Last week I slipped on some ice on the patio at the back of my house and landed full force on my knee. It was such a shock that it wasn’t necessarily painful at first, but the swelling and bruising were immediate. I did what you’re supposed to do – ice packs for 20 minutes every few hours, elevating it etc – but it just continued to get worse. 

The following day, we had a heavy snowfall that lasted for 24 hours which resulted in us being snowed in for three days, so I couldn’t get to the hospital for an X-ray. During that time the bruising grew to areas above and below my knee – an enormous 20cm galaxy of blue, yellow, purple and black. I could bend it slightly and hold weight on it for a period of time, but what concerned me was that the skin on my knee was completely numb. 

So as soon as the snow cleared, I took myself off to my local hospital.

The Bloke wanted to come with me, which was genuinely appreciated, but it didn’t make sense for him to take a day of annual leave just to sit in the hospital waiting room. The hospital is only about fifteen minutes away by taxi, and I was able to walk well enough to manage on my own. Still, knowing he was ready to come along if needed made the whole thing feel a little easier.

In anticipation of what could be a very long wait, I got myself prepped: I emailed work to myself that I could do for the time I was there, fully charged both phones (I have one for work) and put my portable charger, a sandwich and a banana in my bag, and made sure that I had cash in my purse. 

And I’m so glad that I did. I ordered a taxi and arrived at the main A&E at about 7.30am. It was already chaotic – every seat was full, people were yelling at the receptionists and multiple police officers were stood at various points in the room. However, because of the nature of my injury they sent me round to another area to be triaged which was almost empty and thankfully much more calm and quiet. 

By about 9.00am, I had been triaged and taken to another area to wait, and I got into a conversation with a lovely man who had damaged his wrist. We had a lot in common – we talked about his travels around Scotland with his wife and my favourite places on the east coast, his son is a musician (as am I), the work he had done over the years on the railways and the fact that we both have Irish ancestry. It was one of those easy conversations that makes the time pass without noticing. 

Before long, my name was called for the X-ray. The process itself was quick and straightforward, and thankfully the results showed no broken bones.

There is, however, a small concern that some very minor damage to the meniscus cartilage may have occurred, but based on my pain levels, the ability to bear weight on my damaged leg and the fact that I can bend my knee, albeit slowly hopefully suggests that it isn’t anything too serious. More severe meniscus damage often requires surgery, which does not seem likely in this case. One thing that I was slightly worried about is that the consultant also couldn’t guarantee that the feeling in my knee would return and damage to the nerve endings may leave certain areas being permanently numb. There isn’t anything they can do about it – it’s just a matter of waiting to see if it will heal over time.

I was so grateful, and I have been so lucky. Falls like that can easily result in far more serious injuries and it could have been a very different outcome. Knowing that nothing is broken and that any damage appears manageable brings such an enormous sense of relief, and it has made me more aware of how quickly things can change with one wrong step. I have been given an appointment to return in a month for a follow-up check, along with clear guidance on what to watch out for. A splint has been provided for longer walks, and physiotherapy appointments will be needed in the near future to support recovery.

I will always be thankful for how lucky we are to have the NHS and the incredible people who work within it. I made a point of really thanking the nurse (probably a little more enthusiastically than necessary) and telling her how good the whole team had been. It felt important to say it out loud. In moments like that, it really hits home just how much dedication, patience and humanity exists behind the system and just how fortunate we are to benefit from it.

For now, the plan is sensible and cautious. Nothing dramatic, just patience, physio, and continued ice packs. And if nothing else, the whole experience has been a gentle reminder to appreciate nice conversations with strangers, good outcomes and the people who make them possible.