Unscheduled lie down in the snow

There was no more than half an inch of fresh snow, so I made my way to work pretty much as usual on Monday morning. I didn't get far. Just outside the Sun (public house) I walked on the sloped path to avoid the worst of the snow. Not a good idea - I found myself on the ground. I got up and continued to the bus stop. "I got away with that rather lightly" I thought. My right arm was stiff, but my hand and elbow were OK. I caught the bus and get off close to work. I went in and was helped off with my coat. My arm was worse. I collected a pint of milk and made coffee. At my desk I put the mouse under my right hand and began to work. We all swapped holiday stories. An hour or so later, I was asked to take a look at a PC that wasn't working. Getting up from the desk the pain made me gasp. I advised that the PC was rebooted and apologised because I could not do it. I could not face sitting again. My colleagues were relieved that I was going to get my self looked at. It was cold at the bus shelter, the wind was strengthening and temperature dropping. On the bus I phoned home and left a simple message about my accident - I could not locate my house keys and did not want to wait in the cold. I got off the bus outside the G.P.'s surgery. I waited to see the doctor. He said "You've popped your shoulder out, sometimes they go back really easily. Lets try." The pain was all consuming, and I just managed to stay standing. He sat me down for another go. That attempt almost made me slide off the chair. So off to Casualty it would have to be, there they would give me entonox before trying again. I was given a letter for the surgical registrar.
Andrew described me as deathly white and breathing erratically when I finally got home. That would be shock that caused that!

At Casualty I was soon booked in and didn't have to wait long to be seen. A friendly nurse fitted a cannula and admitted me into the Casualty waiting area. I was given paracetamol and ibuprofen for the pain, although by now there was very little pain. A young man, who had arrived late, not realising he was supposed to be on shift that day admitted that my year was starting worse than his as he took me to be X-rayed.

Back in the casualty area people come and go, and I wait. The young doctor eventually came and explained that I would almost certainly need an operation. Suddenly the incident went from painful to nasty. I have never required an operation before.