First Ever Operation!!

So the fracture clinic appointment didn't quite go to plan & the xray showed that the edges of my distal radius had moved further & was more displaced. The consultant felt it would move more if left to heal alone so I was scheduled for surgery the next afternoon.

Wednesday 29th. I went to the day surgery unit where my arm was marked

Then I was talked through the op. I had a nerve block which was done in the anaesthetic room, the anaesthetist & anaesthetic nurse were lovely. The actual nerve block was a bit painful to start with when the needle went in but it soon took effect & after about 20 minutes I didn't know my left arm existed. The only way to describe it was weird!!

I was wheeled into the theatre & my arm was cleaned (good job as it had been in plaster for 11 days). Some drapes were put up & they put a titanium plate in my wrist. There was a bit of drilling, etc which was weird but I couldn't feel anything.  I was all done in 40mins & then wheeled off to recovery where I got dressed in a very cack handed fashion with my dead heavy arm.  I was picked up by my good friend & home testing on the sofa by 6.


Things I have learnt today
1. Cannulas are very uncomfortable.
2. Giving antibiotics through a cannula is really quite a sore experience
3. Being pushed on a trolley laying down is strange & feels like being on an episode of Casualty or Holby City!!


I took painkillers before I went to bed & did manage to sleep for a few hours on & off.


Thursday. This has been the worst day of my injury, I've hit the fed up, down in the dumps day & it's coincided with my arm hurting the most it has done since it was broken. I took my painkillers on time but still it was painful. I appreciate operations are painful but having never had one I was still surprised. I discovered that my wound had bled through my dressing onto the fluffy dressing under my crepe bandage. This was pulling on my wound & tender swollen arm so a quick call to the gp & the nurse squeezed  in at the end of surgery. She was lovely & changed the whole dressing for me, it was painful to have it removed but worth it as although still painful it was less uncomfortable.

Friday, today, yet another day laying on the sofa!  My arm is less painful but still sore & swollen. I don't think I've ever sat for this long!! I feel I might get a bed sore!!