantageous in the long run and will (hopefully) be a very straight forwards op.

Fingers crossed and best wishes to you both for the Deb's continued recovery.

[Buck Bundy]

I've not visited here for ages and was shocked to see this thread. I kept wanting to jump to the end to see how it turned out, but managed to follow it through. It's amazing to see the progress you've made in what is a relatively short time, as it wasn't looking very promising from where I was sat 20 odd pages of posts previously!

Keep up the good work.

Buck

[mgmark]

Debs and Ian,

Sounds like things are going (relatively) well, and you certainly seem to be getting a level of care, interest and after-care that is way beyond that known in the UK.  And don't be concerned about being cheerful, you have both gone through a lot of pain, stress or both to get where you are now, and you are headed in the right direction which is the important thing, and it is still good to hear about Deb's progress - just remember that we're banking on her for free access to a CA disabled enclosure, with free grandstand and pits access.....

All the best,

Mark

[smokie]

Not that we don't care any more but, now that we are getting to see Termie in the virtual flesh occasionally (as it were), it's time this was unstickied.

I hardly thought we'd see Termie making plans for '09 when this post started out. It's a tribute to her, Ian and the French medics that she's able to do so.

Keep up the progress!!

[termietermite]

Aaagh, I've come unstuck!

Thanks for your continuing moral support, it is great to know your mates are out there and I certainly hope to be up and about enough to get to the race.  If I can wangle a blue badge then maybe I should auction helpers' passes on Sell or Swap?

The medics are still umming and ah-ing about the mechano in the knee but hopefully a pow-wow between my doc' and the surgeon will take place shortly.  It's certainly beginning to p*ss me off that I can walk but the knee still hurts so *ffin' much when I do so.  Grump.

Still, my problems look pretty minor beside FS's and at least I'm still on the planet.  We heard of the death of a friend of ours this week and one of my oldest and dearest Shropshire mates, who has had me under his roof every year for the last 30 when I pay the place a visit, is sadly on his last legs and I am unable to visit him to say goodbye.  I know I'm very lucky and have to keep telling myself this every day.  Enjoy what you have - you never know how long it's going to last.

[termietermite]

You are right Petie.   Some of the people in here are so tragic you want to weep, but many make such progress it's really heartening.  Most depressing are the younger generation who are knocked down (often literally) before they've had a chance to live a full life.  At least I've done loads in my time and don't regret much so if I can't do the things I love doing (riding for instance) any more, at least I've had the chance to do them already. 
See you in 2010 then.  Must book the tickets, then I can worry about which campsite and grandstand I'll get.....

[Gordonwr]

 Hi Termie, just checking to see if progress is still ongoing OK as I'd heard nothing of late.  Hope all is well and life is easier these days.

[Leftie]

Debs, it's all relative, there is always someone worser off than oneself.  Everytime I go into the hopital I'm reminded of that fact.  With regard to mobility of joints etc, my surgery was minor in comparison to yours and I still have difficulty in putting the arm through its paces, progress is being made but the watch word is patience and just keep at it and all will come back.

don't loose the faith Debbie and look forward to seeing you in 2010 if I'm allowed then, should be with a far wind

 

Peter, no truer has been spoken and since my condition arrived 33yrs ago in a sudden accident, I understand that there are those worse off than me.

What we have to understand is the help and after care that an individual needs to get back to an almost a normal life. This part is difficult, I had no frigging help except from a loving and desperate family.

To you and Termie' I will state that you are part of a very caring family, that is CA.  What else can I say?

I wish in my heart that you both recover so that we can chat, laugh, drink again. And Joke obviously.

[termietermite]

Still here in Wheelchair City but about to embark on a week's "holiday".  I had got a bit fed up as I've been out of action for nearly seven months now and was beginning to get a bit jaded.  So a little time off was suggested.  I could have had two weeks but I insisted that they leave one "in the bag" in case I'm still here in June and need to be let out for something or other....To be truthful, Leftie, the care here is absolutely first class - whatever help I need is at hand if I ask for it.  There are even resident shrinks if you need them.

On Tuesday I walked across the physio room undaided (well, the physio was about 2" away all the time) - only about a dozen tiny steps but it was a start and a great feeling.  I can get about on crutches reasonably well but I run out of umph when the pain sets in.  Long-term I think I'll be reasonably "normal", even if I'll probably have to give up some of my pleasures in life - riding being the major one.  Happily, it looks as if I'll be able to drive a normal car but much will depend on how well the right knee progresses.  Whatever happens, it's likely to need to be replaced after a few years.  Given the state of my car though, I think I came out of this pretty well.
 
You are right, Leftie, the people around you count for so much at times like this, and CA have stepped up to the plate, as ever.  And in Mr T I have as supportive and loving a partner as anybody could wish for.   All in all, I'd say I'm a pretty lucky gal.

Better stop being sentimental now.  This is CA after all.

Drinking, chatting, laughing... no probs!  See you in June.