On December 23, 2010, I decided to take the three older kids ice skating at a local outdoor ice rink. They had never been skating before. I had been quite a few times as a teenager, but am by no means "good". We had invited some friends to go and we were all set to head off. Our friends told us it was too windy and mom had a belly ache so we ventured out alone. It was the very first day of our winter break. Hubby and I are teachers (for new followers). The session started out great. The older two kiddos took to it immediately. Our five year old was a little more cautious so I stuck with him. I was guarded since I knew I was skiing later in the week and I was only five months out from my ACL reconstruction surgery. Before I knew it my left leg slid out from under me and all I could think of was my knee. I broke my fall with my left hand, outstretched behind me. After I assessed my knee and stood up, that rushing feeling came over me. I knew I was in trouble. My wrist was killing me. I convinced Mutt to take a break so I could sit on the bench for a few minutes and collect myself. I texted my husband and told him I had fallen, but I wasn't sure if I needed to go to the ER. He offered to come to the rink and relive me from my ice skating duty so I could go, but I stuck it out. I skated a little more and then we left. I went to the ER after we got home. After all, I had to make a ham two nights later and host Christmas dinner. This was NOT going to interfere. And if it was, I wanted to know. After about six x-rays they told me it was just sprained, offered me some pain killers (which I turned down) and sent me on my merry way. After all I was merry, it was Christmas. I was discharged at 8:00, got home, took the kids on a Christmas light tour and by 10:30 I was in the worst pain of my life. I could not move my arm. Forget my fingers, they didn't work anymore. I took some inti-inflammatory painkillers I still had from my knee rehab. They did nothing! I was stuck and could not sleep until after 4:00 a.m. This was not the way I wanted to head into Christmas Eve.
When I woke up the next morning, my arm was a little better. I did a few things around the house, took a nap with ESPN and prepared for church. I was the reader/communion assistant. That was interesting. When one of the church woman asked me to tilt the challis, I nearly died. I thought it was one the floor for sure. I made it through and no wine landed on the floor. Dinner was McDonalds. Merry Christmas kids!!!!
After that, each day got a little easier. I had a lot of help on Christmas, my hubby go the ham in the oven. Some how I managed a baked brie and green bean casserole. The kids opened my gifts. They loved that! Well, I opened some. I have to admit. I didn't want to miss it all!! We had family come into town after the holiday. We went ice skating again. The whole family took a ski trip over New Years and I did it all. However, I knew something was wrong. I got in the pool (which was about 90 degrees) and pain radiated up and down my arm. The hot tub was worse. I knew I had to tell the surgeon. Luckily, I had a follow up for my knee on the 3rd of January.
When he walked in the room, he asked "what did you do?" I had told the nurse. I was in some much pain. I had been tubing the day before. It was inflamed and screaming at me. He said he wanted to see the x-ray. He thought it was broken. Shocked that there was nothing there, he took another of the scaphoid. When it was negative, more shock. And he sent me for an MRI. Fast forward to the day after the MRI. He called. This is never good! He told me my distal radius was broken. He said since it had been so long, I could just wear a brace on it and then the next things is what landed me in the position I am in now. He said "no skiing". STOP the car (I was headed out at the time). Hmm... that is not really an option doc. And so there I was with an appointment two days later.
After showing me the MRI and the edema inside the bone. The fracture across the bone, plan as day; he said "well, let's put a cast on it, because if you fall on it, you will likely need surgery." So that's it. That's how I ended up like this, with my beautiful blue cast!!!!
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