About the Fall
This is taking much longer then I expected.
On May 25, 2006, just before midnight, I took a bad tumble. More like a sudden SPLAT. Face first onto the concrete sidewalk, with my left wrist in the way. Both bones in my wrist were badly broken. One went one way and the other went the other way, leaving my wrist with a lazy looking "S" shape. My glasses cut my eyebrow and cheek bone, which caused a lot of blood that made it look worse than it was. Also damaged was the part of my face that scraped along the concrete. The left lens in my glasses was so deeply etched that it had to be replaced.
The cast was on for almost 8 weeks. I was naive enough to assume all would be better when the cast came off. Never having broken any bones before, I had a lot to learn. Especially about broken bones in a joint like the wrist. I complained to my Doctor several times about the cast, and all he would say was something about no cast being comfortable. But, that cast was torture. I actually cried.....a lot. I discovered why when it came off. It had been pinching the flesh just below my thumb on the tender underside of my wrist. I still think there is some nerve damage. Today I had my first Rehabilitation Session. This recovery is going to take up to a year, according to the experts. I won't tell you what I think of medical experts. But, I understand that when a bone is broken badly, it also causes damage to muscle, tissue, tendens, ligaments, etc. etc. They will need a long time to heal and work again. When that cast came off, my arm had withered away to nothing. I have to build up the muscle, and do it with damaged tendens and tissue.
And, I haven't yet mentioned the damage done in the fall to my left eye. I ended back in the emergency room when I kept seeing flashes of brilliant light from that eye. Which is the warning sign of a torn retinae. Final diagnosis, pulled not torn. This is the second time in my life I've had this same problem. Along with the A.V.M. I was also born without any vitreous in my eyes. That's the gel like substance that fills the back of the eye and holds it's shape. So any blow to my eyes could cause blindness. So far, so good. No blindness, but my vision still won't settle down. I'm looking through a fuzzy narrow cloud that blurs things in the center of the left eyes vision when I try to focus on anything like print, or the jewelry I string for a hobby. It's not bad, mostly an annoyance. Something I'm getting use to looking through. And, vision is fine for things big enough and far enough away like what I see when I drive or work in general around the house. Not that I'm doing much work, since I can only use the one hand. Thank goodness it was only the left wrist and I'm right handed.
I have come a long way already since the cast came off. And these three times a week appointments should get me back in pretty good shape. For an old broad my age. But, typing is still a real hassle, so it will be awhile before I can get back to this blog on a regular basis. Typing is actually good exercise for my fingers, but it leaves me in a lot of pain. And, as long as the other therapy is causing pain......I'm not anxious to push myself too far too fast.
So bear with me.....my story is not ended.....just on hold for awhile.
On May 25, 2006, just before midnight, I took a bad tumble. More like a sudden SPLAT. Face first onto the concrete sidewalk, with my left wrist in the way. Both bones in my wrist were badly broken. One went one way and the other went the other way, leaving my wrist with a lazy looking "S" shape. My glasses cut my eyebrow and cheek bone, which caused a lot of blood that made it look worse than it was. Also damaged was the part of my face that scraped along the concrete. The left lens in my glasses was so deeply etched that it had to be replaced.
The cast was on for almost 8 weeks. I was naive enough to assume all would be better when the cast came off. Never having broken any bones before, I had a lot to learn. Especially about broken bones in a joint like the wrist. I complained to my Doctor several times about the cast, and all he would say was something about no cast being comfortable. But, that cast was torture. I actually cried.....a lot. I discovered why when it came off. It had been pinching the flesh just below my thumb on the tender underside of my wrist. I still think there is some nerve damage. Today I had my first Rehabilitation Session. This recovery is going to take up to a year, according to the experts. I won't tell you what I think of medical experts. But, I understand that when a bone is broken badly, it also causes damage to muscle, tissue, tendens, ligaments, etc. etc. They will need a long time to heal and work again. When that cast came off, my arm had withered away to nothing. I have to build up the muscle, and do it with damaged tendens and tissue.
And, I haven't yet mentioned the damage done in the fall to my left eye. I ended back in the emergency room when I kept seeing flashes of brilliant light from that eye. Which is the warning sign of a torn retinae. Final diagnosis, pulled not torn. This is the second time in my life I've had this same problem. Along with the A.V.M. I was also born without any vitreous in my eyes. That's the gel like substance that fills the back of the eye and holds it's shape. So any blow to my eyes could cause blindness. So far, so good. No blindness, but my vision still won't settle down. I'm looking through a fuzzy narrow cloud that blurs things in the center of the left eyes vision when I try to focus on anything like print, or the jewelry I string for a hobby. It's not bad, mostly an annoyance. Something I'm getting use to looking through. And, vision is fine for things big enough and far enough away like what I see when I drive or work in general around the house. Not that I'm doing much work, since I can only use the one hand. Thank goodness it was only the left wrist and I'm right handed.
I have come a long way already since the cast came off. And these three times a week appointments should get me back in pretty good shape. For an old broad my age. But, typing is still a real hassle, so it will be awhile before I can get back to this blog on a regular basis. Typing is actually good exercise for my fingers, but it leaves me in a lot of pain. And, as long as the other therapy is causing pain......I'm not anxious to push myself too far too fast.
So bear with me.....my story is not ended.....just on hold for awhile.
posted by LeeAnn | 9:12 PM
2 Comments:
Been waiting for you to return. Welcome back.
*hugs*
Don't push yourself too hard. We can waite.
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