I broke my wrist in two places. I spent three hours waiting in an exam room in the emergency room while I watched an under-staffed crew try to do their job. There was not an MD anywhere that I could see. A physician's assistant and two nurses, as well as a volunteer. It was an eye-opener, but not a pleasant experience, since this hurt a lot. I was finally given a generic Vicodon (?) the last thirty minutes I was there. A nurse stuck her head in to ask how I was doing and I told her I was beginning to feel abused. On a scale of 1 - 10, ten being the worst, I felt a 9.5 for pain. I had a plaster splint put on shortly afterward, which hurt a lot. So much so I nearly fainted. Me. Stoic, tough as nails me.
I have to see an orthopedic surgeon today. I was told I will more than likely need surgery to put pins in my wrist. Oh goody. More out of pocket expense because of our healthcare system. It's rapidly becoming apparent to me how people with insurance can be bankrupted by medical costs.
OK. I got to this place by becoming distracted when handling the wrong horse distracted. I ended up being knocked to the ground with some force and then watching her jump over me. Thankfully she jumped me and didn't trample me. I landed on my left side with impact, causing a very broken wrist, but no other injury. I have been knocked around here and there over the years, but this is my first cast moment.I've been unable to sleep, even though I'm taking the pain medication every four hours, as well as the maximum dose of ibuprofen for inflammation, which isn't working so well. I've had to unwrap the wrist because my fingers have become purple and I lost feeling in them.
So I think I'm done whining for now.
The good thing is, we stopped to pick up dinner after leaving the hospital and we discovered a very good Chinese restaurant which recently opened.
I'm tired and drugged so I am probably not completely coherent. I think I'll try to wrap myself back up and try to rest awhile.
13 comments:
OUCH! How awful. I've never broken anything myself & I never want to. Liddy did her collarbone one year ~ one of the few games I didn't go to, on the other side of Brisbane. I got a phone call to say they were taking her to the hospital but by the time I could get off the island she was on her way home again & completely off the air. Unfortunately it didn't last. On a scale of 1~10 she hit about a 20; not sleeping; tears; unable to move or sit or lie comfortably. It was very yuk & I was only the nurse. I do hope you are reasonably comfortable soon & that this little mishap doesn't cost you a fortune.
Whine away! It IS traumatic to go thru that kind of experience, and one way that we process it is by talking about it. If you're still whining about it in 2 months - well then someone needs to help you stop - but for now, your body/mind needs to come to terms with it and feel understood - and "whining" is one way to get that done.
I broke my wrist once. I was dancing in the kitchen with my daughter (formerly Brooke, now Hope), forgot the dishwasher door was open with the bottom (full) rack pulled out too. I backed into it, sort of flipped over it and landed on a slate floor. Ever since then we put our knives in the dishwasher with cutting edges DOWN. I was lucky not to have impaled myself on a butcher knife.
Do take care of yourself Sandra. Hope the pain subsides. Hope you don't need surgery and pins, but you will cope if you do. I'm so glad the horse did not trample you. Phew!
When I was six I fell off my swing set and needed pins in my elbow.
Anethesia is a weird weird thing.
So sorry to hear you did this! Good luck getting put back together!
I agree, whine away, this is a painful break!
Oh my God! You poor girl...I totally can sympathize with you and feel your pain. Thankfully you did not get trampled. I broke my arm years ago and remember how painful it was. Keep it elevated and just take it easy. Good luck at the ortho. Whine away...you have reason.
Typing one handed? Impressive! Sorry about the break. But hey..good drugs! Right?! Hello? are you still there? Did you fall asleep?
OMG you poor, poor girl! :-( I broke a finger just under 10 years ago (slammed it in a p/u truck door after having a few brewskies that night, DUH) and I know the pain you talk of. NO FUN at all. And spending all those hours in ER just waiting while you're in pain really sucks. The next day I had to see a hand specialist -- when he numbed my finger (3 shots of novocaine at the knuckle base) I almost passed out. The pain from those shots was excruciating. He had to remove the fingernail, hence the shots. That fingernail still doesn't grow right to this day - he said I damaged the cuticle bed significantly.
It is fresh in your mind, it hurts dreadfully, and you are allowed to whine! Be sure to keep your stock of good drugs handy. :)
One day that I don't check your blog and look what happens. I can hardly believe it.
Shari E. will have surgery tomorrow for her broken elbow/ arm from a riding fall. Add a dislocated shoulder on the other side and she is in pretty bad shape.
I am now afraid to leave the house and go to the barn!
Serious, Sandra, please let me know if you are in a bind and you need some help. I mean it.
Oh Sandra, I am so sorry this happened! You have a right to whine!!
Here's a funny video you might relate to and might cheer you up just a little. ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtK7yzRC_8A
I am so sorry! That has to hurt terribly! I have only broken a rib before, and I know how painful that was, I can only imagine what you are going through! Yikes!
I have had lung surgery, knee surgery and need 2 more knee surgeries, and I don't want anymore surgeries!
I am sorry you had to deal with the pain for so long, I think hospitals should NOT be understaffed! That is one place that doesn't need job cuts!
I hope you feel better soon!
thanks for the sympathy, i need it! i am not using caps, it hurts too much, so i haven't gone all e. e. cummings or anything. i have a high tolerance for pain, but this hurts bad, so i'm using the drugs. i saw the ortho yesterday and he put me in a cast. i need to go back next week because he said this type of break can move and he'll need to x-ray again. if it has moved, i get pins in my wrist. i am going to be very good and not use my left arm at all! it could be worse, she could have trampled me. that could have killed me, so i'm in pain, but alive! i don't know how much blogging i will do because i don't like to write this way, no caps. thanks again. i will visit blogs, but probably not respond. i'll be back before long.
Yikes, that's awful!
I'm wishing you good luck at the surgeon's today...let us know how it goes.
Here I have been absent from the blogging world for two days and what do I find when I come back? OMG...I can't believe that happened to you! I feel your pain through and through..I have a totally rebuilt left arm from the wrist all the way to the top of the bone at the shoulder..horse kick. I think working with these 1200+ pound animals something is bound to happen when we least expect it even if we're always on our toes. I am sooo sorry and believe me...whine away all you want..we'll listen!
Oh you poor thing. I've only ever broken a finger before and that hurt enough.
Hospitals are not a fun place to hang around and wait.
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