Getting back on her feet: Rowena’s path to recovery

What started as a routine blood test quickly turned into a life-changing moment for CBHS member Rowena.

In December 2023, as she was leaving the pathology clinic, Rowena suddenly lost consciousness and fell down a flight of stairs.

“When I woke up, my leg was pointing in the opposite direction,” she recalls. “I had fallen down about 20 stairs. I’d broken my ankle in three places, dislocated it, torn a ligament and injured my wrist.”

An ambulance rushed Rowena to the nearest public hospital, where emergency staff quickly assessed her injuries.

“The emergency care was good and I was seen pretty quickly,” she says. “But after surgery, the follow-up care felt inconsistent. Each appointment was with a different doctor who was seeing me for the first time.”

As the weeks passed, Rowena felt her recovery wasn’t progressing as expected.

“My ankle was still causing problems, so I spoke with my doctor about getting a second opinion.”

Fortunately, Rowena was able to explore additional treatment options with her CBHS health cover.

“My doctor referred me to a private surgeon who came highly recommended,” she explains. “Having private health insurance meant I could access that specialist quickly.”

Rowena explains her experiences in both the public and private hospital systems: “In the public hospital, I remember lying in bed in a lot of pain while surgery was delayed several times,” she says. “You’re just lying in bed, waiting around.”

However, in the private system: “I arrived at the hospital at the scheduled time and within the hour, I was already being wheeled into surgery. Everything moved quickly.”

Following the operation, Rowena stayed in hospital for several nights to recover.

“I was able to rest properly between checks and treatments, which made a big difference,” she says. “Even having a private room and bathroom helped make the whole experience more comfortable.”

But surgery was only the beginning of Rowena’s recovery journey. Rehabilitation has been an important part of rebuilding strength and mobility in her ankle.

Through her CBHS cover, Rowena has been able to claim benefits for physiotherapy as well as her gym membership for rehab exercise.

“I use the gym and the pool while I’m learning to walk again,” she says. “Being able to claim some of those costs back has really helped during recovery.”

At the time of the interview, Rowena was six weeks post-operation and beginning the exciting but challenging process of walking without crutches.

“I’m in the learning-to-walk phase again, which is exciting,” she says. “But recovery is still ongoing and there’s a possibility I may need one more surgery.”

Looking back, Rowena says having private health cover helped reduce both the financial stress and the waiting time during an already difficult experience.

“Insurance is one of those things you hope you never need,” she says. “But if you do need it, it can save you a lot of time and money.”

She believes the ability to access specialist care quickly made a significant difference in her recovery.

“If I had stayed entirely in the public system, I might have had to wait months or even a year for surgery if it wasn’t considered urgent,” she explains.

“Being able to access treatment quickly meant my recovery didn’t have to be delayed.”

Today, Rowena continues focusing on rehabilitation and regaining strength step-by-step, and she remains focused on rebuilding mobility and returning to everyday activities.

All information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only. The information provided should not be relied upon as medical advice and does not supersede or replace a consultation with a suitably qualified healthcare professional.