Hobart to Geelong - a painful trip!

It was not a good idea to trip and land on my wrist shortly before leaving to drive to Devonport. A certain amount of pain has been involved all day despite having strapped my wrist and having taken some serious painkillers 

Because the Midlands Highway has fewer twists and turns and because it requires substantially fewer gear changes I chose not to travel my favourite route over the Lakes road and instead face the boring drive of the Midlands instead.

An increasing level of discomfort had me contemplating where I might be able to get an x-ray before boarding the ferry. I tried the Latrobe emergency department but the waiting room was if full; well occupied by maybe 15 or more people and three in front of me in a queue to speak to the receptionist. 

I left Latrobe and contacted the emergency health care centre in Devonport but since they don't have x-ray facilities they're seemed little point in going there, so I boarded the ferry.  After all the tedious check-in etc (I was surprised that the customs shed decided that my open bottle of Butane in the gas stove had to go, but that's fine, it was nearly empty anyway.

I was rather amused at myself: every time I changed gear I wished that I had an automatic car not a manual car. I was also reminded of Dad driving a Morris Oxford from Cornwall back to wherever home was in Hertfordshire in second gear the whole way because of gearbox problems.  I can't have been more than 9.

 

I would have liked to stay in the same gear all the way for comfort reasons but that's not really possible so I worked out techniques that hurt less than others and certainly tried to avoid parking anywhere that I might have to back out because getting the car into reverse was outrageously painful.

Messages with Nina earlier in the day resulted in a slight change of plans for my first night. She is still not very well and so I won't go and stay with her for two very good reasons - she doesn't need a houseguest while unwell and I don't want to share what she has. I will, however, drop off a box of goodies for her as I also will for Christine 

All of that assumes that I can actually drive my car tomorrow! I got to my cabin and was hugely relieved to be able to sit down relax and not have to move my arm while it's still uncomfortable.  I had a hot shower. rebandaged it, and retired to bed, exhausted; hoping I could sleep and wait to see what the next day brings.

Messaging with Kris, she suggested a couple of glasses of bubbly to assist with pain relief but I really didn't feel like anything so I was tucked up in bed by 7:30pm; I can't remember the last time that happened!

There was a little rocking of the boat and a definite sound of strong wind buffeting the boat but in the early hours of the morning the wind had eased considerably.

I have not felt like eating because of the pain, but by 9:30pm the pain in my wrist had eased: not moving it definitely helped and I feel hungry. I it was lucky that I had brought my own food because of dietary restrictions so I ate a little and then managed to sleep for a couple of hours at a stint through the night.

The noises on the boat woke me just before 5:30am and despite my fears of the previous night I was able to shower and get dressed with a degree of comfort and was ready when they started to call drivers to their vehicles.

 

However I will start the day by going to the hospital to get my wrist x-rayed I really would like to find that it's not broken because if it is, that spoils my 67 and a half year old record of not having broken a bone!