Amputation

Ambulance stories (5)

~ beetleypete ~ 14 Comments

Another true-life event from my time in the Ambulance Service. I think only Wilma has see this one previously, so it should be new to most of you.

beetleypete

The missing leg

It doesn’t matter how much experience you have, you can still miss something. At the time referred to in this job, I had around 15 years experience working in emergency ambulances, and my colleague that night was also no new boy, having been in the job for about 10 years. So, with 25 years service between us, you think that we could get it all right, without schoolboy errors.

That night had been busy. Weekends usually were busier, especially in Central London. We found ourselves at the Accident and Emergency Department of St. Thomas’s Hospital, just south of Westminster Bridge, opposite the Houses of Parliament. This was not one of our usual haunts, but the level of work that night had pushed us across from West London, and we had finally ended up here. As soon as we became available, we received a call . It sounded…

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Arne’s leg-update.

~ beetleypete ~ 7 Comments

Arne has now changed to a wordpress blog. Hooray! You can now keep up with his progress, follow, like posts, and even comment. Once again, I am unable to cut and paste any links (grrrr….) so please go to arneamputated.com if you wish to show him your support, or just keep a track on what he is up to.

Many thanks, Pete.

Arne’s Leg

~ beetleypete ~ 16 Comments

I received some shocking news this week. A former friend and colleague from the Metropolitan Police had been the victim of a road accident. On his 50th birthday, he was crossing a road in central London, when a coach ran over his right foot. He was taken to hospital, where the damage was found to be severe, with loss of bone and muscle. He was offered the option of long and complicated surgery to re-structure the foot, with the warning that this might not work. The second option was amputation of the leg just below the knee. This would allow a faster recovery period, and the ability to fit a prosthetic leg, that would ensure better mobility. He chose the latter option, and will undergo this surgery on Tuesday. I sent him an e mail expressing my concerns and shock at hearing the news, and I was surprised to get a reply very quickly. I was amazed at his stoicism, and the way he was dealing with this life-changing event. He didn’t complain, or once say ‘why me?’ He simply got on with the situation he found himself in, and was glad that the outcome was no worse than it was.

Arne is German, but has lived in London for many years. He has a wicked sense of humour, and speaks English better than most of his colleagues, including me. He is an excellent chess player, and an accomplished wordsmith, with an enquiring and analytical mind. It was always a pleasure to work alongside him, and we often had a great laugh together. Despite the pain and discomfort he is suffering, his first response has been remarkably practical. He has started a blog about the accident, and the forthcoming surgery. He hopes that as well as serving as a personal record, this blog will help others in similar situations, who find themselves unexpectedly facing terrible injuries, or the prospect of amputation, and dealing with the practicalities of life afterwards. I think that this is to be commended. Not many of us would have the presence of mind to start a blog, so soon after such a traumatic event.

With this in mind, I would like to use this post to promote Arne’s blog. It is not on wordpress, but it is simple to comment on the posts. Please visit the link below, and give him some support. Thanks in advance, Pete.

http://arneamputated.blog.com/

The End of a Dog’s Tale?

~ beetleypete ~ 29 Comments

Because some of you really care about Ollie, and I know you do, because you comment, or e mail me about him, here is an update.

He went in for his ‘partial amputation’ this morning, at 8.30. He was excited to get into the car, no doubt expecting to be taken somewhere new and different. When he saw the Vet’s car park, his enthusiasm dampened, and once inside, he was visibly uncomfortable. There were lots of other dogs, and a cat, already there. The morning surgery list was long, and the staff were very busy. He was weighed (26 kilos) and then taken in for a health check, to ensure he was fit enough for surgery. He hadn’t had anything to eat after 8pm last night, so that wasn’t an issue. The nurse reappeared, to tell me that he was going to be operated on, and I had to sign the consent form. They told me to telephone after 2pm.

When you have had a dog around, the house feels strangely empty if they are not there. I arrived home, feeling a bit guilty, and more than a little worried. I had asked them not to cut too much off his tail, if it could be done like that, and I was assured that only the smallest amount would be removed. I had some breakfast, and occupied myself with some routine household chores, one eye on the clock. Just after 2pm, I rang as requested. I was told that the operation had gone well, but he was too drowsy from the anaesthetic, to be collected before 4pm. I washed a bag of his toys, so that they would be fresh for his return home, and carried on with jobs, until leaving to collect him.

He finally emerged around 5pm, looking very dopey. Julie had finished work, and had met me at the Vet. Before they went to get him, they presented the bill; not much change from £400, as expected. At least the Vet will be having a good night tonight. As they said, only a tiny part of the end of his tail had been removed, and the wound closed with a couple of tiny stitches. It was so small, it was hard to tell the difference, before and after. It wasn’t dressed, and there were no tablets of any kind to take home. We were told that he had to have lead-only walks for ten days, and bland food for a couple of days. He was still very groggy, and had trouble getting in and out of the car, having to be lifted out, when we got home. He slept most of the evening, but did wake up long enough to eat some chicken and rice. About 20 minutes ago (10.55pm), he took himself off to his bed, and will hopefully sleep it off.

He has to go back for a check-up on the 27th January. I am hoping that will be that last part of this tale of a tail. Thanks to everyone who expressed concern, and sent good wishes for him.