The Broken Wrist

Jan. 19, 2007. It had been a great day! Skiing, massage, facial, nice dinner out with nice people and dancing. It was the walk home that was the mistake. Just a small slip on a little hill, better negotiated on skis than on foot, as it turned out. I was helped up by several people (who were too slow to stop the fall) and we continued back to the condo. The wrist hurt but I hadn’t heard any crunching of bones, so I thought it was probably a bad sprain. After removing the sleeve of my jacket we saw that the wrist was off-kilter and extremely swollen--DH said “We have to go to the emergency room-don’t even finish taking off your coat.”

Ever taken a taxi to the emergency room? On a Friday night in a ski town? My advice would be to call 911 and take the ambulance. They probably show up sooner, have trained personnel in the vehicle, and don’t charge as much (I’m not really sure about that last part, but I am about the first two parts.)

At any rate, after stating that my pain was “8” on a scale from 1 to 10, I had x-rays and the bad news: Broken distal radius (that means at the lower end of the bone) with angular displacement of the wrist. Wait for the orthopedic surgeon to arrive to set it. After several different IV drugs and more x-rays, I awoke to a splint/cast from elbow to fingers. The take-home prize was a sling. But supposedly straight bones. They sent me home with the vicodin, too.

Spent the rest of the vacation skiing the couch instead of the slopes. Luckily I had brought the size 50 knitting needles and was able to start on a scarf. And I had picked up 2 books in the Houston Airport on the way.

Fast forward through the limitations of only having one hand for all tasks, and not being able to drive for 10 days, to the Jan. 30 orthopod visit. More x-rays and the bad news: compression of the bones inward, surgery needed. Please come tomorrow afternoon and don’t eat anything after midnight tonight.

Went to the surgery center on Jan. 31. Got there around 2 pm. Went into operating room at 3:50. Had to wait for the arm to go numb-very weird feeling being able to see your arm but have no control over it. Woke up at 4:35 and was in recovery. Was able to eat and drink by 5:15 and was home by 6:00 pm. Anesthetic on arm wore off at 6:30 and had a bad 30 min. until Nurse DH came home with the meds. But got the pain under control by midnight. (after about 1300 mg. of vicodin-just not all at once…)

Feb.6 saw me in the Orthopod’s office again for stitch removal (only one long stitch to hold the glued skin in place) and casting. I have good use of fingers, less use of thumb. Cast to remain on for 2 weeks. No lifting allowed, but driving is ok. Bruising was almost gone (did I mention that the whole inside of my palm all the way to my elbow was a most horrible purplish-black?)

You can see in the photo that the cast is made of a mesh material that looks like an ace bandage-it comes in a roll and is soaked in water, wound around the arm, and then dries hard. I chose a darker purple than shows in the photo. I have started to decorate it with a silver Sharpie. I have to put a bag on it before bathing, as I didn't get the Gore-tex-lined option.

Will update as the cast comes off in 2 weeks.
Tread carefully!