Four Months Today
It's been four months now since I fell and broke both bones in my wrist. It is unbelievable to me how one small incident has been able to turn my world upsidedown. And for an injury to the hand "I don't use." How on earth would I have managed if it had been the right wrist?
Last week I was sent to another Doctor for tests to see what and how much damage was done to the nerves. I'm learning more all the time about how much damage that fall did. This last Doctor was really wonderfull. The Doctor (Surgeon) who set the bone and who has been treating me, is one of those men who feel they don't have to explain themselves. They know what we need and that's that. He scared me with the news that I may still need surgery and was sending me for more tests. I thought I was seeing him this time to decide if he would prescribe more therapy. I still can't use my hand well and now he's talking surgery. Was I starting over now with one week shy of four months since I fell?
I didn't have to worry about it too long. The tests were set up for the very next day. That alone was scary. Electrodiagnostic Testing. Two tests, an EMG and an NCS. The EMG stands for electromyogram and the NCS for nerve conduction studies. I will quote from the paper I was given.
"During the EMG, a very thin wire, like a tiny pin, is inserted through the skin and into muscles to be studied. The wire is teflon coated to make it pass easily through the skin. The wire, called an electrode, is then gently moved around slightly within the muscle. The electrical activity in the muscle is heard and projected onto a television screen. When the NCS test is done, various nerves will be stimulated with a very small electrical shock. It determines how fast the nerves are conducting messages from on place to another." It also displays on the screen.
It all sounds a lot worse then it was. There were pin pricks all over my hand and arm all the way to my shoulder. Only one left a mark, and I still have a nice bruise from it. The shocks certainly weren't pleasant, but easy enough to handle. Maybe all those jolts from my Fathers electrical fences set up to keep the pigs fenced in taught me something useful after all.
The best part of the test, though, was this new Doctor. He actually talked to me.....and he listened to me. When I reached my car after the test, the tears that swamped me weren't from pain. It was an emotional release that I've badly needed. I don't believe I ever wanted to hug a Doctor before in my life.....but, I could have hugged this one.
I have been pretty upset about how my wrist and hand look and move. Not just that there is still swelling. My hand is not straight and in line with my arm. I've been upset and angry with the surgeon who set the bones. Not to mention that pinch that tortured me till days after the cast came off.
This Doctor listened to me and then answered all my questions. And, did it without defending the surgeon. But, I now have a better understanding of what I am recovering from. First he explained that the nerve is much deeper and couldn't have been damaged by the pinching cast. It was hurt when the bones snapped. As for the rest, I knew most of it, but even a small missing piece of the puzzle can make all the difference. I knew this was a compression fracture. The pressure that snapped the bones came from straight on. Not from the side. I believe I described my wrist at the time as looking like a lazy S or actually ~. I'd been told that the bones did a lot of damage to the tissue and tendens and muscle. So even thought the bones were set straight, that damage couldn't be fixed. Even my veins were re-routed. You can actually see that in the top of my hand. I knew the tendens and muscles had shrunk during the time I was in the cast. That was why I needed therapy when the cast came off. What hadn't sunk into my understanding was that those tendens and muscles were also left with no support when torn from their location. They aren't where they belong and can't do the job they were meant to do. Thus I have a twisted hand that even after months of therapy won't move like my right hand. And, may never do so again. But, this doctor reminded me that I need to look at "the glass half full, not half empty." I do have a lot of use back. I've come a long way and could still gain more. There is nerve damage, but it is minimal. Mostly I only have to give the sheath covering the nerve more time to heal. That should take care of the stinging/burning pain I still have. I will always have the ache and probably arthritis too. But, he told me he could see how hard I've worked on my exercises. He praised me for coming so far so fast. It was just what I needed to hear. He also told me not to let the surgeon operate on me. I don't need it. He also said he doesn't believe the surgeon will even suggest surgery after seeing the test results. He assured me the surgeon did as good a job as possible considering the severity of the break. I'm curious to see just what the surgeon does say (or doesn't say) when I go back in another week. If he doesn't blow it again, I'm not as angry at him as I was.
Last week I was sent to another Doctor for tests to see what and how much damage was done to the nerves. I'm learning more all the time about how much damage that fall did. This last Doctor was really wonderfull. The Doctor (Surgeon) who set the bone and who has been treating me, is one of those men who feel they don't have to explain themselves. They know what we need and that's that. He scared me with the news that I may still need surgery and was sending me for more tests. I thought I was seeing him this time to decide if he would prescribe more therapy. I still can't use my hand well and now he's talking surgery. Was I starting over now with one week shy of four months since I fell?
I didn't have to worry about it too long. The tests were set up for the very next day. That alone was scary. Electrodiagnostic Testing. Two tests, an EMG and an NCS. The EMG stands for electromyogram and the NCS for nerve conduction studies. I will quote from the paper I was given.
"During the EMG, a very thin wire, like a tiny pin, is inserted through the skin and into muscles to be studied. The wire is teflon coated to make it pass easily through the skin. The wire, called an electrode, is then gently moved around slightly within the muscle. The electrical activity in the muscle is heard and projected onto a television screen. When the NCS test is done, various nerves will be stimulated with a very small electrical shock. It determines how fast the nerves are conducting messages from on place to another." It also displays on the screen.
It all sounds a lot worse then it was. There were pin pricks all over my hand and arm all the way to my shoulder. Only one left a mark, and I still have a nice bruise from it. The shocks certainly weren't pleasant, but easy enough to handle. Maybe all those jolts from my Fathers electrical fences set up to keep the pigs fenced in taught me something useful after all.
The best part of the test, though, was this new Doctor. He actually talked to me.....and he listened to me. When I reached my car after the test, the tears that swamped me weren't from pain. It was an emotional release that I've badly needed. I don't believe I ever wanted to hug a Doctor before in my life.....but, I could have hugged this one.
I have been pretty upset about how my wrist and hand look and move. Not just that there is still swelling. My hand is not straight and in line with my arm. I've been upset and angry with the surgeon who set the bones. Not to mention that pinch that tortured me till days after the cast came off.
This Doctor listened to me and then answered all my questions. And, did it without defending the surgeon. But, I now have a better understanding of what I am recovering from. First he explained that the nerve is much deeper and couldn't have been damaged by the pinching cast. It was hurt when the bones snapped. As for the rest, I knew most of it, but even a small missing piece of the puzzle can make all the difference. I knew this was a compression fracture. The pressure that snapped the bones came from straight on. Not from the side. I believe I described my wrist at the time as looking like a lazy S or actually ~. I'd been told that the bones did a lot of damage to the tissue and tendens and muscle. So even thought the bones were set straight, that damage couldn't be fixed. Even my veins were re-routed. You can actually see that in the top of my hand. I knew the tendens and muscles had shrunk during the time I was in the cast. That was why I needed therapy when the cast came off. What hadn't sunk into my understanding was that those tendens and muscles were also left with no support when torn from their location. They aren't where they belong and can't do the job they were meant to do. Thus I have a twisted hand that even after months of therapy won't move like my right hand. And, may never do so again. But, this doctor reminded me that I need to look at "the glass half full, not half empty." I do have a lot of use back. I've come a long way and could still gain more. There is nerve damage, but it is minimal. Mostly I only have to give the sheath covering the nerve more time to heal. That should take care of the stinging/burning pain I still have. I will always have the ache and probably arthritis too. But, he told me he could see how hard I've worked on my exercises. He praised me for coming so far so fast. It was just what I needed to hear. He also told me not to let the surgeon operate on me. I don't need it. He also said he doesn't believe the surgeon will even suggest surgery after seeing the test results. He assured me the surgeon did as good a job as possible considering the severity of the break. I'm curious to see just what the surgeon does say (or doesn't say) when I go back in another week. If he doesn't blow it again, I'm not as angry at him as I was.
posted by LeeAnn | 8:18 AM
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