Big consequences of ‘small’ accidents
Francoise emerging from her treatment – It does not look like much but the consequences are extensive.
This evening I was pacing around in the A&E at Bath RUH waiting for Françoise to return from having a treatment by the doctor after having been called in for an x-ray. I had to wait quite a considerable time, and I realized that she was probably going to come out with a bandage of some sort. Thank goodness it was not a plaster of Paris.
There were 20 or 30 people waiting for attention. I reflected that on this very morning, who would have ever thought that they would be anywhere near an A&E department?
It was difficult to tell who was suffering from what, as most people seemed to show no external signs of discomfort except two ladies, one of whom had a large patch over the left side of her face and looked very sorry for herself and was being comforted by a boyfriend, and the other one had a large sick bowl and was staring morosely into the distance.
Apart from that, they could have been waiting for a train.
Our story starts on a quite uneventful day (today, Friday, 22nd August 2025) when we decided that in spite of Francoise’s knee injury, she would go out on her bike for some exercise. We found a level cycle track, and she tried to put her right knee over to the right side of the bike but could not lift it enough. She rode forward a few inches, but the momentum was insufficient; the bike and she crashed down on the tarmac.
Due to an instant rush of adrenaline, it was very difficult to tell where any injuries had occurred, but when we returned home, the right hand was throbbing and painful and started to assert itself. After a couple of hours, we decided to go to the local hospital for minor injuries here in Paulton.
The young trainee who looked after her could not have been more helpful but he could not decide whether there was a fracture or a break and said that since there was no x-ray department person on duty at that time, 5:30 pm. the best thing would be to go to the RUH Hospital in Bath.
He suggested we go immediately, as the weekends, especially the forthcoming bank holiday weekend, are more problematic. off we went and I dropped her off at the A&E and found a place in the street to park the car.
This is an account by Françoise of the care she received from the doctor.
The lady doctor called me from A&E department and took me to the emergency room, where they assess people. She was really lovely. She’s called Jenny, as it happens that she lives in a town next to us called Paulton. I commented on her beautiful smile. She had a very good look on my wrist, assessing all the bones up to the shoulder but I didn’t have any pain in the shoulder
She pressed and pulled the fingers and the wrist and the bone to see where the pain was. She said she had looked at the X ray, which I had done beforehand. She said, ‘I’m going to be very quiet’ because we were chatting. I’m going to be very quiet for a while while I’m looking at the X ray.
So she had a good look assessing the break, and she noticed there was a small facture in the middle of the wrist. There was another part of the wrist, which is under the thumb, a bone, and it was not clear if there was a break or not.
She decided to send me for another xray to know exactly what was going on. In the event I had three more X rays on my hand. She had a good look, and she said she was still not sure that there is a break on that bone, so she was going to ask for another opinion. If the bone under the thumb had had a fracture, then I would have had to have a plaster.
She went off and consulted another doctor and came back and said that I didn’t need a plaster, but I would need a splint. Then she went to get a splint and explained to me what to do, what not to do, how to hold my hand and my arm, how to sleep, to have a pillow to support my hand, and the importance of following the rules, in particular the first week.
She emphasized that I had to keep the splint on day and night for the next 6 to 8 weeks. She gave me an information letter with a phone number about the virtual fracture and hand clinic.
They will reassess me in about seven days, but as it is a bank holiday this weekend including Monday, it will be postponed to the following week by either sending a letter or a phone call, and then I will have an appointment with them in Bath to reassess my wrist and see how it is healing and take it from there.
She was really nice. We had a bit of a laugh together, and she obviously knew what she was doing, and that was not a bad experience, as to say, because of her attitude.
I concurrently I had a wander around the corridors of the main hospital to admire the artworks. Here is an example.
And general notices from this highly rated hospital
It is worth examining the words in greater detail, as the poster goes to some lengths to explain what people should do in certain circumstances. i.e. not to over react or underreact.
Self-care grazed knees, sore throat, coughs and colds. Visit nhs.uk for self-care advice
Pharmacy headaches, upset stomach, aches and pains, bites and stings
NHS 111 visit 111.nhs.uk or call 111 for advice and support 24 hours a day seven days a week
GP call your GP for symptoms that won’t go away
Minor injuries unit – urgent but not life threatening sprains, broken bones, wounds, burns, minor head injuries
Urgent care at RUH – urgent but not life-threatening: sprains, broken bones, wounds, burns, minor head injuries, minor illness
Emergency Department life threatening and serious injuries, unconscious, breathing difficulties, stroke, heart attack, heavy bleeding, severe burns
My comments on the above: I think this has been waved through, as I notice there are duplications, which could be confusing to some so I would have put this through a few more stages of consultation prior to publishing it
good clear message, and the lady looks the part, unlike other examples previously quoted.
The effect on our home life and arrangements
# Francoise has to wear the bandage day and night for the next 6 to 8 weeks.
# During this time she will not be able to drive.
# It is unlikely that she will be able to cook very much.
# She will not be able to ride a bike.
# she cannot do the gardening and maintain the allotment
# Showers will be more difficult, though possible.
# simple tasks such as opening a bottle or tin will require assistance
# She was hoping to attend a Pilates class.
# She will not be able to draw and paint
# This, combined with the arthritic knee, will make walking very difficult.
# us mere men would not realise how she can do her own bra straps
# And finally, she was hoping to swim.
Yours truly will be stepping up to the plate.Thank goodness I am not in full-time work.
