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!!

Beat The Christmas Rush - January 2014

Here are my first 5 Christmas Cards of 2014!!!! I'm joining in with my friend Sue on her blog challenge. If you want to join in, go ahead, the more the merrier. Just link your blog post up to the linkie on Sue's blog.

All of my button wreaths will have bows on but the one I did was just to darn awkward for 1 good hand and a broken wrist!!!! I will add the bows when I'm able to function with 2 hands!!!! I will also add a stamped greeting but I can't find the one I wanted, It'll turn up.

Thanks Sue for inspiring me to get ahead with my Cards xx

The first broken bone

This has been an interesting, if painful week, it started well enough with a trip to Brighton pavilion ice rink for some ice skating with my work friends.

http://www.brightonvisitor.com/brighton-news/royal-pavilion-ice-rink-2011/

I'd been looking forward to it & it was the first time I'd been out with the guys from work. I like skating & I can skate around the rink & help others by holding there hand as they skate.

All went well for the first 55 minutes (so at least I got my money's worth!) Then a man fell down behind me & his legs took my legs out.  What I should have done was fall on my bottom which is well padded or at least more padded than my skinny wrist which is what I automatically decided to stick out to break my fall. I should have aimed myself better & fallen on my bottom sitting on him in the process.  He did check If I was alright & say sorry. I said 'of course I am' as I got up & skated to the edge holding my wrist gingerly. By this time my friends had gathered round me to check I was ok after bringing Leanne from the middle where I'd taken her then abandoned her when I fell, fortunately she stayed up. My arm was really painful but I thought I must have just sprained it & bent it funny. After persuading everyone I was ok & waiting for the initial pain & shock to pass I convinced the Marshall in the bright orange jacket that I didn't need him to remove me from their ice. There was no way I was being taken off the ice by a bright orange Marshall. After Ruth had kindly taken my gloves off for me!!! I couldn't use my left wrist/hand at all.

I skated round to the other side & stood off the ice for the last few minutes. We had our group photo taken & then Laura drove me home, fortunately Laura had picked me up that evening to go as I wouldn't have been able to drive myself home.

On getting home, I ate my dinner and then as it was swelling more & more I decided to get it looked at at the local A&E, feeling a bit like I was wasting everyone's time, I was triaged, xrayed & seen by the lovely Dr all in the space of 30mins. I've managed to get to 37 without breaking anything I announced to the Dr! To which he replied well unfortunately I have to tell you this is the first time. I'd broken the distal radius & the ulna They were also impacted, so would need to be pulled apart a bit so the break would sit neatly together to heal. I wasn't overly impressed by this prospect but he gave me two painkiller injections, haematoma blocks (I think they're called) & those & a bit of entonox meant I didn't feel a thing when they pulled & cast it.

I was picked up & brought home by my lovely helpful neighbour.

On the Sunday I was still riding on the local anaesthetic and adrenaline!! I could get about fine and went for a walk, etc. I couldn't use my fingers but quickly learnt to do essential things with just my right hand.

On Monday I came down to earth with a crash!!! It ached, it was hugely swollen, my fingers hurt, I couldn't get dressed as the pressure on my fingers of pushing my hand through a sleeve was agony. I stayed in pyjamas, layed on the sofa and put on my best sad face!!!

Tuesday I had a fracture clinic appointment. Fortunately Gary was off work so could help me get dressed.  They took another xray once my new blue cast  had been put on & the plaster technician had moulded it to try and align my bones better.  The xray showed the bone was in an acceptable position.

The Dr told me that if it healed like that it would be ok but if it moved they would operate to pin it!!!!

My poor swollen thumb

Wednesday & Thursday were do not a lot days, I watched too much daytime tv & drank a lot of cups of tea. Once I worked out I could support the mug with my cast to squeeze the tea bag out. I found not doing things very frustrating and it took a lot of effort just to sit down and not do anything!! I'm not a sitting down sort of a person. I couldn't even scrap because I couldn't hold the paper down with my fingers or support it while I used my right hand.

Friday I went on the bus to work to talk to my manager and take my Drs note in, It was good to see the people that were on shift.

Saturday, a whole week has passed and I can do a lot more with my fingers than I could even a couple of days ago, hopefully on Tuesday it will all be fine.

Good fingers crossed!!!

Olympic Torch Parade

We were lucky enough to get tickets to go to the cricket ground in 2012 and see the Olympic torch carried in, we also saw Rizzle Kicks which we enjoyed especially the kids. It was a great evening out and you could have all the free diet coke you wanted!!!!!

Sues January Challenge

Hello, 2014.

For my first challenge this month I have followed Sue's sketch challenge.

Here is my take on her sketch, I love a sketch and so it's great to have a monthly challenge from Sue.  She chooses her favourite one & that person is the winner of a kit she puts together for the crop she runs at Littlegreen school.

http://miniowner.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/sketch-challenge-january1january-31.html

Life In Details Challenge - September

This is the 4 x 6 card I have made for the Life In Details Blog Challenge.  

I have used the required recipe;

Washi, Flair (Thanks Sarah for telling me what this was!!!!), Bling, Wood Veneers & 2 different patterned papers.

Thanks for the challenge I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Sue's Sketch Challenge

This is my Lo for Sue's lovely challenge over on her blog, Me & Mine

Charlotte and George are at the same school again, only for 1 year but it's nice for George to see his sister about the place when he's just started. George is in the new uniform which Year 11's don't have to wear (conveniently) and so Charlotte has gone back in what was her regular uniform of polo shirt and jumper.