new injury old injury

[wolfter]

Well started leg therapy today and I have all the funk cleaned off.  Can finally sleep in a proper bed.





Now the not so good news.  I fell up the steps last night (seems to be going around lately?)  My hand aches like hell is swollen badly.  I'll give it a couple of days to see if I need to return to the hospital.

Good hand


swollen hand

[Hellraiser]

Are you just embarassed to tell us you're a masochist?  There are easier ways.

[wolfter]

Are you just embarassed to tell us you're a masochist?  There are easier ways.

  beginning to think so myself.

[bocker3]

Wolfie,

We are NOT in a contest to see who can injure themselves most frequently!!!

I do have to say -- I would go get that hand checked sooner vs. later.  That swelling looks just like my hand did when I broke my wrist last year.....  Hopefully, yours is not broken, but waiting will serve no purpose other than to postpone finding out for sure.

The leg looks good though!!

Hugs,
M

[wolfter]

I must be copying you Mike.   I think I'll head to the doctor's tomorrow.  The fingernail is turning dark and the pain is getting worse.  I oh so hope nothing is broken but I have a nagging fear it is.

[mitch777]

wolfie, wolfie, wolfie...

what's next???

[Jody]

I'm so sorry for your foot and hand injuries Wolfie.  Please get that hand to a doctor ASAP.  Oh boy, you poor guy I hope you will heal well soon enough.

Jody

[tednlou2]

So, how did you fall up the stairs?  I know there is the running joke that you drink too much boxed wine..lol. 

The stairs-- I went through a period where I would trip up the stairs.  I could be carrying a plate of food, and the plate would go flying.  I broke about 5 plates.  The other 10 must have been made well.  I think my shoes were to blame.  There's also the dogs that always seem to want to get right under my feet. 

My thing now is to bend over to pick something up near a table or the mantle, and I smack my head.  Or, smacking it getting into the car.  Beats the huge lump I got from a hail storm over the summer.  That hurt like hell.  I had a huge lump from golf ball size hail.  I was safe in the garage, but the tornado sirens were going off, so I made a run for the basement.  Here is where I'm not too bright.  We had a couple fireman helmets in the garage. 

[wolfter]

I got corrected today, I fell up the steps, not the stairs.     I guess the difference is stairs are inside and steps are outside. 

And yes I did have a couple of cocktails but that couldn't have caused me to fall; I'm too much an expert for that.  Over the last couple of years, I've seemed to develop some sort of balance issue.  For a while I thought it was an eyesight issue but am beginning to think it's the the long term issues of fighting this virus.

I'm pretty sure nothing is broken as I can now move my thumb. 

I'll will be posting pictures of the bottle of white zin I've had chilling since before this all happened as I plan on sitting in bed and finishing the whole thing.

[J.R.E.]

I'll will be posting pictures of the bottle of white zin I've had chilling since before this all happened as I plan on sitting in bed and finishing the whole thing.

Now don't fall out of bed ! 


Ray

[wolfter]

Now don't fall out of bed ! 


Ray

That reminds me of another story but I won't share it as it will debunk my conservative puritan gaydom.
  

Perhaps I should put the plastic mattress cover on for one more night. 

[J.R.E.]

That reminds me of another story but I won't share it as it will debunk my conservative puritan gaydom.
  

Perhaps I should put the plastic mattress cover on for one more night.

Don't forget to place the bed rails in the up position, or at least place a couple of chairs, against the bed, so you don't roll out. 

I have just finished a bottle of champagne ( by Myself) and 4 bottles of Beck's beer, I am getting kind of toasted about now.

Ed's downstairs on the computer, and I am sitting here in the small bedroom listening to Fios, channel #1822 "Music of the 70's " 


Ray

[wolfter]

I didn't have any cranberry juice so I'm drinking my zin straight up....ah...life is temporarily good.

[bocker3]

I'm pretty sure nothing is broken as I can now move my thumb. 

Do not be so sure.  I could move mine too, hell I played tennis for two days (mainly with my other hand, of course) - still my wrist was broken.  I hope yours is not, but that is pretty much how my hand looked.  GO GET IT CHECKED!!

Hugs,
Mike

[pozniceguy]

Greg , I had  similar  problems a few years ago  mentioned to  DR  and he  suggested  that part of the problem is  with the  "neuropathy"  in the  lower legs/feet  caused by many  meds over time.....   so had a few sessions with a physical  therapist  who  helped with  correcting the   way  I  walked and picked up my feet...pretty good  at  not  "tripping or  stumbling" now

hope  you are  taking care of the  hand problem as well

Nick

[wolfter]

Greg , I had  similar  problems a few years ago  mentioned to  DR  and he  suggested  that part of the problem is  with the  "neuropathy"  in the  lower legs/feet  caused by many  meds over time.....   so had a few sessions with a physical  therapist  who  helped with  correcting the   way  I  walked and picked up my feet...pretty good  at  not  "tripping or  stumbling" now

hope  you are  taking care of the  hand problem as well

Nick

I've kinda suspected something else has been happening, but I am always slow to deal with things.  I've experienced quite a few issues with stairs and escalators.  I might have to look into it as I obviously can't take the occasional fall any longer.

I'm having my hand x-rayed Friday if it's not any better.  I have physical therapy tomorrow and Thursday and then a follow up appt Friday with the doctor.  My brother is dropping off his big F250 pickup for me to drive.  Guess I'm gonna do the left leg driving thing.  I don't blame him for not wanting to take that much time off of work.  And of course, it's quite a distance away.  It was very funny watching me get into his Dodge Ram Friday with my screwed up hand.  It sits real high and I had to crawl into it, literally onto the floor in order to get seated.

[mitch777]

I've kinda suspected something else has been happening, but I am always slow to deal with things.  I've experienced quite a few issues with stairs and escalators

i've been kinda clutsie the past few years too. not much of a problem with stairs (or steps ), but more problems walking into furniture and getting through doors.
no injuries thus far other than lots of bruises.

[wolfter]

Perhaps I just don't have the brain power that I used to have as I'm confused as hell.  Since I had to go to Lancaster for physical therapy anyways, I stopped by the ortho center about my wrist.  I figured it was time to have it x-rayed.  She asked if I had an appointment which I didn't.  She then scheduled me for x-rays next week!!!!

What is the proper procedure?  If I fell and broke my arm, should I make an appointment?  Is it proper to go to the ER?  I guess I'm just a bit angry that they couldn't take a simple x-ray. 

They took measurements for a special brace for my leg and foot.  The doctor is now concerned there might be deeper nerve damage than first thought.  I should have already been walking without crutches which is not happening.  I think this doctor thought I was just being lazy but I know the difference between severe pain and and discomfort.  I guess this brace will take the pressure off the foot and allow mobility.  I certainly hope so.

[mitch777]

that's awful wolfie! an appointment for an xray for a potential bone break?
did you question them at all?
and this from the same place that seems to be "less than on top of things" with your foot injury?

i hope the brace helps and you are able to get through this nerve damage.
boy, this is turning out to be a long haul.

take care.

[bocker3]

Wolfie....

a suspected sprain or fracture would generally call for a trip to an Urgent Care facility (an ER, if no UC facility around and/or you see bone sticking out).  They will x-ray you then and there.  I suppose you still can go to urgent care, rather than wait another week -- especially if it is still bothering you.
They certainly could have taken an x-ray for you, but I suspect it has to do with billing, etc.

Hope your leg and hand/wrist get better......  before all the snow and ice hit!!

Hugs,
M

[Miss Philicia]

When I broke my toe years ago I'm quite sure, since it wasn't an emergency, I made an appointment and had it x-rayed. Not in a hospital but a Foot & Ankle Institute of Temple Univ.

[wolfter]

Well, I broke down and went to our local urgent care facility as my appointment wasn't today with the surgeon like I had thought it was.  The pain was getting intense and the hand was turning yellow.

Turns out it is a complete fracture of metacarpal bone on the rounded end.  Not sure how good the pictures turned out.  The doctor at the care center couldn't tell me a whole, which is understandable.  Back to the ortho..woot..woot  I'm so over all of this.

[mitch777]

 
once again wolfie, what's next???

so, another cast?

i only hope that this is NOT the all-important wrist.
that would be a triple whammy! yikes!

have i told you to "take care"? hmmmm....

[wolfter]

Even though the surgeon doesn't know that I've fired him already, I'm following through the PT's decision to put me in a contraption that hopefully will allow me to put some weight on my foot.  Still can't do so after 3+ months.  I did not like the way the doctor spoke to me.  He pert near implied I'm being lazy.  I've had NUMEROUS injuried throughout the years and have always bounced back quicker than most.  I even crushed my entire hand and was able to use it after only 2 months.

Here is the new contraption that I have to use several times a day.

[wolfter]

I really am getting so disgusted with my recovery.  My leg was broken in September and I'm still not able to put weight on it.  Thankfully I see my regular doctor this week and I'll be discussing the options with him.  Something just doesn't seem right.  Hell, my thumb is almost entirely healed already.

My ankle and foot still swell to about twice the normal size.  This just doesn't seem normal.

[red_Dragon888]

I really am getting so disgusted with my recovery.  My leg was broken in September and I'm still not able to put weight on it.  Thankfully I see my regular doctor this week and I'll be discussing the options with him.  Something just doesn't seem right.  Hell, my thumb is almost entirely healed already.

My ankle and foot still swell to about twice the normal size.  This just doesn't seem normal.

Make sure it is not the hiv medication causing the swelling.  My left hand and feet swelled up like a balloon and I had to switch hiv meds. I think it was sustiva that caused it.  As a matter of fact my body was sensitiveness to others hiv meds.  To lessen the swollen hand I kept it elevated above my head with a towel so to allow the fluids to drain out and squeeze or compress it, not enough to cause pain, to aid in the flow.

[wolfter]

I plan on discussing this all with my PCP.  He is also my ID doctor.  He has already indicated I'll need to some bone density tests along with checking for osteopenia and such.  I added calcium supplements a while ago to hopefully build those bones up. 

Kinda strange that as we age, smaller framed people are at a higher risk for bone fractures than overweight people.  I have pretty much obsessed about staying thin my entire life and now it's possibly biting me in the ace.  priceless.

[Jeff G]

My mom broke her ankle years ago and had to have surgery with pins and screws that was left behind to hold it all together . She still has swelling to deal with whenever she is active for the day . She asked if removing some of the hardware would help but they told her no , that because of the severity of the injury she was going to have live with the occasional swelling . You were injured quite badly Wolfe , Im wondering if you may have to except some limitations and a slow recovery ? . It sucks all the same buddy .

[wolfter]

My mom broke her ankle years ago and had to have surgery with pins and screws that was left behind to hold it all together . She still has swelling to deal with whenever she is active for the day . She asked if removing some of the hardware would help but they told her no , that because of the severity of the injury she was going to have live with the occasional swelling . You were injured quite badly Wolfe , Im wondering if you may have to except some limitations and a slow recovery ? . It sucks all the same buddy .

Thanks Jeff, appreciate it.  I have accepted some limitations but it's already been too long.  I expected to be returning to my exercising routine by now.  I thought I'd be running a few miles every morning instead of still limping around with a cane.


Also, my brother bought me a really neat cane that has a built in light.  You hit the switch and it's quite bright.  He says it'll help me see better and hopefully prevent additional injuries.

[Ann]

Also, my brother bought me a really neat cane that has a built in light.  You hit the switch and it's quite bright. 

I'm jealous - you got your very own light-sabre! My stick (which I still need from time to time due to hip-joint issues) only has butterflies on it. A light would be too cool!