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Rita and Jean

17 years ago

Rita you asked about the wrist. My wrist was not broken so badly as Jean's was. Jean, you had to have pins...I just had to immobilize mine.

My wrist has a way to go before it is totally healed, but it is coming along. I always wear the brace to immobilize it when I am gardening... and the pain stops me if I get too entusiastic.

I have learned how to mainly use the forearm, not the hand to assist with lifting. I am using the right hand much, much more than usual for me. (before the injury, I did a lot of things left handed even though I am right handed...poring water in the coffee maker for instance.)

I will admit to being pig-headed about doing things I want to do. Determined sounds better, but pig headed is probably closer to the truth.

I have also learned to work smarter using tools at hand instead of brute force which may be faster but exacts its own price. The wheelbarrow is my friend.

The wrist still gives me a good bit of trouble, but life goes on, and I am accustomed to living with a certain amount of pain.

I don't know if I answered your questions or not. Thanks,

kay

Comments (17)

  • 17 years ago

    kay, I figgure you are one determined woman. You break your wrist but the gardenbeds still get made and the new daylilies still get planted. I know on one of the posts you had said that the wrist was not in a cast but in a brace so thats how I knew what was going on. I hope the rest of the healing goes fast. Sounds as if its going well so far.

  • 17 years ago

    Rita,
    For the first few weeks, I had my doubts, but it seems to be healing really well now. It just "screams" at me if I forget and pick up something too heavy...a coffee mug (empty, was too heavy to begin with.

    Right now, I just have to avoid overdoing it...not one of my better talents...but I'm talking to someone else who likes to "work under pressure."
    Different pressure, but pressure. thanks.
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    I have never had a broken bone, knock on wood !

    I was telling my grass cutting guy yesterday that I was doing all the roses moving and daylily moving around projects this year so that I would not have anything but normal garden matenience to do next year and could just relax in the garden. He said to me, but you said that LAST year. I said back that I say that EVERY year and its true. Each year I say next year I will not have to work so hard in the garden.

    I really want to mean it next year. Take a year off from all but normal garden mantenience chores like weeding and mulching and have some time to just actually sit out in the garden. I have not even gotten a chance to walk accross the street to the park or take a dip in the ocean this year and it is only accross the street. I have got to stop being a gardening madwoman but I don't seem to know how to do that.

  • 17 years ago

    Rita, I can identify with that.

    I already know I won't be taking off next year. I want to finish the project DH started before he hurt his back.

    We have a pond and waterfall in the back, but were greatly enlarging the catch pool. I intend to work on that. Plus regular maintenance...plus whatever new impetus I get.

    nah! I won't be quitting next year...not likely.
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    oh rita, i had always bragged about no broken bones either. bragged is a bad choice of words, but you know what i mean. i am 71 and have remained very active in spite of having both kinds of arthritis. but i am not very active right now. i was walking across the nice freshly mown grass last saturday when i felt myself flying through the yard.i knew my right wrist was broken immediately. i tried to get my cell phone out of my pocket, but it was on the wrong side. i finally managed to get up and into the house and put an ice bag on it. hubby got me to the er where they put a splint and sling on. finally got my cast on tuesday, but may still be facing surgery after the next xray. i'm not supposed to do ANYTHING that might cause the bone to shift. i don't do anything lefthanded, so everything is a challange. i'm just so thankful this was my wrist instead of my hip! ya'll girls be careful. wrists are fragile and so easily broken.
    ida

  • 17 years ago

    You best be taking care of yourself! I know you're a nurse so you don't need a lecture, but man, a little down time now to let yourself heal COMPLETELY will give you many more years in the future. If you keep aggravating it, it will take that much longer to get to that point, if ever. You are pig headed, lol! My mom is the same way! She is now in a tremendous amount of pain from bulged disc in her back from digging a new flower bed! I told her about Rita's way & she didn't listen to me, now she is getting shots in her back! Slow down, everything will get done eventually.

    I have a whole new perspective on such! Now that I am moving I get everyone asking me if I have any regrets. Wow, did that get me thinking! Since I remodel my home as well, my only regret is not taking the time out to go out to dinner or what not to socialize with friends & family, I lost those memories forever. I chose to get the 'project done' & missed alot of opportunities to see the people that really matter to me. Rita, take the time to go to the park & go swimming in the ocean...life is way too short! I can't believe it actually took me selling this house to realize that! Yes, self gratification, but was it worth those times that I missed out on? NOT!

    All obsessions are good if they are well balanced with the rest of your life. Take it from someone that now has a few regrets!

    Kay, baby yourself, you need & deserve it!

  • 17 years ago

    lala,
    I will admit to doing no lifting or pulling at work. (good excuse, I'm a supervisor) but I always wear the brace even if I could get by without it as I may HAVE to start CPR...that could be a life or death issue. Usually I am not the only one present, but I have been and may be again.

    I do take breaks and will be vacationing with DH in the late fall or early winter (no yard work that has to be done, and nothing blooming to miss).

    I also work Baylor nights which is Friday, Saturday from 7PM to 7 AM. so...except when I work extra, I have 5 days of the week free. And I am naturally lazy...but I love the flower work and I am pig-headed admitedly.

    And the wrist is healing nicely. My bones are excellent. I was a roller skater (I know you would be amazed to learn I was an obsessive roller skater...when the rink was open I was there...)but even though I didn't know it then I was building bone for "maturity".

    Tis time, I fell indoors, catching with my wrist just like your mother did. I was at work, so I finished the shift out before I did anything. I soon knew it was a Colles fracture, of course, broken bones (or even just cracked ones) scream at you. But the immobilization has worked well. I didn't use it for about 4 weeks, and still guard it. But I have things to do...

    Thanks you for being concerned, lala. Nurses are the absolute worst patients with the possible exception of physicians or pharmacists. (We all know too much.)
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    Kay; I didn't think you had broken your wrist the same as mine was broken,when you was talking about out there planting and digging.I figured yours must have been cracked,maybe.First time I have every had a broken bone,and it sure is no fun.Where I had them 4 pins in it,its till hurting at times.I am using it daily, but am not pulling on anything or picking up some thing heavy with it.I have forgotten a few times and was picking some thing up a tad heavy,and had pains shooting through it,and dropped it right then.But,its better then it was.I do wear a support band around my wrist when it starts hurting,and it helps alot. Hope yours continues to heal and be good as new soon.

    Jean

  • 17 years ago

    Jean,

    Try taking some omega 3 fish oil capsules. It will probalby surprise you qith how much it relieves the pain in your wrist and any other joint pain. I take it twice a day,
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    Well, if its a capsule,I can probably take it.I am having trouble with pills since the surgery on my wrist.And if it will help with any pain,I will sure give it a try,as I am so sick of being in pain every day.its been back pain,and hip pain for a long time,and now wrist pain too.Not only the wrist that was broken, but now the other wrist is hurting a lot, too,and I am told its corpal-tunnel symdrome.so, what next, huh...Thanks for the info,Kay.

    Jean

  • 17 years ago

    Jean,
    I was late to start taking the fish oil. I cannot believe the difference it has made. I have multiple autoimmune issues including psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis and the difference in my joint pain and swelling has been almost life changing. It is surely worth a try. I take it (1000mg) morning and night. It is not a little capsule, but it has been so worth it for me. (By the way, it is good for your skin too...DH also dropped his triglycerides from 474 to 115 just by taking fish oil for a year)>
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    Kay; I went ahead and bought a bottle of them today.(1,000 mg) .How many do you take a day? I went ahead and took 2 when I got back home..I have osteo-arthuritis and also scoliois(Mispelled I'm sure) a curvature of the spine,and I suffer back pain daily.They ARE big capsules,but I took them with milk.I sure could feel that big capsule going down,and was afraid it was going to get stuck in my throat, but since its a gel cap,I think I be ok.I am having trouble with pills since the surgery on my wrist.I take a lot of excedrins and have to cut them up in quarters now..Maybe these capsules will help also with my high colestrol. I am on Zocor for that.

    Jean

  • 17 years ago

    Jean,
    I take one in the morning and one in the evening. I take them with chocolate soy milk. I think you will be surprised how much they help. It is an anti-infamatory.
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    Well, I will be sure to let you know if they help with some of this pain.The Dr has tried me on every arthuritis meds thats on the market,almost,and after taking them for several days,the Dr stopped me and said I can not take them..These should be ok to take,for me.

    Jean

  • 17 years ago

    Jean,
    So you take coumadin (blood thinner)? If you do, clear it with your doctor before you take any supplement. If not, you should be fine.
    kay

  • 17 years ago

    Kay; NO,I do not take a blood thinner.I take LABETALOL for my High Blood pressure and ZOCOR for the colestrol.and EXCEDRINS for the pain..My Dr thought I might be having light Heart attacks 2 years ago,and sent me to a heart specialist,who done all kinds of tests and found nothing wrong except the high colestrol.He did prescribe some "Nitro" just in case I had a attack, but have never opened the bottle yet.All chest pains stopped after I got on the colestrol medication.

    Jean

  • 17 years ago

    Then you should be. In fact, you may find the fish oil lowers your LDH (bad) cholesterol as well as triglycerides.

    The main thing is it helps with the joint pain. Let me know after you've taken it a while.
    kay

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