30 January 2020:
We had quite busy day planned:
- Pay our health insurance contributions,
- visit a small agricultural exhibition,
- pay the Internet bill,
- do a bit of shopping
- collect my computer from the repair shop.
However, just as I was getting off the jeepney at about 10 am outside the health insurance office, I managed to slice my heel open on the rear number plate. The vehicle drove off as soon as I'd alighted because the driver had probably no idea that anything was wrong.
Naturally there was no medical help available at the health insurance office -and so we had to grab a tricycle to take us to the nearest hospital. My foot was bleeding. However, luckily not too heavily -because the parked tricycle drivers were worried about me bleeding all over their vehicles.
By the time we did reach the hospital, my shoe was filling up with blood and I left a bloody trail as I limped into the ER department.
Luckily, the Emergency Department was fairly empty -and they were soon able to clean it up and stop the bleeding. Although we did have to wait a short while for a surgeon to come and sow the wound closed at around 11.30 am.
A Nurse later gave an anti-tetanus shot -after we had bought it and the other drugs from the hospital pharmacy.
By 12 noon we were ready to leave -but we had to wait again for the administration office to open at 1 pm, so we could pay the bill. Meanwhile Fatima went off to get some bread and chicken for our lunch.
Part of the costs would have been covered by our health insurance -but the hospital administration office was unable to contact the relevant (outpatients) department of the insurance -so there was quite a delay while they continued trying.
Meanwhile, there was another drama being played out before us:
Some foreigners were having an argument with the hospital billing department. It seems that they didn't have enough cash to pay their hospital bill -but they were already late departing for their non-refundable flight. The hospital wouldn't let them leave without paying their bill. Finally, they managed to scrape together enough cash to be able to leave.
Eventually, we also paid the full amount of our bill -and received a note from the hospital saying we were entitled to a refund when the health insurance formalities were settled.
I have to go back in two days -on Saturday morning at 8 am to have the wound checked and the dressing changed. Returning on Friday 7th February to have the stitches removed.....
While we were waiting, the computer shop texted us to say that they were in a meeting and the computer would not be ready until tomorrow. So, we went home -a bit poorer, with none of our plans realized....
What a silly, wasted, day....
31 January:
The Bandage Seems To Have Survived the
Night
Another Lazy Day
...and A Feast of Anti-Biotics
The funny thing is that it hardly hurt(s) at all.....
Of course they did give me a bunch of pain killers, and Fatima persuaded me to take one -just in case.....
But I'm not really suffering at all.....
In fact, of course, I have to relax and sit around, doing almost nothing that would endanger the healing of the wound.......
The Doctor had already complained that I walked too fast
So poor Fatima is the one that suffers...... She has to do all the work......
...But so far, all looks well.....
....and if all continues to go well -the stitches will be out next Friday.....
Although we do have to be up early -every morning for the anti-biotic tablet
-also tomorrow, for the checkup at 8 am......
Hopefully, we can also pick up the computer. The old one is already starting to act up annoyingly.....
Perhaps it knows.....
Fatima is already nagging me to be more careful.....
01 February:
We hired a tricycle in advance and got to the hospital in time -which was almost deserted.
I got the bandage changed -and the doctor said everything looked ok.
Fatima was showed how to do it -and given a list of supplies to buy.
We tried to get our health insurance refund -but, of course, we first had to pay our contribution (which we were on the way to paying when the accident happened)..... Being Saturday, the office was closed....
Then we went to pick up my computer .....
They hadn't installed everything that I needed on the computer -so we left it there and went off to have lunch (in the same building).
After lunch -Fatima went off to buy the medical supplies and aa few other things.....On her return we had another snack -and came home.
The computer was still not ready
02 February:
Fatima Changes the Dressing
and Another Busy Day for Me
03 February:
A Clean Dressing
So I Can Study the Nature of Things
While Fatima Does All the Work
04 February:
Fatima Changes the Dressing Again
and I Work on the Healing
05 February:
The Team Work Continues
06 February:
The Last Tablet
but Another Dressing Change
and Another Day on the Balcony
07 February:
Back To the Hospital to Have the Stitches
Removed
Then Breakfast and Essential Shopping
We went back into town to get the stitches removed today.
Unfortunately, the driver that we had booked rang us early in the morning to say his family had an emergency and so he couldn't come. Nobody else was available -so we had to walk to the main road and take a jeepney.
No problems in the hospital -although the doctor said that I walked too fast (luckily, he hadn't seen me hobbling round the garden)....
Now we just have to continue changing the dressings daily and be careful to make sure the cut doesn't reopen over the next few days -before the holes from the stitches can heal......
We bought some Extra large plasters and some ointment in case the wound does opens up.
Then we went back to check on the computer -which was still not ready -so we had breakfast in a nearby cafe,
I remained there while Fatima bought the required medical supplies.
Later we tried paying the health insurance at their local office -but they insisted we went to the main office.
We did managed to pay the Internet bill....
After that, Fatima did the shopping while I waited in another cafe.
We checked (vainly) once more on the computer and then came home......
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After a few days the holes from the stitching should be healed.
Everything should then be back to Normal -and I can work in the garden again
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The extra, large plasters did not work very well
-the wound did not breath properly.
So we reverted to the original style dressing
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