Australia 2004, Part 2: Port Douglas disaster

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Wangetti Beach from the Rex Lookout between Cairns and Port Douglas

Most of the rest of our trip was to be spent in Far North Queensland. On arrival in Cairns we picked up our hire vehicle, a 4×4, and set off for Port Douglas for two nights.

The following day, we had booked a Quicksilver Cruise to the Outer Barrier Reef, including a chance to go snorkelling.

Quicksilver Cruise
Anabel and John on Quicksilver Cruise
Quicksilver Cruise
John ready to snorkel
Anabel ready to snorkel

This was memorable, but not as memorable as what happened that evening. After dinner, we went for a wander round the harbour area. When confronted with a post-and-rope barrier, I made the split-second decision to step over it rather than retrace my steps. What I didn’t realise was that the ground on the other side was lower – not much, but enough that one foot dropped further than expected and the other failed to clear the rope. I fell in a crumpled heap to the ground.

John helped me up and I felt no pain until I tried to put my left foot down – aargh! I could feel movement where there shouldn’t be movement, and knew immediately that something was broken. I managed to hobble back to the hotel, by walking on the side of my foot, and we went to bed very worried about what would happen next.

The following morning, hotel staff helped us to get an appointment with a local doctor and I entered the Australian health service. I found it very efficient, although there was a lot of driving around for things that would probably all happen under the same roof here. For example, the doctor wanted me to have an X-ray which would happen in a hospital at home. Because the local facility was closed that day, we were sent to one in another town which I was surprised to find was just a unit in a shopping centre. I was handed the X-rays (which I still have), then it was back to the doctor in Port Douglas who confirmed what I already knew: I had broken two metatarsals.

After much phoning, he got me an appointment the next day at the Fracture Clinic at Cairns Base Hospital, so off we went back to Cairns when we should already have been at our next destination. On arrival at the hastily booked hotel, John was despatched first to an address the doctor had given us to procure a pair of crutches (which I also still have), then to buy a takeaway dinner which we ate in our room. This was our view, the only picture we have of Cairns!

To cut a long story short, I was plastered up and sent on my way. I have two complaints about the plaster cast (or stookie as we call it here). First, I was given a choice of colour and picked blue. Had I known that, once dry, they were going to slit it down each side and tape it up, I might have chosen pink to match the tape. (This was because I would have to fly with the plaster on, and it needed to be easily removed if my leg swelled up.) Second, the doctor in Cairns said I mustn’t put weight on my foot, so it was not a walking cast and I hopped around for the next two weeks. The doctor I saw at home was very scathing about this and said the foot should have been load bearing the whole time. This would have made life so much easier, and allowed me to see so much more on the rest of our trip. Still, we made the best of things and, as you can see below, I was still smiling as we re-joined our schedule the next day to make our way to Daintree.

The accident was on the 6th of July, 2004, so I have recently passed the 16th anniversary. Does it still affect my life? Yes it does. The doctor in Cairns said that in a few months I wouldn’t know that I had done it, but there is never a day passes when I am not conscious of it. I still get a certain amount of pain and discomfort, and my left foot is quite inflexible. It has little power in it which makes going uphill more arduous than it needs to be, and can affect my balance on uneven ground. Someday, I am fairly sure, I am going to need some sort of surgery on it.

But back to 2004. I can’t leave this subject without paying tribute to John who was an absolute rock throughout. Not one word of reproach passed his lips: I can tell you that if it had been the other way round, and he had done something that daft, I would probably (definitely!) not have been so restrained. He spent ages on the phone calling ahead to accommodation, airlines, and other places where we had reserved services, to make sure that my needs would be met, and just generally took care of me for the remaining two weeks of our tour. He’s a keeper!

Needless to say, these days I never jump over barriers and always walk round.

Australia, Queensland

61 Comments »

  1. Accidents happen in a split second, but the inconvenience and discomfort for much longer. My broken femur was one such occurrence which had me on crutches for six months and then another three the following year after the surgeon removed the metal pin. It must have been awful to have this happen in the middle of your holiday and so far away from home. Looking at your subsequent posts, I see that you made the best of it though. 👏🏻

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  2. Anabel – So, here it is – the accident. It’s so frustrating that those split-second decisions can’t be taken back. If only. And they are so often just like yours – pretty unremarkable moments that only become important afterward. Hurrah for John. Cheers- Susan

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  3. How unpleasant. Yes, I was told too that eventually, after about two years, I would feel no more pain but the orthopaedic surgeon has said that there will always be some discomfort. 😦 I’m thinking the reason you had to go here, there and everywhere was because Port Douglas wouldn’t have had all those facilities. Where we live everything is in the one location which makes life much easier.

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  4. oh my! The short cuts are never short cuts are they 😦 what a superstar John was, and so grateful you were able to continue your trip. But not so good you have so many after effects.

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  5. Oh dear, not much fun when that happens on holiday. A relatively minor accident leading to a relatively minor injury but which has more major consequences to your plans. Once on holiday in France staying in a Eurocamp caravan I slipped on the steps (about 8 inches high!) landed badly and thought I’d had a break. I had to spend half a day visiting the doctor. Luckily just a very bad sprain, but I couldn’t dive for several days and mobility was limited. So, like you, I was restricted in what I could do. But your injury was definitely more serious.

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  6. I love how you incorporate the “suspense” part of your stories, Anabel. Darn! Breaking bones on a holiday is not a good thing. Not good to break bones at any time. Your husband is beyond wonderful for many reasons. Yes, he’s a keeper.🙂

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  7. And so it begins… How unfortunate that it happened so early in your trip! In my experience, doctors all love to criticise every other doctor, especially doctors in other countries, so what happened to you doesn’t surprise me, but it does sound frustrating, especially if you feel that you might have healed better with different treatment.

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    • It was about a third of the way in, but at least we had already done the two major things we had booked in advance: the bridge climb and the barrier reef. I got the impression the doctor in Scotland would have picked fault whatever! I much preferred the Australian one’s manner and I’ve no idea which one was right in the end.

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  8. Hi Anabel – what a nuisance … and still is I gather … still the main thing is you’re exercising a lot – so the rest of your muscles et al are well adjusted. I’m also glad it didn’t completely stop you in your tracks … and John definitely sounds a keeper … now I have to find Eunice’s comment for my laugh! Stay safe … Hilary

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  9. I’m so sorry! It’s hard enough to get injured in your own country, but much more difficult in a foreign land. I’m glad you were able to get treated, but sorry you were told not to put weight on it. I wonder if that’s part of the reason you still have trouble with it now? Hopefully, surgery will correct that. Still, it sounds as if you handled the whole thing well, and good for your husband for helping you through it all!

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    • You probably won’t remember, but on the previous post you said something like “at least your vacation got off on the right foot” and I said I wished I’d thought of using that phrase. This is why! It would have been very appropriate. The other side of the world was definitely not the easiest place to have this happen, but on the other hand it forced us to just carry on – what else could we do? At home we might have let it worry us more. It was still very much a second best experience to what it should have been, but we didn’t let it become a disaster.

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  10. Very sorry to hear you damaged your foot so badly! I live in fear of twisting an ankle as both are wobbly from previous sprains. We had seven months in Australia back in 2001, living in Sydney and visiting Melbourne, Port Douglas, Canberra and Uluru (by plane). It was great to see so much of the country but I decided it was too hot for me. With global warming, it seems Scotland is the perfect place!

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    • Ankle sprains are horrible too. A few years later I sprained the ankle on the same foot so it feels dodgy too 😟. I would love to visit all those places – well, maybe I’d give Port Douglas a miss next time! I’d like to think it will happen some day, but who knows with both global warming and deadly viruses.

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  11. Laughing.
    Now, be honest, had you had a wee dram?
    Last year Kim had an ankle injury in Berlin and 12 months on it still troubles her.
    Got to say that I laughed at those blue scuba diving suits!
    We call a plaster cast a pot.

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  12. Easily done. I did something similar in a Youth Hostel in the Lake District, but fortunately no breakage; just a very bad sprain.
    We have more health centres now where everything can be done under one roof, but still can be a lot of running around if you go to a small private practice.
    I hope our health system hasn’t let you down too badly and that you won’t suffer too much in years to come.

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    • Oh no, I don’t feel let down – but I was bemused at the different approaches taken by the doctor there and the one here. It would certainly have been more comfortable to be able to put that foot down, but maybe it wouldn’t have healed so quickly, I don’t know. The doctor here seemed determined to find fault with everything including the design of the crutches (?) so I think he was a bit of a curmudgeon. The most worrying time of all was when he almost instantly brandished his saw, whipped the cast off, and told me to walk. I was terrified!

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  15. It’s very easily done. These days I have real trouble climbing over wire fences whereas 8 years ago I could vault them no problem. Shame you couldn’t be more mobile on your trip. I thought of hiring a 4×4 land cruiser when I was over there but the cost and sheer distance put me off. I would have been driving far more than sightseeing and inland it’s boiling hot and empty for 100s of miles. When I was over it was the time they had massive floods.10 foot deep, with bull sharks swimming through the suburban streets in certain towns so a lucky escape for me. I was also on my own if I did that seeing OZ trip so didn’t fancy touring around by myself in an unfamiliar country, sticking mostly to SA instead where my sister lives and did trips with her. Sounds like you are both pretty determined though as that experience would put most people off.

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  16. Yikes! Well accidents do happen and you learned a valuable lesson I suppose 😮 And found out what a gem of a hubby you have.

    Just as well you did the snorkelling before the incident. We have been to Port Douglas and Cairns and the boat trip to the reef, but passed on the snorkelling. It’s one of my favourite parts of Australia. I’m afraid Eunice’s comment about the Thunderbirds made me laugh! Sorry! And I am also sorry that the foot still gives you grief, though it doesn’t seem to stop you exploring. Just be thankful you don’t have a metal plate in the ankle like my son as he sets off the alarms every time he goes through airport security!

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    • I can’t believe how stupid I was! I must admit possibly having to get a metal plate is one of the things that puts me off doing anything more about the foot. I was tickled by the Thunderbirds idea so no need to apologise for laughing. Thunderbirds are go!

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  17. Yikes! So sorry that the mishap not only impacted that trip but your ability to walk pain-free ever since. Isn’t it amazing how quickly things can change? I had an “oh crap” moment a few years ago when I fell off a ladder. John definitely deserves a medal.

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  18. Hi, Anabel – I love the smile on your face in your final photo. I also love the positive attitude of both you and John. I’m glad that you were able to rejoin your schedule. That also shows a positive, determined spirit!

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  20. Oh dear. There is never a good time for such things to happen but vacationing and having to navigate an unfamiliar system is definitely not ideal. Well done to John for being such a trooper.

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  22. What a pity! Sorry to hear about that. And really sorry to hear that you still feel pain there and that it still is somewhat stiff.

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  23. There’s a good lesson not to hop barriers, and also how to manage a vacation after such a mishap. John is a doll! I think my hubby would probably step up, but like you, give me a little grief, too. I’d love to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef someday!

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  24. It sounds like John was worth his weight in gold after you had your accident. I can understand about you still feeling the effects of the break – my son still has trouble with his ankle three years after he broke it, it’s very much affected by the weather and he has to wear special work boots as he’s on his feet for most of a 12-hour shift. He was told by the hospital physio that he would probably feel the effects for the rest of his life 😦

    I hope you don’t mind me saying but those blue wet suits make you both look like you’re about to join the crew of Thunderbirds 🙂 A good thing you did the snorkelling before you had your accident 🙂

    If that’s the only photo you got of Cairns I think it’s actually quite a nice view 🙂

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    • John is golden and so glad you could lean on him. What a shame that this happened on your trip and trying to get around on crutches. I can’t do crutches at all and would have needed the boot or something load bearing. Maybe it wasn’t load bearing because you had to take an airplane? I would have chosen blue for sure

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      • John was brilliant. I got quite good on crutches, even up and down stairs. I think the boot was still uncommon – Wayne Rooney (famous English footballer) broke his foot around the same time and had a boot which I’d never seen before. They could have given me a “walking cast” though, it would have been a lot easier.

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    • Is it really three years since the ankle saga! It really does seem that once you’ve broken something, as an adult at least, it’s never quite the same again. I quite like the Thunderbirds idea! I never thought I would post those publicly. At the time I thought the wetsuit made me look fat. Now I’m surprised how relatively slim I was.

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  25. Ouch!
    If you need a good surgeon I can suggest Mr Carter at the QEUH.
    I had to have an op on my left foot in 2013 – snapped a tendon. Was in a plaster for 5 months , told not to put a toe on the ground. Fine now but like you can overbalance on rough ground and movement of the foot is restricted. I was told this would be the case but doesn’t stop me walking about the city which I couldn’t do for a year before my op. So grateful for our NHS.

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