BACKFLASH TUESDAY III

INJURY
October 16 was the day that my troubles began. I was on my way to work at 5:45 am. It is dark and getting cold. I step out of my front door across the porch and miss the first step. I literally FLEW down the 5 cement steps with only my right knee making impact on one of the stairs. The full force of my body weight HIT onto the cement with my hands, wrist, elbows, shoulders and then knees getting the full brunt of the fall. I rolled over on my back and lay for what it seemed like an eternity assessing my injury. I have had three broken arms in my life and knew when I finally got up that something was definitely wrong......So off to the Emergency room I go. The ER had cleared my right elbow and both wrists but I had a radial head fracture on my left elbow (broken elbows) and sent me home with a referral to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. I knew something was up with the right side but had to wait while swelling went down and the Surgeon could assess my injury better. X rays were repeated and the right elbow was more injured than the left elbow.....I didn't even mention the knees. The treatment was done as a let's try this first before a) Splinting b) Surgery. I was to forget that I have two arms and act like I was an armless person!!! Every 10 days or so I would have X rays and if there was movement of the radial heads healing area then I would have to have surgery, splints (casts) and rehab!!!! Even more time away from my life.... I was besides myself because this was the most inconvenient time for me...... As if anytime would have been better.

THE COULD NOTS
~I could not drive and felt at the mercy of others
~I could not dress my self easily and even went to a neighbor to hook up my bra.
~I could not easily go potty, take down, wipe, pull up. Enough said... Thank you Mom!!!
~I could not pet, hug or walk my 90 lbs of snuggle puppy Mesa. Thank you to my dog loving friend.
~I could not cook. I had to depend on every morsel of food to be fixed or provided for me. I have great family and friends who would either bring me food with leftovers to pop in the microwave or took me out. I even had to rely on someone to cut up my food.


This was the first time in my life that I was the one who had to rely on otherS.... that was humbling.

My saving grace was the I could carry up to 3 lbs and I could hold my arms in front of me use the computer and read blogs!!! This is when I discovered ya'll.

Fast forward 6 weeks and the MD has increased my weight lifting to 10 lbs and I talk him into getting back to work (I was so bored at home) releasing me two weeks early than he wanted with a promise from me that I would take it easy and stop working if I had anything happen. This is the time I decide to work like crazy.....I had not gotten my Dossier completely done and was looking at needing to come up with more money not only for the adoption fees but also for the accrued medical expense. SO I WORK 60 HRS EACH WEEK DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. During this time I started to feel a tightness over my chest around the heart area. Holy Crap!!!! On top of all this I am now having heart problems!!! This was one of the reasons I was scared to death to proceed with my adoption. I have a good friend who is a Cardiologist and he was able to fit me in immediately for a stress echo. Now because of my elbow and leg/knee limitation this had to be done as a drug induced speeding up of the heart. What was a scare at the first ended up reassuring me the I have strong heart muscle, no blockage and the chest pain/tightness was due to the muscle injury from the fall, lack of muscle usage for 6 weeks and then overdoing it by working TOO much!!!

FLASH TO TODAY...
ELBOWS are healed but weak.....
I still have majors furniture refinish project unfinished, a kitchen that has been waiting to be painted for 8 months now (that is another story) a yard that never got winterized and arm muscles that cannot hold a 15 lb baby more than five minutes. All these projects will get done eventually and I will plug along getting them done and building up my strength in my arms to carry Tate. This should make my wait for Tate fly by???!!!