Progress!

[eregyrn]

I know, I'm hell at updating. But, as you can tell from my writing this, I came through the surgery fine. (Except for the nerve block not working to actually block the pain, and except for the Percocet making me ill.) Massive, massive thanks to elishavah, and also to veejane, for all the help they've been giving me. I apologize for not being good about replying to comments, I really appreciate everyone's well wishes.

Yesterday was the 11th day after the surgery, so I went in for my postop checkup. Everything looks good! The cast finally came off (and this had been the most annoying cast, yet). I now have a very small plastic brace that goes on with Velcro straps, which I can take off to shower (!!!!!!) and to do my exercises. The incision is big, but healing well; the skin is already pretty much closed over. The whole arm and hand is a bit achey, and feels vulnerable because it isn't so well protected. The bone won't actually be healed for another four weeks, but because the plate is holding it together, I can start on rehabilitating everything.

The weirdest part is that I am supposed to now be doing all kinds of exercises to get a hand and the wrist back in shape, and it's very strange to have nothing at all on the arm, and to be trying to tell it to do things, and it's not be able to do them. I know that will come in time, as I work on it.

Below the cut, my x-rays, so you can see the plate and all the screws.

Comments

[emilytheslayer.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you're doing well!

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

It's a shame there are no pics of your arm all, you know, laid out during the surgery.

What? That would be cool.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

I've certainly thought about it; tried to imagine it.

Seeing the dressing under the cast come off made me wonder how they controlled the bleeding during surgery. Because, wow, did that sucker bleed even after they'd closed it up.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

likely clamps.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Teeny little ones, I guess. I've just never seen clamps in action, though, so I have some curiosity. (Not enough to go Googling right at this moment, though.)

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

By the way, they gave me the narrative write-up of the surgery, and while a lot of it is medicalese, it seemed to contain the answer to my question below about how they controlled the bleeding, since it contained the phrase, "applied tourniquet to upper arm and exsanguinated arm."

I don't think that "exsanguinated" is a term that I like being applied to any part of my body. o_O

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

Wow! That's more severe than I'd expected. Perhaps there are no clamps small enough.

[telepresence.livejournal.com]

Rise, zombie arm, rise!

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

By the way, they gave me the narrative write-up of the surgery, and while a lot of it is medicalese, it seemed to contain the answer to my question below about how they controlled the bleeding, since it contained the phrase, "applied tourniquet to upper arm and exsanguinated arm."

I don't think that "exsanguinated" is a term that I like being applied to any part of my body. o_O

[paian]

How cool of you to post X rays! They make me go 'ow' and 'neat!' at the same time.

Gah about the nerve blocker and the Percoset, but yay for cast removal and for everything looking good. Will keep hoping for a speedy and complete recovery.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, it has not been a fun couple of months.

[lynxreign.livejournal.com]

I'm very pleased it went fairly well and that you're doing better.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[xandra-lj.livejournal.com]

I concur on the "Ow! But neat!" review of the X-rays. And I'm SO glad you're doing well-- go you, plate and all!

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Yes, the plate will always be a part of me, now.

[sazabhadri.livejournal.com]

So does this mean they'll hassle you at airports from now on?

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Possibly. The assisting surgeon actually addressed this in the pre-op "going over all the things that might go wrong so you have to sign here to indicate that we totally told you about that" part of it. He said that this size plate SHOULDN'T set off metal detectors, but it might. And they used to give out little cards for travelling that would certify you have a plate in you, except after 9/11 they don't do that any more because the little cards are way too easy to forge. So he suggested that if I ever do set off metal detectors, I invite them to wand my arm, as that plus the scar ought to convince them of my harmlessness (short of the scar being where I intentionally replaced my radius with C4 and a detonator, I suppose).

[cofax7]

omg I didn't know you had to have surgery! How stressful! OTOH, I hope that means you will be healing up and regain full functionality.

You have been missed around here.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've still been doing a little commenting here and there, though not as much as I might. I'm sor of a sporadic LJ-poster at the best of times, you know? (A few folks have friended me due to RaceFail, and I kepp thinking... did you LOOK at the entries in this journal? I'm not very interesting or profound when it comes to posting. Although, my cats ARE cute.)

[raqs.livejournal.com]

cool! you're all cyborg-y and shit now.

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Alas, I cannot do anything cool with it. I mean, it doesn't go "snikt", or anything.

[troyswann.livejournal.com]

Oooooooooooooow!!!!!

How did I miss the "gittin' yerself CYBORGED (I keep typing "cyborked"--new favourite word)" update?

I'm very glad the surgery went well, though.

Sending healing vibes ~~~~~~~>you

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

(It was buried in a post masquerading as cute cat pictures. ;-)

Thanks! (*makes half-assed almost-fist of triumph.)

[suzvoy.livejournal.com]

Phew!

[ryanlion.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the bionic club! I'm glad to hear everything went well.

It is kind of freaky how fast your body can 'forget' how to do something. The exercises do help though, so don't give up on them. You'll see progress quickly. :)

[tyellas.livejournal.com]

Another one who's glad your new bionic self is on the road to recovery...and don't have any regrets about not having any "during" pictures. I once got a glimpse of myself "during" a surgery (local anesthetic) and, while I have a stomach of steel, to this day I wish I hadn't.

[trickofthedark.livejournal.com]

Yeeks! Heal well!

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

Wow. The x-rays are pretty damn cool, but I'm with you on not wanting to see the actual operation. I'm glad to hear it went well - except for the lack of effective pain killers/blockers. Also glad you have the heavy cast off, that's often the worst part from what I've heard - having been six months old the last time I broke a major bone, I can't remember.

Good luck recovering your hand's mobility, that must suck. My arthritis and fibromyalgia cause me enough problems that I can definitely understand that part. It's so frustrating to not have complete control of one's hands. You don't realize exactly how crucial they are until you can't use them properly anymore.

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

Robot arm for the win.

Here's hoping it's one of the kind that picks up pop music from lizard bands. They generally rock out.

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

Holy bat dren, those xrays! :::gentle hugs::::

Yay for showers and the cast being off though.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

The cast finally came off

!!! woo hoo!

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Best of luck with the therapy. I'm glad the surgery went well.

[destina.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're doing ok! :) *sends hugs and good vibes!*

[barkley.livejournal.com]

Do you make bionic noises when you move your arm? The X-rays look really cool. (uh, for various definitions of cool. You might define it differently...) I hope your recovery continues to go well!

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Do you make bionic noises when you move your arm?

Only if I make the "dit-dit-dit-dit-dit" noises myself as I move it...

OT

[rydra_wong]

http://orca-girl.dreamwidth.org

Iz you?

Re: OT

[eregyrn.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's me. I considered changing my name, and then decided that was too confusing for the moment.