The Blurred Line

Day 3 - second surgery, mum buys an owl

I had had such an uncomfortable night and I was so glad when Mum was with me in the morning. I worked out that morning a far more comfortable way of turning – putting a pillow between my good leg and my incredibly heavy leg as I turned onto the good leg. This meant that my good leg wasn't crushed under and impaled by the pins of my external fixator. The discomfort was again enhanced by the fact that the leg was now partially exposed rather than wrapped up in the protective plaster.

I was going into surgery again. They hadn't managed to arrange transport to London for Thursday or Friday and the surgeons in Inverness thought that I need another wash out of the wound and a bit of clear up. Though the procedure when I had first come in on the Wednesday had been excellent and not rushed, at the same time they could have a little more thought about this surgery and take a look to make sure there wasn't any infection and the like. The surgery was quick and painless and I woke up quite rested. All the discomfort in my leg was gone and I felt more sheltered with my leg back in the plaster.

We spent the afternoon waiting to see if we would transferred to London and I also thought that I would let everyone on Facebook know. I didn't think any people would see it but I just wanted the people who were on the trip especially to know that I was ok and being looked after. I already knew that I would be in hospital a long time so had already let a few of my mates know hoping they'd come and visit me which they have now I'm in London. I posted: "To all my lovely friends and especially those who saved my life and at least my leg, Laura, Jonathan, Kimberley and Tom, I can't thank you enough for your bravery and kind support. For anyone who doesn't know, I was in a rather nasty scrambling accident which has meant I lost a lot of bone from my leg but thankfully nothing else. Am being transferred to London at some point soon if anyone fancies saying hello as I think I'm going to be in hospital for quite a long while but am feeling a lot better now and on the mend now. Lots of love, Emily :) xxx"

I think it's really important to keep people up to date and keep everything as open as possible because everyone is concerned and just wants to know you're ok. It's so lovely and 172 people have reacted to the post with 112 comments. I just couldn't believe the love out there. But I was so drowsy that I found it quite difficult to respond to every message. I did my best though and was really touched by each and every one of them. I think most people's initial reaction was that I'd broken my leg, that it would all be ok. I'm not sure I communicated the severity of the injury that well and when friends came the next week, they were shocked at just how bad an injury it is.

My mum, who took the photo, said I looked far too cheerful in the photo and I should look more ill. She also got a bit annoyed with me when I tried to be stoic and put up with the pain. Unfortunately that tactic meant that the pain would build up until it was excruciating. I was very anaemic which you can see by the colour of my lips in the photo.

She stayed with me again the whole day whilst I drifted in and out of sleep. They gave me a cup of tea almost every hour and I always asked for it black without milk or sugar (just the way I know my mum likes it) and then gave it to my mum when they weren't looking. I didn't fancy it but she really needed. Sometimes tea is the best medicine.

She also bought a National Geographic magazine which she thought would be easy to read because a lot of it was pictures. Rather inappropriately, the main topc of the magazine was about death and a philosophical debate based on when does death start as well as an article about an Indonesian tribe which dig up their dead loved ones every now and again and walk them around and feed them as if they were.... well not dead. The mag went round the whole ward though – we all really enjoyed it! Though it was morbid and strange to read in a hospital, it was really interesting!

I got to know my neighbours a bit better and also met a lovely student nurse called Zoe who was very intrigued by my injury and accompanied me to surgery. Over the way, a couple of girls visited the lady opposite and one of the girls fainted from the heat in the ward. It was quite startling because she hit her head on the door frame quite spectacularly. Kim's jelly babies and my pillow were very handy. The poor love also had to have an A and E trip but she was absolutely fine I the end and came back up to visit the lady opposite late on.

Other than my mum buying me a very cute toy owl (of course how could she not!), nothing much else happened and I and all the others had a much more comfortable night.