Nick Algar - Competition Secretary Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Best wishes Norman, just hearing about it makes me wince !!! Chainsaws are nasty horrible things best left to experts like James, he's probably never cut himself on one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I was wondering how the catheter helped Well, prior to the rebore I was having to get up four, five, or even six times a night to pee a pathetic little dribble. Not having to pee in the night because of the catheter, and not hearing anything through the earplugs, made for a perfect night's sleep. For what it's worth the rebore was a success and I recommend it to any man with the appropriate symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 Nick, it wasn't a chain saw that bit me but the hedge trimmer. I was holding it straight up above my head to cut down thin branches on a cherry tree when HM walked towards me on the car park gravel. I turned to see what it was and my hand slipped up the handle and finger went into the gap nearest the handle. I immediately grabbed the cut finger with the other hand and looked at it. I could see the bone and a deep V cut from tip to below the nail, from front to back. I just said, calmly to her, get me to hospital, quick. She was dressed in about 90 seconds and we were on our way. She thought it was quicker to get to the doctor than the hospital. He had just left but came back from lunch and looked at it and phoned the hospital and spoke to his friend the specialist surgeon in hand problems. We arrived, were seen within 10 minutes, sent for x-rays and then he looked at the x-rays and announced I would need an operation to remove the chipped bone fragments. I was to come in first thing next morning with only a light breakfast. I was taken to a room, given an iodine washing fluid and told to have a shower and scrub up with this stuff including hair. Then I had a paper gown (the bum-on-show variety) to put on. A nurse came in and put me on a drip and intravenous antibiotics. I was collected at 17:40 and taken to the operating theatre where the surgeon spoke to me in English. I don't remember any more until a nurse spoke to me at 18:30. back to my room where HM was waiting for me. I then fell asleep for an hour and was woken to eat some food, I dosed on and off all night listening to the French champion snorer. HM slept in a chair at the foot of the bed. I had breakfast at 08:00 and the doctor came in at 09:30. The nurse removed the drip shortly after and I got dressed and we came home. What an exciting time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 You know how to live don't you Norman! Get well soon, I'd say take it easy, but not sure if you know how! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Glad to see you're out and able to type... So must be recovering well! I've spent many nights in hospital (nurse) and know there are some awesome snorers! I've had patients put pillows on other patients faces to smother them and solve the problem. Some patients can be in several weeks with snoring patients! I've spent many nights in hospital (patient) and know how bad it is to have a snorer in the bay or ward! I always have noise cancelling headphones. Mine are wireless and linked to my iPad, for films etc, and work very well at shutting out all external noise and having calming music playing nice and quietly. I also use my earplugs that I have for shooting and track days, choices!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 10, 2013 Author Share Posted July 10, 2013 Dave, I'm bored already and this is only day 1. Also the bl**** thing is hurting. The doctor has given me 1000 mg paracetamol tablets to be taken evry 6 hours. Not working so I've taken some codemine. I'll see if that's any better. The nurse is coming tomorrow to change the dressing. I hope it's Nadine who did my the dressing on my thumb, it should be as that's who HM phoned. I have to laugh at the doctors over here. If you query something they say they ask you what you want. The surgeon said the nurse will come every other day to change the dressing then said every day (chaque jour). So I asked him if it was every day or every other day and he responds with "which do you want?". I told him that was his decision, not mine and he seemed to settle on every day. He also gave me the x-rays of my finger. Over here you are responsible for looking after these things. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. The French are fastidious about keeping paperwork. The French people we know have very good filing systems with the last 10 years of EDF, GDF, Saur, France Telecom and bank statements and bills. Me, I just chuck them in a draw and when the draw's full they go on the fire. In case you're wondering, EDF is Electricity de France, GDF is gaz de France, Saur is water and France Telecom is (of course) phones and internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 Nick, I have cut myself badly with a chainsaw sharpening one after a bottle of wine before a call out.... I was only readying the saw and whacked my finger into a tooth. Glued the cut back together and then put my gloves on and glued my finger to the inside of the glove. (I wasnt actually cutting after all that booze) Have nearly lost many fingers with trimmers as they run on..... Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Norm, I was given all of my X-Rays in Germany. I also used to keep all paperwork, I have every payslip since the day I joined the army, every bank statement since the accounts were opened, all divorce/solicitors letters and everything. Well did have till Mrs C moved in... Then most of it got binned! I still have copies of every letter, card and receipts for gifts sent to my sons, along with every solicitors letter, bill and communication recorded. There's also every CSA letter, including payslips/bank statements where they pulled £1100 a month out of my wages, when only earning £1600 after tax. I also have evidence of every penny given to their mother since the day she moved me out and moved someone else in... I even have a diary, supported with evidence of all events. So one huge box file to give to my sons if they ever attempt to contact me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Stephen, In my (limited and not personal) experience, children, when they grow up and realise there are two sides to every story get curious and will contact you. It's hard but it almost certainly will happen. My advice, for what it's worth is when that happens you mustn't show any bitterness or run down their mother in any shape or form. As far as your concerned it was a marriage that didn't work. Let them come to their own conclusions. Now, back to paper. You have to experience the paper trails the French make to understand. They are changing, slowly. I now get electronic invoices from Telecom and, when I get round to it I think I can get them from EDF. The bank have allowed me to get them via the internet banking system but I wish they wouldn't email me every time a new statement is produced. To give you an idea of how bad it is, at the hospital the other day they wanted ID. This is apart from my Carte Vittale which has my photo on it. The French have ID cards and they don't understand why we don't. I gave them my French driving licence which was duly photocopied and returned. I'll be going to the sous-prefecture next week to register the new Honda and transfer ownership of the Audi. I'll have to take about 8 pieces of paper which will all be photocopied. Near where we used to live in South Yorkshire there is a huge paper mill. It has been owned by Kleenex and then British Tissues and then a French company bought it. I wondered what a French company wanted a paper mill for. I now know. They must use 50% of the world paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Colonial Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 We used to have a hospital 250 yards down the road, which was built and donated to the public by a philanthropist in the early 1900s until our local council kindly decided to close it and sell the land to a housing developer. Lady MemSec had just spent two months in another hospital out of town and had been home for a few weeks when a huge envelope arrived at the door. We opened it to discover her complete medical history, from birth until that point. We also discovered in the middle of the records that, interestingly, at some point in our marriage, she'd become Asian and given birth to a boy. I've been drunk once or twice, but never for nine months straight. It transpired they were transferring records from one hospital to the local one, and used Royal Mail - her complete records, via unsecured Royal Mail - and put our address, not the hospital's, on the envelope. To say I went Radio Rentals at the sending hospital's manager is an understatement. She was horrified and arrived unannounced at our front door within an hour with two of her assistants...demanding to have them back! Lady MemSec, still recovering, opened up with both barrels and threw them out, saying they were HER records and clearly safer in our possession than theirs. We kept the records at home for six months, with them getting progressively more desperate, pleading, and begging by the end. We gave them back when she had to return for a follow-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 I never understood why, in the UK, we're not allowed to even see our medical records let alone keep them. But then that's the UK, or should I say us. Whilst every country in the EU choose what Brussels nonsense they'll implement and what they'll ignore we employ an army of civil servants to police every last bit of regulation passed down from the EU parliament. We then spend a huge amount of energy complaining about it all. Things must be done properly after all. Another procedure I've notice, well HM tells me, is women's breast cancer screening over here. In the UK they go along flop their mammaries on a slab which takes an x-ray of them. Several weeks later they get one of two letters. one says everything is OK, the other that they have to come in as there may be a problem. Another x-ray and a terrifying 6 week wait before their told all is OK. In France the x-ray centre has a doctor in attendance and he inspects every x-ray and tells the lady if it's OK or he wants another x-ray then and there. When HM went the first time he called her in as he saw something on her breastbone. She explained it was where she had pulled a muscle and it had left scar tissue as it healed. He made a note on her file, gave her the x-rays and told her all was OK. No waiting, no postage costs, no second visits, it may actually be cheaper than the UK method. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User0083 Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Quick off topic, Don't worry Norman, no bitterness to their mother. Yes she's married to the guy that was the best man at our wedding. However every parent wants their children to have what they didn't. My mother ran two businesses and never had much money or time for me. My sons have a step father, mother and I pay £580 a month CSA... So they have more than enough money. Why I stopped solicitors and actions towards seeing my sons after 5 years if trying. It would cause them stress and once grown up they can decide for themselves. I have my silly tart, a couple of cats, a bit of peace... But plenty of happiness!!! Unless on a cruise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courtault Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Norman, Me and Nathalie send you a thought and hope you will use anew your finger! and quickly! Nathalie has vacation from next week and we plan our summer. We will write again later to invite you and Lynne. Best wishes. Jean-Marie and Nathalie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 11, 2013 Author Share Posted July 11, 2013 Jean-Marie & Nathilie, we look forward to seeing you. Thank you for the good wishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 16, 2013 Author Share Posted July 16, 2013 Just back from my rendez-vous at the hospital. Surgeon looked at it, turned it over and looked more, held it up and looked closely and then asked the nurse to put the bandage back on. The stitches are supposed to be taken out next week by our local nurse. I have another appointment for 14th August where, if all is well, he will discharge me. So, look up in the sky on the evening of the 14th August and you may see me being shot into space. At least it's not hurting as much as it did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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