Monday evening Bill came off Zeloso during a jumping lesson with Dominique. Zeloso OVER jumped a small jump. Bill was a bit off balance because of this athletic maneuvour. Within a few strides there was a turn to the left at the end of the arena. Zeloso stumbled and Bill hit the dirt. Mainly his left hip. The dirt has been quite a source of interest at the hospital. There’s lots of arena sand surrounding Bill.
Bill was sure he’d be able to get up and walk. That didn’t happen. He fainted twice. I came up to the arena a few minutes after he fell. Bill tried to stand again and couldn’t. We called for an ambulance. Two women had just started their shift out of the Nobleton Emergency site (near the Nobleton Feed Mill). They did a great job and learned a lot about men who have a PhD in Physics.
We were at the hospital by 7:25. At 9:00 the two ladies were still there. Why? Because Bill was on their stretcher and there wasn’t a gurney available. The hospital in Newmarket was crowded. At 9:00 a doctor came and ordered a morphine drip. He sent me home because the hospital was really busy and he thought it could take up to three hours to get Bill x-rayed.
Tuesday: X-ray taken last night showed nothing. This morning they did a CAT scan. The nurse saw it and saw nothing. She figured he’d be sent home. Gave him some snacks to eat. He’s still in emergency, no beds available. After Bill ate two bites of a muffin the doctor came and said, “Stop eating.” Why? Because if Bill needed surgery the doctors wanted nothing in his stomach.
At 11:15 Tuesday morning I was told to go home and take care of the animals because the orthopedic surgeon was in surgery and when he was done they’d consult and create a plan for Bill BECAUSE there are little things (small fractures?) on the CAT scan.
I returned at 4:30 and the consult had not happened. The new nurse said she didn’t think they’d operate. With hips they seldom did, but, she added that she could be wrong. She was sure that the consult would occur before her shift ended at 11:00. I asked if he’d be coming home tomorrow. She said, “No. And you don’t want him home!”
Bill called this evening (I do believe cell phones are not permitted in the hospital. One of his “cubical” mates has a cell phone… He’s been in a cubical today. It’s designed for two people. Three inhabit it.)
Bill said the hip is fractured, but won’t need surgery. He’s being moved to another part of the hospital to start physio. Don’t know how long he’ll be in the hospital. He does want me to charge his phone overnight and take it to him tomorrow.
