I Broke My Wrist - Details

I was running a bit late to class because some students in my previous class had stayed after to ask some questions…so I was kind of in a hurry. The steps in front of this building are not so great…I could say all the ways they are deficient, but I only have one hand. I hit one step too low and stumbled…and put my left hand down to catch my fall. I heard a snap and my arm felt weak. I walked into class, sat down, used my right hand to lift my left hand up on the desk and started taking my watch off. I figured there would be swelling, so I wanted to get my watch off. My students started asking me if I was ok and I told them I wasn’t sure, but I think I might have broken my wrist. I told them that we wouldn’t have class, but I needed to borrow a cell phone. RJ’s cell phone battery doesn’t work – it hasn’t for like 3 weeks, but he’s getting a Blackberry and service through work, so he’s just been using my battery instead of buying a new one…this leaves me without a phone, but that’s a different story. I called RJ and he loaded up the kids to come pick me up. Meanwhile, my students were so sweet. One guy ran down the street to a campus dining place to get me some ice. Another kept asking me questions to make sure I wasn’t in shock. Another had me use her hard-backed folder to support my wrist, etc. They stayed with me until RJ arrived and then planned how they would get word to my next class that class was cancelled. This all happened at 1:00 and I was in the emergency room by 1:20.

RJ dropped me off at the ER and then took the kids home to meet up with our boss and a co-worker. We had called co-worker, but gotten her voice mail, so we called boss…she came and then co-worker showed up too. Then RJ came back to me at the ER.

I hate the ER. But, I won’t go unto that because everyone hates the ER. I waited about an hour before being called back. After that, things moved pretty quickly. I don’t know what you have to do to get pain meds, but none were offered and my request for Tylenol was acknowledged and promised to be met, but never was. Anyway, I had like 6 x-rays taken, then I waited for the dr., then the dr. said it is broken…distal radial fracture…so I broke my radius down in my wrist. It is a clean-break…all the way through…and is not displaced at all, so he doesn’t think I’ll need surgery. Thank goodness…I do not want to have surgery. Hr wrapped me in a splint…that he wet and then molded to my arm…it has dried pretty darn hard. I have a sling, Vicodin, and an appointment with the orthopedist on Monday morning. The orthopedist will look at the x-rays, take more to see how healing is going, decide about surgery, and put a cast on. They wait for the cast until the swelling has gone down so that the cast won’t be a bad fit. 4-6 weeks in the cast.

The Vicodin works well and I’ve not been in too much pain, but it is painful. Having 1 hand is NOT convenient in the least. Try doing things with only one hand and I think you’ll get the picture rather quickly. RJ has to help me get dressed…can’t put a bra on with one hand. Changing diapers is difficult. Can’t wash my face, pick up my kids easily, etc. RJ has been super-terrific, but 4-6 weeks is a long time. I assume I’ll be able to grip things with my left hand sooner than that? I plan to go to work today, but I can’t pass out papers! The students will help – they are so compassionate!

Since this happened on the job – workman’s comp will pay for it. Another guy in our office broke his ankle on stairs in this same building and workman’s comp. went into effect for him. I don’t know how it works, but a report has already been made by my office…I think it is on my employer to comply, so they have all these rules to follow.

I haven’t even gotten to swim in our pool yet :-(

This took 30 minutes to type, so I won’t be typing too much for a while!