Man down!

 

Well that didn’t go to plan. A couple of days after I posted the last blog Ian had an awful accident. There we were getting a few things out of the garage ready for the plumber (Damien), in fact the loo. And a beautiful loo it is too. This is it, a couple of days after the fateful day, our new throne; so much better than the horrible old one.

However, there was a slight delay in getting it fitted as Damien was locked out of the garage for several hours where the rest of the loo was stored, because Ian tripped over the doorstep. Now that doesn’t sound too bad, until he hit the floor. It’s usually me who does these things, so it was a huge shock to both of us. Somehow we are used to me hitting the deck and snapping things, but no, this was Ian’s time and he did it in style. We aren’t really sure what happened, but we do know he dislocated his little finger and when he looked (scroll down, look away if of a nervous disposition) the bone was completely through the skin and his finger looked like it had come off. Fortunately it hadn’t, but it certainly looked as if it was only just attached. 

There was no point in calling an ambulance, we know there are hours delays due to Covid and Agy was in no fit state to drive with things everywhere and locks and alarms galore.  To be honest I was also in a right state, I cope really well when I have bits dropping off, I cope well when other people do, but Ian, no, I didn’t. I was a mess. Fortunately we knew one of our neighbours (who we had got to know quite well when meeting up was allowed) had been staying home and had also been a policeman. He would cope with the gruesome sight would probably be willing to take us to hospital and be as safe as we could with current challenges. And he did. We are so lucky, He has been amazing.

It was a very painful journey for Ian but fortunately ‘minor injuries’ was reasonably quiet, so after a quick assessment and pain killers, Ian was examined, X-rayed and there it was (as we thought, but it does look dramatic) dislocated, but luckily not fractured.

With a fair bit of gas and air it was soon back in place, re x-rayed, and dressed avoiding all needles much to Ian’s relief. It’s a very nasty wound, but it should heal. How functional Ian’s finger will be, we just don’t know. It’s taken a couple more visits to fracture clinic and very careful use of the damaged hand, but hopefully it will get back to normal. 

We haven’t of course been able to get out on Fanny (our bike), so that will have to wait, but we have progressed with the bathroom. To speed up the lost time, and help get to a functioning bathroom as soon as possible we added to the layers of tanking to waterproof the walls around the shower and filled the joints in the plasterboard joints, as well as plaster boarding the window so when Damien returned after the weekend, he could get on with fitting the bath and sink. 

As you can see, Ian isn’t one to stop just because of a hand injury, oh no, the sanding needed doing and Ian sanded – a lot. In fact he went grey in the process! Not great when you don’t have a bathroom to clean up in!