I fell at KLCC.
Wait, I know what you’re going to ask.
“Macam mana boleh jatuh?” I was asked that every time I relate this
story. I don’t know really. The floor may have been wet (it happened in front
of Garrett’s, the popular popcorn outlet) or I may have tripped after stepping
on my long skirt. Or I may have simply misstepped.
I felt a sharp pain on my right shoulder. I knew immediately that
something was not right. What I didn’t know then was that I had fractured the
head of the humerus bone.
The KLCC guest relations officer, who happened to pass by, asked if
they can take me to the clinic. I told her I needed a hospital instead.
When she told me that the medical centre had closed (it was after 6
pm when it happened), I decided to go to Pantai Hospital.
I took the Isetan escalator to the groundfloor and headed towards
the taxi stand. It was peak hour. There was no taxi in the queue, except for
one waiting for her ride to finish work.
The lady driver saw that I was in pain. I told her what happened and
that I needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible. She called her ride,
informed them of my situation, and she got the go ahead to take me.
It was the longest 45 minute ride to Pantai Hospital because of the
traffic. Every time the cab rode over a speed bump, the pain intensified.
When I reached the hospital, I couldn’t get out of the cab
unassisted. The hospital’s attendant helped me out of the cab, put me on a
wheelchair and immediately wheeled me into emergency.
A doctor, who attended to me, put my right arm in a sling and sent
me for X-Ray.
“Patah kan?” I asked the
technician after it was done. He nodded.
The doctor gave me his initial assessment. “Mungkin kena operate ni,”
he said, while showing me the X-Ray results. “Tapi kita tunggu pakar orthopedic. Dia dalam operating theatre sekarang ni. Kejap lagi dia turun,” he
said.
His “kejap lagi” was two
hours later. The surgeon showed me the fractured part on his phone. The X-Ray
technician had sent the copy to him.
“We’ll see if you need surgery in a week’s time. In the meantime,
you wear this arm sling. I’ll prescribe painkillers. Come back and see me in a
week.”
I called a cab and went directly to my brother’s house in Putrajaya.
I was on one week medical leave anyway.
Sleeping that night was a torture; I ended up sleeping in a sitting
position, with a pillow propped against the bedrest. After a while, I could
find a sleeping position that was comfortable.
A week later, I was at the surgeon’s office. I had to do a 3D CT
scan first before I saw him. At his office, I was shown the result. “We have to
graft the chipped part, insert a six-inch plate with some screws. It’s a simple
procedure. Takes about two hours,” he explained.
I asked if surgery was absolutely necessary. He told me the chipped
bone will not heal itself.
“So, when do you want to do it?” I asked. He looked at his
appointment book. “Tomorrow is ok,” he said. I said no.
- To be continued
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