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| Distal radial fracture |
Two years ago I stepped outside and heard a loud pop. I ended up on the ground. I hobbled back inside and within the hour I was in the emergency room. I had broken my right ankle. I didn't need any surgery. The recovery was long but unremarkable. Today I have chronic pain and pretty much full mobility. The lingering issue is an enhanced fear of falling and hyper sensitivity to walking surface conditions :)
Then last spring, in May, I was walking in my own back yard, just coming back from a long walk, when I stepped onto a manhole cover which must have somehow come ajar. The top flipped up and my right leg and body fell in. Being a big girl, I didn't fall all the way through but became wedged in the opening between the edge and the flipped up cover. My first concern was that I had broken my leg or back. I called for help unsuccessfully. I then pushed myself up out of the drain, the sharp pain highlighting that the real issue was my wrist. My hand was at a peculiar angle and movement was extremely difficult. I got inside, grabbed an ice bag and drove myself to the emergency room. I had a distal fracture to radius and ulna. A week later I had surgery with insertion of permanent bling you can see in the photo!
I have not been pampering my wrist but have had issues with pain and weakness. It radiates into my elbow too. So earlier this week I saw my doctor who gave me a new wrist brace for lingering triangular fibrocartilage issues. He also provided strict instructions to avoid any movements that provided ulnar deviation. It's not a very fancy brace - but the immediate impact on strength and pain was awesome!
So while that could be bad news - I keep thinking that it all seems a bit like a miracle. My fall into the manhole could have been so much worse. Plus I know that I will get stronger over time.
The journey continues.
Teresa Marie
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