Sunday, February 17, 2008

Update

We went back to the hospital yesterday about Daughter’s broken arm. I got to look at the original x-ray which was interesting because the break is worse than I thought. She must’ve really thumped it hard on that poolside.

Before we saw the doctor we had to go to the x-ray department. Daughter confessed that it was a bit stinky inside her arm, so she let me take the cast off while we waited so she could wash her arm before having the x-ray.

Dear God, it wasn’t just ‘a bit stinky’ – what was that malodour? As I unpeeled the bandages I was convinced she’d gone gangrenous in there, but no apart from a few blisters from the splint there was no gangrene. So why did it smell like a colony of rodents had crawled in and died?

Oh, yeah, because this is Bangkok; it’s hot and sweaty here and it’s been covered for two whole weeks. ‘Where is the splint?’ Dr V asked, having made the decision that she needed it plastered again. ‘Uhum, I took it off for the x-ray.’ I said. ‘Yes, but where is it now?’ he persisted. ‘Well, actually, I put it in the rubbish bin because it smelt very, very bad.’ I held my fingers to my nose in case he was in any doubt. He looked very upset at this flagrant waste of resources.

I’d like to tell you that there was a toxic waste team surrounding the bin I put the plaster and bandages in when we walked past, but that would be a lie. I wouldn’t have been at all surprised though.

The worst news from the trip is that he wants to see daughter and her arm in three weeks! Three weeks in plaster with the weather getting hotter and more humid. OMG. I’m going to have to break out the Chanel perfume to cover up Eau de Dead Rodent.

10 comments:

Jen said...

Crumbs, poor daughter... must be horrid for her, being plastered in the sweltering heat.

I'm sure she's managing it with far more grace than we would though!

Yvonne said...

Ooh that's rough, poor thing. (Had to laugh at the 'Eau de Dead Rodent' though! Brilliant!)

Jenny Beattie said...

She is being rather stoical, Jen. But she misses the exercise. She goes down to the gym to cycle or she'd go mad and kill her brother!

Yvonne, Hmmm, it's not a good smell, though. But I'm glad you chuckled.

JJx

Carol said...

Ohh JJ like Yvonne 'Eau de Dead Rodent' did make me laugh!! I shall try and make sure I stand (or sit) down wind of her on Wednesday!!

C x

laurie said...

oh wow. maybe shake a little talcum powder down in to the cast? to keep it from rubbing, and maybe to absorb some of the odor?

poor girlie.

Lane Mathias said...

Ooh poor daughter.
Your description of the stink made me smile though:-)
x

Pacha said...

Poor Daughter...not only a broken arm but a stinky plaster...hope the 3 weeks flash past and that the weather gets cooler!!!

All best.

(What's wrong with Eau de dead rodent - that is our house smell and part of who I am now...)

Sue Guiney said...

Catching up after being away. Yuck. Sounds pretty bad over there. It's amazing what kids can put up with though.

Helen Shearer said...

I understand all about the stink. I had my foot in a plaster cast for eight weeks and the pong when they removed it was like nothing I had ever smelled before. Nearby flowering plants wilted within seconds. The weather channel issued a smog advisory. It was bloody awful. Nothing was worse than the itch though. I'm sure dear daughter will agree.

Leigh Forbes said...

Oh, have you seen those posters at the hospital, with pictures of people's ulcers after they've lost their knitting needles/coins/other scratching implements down their plasters?

And that's in England. Now that you've described daughter's arm without infection, I am already feeling quite sick at the thought of... No! That's enough.

Thanks for sharing that, JJ!