Chapter 6: It took hours to repair what it took seconds to break

Safety Tip: Steer clear of wet leaves.

The fall foliage is beautiful, as long as it stays on the trees. But once those leaves start falling, get wet from rain they can become a serious driving hazard. Wet leaves are slippery and reduce traction. They can also cover parts of the yellow and white pavement markings on the road, making it difficult to determine shoulder and lane widths. Additionally, wet leaves can get clogged under your wiper blades, impeding wiper performance and visibility. Always keep your windshield clean of leaves, and watch for wet leaves on the roads especially as you are making turns. Also, park free of leaf piles as these can be a fire hazard against catalyst converters.

Chapter 6:  It took hours to repair what it took seconds to break

It was around four AM when I was rolled into a dual occupancy room on the sixth floor of Fairfax hospital, room 659. The empty room had two beds separated by privacy curtains. I was to occupy the bed closest to the door. It was a relief to be out of the ER, and it seemed that progress was being made to bring an end to what had truly become one of the most traumatic days of my life.

Doctor Peck walked in shortly after the nurses had completed transferring me from the stretcher to the bed. There was a trapeze connected to the bed and positioned overhead with a triangle shaped handle for me to use to reposition myself by using my upper body rather than my legs.  The doctor had brought with him the weights for the traction device. I curiously watched as he went through the process of arranging the items on the end of the nylon cord and the metal pin that was placed through my leg earlier. The entire thing was much less sophisticated than I imagined. The cord hung down the back of the bed and was attached to a hook that held several individual weighted rings.

“We are going to begin with 30 pounds,” he said as he lowered and positioned the weights. My leg automatically felt the tension and was lifted and pulled down toward the end of the bed. I braced myself for the expected pain, but was surprised at how little discomfort I felt.

            “How does that feel,” Dr Peck asked as he continued to slowly lower the weighted device until its full effects were realized on my leg.

“It’s not too bad,” I said.

“Are you sure? Is that comfortable? “

As we talked I realized that the weight was increasingly becoming unbearable and that I would not be able to sustain the current pull for an extended period. 

“It’s pulling a bit much,” I said. Can you adjust it some,” I asked.  

“Sure, less take it down to 25 pounds. How is that?  Feels better?”

As he made the final adjustments and started to leave, Dr. Peck said, “I am not sure but it looks like your surgery will be scheduled for Monday.”

After surveying the room and accessing the situation, I encouraged my wife to go home and get some rest. Earlier, she had insisted on staying at the hospital until I was settled in a room. During the evening since getting my very unexpected call, she had driven to the accident site, witnessed her son extracted from the wreckage of what was my Jeep, driven to the hospital and comforted my son as he endured the examination and treatment for a broken arm, moved back and forth between my room and my son’s room throughout the evening monitoring and ensuring that all questions were answered and that we received proper treatment.  At around midnight my son was discharged so she drove him home got him settled and left him in the care of our daughter. Then she drove back to the hospital to be with me as the doctors worked through the diagnosis and treatment plan. In other words she had been fully engaged executing the duties as a mother and wife on notice and non-stop for over 10 hours, and I knew she was exhausted.       

Next week: Six hours under the knife.