broke my right arm while skating last week. i am right handed! at first, i was given a splint... then a cast. the frustrating part is the cast goes from my hand up to just below my armpit. just imagine all you can move in your arm are the fingers. i live alone, so showering is difficult… cooking is exhausting, getting dressed is almost impossible… but i will have to figure everything out soon as i have to go back to work soon. i wonder if anyone has/had a similar experience (or know someone who had) and can provide me with some advice:
dressing up
-how did you get dressed for work (professional office setting) …and what did you wear?
- for the ladies only: i cannot bent my elbow or wrist, so i cannot even hook up my bra, front or back .. (not a big fan of sport bras) .. any suggestions welcome.
driving
- can i drive with a broken arm? will the insurance be a problem?
cooking
- any suggestions?
any advice are welcome ... thanks in advance
Last edited by jenniferc82; 04-26-2008 at 10:40 PM.
Hi,
When I broke my arm, it was in a cast like yours.
For my bra, keep the clip in front adjust where it is so you can reach it with your broken arm. Once its clipped you can turn it around to the back, then put your broken arm though the strap then the one thats not broken. It will take some practice but it does work.
hope this helped
First of all, that sucks. I recently broke my shoulder and was in a shoulder immobilizer, so I basically couldn't use my arm at all either.
Dressing Up - I bought blouses that buttoned up in front. I put them over the bad arm first, and then got the good arm in. Bras on your own are tough. Either hook the back and step into the bra (maybe a strapless) or if your not too well-endowed (like me) wear a tank top under your shirts. Think about getting a few pieces of clothing a size larger than you usually wear for getting them over the cast. You'll also have to practice getting pants buttoned and zipped with one hand.
Driving - I believe if you were in an accident you would be at fault - both legally and financially responsible. Is there a coworker who could take you to and from work? Treat them to dinner once a week or get them a gift card to a local store - they'll keep driving you and you won't feel as guilty about making them go out of their way. The same thing with getting to grocery stores, etc. Ask friends if they can take you the next time they plan on going. When you're better you could get them a gift card to the grocery store as a thank you.
Cooking - Another tough one, but manageable. Use lots of prepackaged food and disposable plates/silverware. You can be environmentally conscious later, but for now you don't need to worry about doing dishes. Also, keep a pair of scissors in the kitchen to help you open things up one-handed. These days you can get veges in bags that you just throw in the microwave to steam, premade bags of rice, frozen meals, etc. Also you can do delivery (Chinese or pizza). Order a little extra than usual and you'll have enough for two days or more.
Hygiene - I bathed every other day (just because it took so much effort one-armed). I bought baby wipes and used those on my body the other days (under the armpits, etc). Headbands for the hair. They sell dental floss strung on little sticks so you can floss one-handed.
Also, do you belong to a church? You could always call there and see if they have any members that could help you out. You could also call the local hospital to see if they know of any resources.
Good luck. You will get creative and adapt. But it is hard. If you have any other questions, just ask.
wow,you do need some help,seriously. i just went thru rotator cuff repair surgery in my right shoulder and it was totally completley out of commission(just hangin in a sling,couldn't even use the fingers either). i cannot imagine you trying to do all this stuff on your own,really. if my hubby had not been here to help me out,i would have been able to do nothing really at all for myself.
if this cast actually goes from under your armpit down,i would imagine it is kind of stuck at one solid angle? i don't know if i would attempt to drive without at least trying it first with another driver inthe car to take over in case you just can't.is there anyone you know who could come over(even if you had to pay for this service it would at least get you out and about)just to help you with dressing and the other things you need done?
like i said before,i just cannot even imagine doing this all by myself given what i just went thru. i really do think you are going to need at least some help for now. i ended up just having to wear sweat pants and zip up shirts there for awhile since it just hurt too much to try anything over my head. the fact that you cannot bend that elbow just makes this a much bigger problem for you as i am sure you already know. i really would try and find someone who could possibly come in just to help you with your daily needs and dressing. of course,someone you trust,or some health aid type of service? at least til they can show you how to navigate thru your day yourself. sorry i couldn;t be of more help. i do hope the cast is off soon for you. FB
__________________
3-22-01,herniated C-6-7
11-20-01,placement of hardware for failed fusion
9-22-03,removal of cavernous hemangioma that was inside spinal cord. Neuro damage to L hand L leg and R leg.
First of all, that sucks. I recently broke my shoulder and was in a shoulder immobilizer, so I basically couldn't use my arm at all either.
Dressing Up - I bought blouses that buttoned up in front. I put them over the bad arm first, and then got the good arm in. Bras on your own are tough. Either hook the back and step into the bra (maybe a strapless) or if your not too well-endowed (like me) wear a tank top under your shirts. Think about getting a few pieces of clothing a size larger than you usually wear for getting them over the cast. You'll also have to practice getting pants buttoned and zipped with one hand.
Driving - I believe if you were in an accident you would be at fault - both legally and financially responsible. Is there a coworker who could take you to and from work? Treat them to dinner once a week or get them a gift card to a local store - they'll keep driving you and you won't feel as guilty about making them go out of their way. The same thing with getting to grocery stores, etc. Ask friends if they can take you the next time they plan on going. When you're better you could get them a gift card to the grocery store as a thank you.
Cooking - Another tough one, but manageable. Use lots of prepackaged food and disposable plates/silverware. You can be environmentally conscious later, but for now you don't need to worry about doing dishes. Also, keep a pair of scissors in the kitchen to help you open things up one-handed. These days you can get veges in bags that you just throw in the microwave to steam, premade bags of rice, frozen meals, etc. Also you can do delivery (Chinese or pizza). Order a little extra than usual and you'll have enough for two days or more.
Hygiene - I bathed every other day (just because it took so much effort one-armed). I bought baby wipes and used those on my body the other days (under the armpits, etc). Headbands for the hair. They sell dental floss strung on little sticks so you can floss one-handed.
Also, do you belong to a church? You could always call there and see if they have any members that could help you out. You could also call the local hospital to see if they know of any resources.
Good luck. You will get creative and adapt. But it is hard. If you have any other questions, just ask.
thank you so much for the reply. it is such a relief to hear from ppl with similar experiences.
because i am heading back to work tomorrow, i ran thru a 'dressed' rehearsal today: thanks to your advices, i finally got my bra on with some efficiency but for the pants, i still have a lot of trouble. i think i will go with my skirts, with elastics, for now. but that posed another problem- nylons. ruined 2 pairs of hoses already. suggestions? any recommendations or tips?.
as for tops, luckily my dress shirts fitted over my big hard cast with sleeve rolled up. big cast sticks out like a sore thumb though. i guess i will have to live with it. buttoning was a pain.
as for commute, i think i will have to go with public transit, which will double my commute time. and hopefully no one will bang into my arm.
for food, i have been restricted to a fastfood/pizza diet so far... i will definitely have to figure something out soon. i have asked a friend to come over to help me out in the weekends ... but daily help is not an option at this moment.
more question (sorry): should i let my coworkers sign my cast, will a signed cast look unprofessional to clients? any past experiences in going back to work with injury/broken arm? will moving the arm too much extend the healing time?
thank you so much for the reply. it is such a relief to hear from ppl with similar experiences.
because i am heading back to work tomorrow, i ran thru a 'dressed' rehearsal today: thanks to your advices, i finally got my bra on with some efficiency but for the pants, i still have a lot of trouble. i think i will go with my skirts, with elastics, for now. but that posed another problem- nylons. ruined 2 pairs of hoses already. suggestions? any recommendations or tips?.
as for tops, luckily my dress shirts fitted over my big hard cast with sleeve rolled up. big cast sticks out like a sore thumb though. i guess i will have to live with it. buttoning was a pain. my elbow is fixed at around right angle.
as for commute, i think i will have to go with public transit, which will double my commute time. and hopefully no one will bang into my arm.
for food, i have been restricted to a fastfood/pizza diet so far... i will definitely have to figure something out soon. i have asked a friend to come over to help me out in the weekends ... but daily help is not an option at this moment.
more question (sorry): should i let my coworkers sign my cast, will a signed cast look unprofessional to clients? any past experiences in going back to work with injury/broken arm? will moving the arm too much extend the healing time?
broken arm - HELP needed pls 
i live alone, so showering is difficult… cooking is exhausting, getting dressed is almost impossible… but i will have to figure everything out soon as i have to go back to work soon. i wonder if anyone has/had a similar experience (or know someone who had) and can provide me with some advice:
but for the pants, i still have a lot of trouble. i think i will go with my skirts, with elastics, for now. but that posed another problem- nylons. ruined 2 pairs of hoses already. 
suggestions? any recommendations or tips?.
