I’ve written several times about the bad bruise I got from falling on my butt on April 12. You might think it’s all healed up since I’ve been out and about during Golden Week, but actually, it’s still not quite better.
The tennis ball-sized hematoma on my buttocks has gotten a bit smaller and softer, but there’s still quite a bit of volume left. It also seems to be gradually shifting downward, as there’s a noticeable swelling on the outside of my left thigh now.
Sitting down doesn’t hurt as much anymore, and I do take a seat on the train when one is available. However, if I lie on my back all night, my buttocks sometimes start to ache a little.
So, just to be safe, I visited an orthopedic doctor near my workplace during Golden Week. I wasn’t so much worried about the symptoms themselves, but wanted to ask how I should manage the recovery.
This time, a different female doctor saw me. I didn’t have to take off my pants for an examination, but as soon as she palpated the hematoma area, she said, “Oh, it’s still quite large.”
I was thinking, “Really? That long?!” inside, but her cheerful tone reassured me that it wasn’t anything too serious.
I asked if I should be applying ice or heat, and she said, “At this stage, you can just live normally.”
I also asked if I should be applying pressure to the area. She said, “Just avoid hitting it again, and otherwise live your life as usual.”
When I asked why hitting it again would be bad, she explained, “Because the hematoma would get bigger again.”
So basically, the only thing to do is wait it out without worrying too much. But hearing these precautions made me feel more at ease.
All told, including the initial emergency clinic visit, I’ve been to the hospital four times now. It might sound a bit dramatic, but I’m planning to file a claim with Montbell’s injury insurance. Since I neither had surgery nor was hospitalized, it only covers ¥1,000 per outpatient visit, but it’s better than nothing.
I’ll report back with updates, including on the insurance process, when the time is right.