The accident:
Without going into too many details a four wheeler "joy ride" only ended up lasting 2 minutes & ended with an end over end roll over. I don't want to relive all the scary details with everyone, but I really wish we had the go pro camera on the helmet!! Darnit! My boyfriend was driving, he's ok. Just a few aches & pains, but they're improving. I ended up fracturing my clavicle (broken collarbone for those of you not in the medical field). Thank goodness it was my left. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't be able to survive on just relying on my left hand!! (I'm right handed. ;) For those of you who don't know, I'm an x-ray tech. So of course broken bones & stuff is cool to me. Not quite the same when it's your own, but still very cool. I knew it was my clavicle the minute I started having the pain. I knew I wasn't dislocated or had any other broken bones. My clavicle felt like fire from joint to joint. It was obvious to me. I was taken to a very small community hospital, but everyone there was SO nice & helpful. The PA that saw me was awesome. I toughed it out through the first x-ray, then had to lay down for the next two. I immediately asked for a CD & to see them. As I was sitting in the ER I could tell I was deformed from the looks I was getting, but no one wanted to tell me. I made my boyfriend take a photo so I could look at it. :)
See the bump on my left side? Yeah, that's the middle of my clavicle jutting up towards my skin.
Anyways, found out quickly that Demerol was my best friend that day/night. So I was sent home (to my boyfriend's parents house; I don't think I mentioned that we were back home visiting) with a lot of pain meds. Of course this happened on a Saturday so I couldn't do anything until Monday because this type of fracture really isn't an emergency, just REALLY painful. Side note: I had torn some ligaments in my ribs in December & thought it was awful at the time. NOW I realize that is the second worst pain in the world. This isn't the first bone I've fractured. I broke my right wrist & a finger when I was like 5, but I was also knocked out by a concussion & they just casted it, but I don't really remember the pain. Ok back on point.
The waiting game:
So Sunday we went back to my boyfriend's house where my mom met us to take me home. I got an appointment on Monday with ortho & he happened to have a cancellation that Thursday so we scheduled my surgery. My mom took me to my Grandma's for the next couple days so she could go back to work. It was rough, probably the worst pain...sleeping in the recliner, sleeping for 2 hours from the meds, then awake for an hour. Just around the clock in that vicious cycle. Then the appetite loss - I'd only be hungry for like 30 minutes, just a couple times a day. Everyone did a great job of taking care of me. My cousin even brought me Orange Leaf when I was craving ice cream. :)
She even helped me take a bath (which you don't realize how much better that can make a person feel). The best part was I got to still hang out with my best bud, Khloe. She knew something wasn't right cause I didn't hold her & I wasn't up playing with her. She sat with me in the recliner a few times, & was very curious about my ice pack & the cut on my head (oh yeah, forgot to mention my head & chin had scratches/cuts on them, but I didn't even realize it until someone told me).
The surgery:
So back to Manhattan for surgery on Thursday. Everyone was super nice. I had great nurses, OR staff, doctors, etc. It's so weird being on the other side of it!
I went back to get an intra scalene block put in so basically I wouldn't feel my arm. This was the best thing EVER! My friend, Chris, who's a CRNA did it for me, & I was still nervous, but I don't remember it at all. After he put the O2 on, I was out. I remember waking up back in my room & apparently I was hilarious everyone tells me.
Surgery went well. I wasn't feeling much of anything afterwards, especially pain. I was really craving fried okra. I settled for mashed potatoes with brown gravy. I had a lot of coworkers/friends come &
visit me in the hospital. It was so nice! The funniest thing is that I was very worried about my arm smelling because I couldn't probably wash it between the accident & surgery & the worst thing is that I couldn't shave my armpit! Maybe TMI, but I'm a very OCD person & it was driving me nuts! So my nurse, Dora, shaved my armpit for me in the OR while I was out! Dr. Palmgren even told my mom in his post op report to them. Oh boy...and I work there. Haha
Post surgery:
I was told several times to get ahead of the pain. I was told that my block would eventually wear off, usually in 12-18 hours so to start on my pain meds so they'd kick in when it did wear off. I took one at the hospital before I went home, but I felt fine. Couldn't feel my arm at all. As soon as we got home, mom left for the store to get some groceries & fill my pain meds. Grandpa & Grandma stayed with me. At some point after she left for the store, all hell broke lose. At first it was that I just couldn't get comfortable. Then it was a pain almost worse than what I had originally experienced in the ER. I felt bad for my Grandma because she was trying to help me, but I just couldn't stop crying. My Grandpa finally called my mom & told her, forget the groceries & just get the meds & come home now. It took about 12 hours to get that really intense pain to go away. The first 24 hours after the surgery were awful, but my mom was there to take good care of me. I also had the support of my kitty, Kenzie. She didn't really leave my side & sensed there was something wrong since I just stayed in bed.
I'm not sure when it was exactly, maybe Saturday morning, but I had to show my mom how to burn a CD for a client so we had to go to my studio. I was tired & couldn't stand very long so I sat down on my baby bean that I use for newborn posing. I was SO comfortable! I was like, why didn't we think of this sooner??
My boyfriend came Saturday to take care of me through the weekend. We didn't do much. Laid around & watched movies mainly. We watched Matilda. I love that movie & haven't seen it in forever! My parents sent me gorgeous flowers!
Like I said, I am very appreciative of all of the support I've gotten. Not only the visits, phone calls, emails, etc. But the gifts that I got! Thank you Amy K., Angie & her girls, Ashley, Amy E., Wendi, Megan, Mom, Brenda, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, Mac & everyone that has been my support system.
I got to take off my bandages Sunday & shower. Felt SOO good to do that. That microfoam was hurting my neck & just tore up my skin. It's still recovering almost a week later. But I think I'm gonna have a pretty gnarly scar!
Sunday night my mom took me to her house. I'm staying here until my 2 week post op check up. It's been very nice. I'm not good at sitting around & it really is killing me to not be working. But we did bring my computer & my whole office set up practically so I've been able to edit (I can do that with one hand!). I keep saying editing is my therapy. Gets my mind off the pain. I need to do my taxes...grrr...but besides that I have found stuff to do. I've come to find out I LOVE watching Family Fued. And have gotten to the point where I am yelling out answers. Lol...I'm convinced I could win the $20,000 in the fast money round if given the chance. I especially love the episodes where Steve Harvey hosts. Very funny! I've been reading a lot. Trying to finish The Secret Life of Bees so I can watch the movie (again). I've also been watching a lot of Full House & drinking Dr. Pepper. Brings me back to my childhood. So much for no pop in 2013. Haha
I've decided that I'm going to gauge my recovery on the ability to put my hair in a ponytail. I'm not sure how long I'll be off work, but my job requires lifting, sometimes a lot, & right now I can't carry a full bottle of water in my left hand without my shoulder hurting or raise my arm very much at all. Every once in awhile I give my arm a break & take the sling off. I can my arm down to my side, but can't extend my elbow all the way yet. I can't externally rotate my hand or abduct my arm very much (bring away from my body). At least I have more use of my forearm & hand. It's been a big help. I've figured out a lot of tricks to doing things with only one good arm. So as far as the pain, it's gotten better. I mean, I've been on pain meds around the clock since it happened, but I hate it, so I've cut way down & in the mornings I just lay in bed so it doesn't hurt, but then I don't have to take my meds till late morning. Some days are better than others, but I make little improvements everyday. Here's a photo of the other night when we went out for sushi.
Mom had to put my hair in a pony tail for me & help me dress, but still, better than sweats. Last night I took a bubble bath & read my book. It felt so good to wash my hair. Well, mom washed it for me, but still. Brenda made me homemade fried chicken. We also had fried okra & mashed potatoes & gravy. So good! Today has been a good day. Besides laying in bed all morning because I didn't feel great, this evening I'm going out to eat with mom & some of her coworkers. So I got up, washed up, changed my bandage, brushed my hair & I actually put makeup on! First time in almost 2 weeks. I also got my left arm through the armhole of my shirt today! Another thing I haven't done in 2 weeks. I can also get my sling on & off by myself. And, I got up the energy to write this blog. ;) I will try & keep up with daily blogs, but I promise they won't be as long as this one. I had a lot to catch everyone up on! :) Anyways, thank you again - I can't say it enough. I better go finish getting ready for dinner. Chat with ya tomorrow! :)
~D
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