Tunisia in Winter is a bloody dreary place. This year it was cold, wet and even snowed in Tunis. However, that's where I was for a photo holiday. All was going brilliantly until I missed some steps in the hotel, tried to avoid hitting the floor and failed.
Result? Two broken bones - Tibia and Fibula, above the ankle. The Tibia looked like a clean break, but it's actually broken into four.
Travel insurance took care of the private clinic and flights home. But... I am self employed, so no SSP, no anything like that.
The first point, therefore, is "FFS, if you're self employed, DO get out of work insurance of some sort". I spend hundreds on insurance for my kit, but never bothered with this component. I'm young and healthy and don't do extreme sports or anything - why would I.
Fortunately I can keep working - as long as I have wheels.
First solution - I've bought that yellow SLK. I wanted it anyway, the moment it was advertised. I was initially told 5 weeks to heal enough to walk. Two weeks have passed. I figured three weeks of left-foot driving on the few occasions I needed to would be tolerable (yes, insurance said it's okay, so did the doc).
Then I went to see the NHS consultant. They threw away my nice fibreglass splint and put a cast on. They didn't even look at the X-Rays before deciding this, btw - just did it. Then they said 5 weeks to my next appointment.
THEN they said to walk will take 9 months.
That's to the end of the year.
All of a sudden, that freelance business and lack of insurance seems very, very scary indeed.
So I've also, hopefully, bought the Chevy Blazer (if it falls through, I'm still on the lookout for a big 4x4 auto) - to have fitted with hand controls (free on Motability, £400 I have been quoted). And there's a doohickey called an iWalkFree which should allow me to walk without crutches and thus, hold and use a camera (even if I have to leave the bag in the truck).
Government assistance is something I have never used before or needed. It seems that I can't get any - most of the incapacity/illness benefits are geared either towards being out of work or provided through work (like SSP); no temporary blue badges apparently, DLA isn't appropriate.
It's only a broken leg, I'm not permanently disabled (yet - let's see what the docs can do when removing the pins) or anything like that, and I know people cope with far worse, in far less comfortable situations.
So this isn't about whining - it's about a: Yeay I am buying two cool cars, and b: if you're self employed, get some insurance, and c: argue with your consultant. They seem geared to signing people off. This might suit people on benefits or working for big firms, it does not suit me.
Having said that, it still feels like my world's collapsed at times. Anyone who has done this, you have loads of sympathy from me. It's the keeping weight off that is the real bummer - that, and stairs.
(Though when I get a wheelchair I can do a mean Hawking impression).
Result? Two broken bones - Tibia and Fibula, above the ankle. The Tibia looked like a clean break, but it's actually broken into four.
Travel insurance took care of the private clinic and flights home. But... I am self employed, so no SSP, no anything like that.
The first point, therefore, is "FFS, if you're self employed, DO get out of work insurance of some sort". I spend hundreds on insurance for my kit, but never bothered with this component. I'm young and healthy and don't do extreme sports or anything - why would I.
Fortunately I can keep working - as long as I have wheels.
First solution - I've bought that yellow SLK. I wanted it anyway, the moment it was advertised. I was initially told 5 weeks to heal enough to walk. Two weeks have passed. I figured three weeks of left-foot driving on the few occasions I needed to would be tolerable (yes, insurance said it's okay, so did the doc).
Then I went to see the NHS consultant. They threw away my nice fibreglass splint and put a cast on. They didn't even look at the X-Rays before deciding this, btw - just did it. Then they said 5 weeks to my next appointment.
THEN they said to walk will take 9 months.
That's to the end of the year.
All of a sudden, that freelance business and lack of insurance seems very, very scary indeed.
So I've also, hopefully, bought the Chevy Blazer (if it falls through, I'm still on the lookout for a big 4x4 auto) - to have fitted with hand controls (free on Motability, £400 I have been quoted). And there's a doohickey called an iWalkFree which should allow me to walk without crutches and thus, hold and use a camera (even if I have to leave the bag in the truck).
Government assistance is something I have never used before or needed. It seems that I can't get any - most of the incapacity/illness benefits are geared either towards being out of work or provided through work (like SSP); no temporary blue badges apparently, DLA isn't appropriate.
It's only a broken leg, I'm not permanently disabled (yet - let's see what the docs can do when removing the pins) or anything like that, and I know people cope with far worse, in far less comfortable situations.
So this isn't about whining - it's about a: Yeay I am buying two cool cars, and b: if you're self employed, get some insurance, and c: argue with your consultant. They seem geared to signing people off. This might suit people on benefits or working for big firms, it does not suit me.
Having said that, it still feels like my world's collapsed at times. Anyone who has done this, you have loads of sympathy from me. It's the keeping weight off that is the real bummer - that, and stairs.
(Though when I get a wheelchair I can do a mean Hawking impression).
Ax GTi Turbo
