Hi ya. Yeah your right 1 more week to go and I can't wait. I'm getting pain in my wrist every now and then so I take pain killers for it. Looks like the scar is healing well.
Was back at drs on Monday just gone as I've torn the muscles on the top of my right foot. So I'm strapped up for that.
Glad your physio is goin well. I'm looking forward to being able to have a shower after next week. Fed up with having baths as the water doesn't stay warm very long.
I couldn't stand not showering that long. I understand the bath thing. I started showering about 1 1/2 weeks after surgery. I found this awesome cast shield for showering. It works a lot like a condom as it goes on. It is a thick latex that I rolled over the cast and up my arm. The ring of latex at the top kept it snug against my bicep. Not a drop of water on my cast and I was able to use the hand a bit through the latex to help as I bathed. Wish I'd realized you were going through that sooner. I would have shared that info sooner.
Your arm and hand will hurt as you use it now. I've taken anti-inflammatories a couple times a day since cast-off day. I also ice at least once a day still. I iced pretty frequently when the cast came off.
Hi,
For the most part, I haven't had pain where the plate is. It does get colder when I'm icing my arm though. Most of my pain has been up in my TFCC area and on the ulnar side as I work to regain my ROM and as I try new things.
My OT has been working my scar area to help keep the pain down there.
I'd certainly ask your doctor about it. Hopefully it is just a normal part of your healing process. Things did hurt a lot as I started using the areas again. I have pain with some things still, but others gradually have improved.
No I'm not havin it. My dr just wants me to start using it. I've got to go back in 6 weeks. I think using it is makin it hurt cos the muscles are building back up again.
My OT tells me to just use my wrist, but not to overdo it. I'm in my 4th week out of the cast and he still warned me about that yesterday. Basically, if it hurts much, I'm not supposed to do it. I've gradually been able to do more and more over the weeks.
My OT does a lot of heat, massage and icing. You might consider doing some of that yourself. He spends a lot of time working on the area of my scar to help break up any adhesions the scar has formed. You might get some relief by rubbing and massaging your scar area regularly. I do that myself with Vitamin E oil anyway to help heal the scar.
I go back to my Ortho for a 4 week follow-up tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.
I'm still having some problems with my TFCC area which have been concerning me. I'm not sure if it is just taking a long time to heal or if I have a problem. It has me a bit stressed.
I'm getting pain where they put the camera and other instrument in one bit is still abit numb. But the area on my hand hurts when I'm doin the simplist things hubby says its cos of what they put in.
I've been putting e45 cream on twice a day and it's really helpin.
I had appointments with both my orthopaedic doctor and OT today.
My ortho said my bone is now completely healed and released me to do what I want. I told him I was still having the same pain in my TFCC area as before my surgery when I grip and twist. He said the bone has healed and my MR arthrogram didn't show any tears so I was fine. I asked about what to do if the pain continued and he said come back in 6 weeks, but that there was nothing more he could do.
I was very happy to hear my bone has healed well. I'm very frustrated and worried about my ulnar sided pain. It has been over a year now and I don't seem to be any better there and my doc is telling me things are fine because he can't see anything wrong.
I think I'll give it a month and if it is still hurting in my TFCC area I may go get a second opinion.
I still have pain with some activities, but the osteotomy ROM is slowly getting better. My OT said to do what I can, but stop if it hurts and not to be overly aggressive in trying new things.
That's good news about the bone being completely healed. Not good that he won't do anything about the pain your getting. I wudnt blame you for getting a second opinion.
I'm at my sisters for a week from tonight helping her look after my niece while she does the house work. I'm taking my wrist brace with me cos I've got a funny feeling im gunna need it. I've just got to remember to be careful with it.
Thanks for stayin in touch, it's nice to know im not the only one goin thro it.
How are you progressing? How did you do visiting your family?
I'm still in OT for a while. They originally told me they thought 4 weeks of OT, but that has now come and gone and I still have some work to do to get my ROM back. The last 3 visits, they have only done pain management with me and no exercises at all.
Hi ya. Family visit was ok i was sick the second night I was there which I'm still getting over.
Been to my local drs today as my plate and bone are really hurting. I've got a lump where the plate is. Been given a higher dose of Co-Codermol and Naproxen. Which I can take together. The dr said about contacting my consultant and ask them if they can move the appointment forward but hubby cant take time off at short notice.
I'm back to see my consultant in 3 weeks so will tell him what's been goin on.
Hi. I figured we'd touch base after your upcoming appointment.
My OT progress has really slowed the last few weeks. I still can't get get my hand into a palms up or palms down position yet. I was very frustrated last friday. My OT called and said my insurance had changed its mind and wouldn't cover any more sessions because I hadn't made enough progress recently. I'm in the process of appealing the insurance, in the meantime, I can't have any therapy and I have to keep plugging along on my own.
I'm also frustrated because I have the same pain in my TFCC area that I had before surgery. I'm now 13 weeks out from surgery and not sure how much longer I should give things a chance to heal before seeking another opinion. My MRI didn't show a tear so my current orthopedic doctor won't do anything more.
Hope you don't mind my venting a bit.
On the plus side, my ROM back and forth is pretty good. I met another person who had the ulnar shortening back in September. She had some complications and is still far from being at the point where I am now. That does make me thankful.
How are you progressing? How is your pain? Are you regaining your ROM like you want?
I think I'm doin alright, I can move my wrist like bend it forwards and backwards and make a fist. I just get pain from the where the plate is every now and then and sometimes in the wrist area but I'm learnin to ignore it. The only other thing I have noticed is some parts of my arm and wrist still feel numb so will tell my consultant about that next week.
Hi again,
I forgot to share something else. On the 5th, I was working at a public event and had the fortune/misfortune of coming across a situation where a youngster tried to push a person who was wheelchair bound, with no use of his arms and legs and very little speech, down some steps. I ended up catching him as he slid out of the chair and with the help of another getting him back into the chair. Afterwards, the area on my arm where the break/plate is hurt a lot. I've been icing it down and taking my prescription anti-inflammatories since, but it has still been hurting.
I went to a Workers Compensation doc today to have it checked because after 11 days I was worried something had come loose. My x-rays were good though. He said the area will stay sensitive for quite a while and that I should keep with the icing and anti-inflammatories.
This has been a bit of a frustration because I wasn't having pain in that part of my arm wasn't hurting before I re-injured it.
Just a reminder to be very careful for a while. Not sure I would have done anything different faced with the same situation again though.
I'm very frustrated and worried about my ulnar sided pain. It has been over a year now and I don't seem to be any better there and my doc is telling me things are fine because he can't see anything wrong.
Not sure I would have done anything different faced with the same situation again though.
