Friday 22 April 2016

Such a silly thing to do ... and plans change


Strathspey & the Cairngorms, April 21

Crossing a road, thinking of the talk I’m to give that evening, holding sandwiches and newspapers for the train journey to come. Suddenly I’m falling, then landing hard, on hands and knees. In the middle of a highway. With that thought I rise and stagger to safety. There’s a lot of blood I notice. Both hands are bleeding. My pale trousers are stained red. I’m still thinking of continuing my journey, giving my talk. I try and clean up in the station toilet. I fail. Back at my car I’m still wondering how to catch the train without getting too much blood on everything. A woman comes up to me. ‘Are you ok?’. ‘Yes’, I respond automatically. She can see I’m not. ‘You need stitches’, she says, ‘we can take you to the health centre’. I’m about to refuse but the sight of my bleeding hands triggers something in my head and I know she’s right. A man with her comments on the amount of blood. I think they followed the trail of it from the station. A few minutes later I’m in a health centre and being patched up by nurses and a doctor. I do need stitches and lots of bandages on hands and knees. My rescuers have gone. I thanked them but never got their names. They were local, from Forres, and very kind. I’m not sure what I’d have done without them.

How did I fall? I don’t know. Maybe I tripped on something or slipped on an oily patch. I have no memory of starting to fall, only of falling. Such a silly thing to do I thought as I sat in the health centre being repaired. Such a silly thing but it’s changed the next few weeks. Today I was meant to be flying to Colorado for the ski tour with Igloo Ed. That’s not possible now. I couldn’t grip a ski pole let alone shovel snow. My dressings need changing every few days, the stitches need to come out sometime next week. I’m on antibiotics in case of infection. Ten days in the mountains, any mountains, is not an option.

View across Strathspey to the Hills of Cromdale, April 20

Back home I thought about coming to terms with the new situation, about how to deal with it. I can’t change it. I have to accept it. Look forward I think. The ski trip has gone now. A couple of local strolls to look at the signs of spring and the distant snowy mountains and to enjoy the sunshine eases any stress. My partner is wonderful, sympathetic and practical. That helps greatly. The ski tour will be next year now. But the TGO Challenge is in three weeks. That suddenly seems close. I need to have recovered by then.

23 comments:

  1. I imagine the stitched up part is still going to be a bit tender in a few weeks but you shouldn't be hurting anything.
    Yep, you can't change it. The flood taught me that one real good.
    Igloo Ed

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  2. It is surprising just how quickly an accident happens! And then frustrating how long it is to recover!
    I have found the biggest battle was keeping the mind active whilst the body recovers!
    Wish you a speedy recovery Chris, and the onward and upward once again.....

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  3. Wish you a speedy recovery Chris.

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  4. I would be concerned about why you fell. Did the medical staff not advise you to go for tests?

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    1. Good point Roger. If it was a black-out Chris it's worth getting checked out. Best wishes for a quick recovery buddy and I'm sure there'll be plenty of snow for igloo building next year. All the best Chris.

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  5. Yes I know about accidents that didn't ought to happen. See u in Montrose

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  6. Yes I know about accidents that didn't ought to happen. See u in Montrose

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  7. When you think of all the remote places your journeys take you in the course of an average year and then this happens crossing a road. Just goes to show how random things can be sat times. Speedy recovery, Chris.

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  8. Not good and such a shock suddenly not to be able to do things previously taken for granted. Hope you mend quickly.

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  9. Get well soon!

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  10. Glad you're up and able to get out and about. Wishing you a complete and speedy recovery. :-)

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  11. As others have said, it's a worry that you don't know why you fell. Every time I've ever fallen I've known why it happened, whether I've caught a foot on a kerb or whatever. Best get it checked out as it sounds like you might have had some kind of brief blackout - from what you say you went down pretty heavily. At least you didn't bang your head or get hit by anything. Hope the cuts and grazes heal quickly and you're back in action soon.

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  12. Thanks everyone. Recovery is under way.

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  13. That happened to me, walking in Princes Street in Edinburgh on Thursday. I was looking at the buildings then went over.. My ankle is badly sprained and I had to cancel my walk of the Cape Wrath trail the very next day. Still, better it happening in Edinburgh than in the middle of Knoydart. I hope you are better very soon.

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  14. PS

    I once abandoned a slightly scrambly walk in Snowdonia as the conditions were too slippery, and went back to the car whilst my friend continued the ridge. He fell and injured his pelvis, and I slipped in the shower block back at the campsite and I ended up in Llandovery hospital with a badly gashed face and concussion - had to cancel Italy trip. It can happen to anyone.

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  16. PPS 'Llandudno' hospital

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  17. I do hope we see see you on the TGO Challenge Chris
    Tony Whewell

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  18. Really sorry to hear that you missed out on that trip with Igloo Ed. I can recall the last time you were out there with him (from a TGO article), wasn't it Yellowstone in deep winter? You should be just starting to get back in shape by now. Good luck.
    Dave Porter

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  19. Sorry to hear about your fall Chris; hope recovery is well under way and that your plans don't go too awry; All the best to you & yours from Mark & Helen xxx

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