Happy New Year 2022 Everyone, I hope that you are all doing well.
Last November I was away working in Belgium, in a small town named Courtrai.
On my way back to the hotel from the campus, I misstepped off of the sidewalk onto the bike path which is 2 inches lower...and wrenched my ankle, badly.
My friend dragged me back to the hotel via taxi but within an hour I was screaming in pain...no pain meds helped...my foot was blue.
Ambulance...the EMTs are real trauma specialists and not just drivers...he took one look at my foot which was twisted sideways and black and promptly informed me that the circulation had been cut off and that I was about to hate him! He had to pull my ankle back into alignment...
After I screamed into a pillow he put an inflatable cast on me and took me to the ER,
The Belgian ER looks like a stage set for a TV series. It is spotless, modern, and smells fresh...the Nursing staff and doctors look like they just walked out of central casting. All beautiful, kind, caring, knowledgeable,
For about 2hrs they discussed surgery or not surgery, (would I lose the foot?) did x-rays and tests.
But, here is the thing...I have a K pouch (and continent ileal reservoir with a stoma that requires intubation). I was panicked... Finding myself in a city where most of the people speak Flemish (not even close to any language that I understand) and whose command of English or French is sometimes iffy I found myself trying hard to explain my pouch, my medical issues (way too many) and my fears...I realized that I needed to start carrying a USB or Data stick with all of my medical history and pictures of my pouch as well as details of my medical needs post-op...especially if I can't speak for myself.
I was lucky that night, my Best friend was with me, has been with me through dozens of surgeries and speaks both French and English so between us we managed to communicate quite well with the doctors.
I ended up casted and traveling home was going to be a nightmare and I had to pretty much stay on fluids until we figured it out (traveling by train with a cast and crutches is no fun where there are no elevators).
In the end, it all worked out but the lesson was learned...you need to keep your medical files up to date and easily accessible.
Have a safe New Year everyone.
Sharon
