There is a reason for my ‘radio silence’… just not a very good reason.
What happened?
I came back from Jakarta early with a nifty new acquisition and insight into a very different mode of travel.
Re-wind… exactly what happened?
My nifty new Jakarta acquisition!
Let’s just say in a contest with Jakarta’s treacherous footpaths, it is obvious who is gonna win! And it ain’t me…
Don’t get me wrong. I have a healthy respect for Jakarta’s walking conditions. Before this trip, I went out and invested in a pair of super comfy, highly practical walking shoes. The kind that have great grip so don’t slip. The kind that are light, compact and durable and can be easily chucked into a bag.
Not only that, my office shoes were also carefully selected for their sturdiness and sensible low heel. No fancy party shoes these – I truly did go for practicality over fashion.
My pattern was to don the office shoes only in office. Even if popping next door for a coffee, the shoe switch happened and voilà! Walking shoes replaced pumps.
Until one time – just one time – I decided stepping over the bridge to the mall across the street for lunch with an ex-colleague SHOULD be safe. Right?
Wrong!
On the walk back I turned the corner coming down the stairs and… went down. As in way down full frontal fall with a fabulously twisted ankle, banged knee and all! Spectacularly splat!
Stunned, I honestly didn’t realize it was serious until I tried to pick myself up… ouuuchhh!! Who knew the steps were riddled with potholes with nasty surprises in store?!
Good news is a cohort was with me – ever so gently, he helped me down the last few stairs, plunked me at a nice seating spot, went next door to grab my things and came back with a cab so I could return to the hotel.
Turns out that was only the beginning… Long and short is:
Wheeling all the way home!
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Diagnosis – Badly torn ligament that apparently has a longer recovery than a broken limb!?
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Discovery – Fabulous support from friends, colleagues and strangers… including an introduction to the joys of airplane travel with wheelchair support from Jakarta – Singapore – Mumbai
- Delight – Being thoroughly pampered and indulged at home with my partner – gotta be some silver lining in the disaster!
Anyone else have an accident away from home – especially a foolish one like mine? How did you get back? Any interesting tales to tell?
Everyday Asia 
Aw, how crap is that?! I hope it won’t take too long to sort itself out, and that you’re not immobilised for months 😦
Since you asked, accidents like these are one of my greatest worries, as I’m completely reliant on myself…
How crap? Super duper crap! I shouldn’t be completely immobilised for months but definitely for this one…:-(
Can imagine an accident alone is a worry! It would have been a lot tougher in Jakarta if I didn’t have an amazing support network there.
The guys on the project team were terrific. One girlfriend there especially was amazing! With a crazy busy work schedule she carved out a couple hours in the day and again at night to pop by, pamper and help get things organized. And the serviced apartment staff really went above and beyond.
Home – well let’s just say there are no doubts I have a wonderful partner – someone to count on through good n bad times. It is a blessing I never take for granted. (insert sappy goofy love struck smile).
Sounds like you’re experiencing a bad situation under the best circumstances, at least. Keep us posted on your recovery.
Hey, at least you can still blog 😉
Yeah but still catching up on all the work stuff… groan! 😦
I’ll join you tomorrow. Just got back home… am so behind with everything!
Haha! I do love company in my misery! 🙂
I had very high fever on the last day of my honeymoon aeons ago and I do not remember the overnight train ride back at all as I slept right through it.
I used to travel a lot and getting sick or injured has always been at the back of my mind. Hope this heals quick!
Your honeymoon sounds memorably without memory! Doesn’t sound like much fun – it is never good being sick or injured but when combined with what should be a joyful event? Well that double sucks!
I’m hoping my recovery is a wee bit more rapid than the docs are saying, but will dutifully follow their timelines and instructions… My idiocy goes even further as this was the one time I missed getting travel insurance. Gaakh!
That sucks! 😦 Get well sooon!
Many many thanks!!!
get well soon. No injury is fun, and being unable to walk really sucks. I like your silver lining – keep the attitude and positiveness 🙂
My “silver lining” is truly a delight – I’m a lucky lass! 🙂
I gotta admit I’m impatiently waiting to go from hopping around on one foot to hobbling with two…. 😉
You poor thing! I tried to compete with the Chinese at badminton, and ended up with a broken ankle.
My discoveries were-
– I didn’t care at all if the hospital was old, shabby or overcrowded, as long as someone stopped the pain in my leg;
– when hiring a driver, pick a guy who is strong enough to carry you from the badminton court to the car.
And my advice to you is, if you are really immobile at home, get a bell, so you can ring for your partner and demand more pampering and indulging.
Egads! That broken ankle does NOT sound like fun. I’m guessing from your discoveries you had a spot of trouble achieving these? How was your recovery and are you back playing badminton without a repeat performance of breaking your ankle again???
And while yes I am indeed immobile at home, I think a bell might be a tad much? Our flat isn’t that big so a loud “Jaan… can you….” does the trick! 😉
Recovery fine; can still play badminton; I will hang on to the bell, then, if you don’t need it!
I feel bad liking this! I hope it heals quickly! Like LOTC, this is also my worst nightmare – I’m so careful of myself walking around here. I barely look up!
Haha! Your ‘bad like’ is laughingly accepted! 😉
The warnings I keep receiving is – STAY OFF and give maximum time to heal before getting into physio and any activities.
Harrumph!! But I’m sticking to the expert advice… the LOTC makes a huuuuuge difference.
As for keeping your eyes on the ground – stick with it! I gotta admit part of what happened is a turned to look at my project colleague to say something when the ahem accident happened…. Lesson learned loud and clear!!
Thank god I have no colleagues and people here don’t speak 😉
Who knew that could be a blessing, eh?
Sorry to hear about your spill and get well soon. My son broke his leg while we were on holidays in Ireland a few years ago. Glad you got treated well through the airports, as we did – we realised that can be a real lifesaver!
Thanks Brad! The wheelchair service was such a relief!
That has to really suck. Walking in Asia is a treacherous undertaking but as yet have been able to navigate the potholes, sinkholes, pieces of jutting out steel, and two foot gutters without incident. I did see a guy fall in an open drain in Java once…not pretty. Heal well and quickly.
Those open drains are simply a disaster waiting to happen! And I guess you witnessed one… best wishes to continuing to be a witness and not victim!
Oh dear! Can you organize and assistant of sorts to help you out in the coming months? Maybe even someone who can help you on a few work trips?
Gee… is someone volunteering?? 😉
Actually the ‘lads’ (I use this term in jest as they are pretty much all 50+) on the project team are pretending to be me for a couple on-site things.
And I’m burning the midnight oil to support remotely, justifying my continued existence!
Not ideal but so far so good!
Ha! Would love to if I could bring two additional little helpers along. Suppose the 3 year old could carry a small bag and the 7 year old could push your wheelchair?
Well that sounds like a merry bunch! Sounds like a delightful option!
ewww, yeah there’s a reason why nobody walks anywhere in Jakarta I think and the streets are so bad. and you weren’t even drunk?
There was a man on tv this morning warning about the dangers of slippers. apparently, the most dangerous thing in the average home is a pair of slippers; they cause thousands of accidents a year.
Hope you heal up soon; it’s awful being unable to get around.
Yeah I used to think it was funny everyone was advising me to take a taxi everywhere for even short distances. Guess I’m the foolish one!
And nope – not even a wee dram in my system….
However the dangers of slippers is a new one for me?!
I’m also hoping this healing process will go from uber slow to suddenly – wowie! I’m walking!!
Please get well soon. Regards..
Thank you ever so much!
Hope you are feeling better!
I’m waiting for a few weeks to hopefully go from hopping to hobbling. 😉
I hope the healing is going well. Ugh what a pain literally. I have never been injured while away but when our kids were young and we had taken my parents on a trip, my husband got terrible Salmonella poisoning. By the time I managed to get everyone on a plane he was so dehydrated his pulse was irregular. I was never so happy to get home and get him some medical attention.
Healing is going sloooooowly! I think cabin fever is about to set in. 😉
Travelling when sick is SO not fun – am sure your hubby was ever so grateful to be home and re-hydrated!
Sending you healthy healing vibes. I broke my foot about 6 years ago and was unable to drive for 10 weeks and on crutches for 6. Definitely gave me a huge appreciation for my usual mobility.
Walking is beginning to seem an impossible dream! And certainly the wheelchair trip home gave remarkable insights into traveling with a disability. Even Mumbai – can you imagine the physio is in a bldg. with no lift and up a flight of stairs… hmm…
Well that is excellent planning isn’t it? Yikes!
Yeah even getting to where I bought my Air Cast was a lesson in how nearly impossible it is to get around using crutches / walker or anything else.
Shoulda taken a pic of the place – quality of products good but you never would have imagined looking at the exterior or entrance! Somehow it works though…. like many things here!
Do you know what the phrase “cape deh” means?;)
I’ve understood it to literally mean something like “tired” but used colloquially like “sooo not funny” or kinda like I would use “sheesh!” 😉 Am I way off base?
You got it. So, after reading one of my long-winded posts, you can remark “cape deh,” then all will be well!
Haha! Hardly! Love your posts! 🙂