Sainsburys, Nothingham
A lie in with the Saturday newspaper, great. Should we then head to County Hall steps for a night before continuing our way down stream? Maybe. Or possibly carry on to Stoke Lock and hope for the low bank mooring where we’d be happy to let our resident thug out again. We’d have breakfast and then make or minds up.
Walking through from the bedroom I managed to clip my right little toe on the cupboard below the stove. I’ve successfully moved between bedroom and the main cabin numerous, thousands of times before without injury. Today I was not so fortunate. I immediately sat on the sofa, knowing that this wasn’t just going to be ten minutes of feeling foolish and a sore toe, it felt different. I looked down.
My little toe that normally sits tucked in beside the next little piggie was aiming itself towards the bow of the boat! Ah! Argh!!!
Two paracetamol, a small bag of frozen peas applied, foot raised. Phone call to 111. It took a while for Mick to get a postcode of our location, Sainsburys (what 3 words not suitable). Phone signal can be problematic inside a boat, so he stuck his head out the hatch. The person needed to talk to me, fortunately if I leant backwards towards the window I could be heard. She took my details and said someone would call back within the hour, if they hadn’t then we should make our way to an A&E. I wasn’t to eat or drink anything, no breakfast!
Within the hour Mick’s phone rang and it was a nice lady who asked lots more questions. She referred me to the nearest Urgent Care Centre, Seaton House, a mile away as a crow flies, just at the right hand bend on the canal, we know it quite well having visited there twice in the past.
The Geraghty zoom was missed. Apparently toe strapping and elevation were topics today.
With my left shoe on, my right shoe in a bag we set off to head to Sainsburys for a taxi. A few years ago I fractured my ankle, so the problem of getting on and off a boat was one we’d overcome before. A bum shuffle across the welldeck, up onto a locker then swing legs round, pull the boat as close as possible to the towpath then a big pull up. Job done.
A taxi was with us within minutes of Mick phoning, then it took what felt like an age to drive the mile, it might have been quicker by boat! I was triaged within an hour and then a while later taken through to meet Brian a locum paramedic. He wanted me to have an x-ray, suspecting a dislocation. The problem was getting someone to authorise an x-ray.
The radiographer confirmed I’d broken my toe. Another wait then back to see Brian. He called April in to join us, she headed off to check my x-ray. I had a choice, leave it as is and it would heal at a jaunty angle or they could manipulate it back to face the right way before strapping it up. April suggested the later would be better.
Brian had mentioned about gas and air, but April just told me to take long deep breaths. I’m not going to say it didn’t hurt, but it was far better than I was expecting. The two of them then strapped my toes together handed Mick a roll of tape, job done. Before leaving I made sure I asked questions, I’d made the mistake of not asking when I lost my finger and ended up having to have more physio in the end. Vitamin C was prescribed by April, wine by Brian. I checked if calcium would be good, they agreed to add chilled medication to my prescription.
A taxi back to Sainsburys, another hobble back to the boat, I managed the bow steps without having to bum shuffle. Despite Tillys protests we would be staying put for the day.
I’d broken my toe at about 9:15 and was back on the boat, foot up at 14:00. Thank you to everyone at the Urgent Care Centre and to Mick for heading to Sainsburys to find chilled medication with vitamin C included. Apparently it works better if he gets to have some at the same time too!
As I’ll be sitting on the sofa a touch more than planned, bang goes the painty jobs on Oleanna for a week or so, I’ve opened up my Sockathon again. Lots of Boat Women had shown interest on Facebook and I still have quite a bit of donated yarn left, so I may as well keep my fingers busy. Four pairs already on the list, if you’d like to be added then please let me know your size and one word. That word could be your favourite colour or something about you and I’ll see what I can come up with from my stash of yarn. I’ve asked people not to donate until I know I’ll get to their pair as I won’t be knitting a sock a day this time.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stubbed toe, 1 little piggy who went wee wee wee all the way to an urgent care centre, 2 taxis, 1 very bored cat, 1 tub chilled medication, 2 glasses wine, 1 roll of strapping, 2 elderberry stains, 1 cauliflower cheese masterclass, 1 departure delayed, 1 boat not so keen on Nottingham!
Oh dear Pip, You have my deepest sympathy as I know just how painful a broken little piggy is. I did mine many years ago whilst negotiating stairs on my way to bed whilst visiting the Cleddau crew. They had a book case on the half landing which was made of planks (nice ones!) balanced on bricks. It was the bricks that did the damage. I have to admit that I didn’t feel much at the time (we had had a very social evening!), but I knew all about the next day. Take care. Jennie
Thank you Jennie, it’s certainly easier to manage than a broken ankle.
If you had boated down to the sharp bend you could perhaps have moored right outside Seaton House!
I remember the location and spotting it as one of the first Walk in GP centres – which seemed to me to be a great idea but were abandoned, perhaps they were working too well!
Hope the mend is speedy! (Mind you, some liveaboards, moored close to water and Sainsbury would find it taking all winter to be fit again!)
As we came past there certainly seemed to be enough room for a mooring in the corner. Hopefully I won’t need to return for a fourth time!
Ouch!
Good job you were seen to promptly.
God bless the NHS, all the good people who work therein and the memory of Aneurin Bevan.
(I had need to use the NHS as an emergency case shortly after we met last year)
SAM
NB ‘Red Wharf’
Yes indeed. Where would we be without the NHS. Hope your problems from last year are now all sorted.