A half-delightful week in Paris - one with a surprising twist
Sep 2nd, 2008, 08:01 AM
#41
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Interesting that you went to the American Hospital when you were in Paris. I got a touch of pneumonia when we were in Paris last October, and I hopped a bus from the 7th. Long bus ride to Neuilly-sur-Seine.
What a lovely ride to an even lovelier suburb of Paris that was. The hospital itself was modern, and the staff was extremely nice and competent. We had an interview with an older gray-bearded French doctor who was straight out of central casting, who fixed me up with appropriate antibiotics, and sent us on our way with a very moderate bill. BTW, the bill was paid by our health plan in the States very promptly, and with no fuss.
Great report! Hope you are on your bike shortly.
What a lovely ride to an even lovelier suburb of Paris that was. The hospital itself was modern, and the staff was extremely nice and competent. We had an interview with an older gray-bearded French doctor who was straight out of central casting, who fixed me up with appropriate antibiotics, and sent us on our way with a very moderate bill. BTW, the bill was paid by our health plan in the States very promptly, and with no fuss.
Great report! Hope you are on your bike shortly.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 08:33 AM
#42
Dear NorCalif,
A friend of mine here in Zurich had a similar accident and received a similar diagnosis. A year later she still is having problems and now the specialists tell her things were done wrong back then and her ligaments will never properly heal. She is only in her 40s.
I don't want to scare you. I just want to urge you to make sure you have the best doctors and to get a second or third opinion and if things aren't healing as promised to stay vigilant and be assertive.
and, I absolutely love your report and also would love to hear about your ex-pat experiences in Amsterdam... I loved Amsterdam...
gruezi
A friend of mine here in Zurich had a similar accident and received a similar diagnosis. A year later she still is having problems and now the specialists tell her things were done wrong back then and her ligaments will never properly heal. She is only in her 40s.
I don't want to scare you. I just want to urge you to make sure you have the best doctors and to get a second or third opinion and if things aren't healing as promised to stay vigilant and be assertive.
and, I absolutely love your report and also would love to hear about your ex-pat experiences in Amsterdam... I loved Amsterdam...
gruezi
Sep 2nd, 2008, 09:35 AM
#43
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Hello NorCalif, I am so glad you are home! You are a true sport with a great sense of humor! And your poor husband, except my late husband would have been having some wine and figuring that I had wandered off too, lol.
As reading about your time in the hospital I was thinking "I wish they had taken her to the American Hospital" so I am relieved that is where you took yourself to my dear. I say that as my daughter-in-law ended up with appendicities while in Paris and she was taken to the American Hospital where they operated on her and to this day she comments on how good experience (well if you can call having an operation a good experience) and all the English speaking personnel.
Arriving at the station in Amsterdam! NorCalif I would have been in tears. Acutally I probably would have ended up breaking my other leg. Crawling out of the train..well you are a real trooper! The young man smiling with you, precious!
Now about the "screws..pins" in your ankle. I am so glad you got the second opinion at the American Hospital. My husband ended up with an injury like yours (thrown out of a golf cart driven by a drunk minister..looooong story, don't ask, lol). Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa insisted that he needed to have pins put in his ankle. He declined and his golfing buddies got him home and he saw our doctor the next morning who sent him to the specialist. Long story short he was told that he made the right decision to not have the operation. As I recall he was told one could always have the pins inserted if they were needed but once the pins were inserted they could never be removed. Anyway NorCalif like you he was in a cast for weeks but long story short after he healed he never had any problem with his leg or ankle.
So getting a third opinion would be a good idea, just to put your mind at ease.
Take good care of yourself and enjoy being waited on and pampered. And thankfully you will be in beautiful Amsterdam for a year so you will have lots of time to explore and also to go bike riding!
I hope your daughter is enjoying her time in Paris and all is well with her.
Sending you a hug and many good wishes. And I am happy to report the weather is fantastic today! Just perfect.
As reading about your time in the hospital I was thinking "I wish they had taken her to the American Hospital" so I am relieved that is where you took yourself to my dear. I say that as my daughter-in-law ended up with appendicities while in Paris and she was taken to the American Hospital where they operated on her and to this day she comments on how good experience (well if you can call having an operation a good experience) and all the English speaking personnel.
Arriving at the station in Amsterdam! NorCalif I would have been in tears. Acutally I probably would have ended up breaking my other leg. Crawling out of the train..well you are a real trooper! The young man smiling with you, precious!
Now about the "screws..pins" in your ankle. I am so glad you got the second opinion at the American Hospital. My husband ended up with an injury like yours (thrown out of a golf cart driven by a drunk minister..looooong story, don't ask, lol). Queen of the Valley Hospital in Napa insisted that he needed to have pins put in his ankle. He declined and his golfing buddies got him home and he saw our doctor the next morning who sent him to the specialist. Long story short he was told that he made the right decision to not have the operation. As I recall he was told one could always have the pins inserted if they were needed but once the pins were inserted they could never be removed. Anyway NorCalif like you he was in a cast for weeks but long story short after he healed he never had any problem with his leg or ankle.
So getting a third opinion would be a good idea, just to put your mind at ease.
Take good care of yourself and enjoy being waited on and pampered. And thankfully you will be in beautiful Amsterdam for a year so you will have lots of time to explore and also to go bike riding!
I hope your daughter is enjoying her time in Paris and all is well with her.
Sending you a hug and many good wishes. And I am happy to report the weather is fantastic today! Just perfect.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 09:39 AM
#44
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Echo getting another opinion.
But applaud your report, and your courage in adversity.
It's funny isn't it, that misfortune makes the best story afterwards!
Do keep us posted on your year in Amsterdam, I for one would love to read about it, and your travels too, because in Holland you are so close to so many other wonderful places.
Take care, and wishing you a speedy recovery.
But applaud your report, and your courage in adversity.
It's funny isn't it, that misfortune makes the best story afterwards!
Do keep us posted on your year in Amsterdam, I for one would love to read about it, and your travels too, because in Holland you are so close to so many other wonderful places.
Take care, and wishing you a speedy recovery.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 10:14 AM
#45
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So glad you went to the hospital. I fell and "twisted" my ankle on the Palatine Hill in Rome in 2003. My ex convinced me it was just a bad sprain and I should walk it off.
Turns out I had fractured the ankle and torn ligaments. Because I did not seek medical attention I now have some residual permanent damage.
But at least you can add to your travel memories an exciting "trip". You at least have a sense of humour about the whole thing. What a great attitude!
Turns out I had fractured the ankle and torn ligaments. Because I did not seek medical attention I now have some residual permanent damage.
But at least you can add to your travel memories an exciting "trip". You at least have a sense of humour about the whole thing. What a great attitude!
Sep 2nd, 2008, 12:52 PM
#46
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I'm almost embarrassed to say that your trip report had me laughing out loud, but you asked for it. Great, good humor in the face of some pretty scary adversity. Thanks for several good laughs. And good luck to you as you heal. Take care.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 01:11 PM
#47
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I am so glad that you made it to the American Hospital and didn't need the surgery after all. Although I was aware of the American Hospital, I am making a big mental note for future reference and hoping I never need it! It's always scary to think about having an accident or illness in a foreign country and on top of everything else having trouble communicating. Also, makes me more aware of the trip insurance issue. We have bought it for the last several trips, and I bought insurance for our coming trip in October just today.
Glad you made it back to Amsterdam and hope you heal quickly. I know you're anxious to see all that you had planned to see while living there. Hope you have a great year with no more accidents!
Glad you made it back to Amsterdam and hope you heal quickly. I know you're anxious to see all that you had planned to see while living there. Hope you have a great year with no more accidents!
Sep 2nd, 2008, 03:39 PM
#48
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One more vote for more opinions. You might send your x-rays, cat scan, etc. to US md that you or your family trusts. I broke elbow second day of 23 day trip to Japan. Japanese md said I should have surgery when I returned to US. The many US mds I showed the x-rays to during my time in Japan all said...not so bad, it will heal, just keep the cast on for 3 weeks. I needed major surgery when NYC "Upper Extremety" surgeon took more cat scans, x-rays, etc. Now arm just fine. So, if you don't feel as if everything great when it should be great...another md needed.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 04:53 PM
#49
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NorCalif: you are a trooper!!
Reminds me of the time I tripped down the stairs walking in to a gift shop, and as I clung to a glass display case, while three employees were calling for help, my husband walked by on the other side of the shop and waved BACK at my frantic waving to him!! (with a "having fun in the gift shop?" smile on his face)
And this was in the USA at Epcot in Florida!!
Needless to say, I went home in a wheelchair to our local friends' house, but later found I only had a sprain.
I wish you great success in regaining movement ability so you can explore the lovely Amsterdam to your heart's content. You deserve it.
Reminds me of the time I tripped down the stairs walking in to a gift shop, and as I clung to a glass display case, while three employees were calling for help, my husband walked by on the other side of the shop and waved BACK at my frantic waving to him!! (with a "having fun in the gift shop?" smile on his face)
And this was in the USA at Epcot in Florida!!
Needless to say, I went home in a wheelchair to our local friends' house, but later found I only had a sprain.
I wish you great success in regaining movement ability so you can explore the lovely Amsterdam to your heart's content. You deserve it.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 04:58 PM
#50
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You are brave. I bow to your resiliance
I am such a wimp that I would have stayed at the French-speaking hospital and just kept grinning and nodding.
I just asked my DH what he would have done if he couldn't find me in the museum and he said he'd ask to borrow a cell phone and call me. I reminded him he doesn't speak French and he just shrugged. Sigh.
Good luck with your recuperation.
I am such a wimp that I would have stayed at the French-speaking hospital and just kept grinning and nodding.
I just asked my DH what he would have done if he couldn't find me in the museum and he said he'd ask to borrow a cell phone and call me. I reminded him he doesn't speak French and he just shrugged. Sigh.
Good luck with your recuperation.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 05:20 PM
#51
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I hope you have a speed recovery NC! Your spirit is amazing. In the spring we were in Paris and I almost did the same thing in one of the museums. Luckily, I was a able to avoid tumbling down some steps but I thought I was going to have a heart attack, my heart was thumping so hard. All I could think of was what could have happened. Sounds as though many of us are so envious of this wonderful opportunity your family has. Keep us posted.
Sep 2nd, 2008, 05:46 PM
#52
Dar NorCalif - Thank you for this report. I felt so sorry for you but could not stop laughing. Hope to read more of your adventures as you are a wonderful writer and I hope your ankle is completely healed.
Sep 3rd, 2008, 07:18 PM
#54
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Wow - I feel for you. My daughter tripped on our side porch in May and shattered an ankle and yes, did need surgery (according to her doctor, if she didn't, the bones might heal, but not properly, and she'd have an arthritic ankle pretty early). We weren't sure we could even go on our trip to Egypt, Madrid and London because we couldn't be sure she'd be able to walk well enough to join us (she was, and we did -- got back last night). Anyway, it was hard enough to deal with an American hospital in America with all (or mostly, actually) English-speaking medical personnel, so I can only imagine how hard it would be in a French hospital! Glad you're "home" and on the mend.
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