An emergency room visit, and a fracture...

A trip to the emergency room, has brought on new challenges for me recently.   Having OCD doesn't allow me to just 'sit back and relax a while' as some might say; I am not capable of just 'sitting back' or 'relaxing' for that matter.  The temporary cast on my right arm has however, slowed me down some; noticed I said slowed me down SOME.

Jaycee and Nana

 On April 23d I finally gave in and asked my mother to take me to the local emergency room.  The pain in my right wrist was increasing, I was now waking up from a sound sleep crying out in pain.  My sweety and I weren't getting a full night of sleep.  I had put off seeking medical attention long enough, I injured my wrist March 10th and, just dealt with the pain; working though the often 'OUCH' and stomping my foot when the pain had me on the verge of screaming.  Not only was I afraid of the medical bills that would follow, I was afraid of not completing the much needed work on our place, and even more afraid of spending my time in Virginia with my son and daughter in law, plus how I would assist with my new grand daughter... in a cast?  So, in lieu of medical attention; on March 15th I boarded a plane headed to Virginia, I was looking forward to the time I would spend with my son and his new family.  I could not wait to hug my new daughter in law, hold my new grand daughter, and spend much needed time with my son.  Sure my wrist screamed out in disagreement when I griped my suitcase, when my grand daughter rested on my right wrist, when I washed my hair; but I wasn't going to let the pain stop me.  I intended to enjoy every second of my visit, and I did.

My son with his daughter Jaycee

They Wed... My daughter in law and my son

 When I returned back to Florida on April 4th, my first thought, after spending time with my sweety, was the home list.  Over grown trees needed to be cut back, the grass was starting to grow now so it needed to be cut, and my house needed tending to, after all, my sweety was home by himself ; there was plenty of indoor work to do.  I jumped right in on April 5th and worked through the pain, right up until the morning of April 23th; where this story begins... or should I say where the work ends.

Interesting enough, my ER visit wasn't as long as most ER visits.  I was very impressed with the local hospital new 'non life threatening' emergency area.  I was placed in a room fairly quickly and seen a Physician Assistant within a proper time frame.  The ER staff thought it was pretty humorous that I was taking photos of my visit for my future blog, and was shocked that I worked in my yard with the amount of pain I was having; the swelling in my wrist and hand was quite visible now.

 But who in their right mind, would let this type of story go; untold.  Not me.  Right after the Physician Assistant conducted her assessment, I was carted off for an x-ray.  Exactly where was the break, what bone  in the wrist was broken?

I found the x-ray technician to be fabulous.  Not only was he understanding, but he was so careful in the placement of my wrist to get perfect x-ray photos while remaining mindful to the amount of pain I was in.  He also engaged in small talk while preforming the x-rays, smart move to get me talking about my grandchildren because, before I knew it he had gotten all the angles he needed of my wrist; and did it pain free.

 It was a short walk back to my room, and within a matter of minutes an RN was wheeling the cart full of bandages behind her.  My x-rays were viewed and a fracture was seen.  The second part of my fear was coming to life.  With a cast, the work that needs to be completed in the home and, on the property would have to wait.  I would have to rely on my left hand to make up the lack of work the right hand would be able to do, and it would take longer to get anything finished.  At this point, I was not happy. 

The Navicular Bone in my wrist was broken, and the tendon that runs along side the thumb was possibly damaged.   In one swift visit, I lost mobility of my wrist and my thumb, as the temporary cast flows more than half way up my forearm.  The extra movement has brought the pain to new levels.  I am discharged with Ibuprofen 600 mg and Ultram 50 mg for the pain, along with the name of an Ortho; Anthony Infante D.O. Because the fracture is in the biggest bone of the wrist, the Ortho would decide the type of cast and, if surgery would be needed. 

Before I leave the room, I was given the last portion of my dressing, a sling.  Not just any sling, but  nice vibrant blue sling.

 My Ortho appointment is set for May 9th.  In the mean time, I have fixed the broken screens on my back porch.  Added wire to make the porch dog proof, otherwise they would have just jumped through the screens again, and removed the old tenants squirrel cage. all with the help of my wonderful mother of course.  In the proses, I have injured my left hand.  And so, the story goes on....