Friday 27 April 2012

How to try and break your wrist.

There are many ways to break a bone in your body. So far, I broke a bone in one of my fingers by being thrown on the floor by a rather unpleasant man many moons ago. The finger is still broken. When I was 17, I was involved in a car crash and ended up with a broken clavicle. That is still out of place. In December 2010, I stubbed my toe when falling up the stairs and broke it resulting having a cast from my toes to just under my knee for 7 weeks. It was very painful and extremely inconvenient as I couldn't put my foot down.

And 4 weeks ago I tried to get undressed but one leg got stuck in my jeans and as I was trying to peel them off I realised that I was slowly - or perhaps, rapidly - losing my balance. As I hopped around the bedroom trying to regain my balance it occurred to me that I was going to fall back. On my arse. I have a fear of damaging my back as it is already pretty fucked, and am even more afraid of damaging the titanium cage that is separating two vertebrae. So as my arse rapidly started to try and make contact with the rug I did the sensible thing and put out my hand. Flat. My wrist saved my arse from suffering any damage by taking on my full weight.

Well, it didn't hurt.

Much.

But slowly, the bruising started, as did the swelling but naturally, being the owner of my body, I know what is best.

It was nothing.

A week later, still in great pain, I mumbled to Richard that perhaps I should go to A&E where my wrist was xrayed, examined and almost put in plaster until a senior nurse suggested that just a removable splint was necessary for the time being as they couldn't tell whether or not I'd broken or fractured my wrist as it appeared to be a scaphoid fracture, and they only show up two weeks after the incident.

A week later I went back. Had an xray, but still nothing showed up. The nurse was worried about the bruising and pain and so arranged for me to see the hand specialist the following week.

I didn't see any hand specialist, just a doctor of some sort who happened to be working in the fracture clinic on that day. She thinks that I may have pulled some ligaments or something and so should have an MRI and continue to wear the splint for at least another four weeks.

The best outcome of this injury is that I can no longer carry heavy things in my left hand, cook, wash up or even hang clothes up properly, but to be honest, I would rather be able to do all those things as the pain is pretty dire.

So if you want to break your wrist, that is one way not to do it.

And of all the places that I have seen the most since I have moved here it has to be Leighton Hospital.

It's like a second home.

13 comments:

Vicus Scurra said...

Thank you for the warning.
I will never take your jeans off.

Z said...

Maybe you should have, Vicus. That would have saved Zoƫ from her fall. Well, that fall, anyway.

Sympathy, Z. I hope that you're right-handed at any rate.

Unknown said...

I would consider taking your jeans off, but only with life insurance cover! xx

stuart said...

Next time let Richard take your jeans off, it's a hard job but someone's got to do it.
Get well soon Zoe.

Zoe said...

Vicus - as it's your birthday (only today, though), I'll thank you. I'd rather you didn't get anywhere near me, to be honest.

Z - yep, I'm right-handed, thank whoever. It's just uncomfortable and often painful. One blog post and I'm shoveling in the painkillers.

John, you have a cheek, you bugger.

Stuart, Richard does sometimes (take my jeans off, that is) but most of the time I can cope. Thanks for the best wishes or whatever you call them :-)

Anonymous, too said...

You've undoubtedly heard of the concept of a "second childhood." I think you're going through a "second adolescence." Aren't most people at their most klutzy when they are young teenagers? (I know I was -- badly sprained one ankle one week, then managed to do the other the next week. Spent the following four months wrapping them both with elastic bandages!)

Anyway, best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. It might help if you wrap yourself in several layers of bubble wrap to avoid further injury. And think of the fun Richard can have popping the bubbles as he unwraps you!

Pat said...

Bums are usually well cushioned - mine is anyway. Safer than a wrist I think.

Invader_Stu said...

Ouch

Lung the Younger said...

I suppose you'll just have to put off that aikido course you were planning and go on to become an orange belt in assertiveness.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Ouch ouch ouch!

Is it healing?

I wish I knew some old remedy that can help you get better quicker.

Coffdrop said...

Ah here you are. Oh and Ouch!

SusannahS said...

(Longtime reader but only occasional commenter)
Stay away from bicycles! I broke my wrist at the beginning of the summer. I have 3 pins holding my bones together and one hot pink cast. In July. During one of the hottest summers in years. In the American South.
This is not how I planned on spending my summer.
Feel better soon!

Reverend Lox said...

You still on here ? Where did you go ? Love reading your stuff for years.

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