I found a bump in the Road

Last Thursday's trail walk ended with an abrupt "humph"...this is the sound of me hitting the pavement arms out reached. Can you say OUCH??

After laying there for a few minutes (making sure all body parts still worked), I jumped up ...Ok ..I got up slowly..examined the skinned hands and knees ...then slowly walked back to our house.

By the time we got back it had become apparent my collision with the asphalt had resulted in a problem with my arms. Something other than the skinned up palms was wrong. So after checking the computer website for a local hospital covered by our insurance plans, we went over to Brandon Regional Hospital.

9 hours later we got back home. I had a new long arm cast splint on my left arm. The Physician's Assistant I saw said his read of the x-ray didn't clearly show a fracture anywhere. But, due to the pain and my inability to use my left arm he had the splint applied. I had to wear it until I saw an Orthopedic doc this week. On Friday the ER doc called me to say that the radiologist could see a fracture of the radial head of my left arm. (Missed by the Physician Assistant)
The treatment for this was the same..splint cast until I could see the Ortho doc in 3-5 days.

Today I saw Dr. Gordon at Orthopedic Associates of Osceola County. He reviewed the x-rays again and confirmed a fracture of the left radial head and found another fracture in my wrist of the radial styloid. Which makes sense to me as I have being having pain in my wrist too. The good news is no more splint on my elbow. Current treatment for a non-displaced fracture of the radial head is a very short time in the splint followed by early mobility of the elbow. They have learned that putting the elbow in a cast for 6-8 weeks (the healing time for the fracture) is not good. Yes, the fracture heals, but you end up with an elbow joint that doesn't work any longer. Long time physical therapy is needed to return function. Not a good result at all.

So, now I will be using a sling when I am up and about and doing some light exercises to keep the elbow functioning. No lifting is allowed. Just wait out the time it will take to heal the fracture. The wrist fracture did get a new splint. Thankfully it is one I can remove occasionally. Now I just wait and let the body do it's work healing.

A list of things I have learned that I like having 2 hands/arms to perform.
Brushing teeth. (putting toothpaste on the brush).
Bathing and drying. Trying to keep the splint dry. Did you know they now sell "Shower Sleeves" to cover the cast?
Getting dressed. Have you ever tried to put on a bra with only 1 hand?
Bathroom duty. I never realized how much I used my left hand.
Reading a book. Holding the book with 1 hand is a challenge..especially when I have to turn a page.
Typing on the computer. 1 hand sure is slow.
Tying my shoe laces.
Opening a bottle.
Cooking.

Washing dishes (this one I don't mind at all).. :) someone else is doing the dishes.

Anyway..no complaints..learning new things keeps us young..right!!!
...as the saying goes..could have been worse.