OUCH !

You have probably realised that over the couple of days before the Sydney test match my foot had been deteriorating at quite a rate. I had not changed my care routine and had not done any really excessive walking, but for some reason it had gone crazy and my whole foot and lower leg had swollen significantly. I needed to take advice and today was the day.

I had been given the name of a 24 hour medical centre where, for $100, I could have a consultation with a doctor.  I thought that a GP would likely want to refer me to a specialist podiatrist or wound expert and therefore decided to try and cut out the middle man and try and find a hospital. As luck would have it there was one about 15 minutes away and the web site suggested that it specialised in the required treatments and was a pretty new facility

I fortunately have had little experience with A&E departments, but have heard all sorts of horror stories. The day after a rugby international, close to an area where there was clearly a drug problem, I feared the worse, but, within 2 minutes of walking in I thought I must have taken a wrong turn. It was more like a top end hotel spa than an inner city hospital.

After a quick interview and an examination by two nurses and the duty doctor I was told that I would need to see a wound specialist. Within 10 minutes I was taken to the Emergency Medical Unit, a squeaky clean, airy, well equipped ward that actually looked like a film set for mission control in a Bond film.

As I waited, I envisaged that I would be back on the streets, start to finish, within an hour and was busy looking at hotel rooms on my iphone and contemplating a Lions celebration steak lunch down at the harbour. A sharp intake of breath and a ‘wow’ from the pretty young East European wound expert snapped me back to reality.

That was approximately 1pm on Sunday 7^th ..........

-         Hundreds of tablets

-         Dozens of injections

-         Litres of intravenous antibiotic

-         1 mri scan

-         2 operations under general anaesthetic

-         and the surgical removal of one toe ............ later, it is now Sunday 21^st I am still in hospital and to date I have no release date.

Bugger!!!

So what happened?

Briefly, on inspection the wound looked bad and the first view was that I would lose at least my big toe, but I needed an exploratory investigation to assess the extent of the infection. The big fear was infection in the bone so the situation was to be re-assessed  after the operation.

The next meeting brought good news. The wound had been debrided and the infected tissue had been removed successfully. Infection had not extended to the bone and, although it looked dodgy and was going to take a lot of healing, the prognosis was good, but I needed an mri scan to confirm things.

I had to wait 12 hours for an mri (last time it was 18 months!!!) and this time it was good and bad news. The wound was clear, as was the underlying bone, however, the bad news, was that the little toe ‘Lit up like a Xmas tree’. Somehow, there was clear evidence of osteomyelitis in my pinkie!!!

A major meeting with the senior vascular surgeons left me with a decision to make.

Option 1

Remove the top two joints and part of the next bone to completely remove the infection. Expect the wound to heal in about 6 weeks. Live with a slightly strange looking foot, but with very little, if any, adverse effects.

Option 2

Treat the infection for 5-6 weeks intravenously, move to strong oral antibiotics, without a particularly good prognosis, due to the notorious difficulties in treating body extremities.

Expect the infection to return and anticipate it spreading, which in due course will almost certainly require surgical intervention and at that time, surgical requirements may well be more extensive.

My decision was based on the above, a discussion with my uk podiatrist mate (cheers Scotty) and the fact that when I asked the junior surgeon what he would advise his dad if faced with the same dilemma. His answer was instant and unequivocal.... Option 1.

So that is what I decided.

I cannot talk highly enough of the care, facilities and hygiene here. The staff are enthusiastic and attentive and even the food is pretty good. The building is new and very well presented and although I am on the public rather private wards, there is no difference between what I have here and any private hospital I have visited in the UK.

Since the operation the team is delighted with the results but as yet I have not got a release date. I can walk on a special shoe that keeps the weight on my heel, but they really want me in bed with my leg raised, so that is what happens 23+ hours a day.

I feel incredibly frustrated that the whole of Sydney is outside my window, the weather is record breakingly good and I am stuck here not able to experience it, but recovery is paramount.

How this leaves continued progress I do not know yet. I will do everything to ensure that I continue with the trip, but it may have to be replanned/rescheduled. Whatever happens I will return to the UK from the west and tick the circumnavigation box.

As you are no doubt aware the time here has enabled me to get bang up to date with my blogs and I hope they have been of interest. Spread the word if you have enjoyed them.

For now it’s fight the boredom, especially difficult when others on my ward have loads of visitors, and because Oz tv is complete crap. I have introduced the nurses to ‘Guess the blood pressure’, (the most fun you can have on a night shift ward without waking your neighbour} and, if we get the right mix on my 4 berth ward, ‘Mystery fart tennis’ is a game possible when the drapes are pulled.

Enjoy the heatwave guys and more news will follow in due course

I’ve got a phone: +61 4987 22201

I’ve got e mail : bigmikeontour@gmail.com

Sydney is GMT + 9 hours

Take care all

Mike x