Sorry, I gather I messed up with the number of prizes for the last Fridays FREEBIE. There were only four winners but for some strange reason I told Bev there were five. I am very sorry but I did sort of have something major on my mind..................
I had an accident while loading the van on Sunday evening after the Cake show. I have loaded the van the same way on numerous Sundays for the past 18 years. The big heavy ribbon roll unit slipped as we slid it into the van and crushed the middle finger of my right hand, rather gruesome but it just looked like a squashed tomato!! Tony does not "do" blood so I took myself off to First Aid. I scared a security guard almost to death, he could not understand me asking for directions to First Aid, "what you want?" so I showed him my finger. He took me straight there himself.
After spending 4 hours waiting at Newham A&E in London, the Doctor told me there was nothing they could do. I had an open fracture (if you looked down the tip of my finger you could see the white bone), I needed surgery but as I was not local, the best thing to do would be drive to Dorset and go to my local A&E. I went into uncontrollable shakes, we were 3 hours from home, so the thought of 8 hours before I got seen was unthinkable. The doctor must have taken pity on me, I was in so much pain, and losing blood, he called a nurse to try and dress the finger while he called first Bournemouth hospital, then Poole and finally Salisbury County Hospital.. He arranged for me to been seen by a plastic surgeon on Monday. He explained the finger was very badly damaged and may have to be amputated. Oh my god.
I can not describe the journey home, it was a nightmare, they may chop my finger off. How could I tell that to my sisters on the phone - so I didn't, I kept it in.
It was an open surgery at Salisbury, so Tony and I just sat waiting, and waiting. I was operated on Monday afternoon by two plastic surgeons and they saved my finger. I gather it was still alive, although in several bits. They spent over an hour resewing it all back together, I have a finger. I am not sure what it looks like, finger or what. I go back to hospital this afternoon, so I will find out more. I have done some things in the past, but I can assure you this is the most painful experience I have incurred. The pain is going way above the painkillers, I have to keep my hand above my heart at all times - BUT I have a finger!
In between this, Tony and I have been at the Belfast show. Yes I did go, I just could not think of being away from Tony. The Irish ladies really appreciated us coming, you were all so kind. Pinky brought us cupcakes on Saturday, Angela and Frances delivered a freshly baked apple pie all the way from Dublin. Alice had me in tears after she deliveried a prezzie and I read her note. Thank you to everyone that was gentle to me.
So here I am, sat waiting to go to hospital - what will I see, what will I find when it is uncovered. I know the finger nail has been removed but stuck back on, as for the rest..........
On a lighter note, Sam has decided to call me Ali squashed tomato!!!
Ali x