Broken wrist

Don't assume that you will need an operation Mildred. They always ask you to attend the fracture clinic the day after you have the plaster on any break. They check for any swelling or undue pain which might indicate a misaligned repair.

Should you need one though they will give you an informative leaflet which is very useful. Good luck and hope you soon mend!

Gosh, the things we do to ourselves in the name of grandparenting! I'm so sorry to hear about your wrist, mildred and I hope it won't take long to heal. I have lost count of the number of slips, falls, sprains, bruises and unhappy landings DH and I have sustained in the course of looking after GS - some of them "sports injuries", but many just trying to stop him from hurting himself and getting hurt ourselves in the process! They should come with a health warning, bless them! I took GS and his friend to the local playing field on Tuesday afternoon and promised DH I wouldn't join in. I lied! . Wishing you a swift recovery

Thank you I am hoping it will be unnecessary too. But remember when my children were born my husband seemed to bring everything in but the kitchen sink. Nurses reckon 6 weeks, which does seems bearable. Starting to make lists at least I have the iPad.

I broke my shoulder 8 weeks ago and they told me exactly what they've told you -appointment the next day at the fracture clinic, might need an op, will take 6 weeks for the break to heal. I didn't need an op, though as it was a bad break (2 fractures, one on the humerus, the other on the greater tuberose, which I'd never heard of before! ). I was referred to physio after 3 weeks and am doing the exercises religiously. Oh, and taking painkillers regularly to ensure it can move as easily as possible It's still pretty painful, but more achey than sharp pains. I have to work on getting full mobility back as my exercise of choice is swimming! A friend has broken both her wrists (not at the same time!) and it didn't take get very long to recover fully. Have a andand, best to lay off the for a month or so couple of days.

Tuberosity, not tuberose!

Gagagran is correct re return to # clinic within 48 hours of injury. Good luck.

I have broken lots of bits and always there was a next day fracture clinic appointment after the treatment in A&E, so do not read gloom and doom into that.

I had my right elbow wired and pinned once and was in plaster for over 3 months - from wrist to shoulder. What a blooming palaver that was - but I was young and more adaptable. Still can't do my bra up round the back!

mildred What a nuisance for you. I started chasing 3yr old DGS1 around the garden when he stayed with me. He had a lovely time but my back complained loudly for the next week.
We do have to remember our frailties these days.

Many thanks for the kind words and reassurances, dramatictessa you know me so well, bright side is I have to have a blood test, to check cholesterol, so I can get that done next week. Just feel old did it at my brother's as well, so annoyed with myself for ruining the afternoon. Daughter just been down with grandchildren, she is upset too as her Dad told her about them stretching my arm to get the bones back into place. I didn't tell her because I knew she would be upset. Also going to get a manicure as I won't be gardening for a while, hair will have to be done at the hairdresser and I will need a pedicure too.

I broke my left wrist falling from standing when it was icy outside my front gate. I went to fracture clinic about two days later. I had smashed a small bone and needed an operation to stabilise it. They put in three external fixaters. I was in plaster for seven weeks. What fun I had trying to do everything one handed, washing my hair was the best! Then showering. I managed by wrapping the plaster in cling film and plastic bags. It didn't get wet once.??

How are you now hildajenniJ? Did it affect your confidence?

I broke my right wrist on 8th July.
Went to A&E that night and had it reduced and plastered.
Went back the next day and was told it had been misaligned, so went in the next week to have it done again, with a k-wire put in.
The op you stay awake for. They put an anaesthetic block in your shoulder, so you cannot feel your arm. You can watch the wire going in on the screen.

I went back on 20th July to have another xray, and a new plastercast.
Went yesterday to have the wires removed, but was told it was too soon, so have to go back on 17th August to have that done, and hopefully no more casts, so the surgeon said.
What he said when he told me it had not been done properly was that it could be left for six weeks, but when the cast came off, it might come out again, and it might be permanently misshapen. I didn't want that.

Having the anaesthetic block in the shoulder was weird. Your arm doesn't feel as if it belongs to you.

Good luck.

I live alone, by the way.
I have family ten minutes away, but you do not like to ask them to do things every day. We went out this afternoon to the beach, and when they brought me back home, I had to ask them to put my bins out.
When I FIRST HAD THE CAST ON, i used to put a bin liner over it to have a shower, but it's a bit precarious. There's a special bag with a seal that you can get called a limbo which is much more suitable.
As you can see, typing causes problems, too. I didn't mean to shout up there. Sometimes I can't be bothered to go back and change it.

Mildred and Duramjen, hope you are both managing now one handed. So easy to break a bone. I broke my right wrist, ( playing hockey at school), then did the other one much more recently, trying to wrestle a shrub out of the ground. Both are fine now, so hope you both heal quickly and are not too uncomfortable.

Thanks, Auntieflo.
Fortunately, the cast doesn't prevent me from opening a bottle of wine, providing it's screwtop. Medicinal - helps me sleep.
Eating is interesting when on your own. I'm pleased it's summer, so can eat lots of cherry tomatoes and salad leaves.
I am also pleased I have all my own teeth, too. They come in handy for doing up zips on my bag etc.

oh dear.. for you mildred & durhamjen hope you both heal quickly and well.

Yes, the morning-after trip to the fracture clinic is standard practice, so don't worry too much before you know the full situation. I measured my length three weeks ago, tripping over one of those blasted metal plates in the pavement. I was battered and bruised all over, and assumed my hand was just badly bruised too, so didn't get it checked out for ten days. The day before I finally gave in and went to the minor injuries clinic, I did a couple of hours scrubbing with it (as you do). It turned out I'd broken a particular bone in my hand that often needs surgical repair, and it was put into a temporary full cast. I was worrying too, about possible surgery, about having a cast for six weeks - about nothing in the end, as the next morning the consultant decided the bone hadn't moved at all, despite my best efforts, and I've got away with a dinky hand support that I can take off for showers, hurray! My sympathy goes to all who haven't been so lucky - the 24 hours in a cast showed me how miserable that can be. Fingers crossed for you, Mildred.

Agree about the plaster, I was glad () that I couldn't have one as they can't put plasters on breaks at the top of limbs.

Mildred you will know what exactly is happening by now. When I broke mine it was an impacted fracture that required 'pulling'. There was an interesting discussion in A&E about when is the best time to do this. Eventually they decided they weren't busy and it could be done there and then. It involved the shoulder being held whilst the wrist was pulled and the bones re-aligned. It was then plastered but I had to have it checked as the bones can slip back if the plaster isn't tight enough-mine was OK.
Hope yours is feeling better. Once the pain has improved you will be able to exercise and move the arm and fingers. You should be offered physio when the plaster comes off. Really valuable and makes sure you get full movement back.

trisher the pulling sounds painful. Mind, if it were me I probably wouldn't have felt anything as I would have fainted when they started discussing what they were going to do!

They gave me an anaesthetic block into the wrist, along with gas and air and a bit of morphine.
Hadn't had gas and air since my eldest was born nearly 50 years ago, and nearly put myself out again.
Whatever you see on Casualty, it's not like that at all.
Then I had to have it done all over again four days later!

NonnaW I just wanted to go home. It was past midnight, I'd slipped as I got out of the bath.
durhamjen I just got gas and air-great stuff! So sorry you had to have it done again. Everyone said I was really lucky because the plaster was tight enough to hold it in place. Hope the pain isn't too bad now. I remember a nurse commenting about how well children adapt to using just one hand and me thinking 'that doesn't help at all".

Commiserations to all GNs with broken bones ? &?(purely medicinal of course!)
All this talk of pulling and realigning reminds me of the debates over my dislocated and shattered ankle nearly four years ago ?

All I can say is thank goodness for modern sedation!

Yes, Trisher. My eldest granddaughter broke her wrist when she was nine. She played the violin, but said it helped her, because if she held the bow at the wrong angle, her wrist hurt.
No way could I use a bow at the moment.
Not that I need to as I do not play the violin.
What I'd like to know is how long it will be before I can sign any legal papers again, as I need to soon.