Mid-May, 2015
With arrangements for my show in the June Cabaret Fringe in place, we head to Portugal, where my husband will attend a conference. It's just a short trip, but very exciting as it's our first visit there.
While he's at the conference, I explore the steep, narrow, cobbled streets of Oporto, with their colourful houses, shops and bars.
After a morning's sightseeing, I decide to have lunch at one of the open-air restaurants overlooking the river, so I walk across a large square, towards the road I need to take.
Suddenly, my feet slide out from under me, and I'm airborne, doing a slow-motion dance. I'm not holding a bag, so my hands are free, but there's nothing to grab onto. As I fall backwards, I put my hand out behind me, to lessen the impact.
I sit there for a moment, trying to process what just happened. I can feel that my watch has popped open. It no longer seems to fit me, and my wrist looks blackened and misshapen.
A girl comes and gives me a hand to help me get up, but my feet slide around on the ground and can't get a grip, despite the fact I'm wearing new sneakers with a deep tread. A man comes and supports my other elbow, and finally I get to my feet.
I'm only five minutes from the hotel, so I make my way there. Part-way there I have to stop and steady myself by leaning against a bollard. I ask the desk staff to help me find a doctor. They advise me to go to the hospital, which is ten minutes away by car. The clerk is about to call a taxi, when someone says I should go by ambulance, as I'll get in to the hospital quicker that way.
The ambulance arrives, and they gently splint my broken wrist. A hotel employee comes with me in the ambulance. By now the blood is draining from my head; I'm in shock.
Arriving at the hospital they seat me in a wheelchair and Suzanna wheels me into a triage area. I wonder how many hours I will have to wait here. My husband doesn't know where I am.
In fact, I'm second in the queue, and before long I'm ready to have X-rays. Suzanne works off my wedding ring; it takes her fifteen minutes because my fingers are swelling.
Next stop is the Orthopaedic department. The doctor douses four sheets of white-powdered fabric in water and slaps the whole package onto my arm. He warns me that this will hurt - he says he has sent Suzanna out of the room so she won't be traumatized by it. He takes my arm and hand and yanks the two bits of bone back together.
He's right - it hurts. Then they gently wind bandages around my hand and arm to secure the plaster cast in position, and give me a sling made of gauze.
Now I must go for more X-rays to see if the closed reduction has been successful. If not, I'll need surgery. To pass the time I engage Suzanna in conversation about her hobby of snowboarding.
The X-rays show that the bone is in the correct position, but I must seek medical attention within the next 7-10 days. I assure the doctors that I'll be back home by then.
We've been at the hospital for three hours. Suzanna helps me to check out. The hospital only takes cash, so we pool our Euros. She calls a taxi to take us back to the hotel.
When I return to the room, tea and cakes are being delivered on a trolley, to the surprise of my husband who has just returned from his lectures. That night we attend the conference dinner, at one of the wineries where Port wine is produced. We tour the cellars and have drinks on the terrace overlooking the city. One of the delegates entertains us with songs after dinner. I'm uncomfortable, but I'm there.
We continue our trip, visiting Lisbon for a couple of days. I let my husband set the agenda and navigate the city for both of us. I feel very grateful that I'm not travelling alone.
With arrangements for my show in the June Cabaret Fringe in place, we head to Portugal, where my husband will attend a conference. It's just a short trip, but very exciting as it's our first visit there.
While he's at the conference, I explore the steep, narrow, cobbled streets of Oporto, with their colourful houses, shops and bars.
After a morning's sightseeing, I decide to have lunch at one of the open-air restaurants overlooking the river, so I walk across a large square, towards the road I need to take.
Suddenly, my feet slide out from under me, and I'm airborne, doing a slow-motion dance. I'm not holding a bag, so my hands are free, but there's nothing to grab onto. As I fall backwards, I put my hand out behind me, to lessen the impact.
I sit there for a moment, trying to process what just happened. I can feel that my watch has popped open. It no longer seems to fit me, and my wrist looks blackened and misshapen.
A girl comes and gives me a hand to help me get up, but my feet slide around on the ground and can't get a grip, despite the fact I'm wearing new sneakers with a deep tread. A man comes and supports my other elbow, and finally I get to my feet.
I'm only five minutes from the hotel, so I make my way there. Part-way there I have to stop and steady myself by leaning against a bollard. I ask the desk staff to help me find a doctor. They advise me to go to the hospital, which is ten minutes away by car. The clerk is about to call a taxi, when someone says I should go by ambulance, as I'll get in to the hospital quicker that way.
The ambulance arrives, and they gently splint my broken wrist. A hotel employee comes with me in the ambulance. By now the blood is draining from my head; I'm in shock.
Arriving at the hospital they seat me in a wheelchair and Suzanna wheels me into a triage area. I wonder how many hours I will have to wait here. My husband doesn't know where I am.
In fact, I'm second in the queue, and before long I'm ready to have X-rays. Suzanne works off my wedding ring; it takes her fifteen minutes because my fingers are swelling.
Next stop is the Orthopaedic department. The doctor douses four sheets of white-powdered fabric in water and slaps the whole package onto my arm. He warns me that this will hurt - he says he has sent Suzanna out of the room so she won't be traumatized by it. He takes my arm and hand and yanks the two bits of bone back together.
He's right - it hurts. Then they gently wind bandages around my hand and arm to secure the plaster cast in position, and give me a sling made of gauze.
Now I must go for more X-rays to see if the closed reduction has been successful. If not, I'll need surgery. To pass the time I engage Suzanna in conversation about her hobby of snowboarding.
The X-rays show that the bone is in the correct position, but I must seek medical attention within the next 7-10 days. I assure the doctors that I'll be back home by then.
We've been at the hospital for three hours. Suzanna helps me to check out. The hospital only takes cash, so we pool our Euros. She calls a taxi to take us back to the hotel.
When I return to the room, tea and cakes are being delivered on a trolley, to the surprise of my husband who has just returned from his lectures. That night we attend the conference dinner, at one of the wineries where Port wine is produced. We tour the cellars and have drinks on the terrace overlooking the city. One of the delegates entertains us with songs after dinner. I'm uncomfortable, but I'm there.
We continue our trip, visiting Lisbon for a couple of days. I let my husband set the agenda and navigate the city for both of us. I feel very grateful that I'm not travelling alone.
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