In a Cast Now...


This post is taking a while to write because...
My left hand is currently in a half cast from above my elbow to my fingers... Hard to type quickly when using just one hand...


This morning I was running to catch the bus and nearly missed it. The sweet bus driver stopped for me and I nearly was at the bus, stopped at the door, but the gravel kept moving and made me fall nearly flat on my back but caught myself on my elbow mostly and thigh. In a lot of pain I got onto the bus... I was shaking from pain for a while and thankfully this nice lady on the bus was really encouraging of me to relax, offered me water, and I closed my eyes and breathed through the worst of the pain. It hurt so badly that I was shaking and was doing all I could to not start crying.
Fortunately as time passed as long as I didn't attempt to bend or straighten my arm and didn't touch it at all, the pain was dulled...

When I got off the bus I tried putting on my backpack and accidentally moved my elbow and was in such excruciating pain and it started spiraling worse and worse- I was feeling dizzy, and it just kept on getting worse and worse. I tried doing everything I could think of to keep the dizziness at bay but nothing worked, not deep breathing, not attempting to relax my body, not distracting, nothing. While on the phone with a close friend, trying to calm down (that usually almost always works) my vision got spottier and spottier until eventually I couldn't see anything and barely could make out outlines of anything and I felt my consciousness slip away but that petrified me so much because I didn't want to pass out alone on a city street without anyone nearby...
At that moment when I needed it most I just barely was able to make out a group of women passing by and called out to them asking someone to please stop because I was about to faint. They stopped and a few stayed with me until the blackness passed and I was able to see again, and then walked with me to my public transportation and got me there safely.

I would have gone straight to urgent care but had an important meeting I couldn't miss, but went in pain and as soon as that was over went to urgent care...

Got x rays... straightening out and bending my elbows to get into the position for the x ray made me shake so bad and get dizzy and cry from the excruciating pain... And each subsequent doctor testing me was more of the same...

Verdict?

They couldn't see a break on the x rays but didn't rule it out. They said sometimes fractures take a few days to show up in x rays.

They put a half cast on my arm from above the elbow to my fingers, meaning plaster only goes half way around, and then wrapped it all in an ace bandage. I needed to bend my elbow to put on the cast and it hurt so badly that I finally gave in and took pain killers... But now the pain has dulled somewhat, as long as I don't try to move my arm the wrong way.

In a few days I'm supposed to go for more x-rays and then to an orthepedist who will then decide what to do with my arm...

In the meantime, I'm going to have lots of fun (sarcasm intended) trying to figure out how to do things one handed, at least for the next few days, if not more.

Have you ever broken any part of your body? What was it?
Any tips on functioning with just one arm? Thank God I'm a righty and this is my left hand at least.

Penniless Parenting

Mommy, wife, writer, baker, chef, crafter, sewer, teacher, babysitter, cleaning lady, penny pincher, frugal gal

11 Comments

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  1. Oh goodness. You poor thing. Feel better soon!!

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  2. Feel better! You can do many things one handed but they take much lnger

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  3. Here's a pain tip: If it's aching, lift it higher than your heart. It honestly and really helps.

    Hope you heal quickly!!

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  4. Here's a tip I once heard....if you have an itch under your cast you can use a long knitting needle to relieve it!
    Speedy recovery!

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  5. Oh, I've been where you are, feeling as though you're about to pass out from the pain. It's a horrible feeling and very scary. I'm glad you're doing better - take it easy and give your body the time it needs to heal.

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  6. feel better soon! just reading your description of what happened gave me chills. hope the worst is behind you. and I am sure your hubby and children will pitch in with work around the home(as much as little ones can do!) rochel

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  7. Tyaaaa. Feel better

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  8. Hope you have a speedy recovery!!!

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  9. Ouch!!! I can't believe you were able to go to that meeting in the pain you describe. I feel like I would have had an ambulance take me straight to the ER.. .

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  10. I hope you heal quickly!

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  11. Oh my, sorry to hear this, Penny! I hope you have a smooth and uneventful recovery.

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