Well, almost 4 years ago, I was in this nasty car wreck (story here: http://parenthoodexperiment.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-i-became-honorary-octogenarian.html). I broke both that wrist (two places, about 5 mm apart, on the ulna) and my right ankle (four bones). Yes, I don't do anything halfway. The wrist breaks were fairly simple and straightforward, and didn't require surgery...just 12 weeks (half of that in a cast) to heal. The ankle required surgery and gave me chronic pain until almost two years ago when I had the screws removed. It gave me fits back in December, at which point I found that not only did I have post-traumatic arthro-algia (trauma-induced arthritis), but I also had degenerative joint disease.
Innyhoo, the weather-channel effects in my ankle were RARELY duplicated in my wrist. I had to have just the right set of circumstances, and then 3 or 4 ibuprofen would shut it down. However, in early April, the wrist swelled up on the outside around where the breaks had been. It took me two weeks to finally cave and go back to the doc, since the meds from the ankle weren't touching the wrist. X-rays showed no breaks. You guessed it...more post-traumatic arthro-algia. Steroid taper and better anti-inflammatory pain meds. It worked...until it rained two days after I finished the taper. It swelled back up and the pain continued. My doc decided I needed to see an orthopedist, so I called my surgeon...only to find out that he'd re-retired. I saw the partner who took over his patients.
He said the bones looked great (and they do). But I obviously had some serious inflammation going on. It could be related to my wonky ulna, which is apparently pointier than normal, thus rubbing against the smaller bones there in the wrist, causing the pain and inflammation. Or I could have torn one or more of the ligaments running between the ulna and wrist bones.
Soooo...I get this lovely thing for two weeks. The hope is that the cast will force rest of the joint (braces gave me too much movement) and thus reduce the inflammation. If this doesn't work, then I go for an MRI to see what's going on inside.
Ow Ow Ow. I will never whine and moan about my knee again.
Hope you are feeling better soon. By the way, the offspring made your doctored up Hamburger helper recipe you emailed me and it was a huge hit with the girls.
Ouch!!!! Wahhappen?
ReplyDeleteWell, almost 4 years ago, I was in this nasty car wreck (story here: http://parenthoodexperiment.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-i-became-honorary-octogenarian.html). I broke both that wrist (two places, about 5 mm apart, on the ulna) and my right ankle (four bones). Yes, I don't do anything halfway. The wrist breaks were fairly simple and straightforward, and didn't require surgery...just 12 weeks (half of that in a cast) to heal. The ankle required surgery and gave me chronic pain until almost two years ago when I had the screws removed. It gave me fits back in December, at which point I found that not only did I have post-traumatic arthro-algia (trauma-induced arthritis), but I also had degenerative joint disease.
DeleteInnyhoo, the weather-channel effects in my ankle were RARELY duplicated in my wrist. I had to have just the right set of circumstances, and then 3 or 4 ibuprofen would shut it down. However, in early April, the wrist swelled up on the outside around where the breaks had been. It took me two weeks to finally cave and go back to the doc, since the meds from the ankle weren't touching the wrist. X-rays showed no breaks. You guessed it...more post-traumatic arthro-algia. Steroid taper and better anti-inflammatory pain meds. It worked...until it rained two days after I finished the taper. It swelled back up and the pain continued. My doc decided I needed to see an orthopedist, so I called my surgeon...only to find out that he'd re-retired. I saw the partner who took over his patients.
He said the bones looked great (and they do). But I obviously had some serious inflammation going on. It could be related to my wonky ulna, which is apparently pointier than normal, thus rubbing against the smaller bones there in the wrist, causing the pain and inflammation. Or I could have torn one or more of the ligaments running between the ulna and wrist bones.
Soooo...I get this lovely thing for two weeks. The hope is that the cast will force rest of the joint (braces gave me too much movement) and thus reduce the inflammation. If this doesn't work, then I go for an MRI to see what's going on inside.
I itch already...
You have my sympathy. At least it's only a couple of weeks.
DeleteOw Ow Ow. I will never whine and moan about my knee again.
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better soon. By the way, the offspring made your doctored up Hamburger helper recipe you emailed me and it was a huge hit with the girls.
I'm not quite sure how I'm feeling yet. I'm trying to baby it as much as possible. At least, now that I'm done with A's crib cover. I'm aching today.
DeleteGlad to hear my doctored recipe was such a hit!
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