Like many of us frame wearers, Charlie's injury was the result of a motorcycle accident. Here's his story.
G'day SlimAnd sure enough, he did. And what can you say except OUCH!!!!My name's Charlie Ambrose and I'm from Perth, Western Australia. Just congratulating you on a great site you got here. I too have the privelege of being a wearer of the Ilizarov fixator. I actually came across this site through a mate I met in hospital a couple of days ago, Jock Dunkly. I see he's sent you his story as well.
I only recently got my frame on a few days ago (18/03/00), and am finding it fair to cope with. I've had lots of support both from family, friends and hospital staff which has really helped me alot. To find out that there's others out there (quite a few) coping really well with there new attachments makes it a whole lot easier.
I'll give you a quick run down on how my injury occured.
I was coming down Whelspool road heading home at about two in the morning on my motorcycle. It was a windy night and as the trees cleared to my right, I caught a sudden burst of wind which literally lifted the bike and threw me off.
I slammed into a bus shelter while the bike carried on down the road for a hundred metres or so. My left leg hit the jarrah bench an smashed the fib and tib.
I lost a decent amount of flesh as the bones ripped through my skin (not as severe as Jock's though).
I was out for a bit, some locals heard the crash and came out to investigate, they called the Ambo's and I was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital.
I had a muscle flap (taken out of my right leg), put on and an external fixator (not an Ilizarov). I was in hospital for a good month before being discharged for a couple of weeks then returning again for a bone graft and an Ilizarov fixator.
That's my story Slim, hope it makes good reading. I'd like to send you some pictures in the near future.Cheers
Charlie
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Charlie has been keeping me updated with news about him and his frame and on 25th June 2000, I received the following e-mail telling me that the best thing had happened at last. Charlie has had his frame removed.
G'Day SlimHowya doin? How's the leg? Yesterday was "THE" day. I got me cyborg implant removed. I'm in plaster for a few weeks now. I don't know which is worse having the Ilizarov and cleaning pins everyday or having this cast and having to put a bag over it when I go into the shower, not to mention the "annoying itch" and sweatyness.
The day started off pretty well, I knew I had to stay over night so I packed a bag, I went down to Royal Perth (Fri 23rd) and saw Dr Wren who said everything was looking great and that I would be admitted in that afternoon and the removal of the frame would be done first thing Saturday morning (@8.00)
I was so excited I couldn't really sleep that night, not that I bothered with it, I had a good chat to the guy next door, he too has just had the privelidge of wearing an ilizarov. He was hit by a car and broke his right fib and tib, the poor guy was out of hospital no more than a few days when he developed a really bad infection which required the removal of a couple of pins.
He was abit shaken up by the whole thing of having a ilizarov, quite like myself when I first heard about it. I told him it'll soon grow on you and you'll have know problems. I told him about your site and he'd said he'd give it a look. Anywayz I got out of bed at about 5am and went for a shower and was ready by 6am...
I didn't end up going to theatre until 4.45pm that afternoon. I've never felt time go so slowly in my life. They had two trauma cases that morning, (Perth, suddenly has an outbreak of stabbings!) thus I ended up being pushed to the end of the line. I was meant to go home that day, but I ended up spending another night in hospital.
I have to go back in two weeks where I'll get the plaster cast removed and they'll put another one on, one which I can walk on. Well, it's all progress. I know some people have theirs on for over a year (like yourself) and I still don't know how the hell they do it, three over months was long enough for me.Cheers
Charlie Ambrose
P.S. Have you heard from Jock? Is he over there yet? I'm sending him an email, I haven't spoken to him in a couple of months.
Congratulations Charlie and all the best for your continued recovery. And as for Jock, well hopefully he is at this time (25 june 2000) in the UK, We're hoping to get together and have a couple of tinnys. And if we do I'll get it up on the site of course.