Just to get the context out of the way: last monday I was playing basketball, as I do, in the YMCA league every week. I was under the basket with my back to the out of bounds reaching up for a rebound. A couple of players on the opposing team were also reaching for the ball and one of them, as players often do, slapped at the ball, at the very least trying to keep it out of my hands. Instead, he drove the ball right down on to my left pinkie.
I let out a yelp, and grabbed my hand thinking that, "oh well, another jammed finger". Then when I pulled my hand away to have a look at the damage I was horrified to find my left pinkie in the shape of a Z. The middle digit (see below), hand been driven up and was sitting partly on top of the base digit.
Anyways, I ran to the head office where one of the organizers had a first aid kit. They were pretty sure it was dislocated so they held my arm down while I pulled on the tip of it. After a couple slow and caustious pulls, the bone slid back down into place. It felt AMAZING, but the immediately after started swelling and throbbing (I am currently typing this with only 8 working fingers). Not wanted to take any risks (as I already have once earlier this year with my middle finger soccer accident (as those of you close to me know)), I decided this time, I would go to emergency.Let me make something clear. I usually don't go to the doctor. Pretty much every time I've gone, I've found that they just tell me exactly what I already knew anyways. (ie. get some rest, drink lots of fluids, stop playing sports for a while, etc. etc.). But this time I just wanted to make sure it wasn't broken, plus, I figured they can give me the supplies I would need to support my finger subsequently.
So I drove home one handed, changed and picked up Laura and off we went to the hospital. Luckily, the Main Campus Hospital is only about 12 minutes away by car.
Despite the all night affair (the injury happened about 1030 at night so it was 1130pm when we arrived), I was lucid enough to take notes of my observations on my iphone.
Below are my unedited notes:
--------------------
1130 We walk into the emergency room, its a small room with a tv (theres hockey on, thank god something to watch while I wait). Id say theres about 30 people in there. Lots of people with face masks, wonder if they are legitimately sick or just paranoid because of the swine flu hysteria going on right now?
1135 The guy at the front desk behind the glass, Jason, a friendly...male nurse? (not sure what he is actually) takes my vitals and I tell him whats wrong.
1140 Laura and I have settled comfortably into chairs in the waiting room. She is reading while I am watching the San Jose-Anaheim playoff game and talking with a guy next to me who is here waiting on his roommate who came down with a violent case of the flu in the past 48 hours.
1142 A nurse brings me a fresh bag of ice and a couple of blankets for Laura and I. For some reason I chose to wear sandals and shorts tonight and I'm beginning to think I might regret that decision.
2350 They call my name and I enter another room where a secretary/clerk like nurse registers my name and address details with the hospital. She then gives me a card and a bracelet which immediately reminds me of the bracelets I see on dead and sick people in movies (I really dont go to the hospital much).
The woman turns out to be Romanian as well, so I invite Laura in and they have a little chit-chat.
0000 I return to my seat in front of the tv. I see Chicago has lost to Calgary and Anaheim has scored twice so now San Jose is pretty much out of it. I feel bad for them. Laura and I observe a couple across the way from us, he has been in a bar fight, clearly, and looks either still drunk or maybe ashamed. His GF looks pretty pissed.
0020 I return from the x-ray place, and Jason brings me a couple of tylenol to take for my finger. Its uncomfortable and throbs from time to time but otherwise I am ok. He tells me that I may have to wait a while but its really important that I wait because if theres ligament damage, I will have to see a plastic surgeon.
0030 I am sent to receive x-rays. I am surprised that I go to get x-rays before the guy in the bar fight because I would think that he would be higher priority than I given that his injuries are on his face.
On the walk down the hallway to the radiology department there is a guy in ragged clothes strapped to a stretcher. His dirty, white, shoeless socks are sticking out the end. His hair is wild and rangy and he's clearly tripping out on something. There are about 5 cops sitting on chairs next to him just watching him and (I suspect) waiting for him to come out of his trip. He screams something to Laura and I as we walk by.
(Some critics of the Canadian medical system say that this is the sort of thing that bothers them. That a guy like this will get treated before other, more "productive members of society" who actually contribute via taxes to the free health care system. While I understand their frustration, just because someone is homeless and/or on drugs doesn't mean they deserve to be left on the streets to die. As a taxpayer who HARDLY EVER uses the system, I have no problem with the idea that I waited to get my finger treated while drunk homeless guys in critical condition came in. If they hurt their finger and I'm in critical, I will get the same courtesy).
0045 I'm back in the waiting room. I notice the waiting time sign has been changed to 4-5 hours (it was 3 when we arrived). I hear Jason, the hardworking, polite, filter for the entire process, telling someone that "some idiots who did some stupid stuff" just came in on the ambulance so it may take a while.
0050 Speaking of idiots who do stupid stuff. Some cops come in and talk to a group of girls and a guy sitting behind me. Apparently they were at a party when a girl came in and attacked their group. One of them got acid thrown on them and the other one almost got stabbed. The police tell them that they are charging this girl with attempted assault with a deadly weapon. Wow, that sounds like quite a party.
0115 Laura returns with bagels and tea for us, what a woman. I recount to her the story that I just heard, about the group behind us. I figure its going to be a long night and break out Tolstoy's War and Peace, got 40 pages left, tonight might be the night.
0130 A voice comes over the loud speaker calling code white. Jeez, I dont know what that is but it sounds serious. You can sort of hear a flurry of activity behind the front desk.
0145 The place has quieted down, I'm pretty much the only other person left apart from some people sleeping who dont look sick or injured so I figure they must be waiting for others. I don't feel my finger much I think the Tylenol is starting to kick in.
0205 I'm starting to get really sleeping. Laura is fast asleep next to me. When you're small you can curl up and pretty much sleep anywhere. Two nurses are talking about how hard it is to fall asleep after doing a night shift. One of them says that she heard melatonin is good to take. (It is, I can vouch for that having taken it numerous times to get over jetlag when travelling).
0210 The ambulance brings in an old man who for some reason doesnt have a shirt on. He is noisily coughing and retching repeatedly in the other room where they take him. After about 5 min, I stop hearing him, I guess they moved him.
0345 They move Laura and I into a small curtained off room with a padded (massage type) table. They seem to think it'll take a while which either means that the x-rays on my finger came back negative so I have been bumped on the priority list, or theres a whack of people who have come in with more serious injuries than I.
I'm feeling like this whole thing maybe a little ridiculous for a finger, albeit a mangled one.
0630 A nurse wakes us up to say that, as we are next in line, the doctor will likely be seeing us soon. We get up, naively, and begin to wait expectantly.
0700 I strike up a conversation with the Romanian clerk to tells me that they only have 1 doctor working during the night shifts which is why it can take a long time. I am shocked to realize that. Either no one wants to work the night shift (an Ontario Medical Association (essentially a union) issue, or a shortage issue), or there isnt deemed to be a need to have more than one work the night shift.
0800 The med student assitant of the doctor checks me out, hes very gentle and cautious.
0830 My doctor sees me, tells me, as I expected, exaclty what I already knew. He tapes and splints it and says to keep it like that for a week or 2 and then get it re-looked at at the military hospital (since I work there I can get access quicly), and they will be able to tell them the extent of the ligament damage and if I'll need sugery.
0900 Laura is driving home (she got much more sleep tonight of the two of us). I call my Platoon 2i/c (2nd in command) and tell him I'm taking the morning off to sleep and I'll work from home.
The End.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment