Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Broken Arms?


Q:  What can you do when you have two broken arms??
A:  NOT MUCH!

Q:  How did THAT happen?
A:  I went off the road and down an embankment in my car on April 12th.

Q:  Was there anyone else in the car?
A:  My granddaughter was with me in the car. She came away with only bruises and a cut from her teeth on her bottom inner lip.

Q:  Were you hurt?
A:  Yes, I spent 5 days in the hospital. Both bones in my left forearm were broken, my left hand was smashed quite badly and one bone in my right forearm plus the right elbow was dislocated. I had surgery where they screwed plates over the breaks to help repair them. I had a 'half cast' on each arm for two weeks until the casts and staples (51) were removed.

Q:  How is your recovery going?
A:  I needed a second surgery on my right arm. I had been told not to do anything, lift anything etc. That proved very difficult to do so I ended up pulling the screws out of the bone on my right arm and had to have another surgery on the 18th of May. After another two weeks in a 'half cast', the cast was cut off and 27 staples were removed.

Q:  What are your orders now?
A:  I am not to lift more than 1 pound with my left arm and no more than my Ipod with my right for the next 4 weeks. I am doing my very best to remember that as I do not want to have any more surgeries!

Q:  Where are you now?
A:  Since I am not able to care for myself, I am staying with family who are doing doing a wonderful job of taking care of me.

Q:  What is the hardest part of your recovery?
A:  Boredom!  I'm used to doing things with my hands... knitting or hand sewing of some kind.

Q:  How badly was the car damaged?

A:  The car was totaled. I did not have replacement insurance so I am now without a vehicle.. not that I am able to drive for a while anyway!

UPDATE:  I somehow got a staff infection in my right arm that I am fighting. I was on a 10 day course of some very strong antibiotics but, 1 day after finishing them, the redness and heat was back. After a visit to emergency, I now have a shunt in my hand and have to administer IV medications every 8 hours.  Hopefully, this will do the trick!
 

8 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear about your accident, it must be terrible to not be able to use both arms! I am glad your GD was alright. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and you will be back stitching soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. so sorry to hear about you accident, you have certainly been through the mill, you must be bored to tears not being able to be creative, tv is no substitute, I think I would be catching up with some books but you will not even be able to hold one of those.
    Trust the infection is now healing and you are on the road to recovery, just count your blessings that you were not more seriously injured, I suppose it could heave been your legs instead then you could have stitched,sorry that sounds wrong but you know what I mean, thankful your granddaughter came away with only scratches, is she only young?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know what you mean about the legs... I have felt the same way too!

      My granddaughter was 17 at the time of the accident. Thankfully, she was sleeping when it happened and I believe that is what kept her from being more seriously injured.

      Delete
  3. Whoa Sorry to hear about your accident. Will keep you in my prayers.

    Bev

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sorry about your accident...the staph infection likely came from the hospital. Hope you are recovering nicely, now.

    ReplyDelete
  5. wonder how your arms are now hope you are much better and healing well, things take time and unfortunately the older we get the longer it takes, sorry everyone is not getting on in years as much as me!

    ReplyDelete
  6. hope you are feeling well now! please come back soon. stitch at bonewits dot com

    ReplyDelete

I enjoy hearing what you have to say and try to respond to any questions. Please be sure I have a way to contact you. If you are set to 'no-reply' I have no way to respond. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts!!