Thursday, our last full day at Hervey Bay. Maxine was picked up for a day trip to Fraser island. Me, Kathie and Krista made no plans other than kayaking for Krista. She went off on the tranquil sea while Kathie and I did NY Times Xword over a cup of coffee at a cafe on the beach.
Krista came in after an hour, and pulled the kayak up on the beach. Kathie picked up the back end to help her out, fell in the sand, having tripped over a hidden wooden step. She sat down suddenly went white and held her right arm. She was in alot of pain, started sweating. At first nobody at the cafe knew what was going on. We sat on the sand with Kathie for a long time hoping the pain would subside. Eventually we got some ice and I went back to get the car. When I returned the cafe people had made a sling for her and we went to Hervey Bay hospital.
The xray told the story, a mid shaft radial fracture, not a simple break, needing surgery. We almost got it done there and then but weren't sure whether Group Health Insurance in the USA would cover it.
Turns out they would but by then we had decided to return to Sydney as planned the next day and try our luck there. Kathie started Panadeine tabs. She needed them every four hours thereafter.
Back in Sydney we put off going to the emergency room until Sunday because we had tickets for the Sydney Symphony orchestra at the Opera House. They played star trek stuff with accompanying TV footage. It was fun. We went on to Maxine's house afterwards and had home made Laksa. Amazingly Kathie managed her chopsticks with her left hand, something I tried and couldn't do.
The next morning saw us in RPA emergency. The upshot was they were too busy to operate that day. K & K decided to return to USA and get it done there. It was not fun seeing off my sister with a broken arm.
Today I learned that she was in surgery for 3 hours, the bone was shattered in ten pieces and she needed 6 screws in. She is in a lot of pain. I want to go over there but will talk to Krista tomorrow and see how she is in the morning. Watch this space.
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