Thats Gonna Sting!

I shimmy passed the offending ladder on the landing and head into the bedroom as directed.


The patient is laying on her back on the bed with her leg up in the air supported by her husband. He is holding a towel firmly onto her shin. There are several other bloody towels strewn around the room.


"What happened?"


The patient lifts her head and looks at me, she is pale but seems quite calm through the grimace of pain.


"I was getting Christmas* decorations out of the loft and slipped on a step. I hit my leg on the ladder as I was sliding down. Seems to have skinned part of my shin"


"Ok, lets have a look"


The husband gingerly lifts the towel from the patients leg while still supporting it. There is gash about 4 inches wide on her lower leg. As she has slid down the skin has been pulled back (de-gloved) to reveal the bone underneath.


"Ok, I'll get a proper dressing on it. I'll state the obvious, you need stitches! Also need to check that you haven't caused a fracture with hitting the leg, the bone looks like its in tact but will need to make sure. Seems to have stopped bleeding, you've done a good job. Although I think you might need some new towels!"



"Never know I might get some for Christmas!" The patient manages to make this joke through a tight giggle of pain.


I ask Impressionist* to grab a chair but not before I let him get a good look at the cut. He's been out of the school a couple if months now and starting to find his feet.



"So did you get the decorations down?"



"Yeah. The kids better have them up by the time I get home. I don't want to see the boxes again!"



Its always nice to have a patient who keeps a sense of humour through the pain. I wonder how she'll get on with the Gas 'n' Air?! This could be one of those fun journeys to hospital!

Health and safety gone mad?

* It was near Christmas, don't panic it is only May still!