a week in which I pass myself on the road

1600 kilometres later, the week is finally done, and my opinion on the public health system isn't any higher.

My boy and I went to Townsville on Monday, did a few jobs (picking up strange mechanical parts) some grocery shopping and then booked into a motel, got some room service and then went to the Fractures Clinic for his appointment at 1030 Tuesday morning. (how exciting, I managed to get a park with little effort which also wasn't a million miles away from the hospital!) Our appointment was only an hour late, which too was very exciting.  There the exciting stuff ended.  Review x-rays were done, and blind Freddie could tell his arm wasn't straight. So, can you come back on Thursday and we'll fix that. Can't do Wednesday, I asked? No, sorry. And you can't go home on Thursday afterwards, as he will be under general anaesthetic, you'll have to stay close to medical assistance just in case, and if they pin it, well he'll have to stay in overnight and maybe you can go home Friday.

Hmm. We went back to the car park, started the car, and with airconditioner running, made some phone calls and thought about things. I could go home straight away, spend a full day at home, or sit in Townsville for the rest of the week. I decided to go home, grabbing some groceries on the way to restock the pantry. We were home by dark Tuesday evening.

The Husband, in the midst of sending sale steers away (another story, which has a rather complicated twist involving a truck rollover on route to their destination, but thankfully for us financially they were already under the ownership of the buyers, although sad for the cattle that had to be put down, and the rest that may be wandering around the paddocks around Tambo somewhere!) said he would take us back down.  And because he 1. likes to sleep in his own bed and 2. apparently has a liking for the wee hours, we left at stupid o'clock on Thursday morning.

We made it to Townsville with an hour to spare before Angus's 7am Thursday admission, so he was able to drink his apple juice (nil by mouth apart from clear fluids before 0630) and coffee and breakfast for us. And after seeing three or four different people ticking boxes on papers (and waiting, lucky I was prepared with cars, books and electronic equipment!) finally at 10am he was wheeled into theatre. He was a little nervous and excited, and the nurses were very good.  I got to stay with him as they put him to sleep with gas (quite funny, he fought it a bit!) and then was sent back to the waiting room.

Three hours later (more waiting waiting, luck we had a couch to sit on, not hard chairs, Husband read the papers front to back and back again, before finally deciding he would go pick up more strange expensive mechanical parts) they finally called us into recovery where there was quite a sad little boy waking up.

He's not a boy that often gets truly, sadly upset (oh, there are often bawling tears, often caused by minor injury or slight by his sisters) but there were true tears and a declaration that his arm "hurted really bad".  Once he was awake enough the nurses gave him som Nurofen, and once that kicked in, he sat up and was able to do something to distract himself (playing Cranky Chickens) he improved out of sight. More xrays (although none of this happened with any sort of alacrity) and finally we were declared fit to depart, at around 3pm. "come back next week" they said. We will see about that.

By this time the boy was skipping around like he had been fed red jelly beans all day (a side affect?! anyone else had this experience? or perhaps very refreshed from the deep sleep?!) so we went shopping for the promised cars (matchbox set) which he and his father took a deal of time deliberating over, and then, getting rather weary (well at least his father and I!) plonked ourselves into the motel.

Friday morning The Husband did a few more of those blokey jobs that seem to take a looooong time, we hit Bunny's (aka bunnings) and finished the grocery shopping I didn't get done earlier in the week, and we got home before dark Friday evening.

A very long week. Thank goodness for Grannies and SIL's for housing and taking the girls to school, it feels like I have been away from home all week.

A few things are bugging me though about the whole public system (I did ask about private, but it would have taken referrals, appointments and longer time frame) is:

1. lack of information from medical staff, the nurses know nothing really (apart from looking after him, which of course they did very well) and I didn't see the Dr that he was under AT ALL. He may be treated properly but I would really like to know what they did, and what the plan is. I do have a brain in my head and even though we were more or less forced to go down the public route, I would like to be able to communicate my thoughts or questions about my son's health care! 

2.  staff think nothing of ordering you back in a day or so (remembering its 400kms one way) and offer no alternative or flexibility.

We are so glad to be home, although woo boy! the change in temperature when we got out of the car at home was a shock! Back into trakky daks and coats, and lighting the fire (and keeping it going all day).

Right. back to the clothes line I go. Hooroo!

of a sport I know naught about

Yesterday was the inaugural Rugby 7's competition for our area, an event that took long hours of organising and promoting by the committee - one thankfully I was NOT on!  I was however, a member of the wider body behind the Rugby 7's, so went along to man the canteen and take some team photos.

I know as much about Rugby Union as I do netball, but I can tell you I certainly can appreciate seeing a mob of strapping young men belting up and down the field, or warming up, all in close quarters. And even more, appreciate their good spirits, enthusiasm and co-operation in getting their teams photograph. I had my reservations about photographing a bunch of young men (and an odd not so young one!) in one bunch but geez, they were a pleasure to deal with.

    The team from my neck of the woods, and if you look closely, you might see the minor celebrity that got his mug on TV last year. Clue, top row. Not looking very happy, but then again, he would be classed as an Aged Player in this team of young uns.

Action shot. I make a shite footy photographer :)

  This shot being my favourite of the day, truly showing it is indeed an outback event! and wondering how I might be able to work this into our business's advertising, as LOOK there, over in the yards. One fine looking concrete cattle trough :)

Enough of the football stuff, on with the details of the day...

Major sponsors of the event were treated to lunch in a beautifully presented marquee.

and any ladies wishing to watch the boys in style, could do so in the Ladies Tent...

which looked like a pretty swish place to be, with flowers on tables and all sorts of yummies and champagne to be had.

After the testosterone fest and sore muscles had been iced, and the sweat and blood washed away, there followed the Full Time Soiree, which was to be held nearby that evening, and required the frocking up of all that attended. We didn't go, feeling a wee bit long in the tooth, and rather looking forward to an early night in our jarmies, but I snuck in and had a look at how things were looking.

Pretty darned slick.

With beautifully set tables for the VIPS who wanted to eat sitting down (for the "older" ones like ourselves I suspect) and a generous standing area with cocktail tables for the younger set, this was all set up under the covered equestrian arena. Portable timber dance floors were laid out in front of the band area, it all looked simply amazing. My brother laid claim to actioning the brilliant old trees, which really are old trees trimmed and shoved into pots weighed down with rocks. I have no doubt that the whole area, come dark, would have looked gorgeous with twinkling fairy lights and tea lights on the tables.

I brought home a stubby cooler to add to the collection of other stubby coolers we, for some reason, do not use.

And was very,very pleased, that I was not some young thing living it up at the Full Time Soiree, but instead sitting with my feet up in my slippers and pj's. And I suspect, there might have been more than one young fellow feeling the affects of some hard playing wishing he were doing the same!

I don't know where ever anyone got the thought there was nothing to do in the country.

fun times

Yesterday afternoon, just as I was finishing my corned beef and pickled sandwhich, I got a short, sharp phone call from school: "Angus has broken his arm".

Given that we live just 2-300 metres from the school, I scampered down to find a white faced boy sitting on Miss Mac's lap, with a very bent looking arm. I had to turn around and walk back out again to compose myself, I didn't know whether to throw up or cry! 

We have a great little school community, and when Angus had fallen off the monkey bars (rite of passage?!) the biggest boy gathered him up, and sent some other kids for help. Great kids. And the staff, a bit shaken too, kept the show on the road and getting the kids back to school, even though the excitement of the ambulance arrival may have distracted them a bit!

We trotted off to town, and with the assistance of some medication the boy had a little nap on the way, and then was the wait wait wait for xrays.

We had enough time waiting for the ambulance to gather some books, and I ducked back home to grab his favourite Cow-ie soft toy and some clothes for him, and change out of shorts and thongs into something a little warmer and less daggy (learnt from experience!)

X-rays were very clear. This is a side view, so imagine in real life his arm looking straight, with a sudden bend in it before the wrist. Yeah. Not a nice sight.

Xrays were printed out and thoughtfully provided for show and tell :) Learning experiences can come from anywhere!

And after a somewhat painful alignment to apply the back slab (this is a boy that screams blue murder when the needle comes out to dig out a prickle, but just whimpered with tears rolling down his face during what must have been a very very painful process) we were allowed to come home. And wait for an appointment at the fractures clinic in Townsville. (yes, the same one I visited less than twelve months ago with Georgie).

I hope the boy and I get more sleep tonight.

Consulting shopping list for Townsville trip, as I am not doing an eight hour round trip and not do some other jobs and a grocery order while I am at it!

And considering the fact that each family member, bar me, has a file at our local hospital. I'm not planning on getting one either.

Fun times indeed.