Dear all.
We had a nasty accident on 8 March, when we were installing our stand at the Internationale Lahnsteiner Modellbahntage 2019. We were halfway through the installation, when Bice got out of the exhibition hall to buy some sandwiches.
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Once on the street, Bice inexplicably tripped and fell.
With the typical German efficiency, two ambulances and an emergency doctor arrived. Somebody alerted me, and I dashed down to the street. Diagnosis: left femur broken, dislocated fracture.
The medics transported Bice and me to the Bruderhaus Klinikum in Koblenz. Again, it was German efficiency at its best. In less than four hours, they X-rayed, did CATs, did blood tests, collected from us the entire medical records, and Bice entered the operating room. The personnel ordered me to leave and come back the morning after. So I did. I took a train back to Lahnstein, went back to the Stadthalle, and began to tackle the logistics. The organizers had already fenced the area of our semi-installed layout. I had to tell them the whole sad story. Everybody wanted to know, and they were sincerely shocked. I began to disassemble the layout, a slow process that I managed to complete on the evening of 9 March, with the exhibition open to the public. In the evening, I sent some mails and canceled all my appointments for the coming weeks.
The support of the organizers and members of the Modelleisenbahn Club Lahnstein has been great. I want especially to thank Mr. Lehmkuhler, President of the Club, Mrs. Doris Weiland of the Weiland Hotel, who generously extended my stay at her hotel for a further two days after the end of the show, and Mr. Bingel, member of the Club, who kept me as guest in one of his holiday apartments in Bad Ems until Bice was released from the hospital (12 days later).
The day after, Saturday 10, I took my train to Koblenz. I met Bice. Now, she had her femur fixed with an intra-medullar titanium nail. Routine operation, post-operatory course normal, the doctors said. Incredibly, one day after these modern operations, they mobilize the patient, allowing his/her to do some steps, of course with crutches and with the help of physiotherapists.
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In the afternoon, I went back to Lahnstein. The show was in full swing, a colossal crowd was around, people were even taking photos of our semi-installed layout, and asking questions. I had to update all the friends about the conditions of Bice. They helped me disassembly the stand and load my car.
In the evening, there was the official buffet of the exhibitors at the Club’s headquarters. I was there. Good thing that everybody tried and distract me from the current problems.
My routine in the following days was commuting with a morning train from Bad Ems to Koblenz, spend my day with Bice, and commute back to Bad Ems in the afternoon.
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Meanwhile, Herr Lehmkuhler and Herr Bingel paid personal visits to Bice at the hospital, depositing large bouquets of flowers (to the greatest envy of the other dames of the hospital room…)
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Meanwhile, from the hospital, we had a wonderful view of the bustling railroad traffic.
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Finally, Bice was released on 20 March, which was an eternity. Apparently, the doctors wanted to be on the extra-safe side, before releasing their esteemed Italian guest. We verified with our insurance about the options to transport Bice back home, but the doctors said that the best option was to drive her back in our own car.
In the afternoon of 20 March, Bice was exhausted, but wanted to do a quick tour. We drove along the Rhine, and then went back home at Manfred Bingel’s place.
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On 21 March we left, and after a stopover in Freiburg, we arrived at base on 22 March afternoon.
Here in Milan, the Nickel Queen underwent another thorough check with an orthopedic surgeon in Milan. She is doing rehabilitation (3 months), and will undergo periodic checks and X-rays. 6 months is the expected convalescence before recovery.
The organizers have stated that we must absolutely take part to the next Internationale Lahnsteiner Modellbahntage Ausstellung 2020. If luck helps us, that will be our utmost pleasure.
Mad Doc