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Glenda Collins, 61, Ingham, Qld
Hiking up the steep track, I thought back over the past five wonderful weeks.
Along with my husband Rod, 62, sister Bev, 65, and her hubby Ernie, 69, I’d been travelling along the Gibb River Road, WA. Now we were exploring the stunning Manning Gorge.
‘I’m having the time of my life,’ I beamed, admiring the stunning views.
After a while, we stopped to take a break, but suddenly I tripped. Instinctively, I put my hand out as I fell onto a pile of sharp rocks.
There was a sickening crack. Pain tore through my wrist and I saw it was bent sideways.
‘It’s broken!’ I cried.
We were at least an hour’s walk from our camp, so Rod cut up a towel and gathered some sticks.
‘This will make a splint and a sling,’ he said.
With my arm supported, we set off, but every step was agony.
Back at camp, we discovered the closest hospital was a 14-hour drive away, along bumpy roads.
‘Let’s try and make you more comfortable,’ Rod said.
Looking around for something sturdier to hold my arm in place, he found the perfect solution – two copies of my favourite magazine, that’s life!
He wrapped them around my arm and secured them with an elastic bandage and a sling from our first-aid kit.
When we finally got to the hospital, the doctor was impressed.
‘A magazine is one of the best things you can use,’ she said.
Due to the swelling, my wedding ring had to be cut off. It was such a shame as it was just three weeks before our 40th wedding anniversary.
An X-ray showed the break was so bad I needed an op to fit a metal plate. Unfortunately, they couldn’t do the surgery there, so I had to go home.
I was very disappointed to miss out on the rest of my adventure, but it was a relief when my wrist finally healed.
My experience shows that that’s life! is not just a great mag, it can have practical uses too!
For more great stories (or to add it to your first-aid kit) pick up the latest issue of that’s life! on sale now!
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