Monday 5 August 2013

FRACTURED WRIST

It's been 11 weeks 4 days since the incident that left me with a fractured wrist - a Compound Open Fracture of my left wrist... followed by surgery, a metal plate and 6 screws inside my wrist, stitches for 2 weeks, and a plaster cast  for 6 weeks. Plaster cast and stitches now off. But what I never envisaged, is the total inability to use my hand, fingers, or wrist... flex and bend them, or apply the smallest pressure to them. They feel like so delicate, wooden and weak....

Hence the absence of blog posts since May.

May was set to be a busy month anyway, since it was 3 weeks away from celebrating my biggest birthday so far .... Ok, a bit obvious! But it was a significant birthday with an 0 at the end...and a big party celebration planned... 150 guests invited.

Since then, May 16th, life has changed.

Taking either of my hands for granted in future is never going to happen! I am still unable to dress myself completely on my own (bra's can be a challenge!), or eat with a knife and fork. That means, I either pick up my food with fingers, or choose food that can be scooped up with only a fork. Eating out in company can be difficult. I am still wearing elasticated trousers, as I am unable to pull a zip together to do it up. These are 3 of the myriad of things I am unable to do.

How did it happen? You might well ask! I was assaulted by a neighbour ... pushed over flying, ended up flat on my back, cracked my head on the brick drive. Why? Because I told him that his dog had killed one of our chickens. And, it regularly comes in our garden, front and back. He went mad.... ballistic...like a dangerous animal....by the way, both he and his wife are retired police.

...And I thought I lived in a nice neighbourhood! Now I am scared to leave my house and walk on foot anywhere.

I'm not able to drive still, as I cannot grip the steering wheel, change gears, or pull up the handbrake with my left hand. So unless I get taken somewhere, I am housebound. In the countryside, buses are few to non existent, and the walk to the train station is too far.

Anyway, thank goodness it is my left hand, not my right. Yes, I am right handed, so I have been doing Facebook.... but touch typing has not been an option.

Progress is slow, tedious, and very painful, as I have also got damage to the nerves, causing Chronic, Regional Pain Syndrome. Since May 16th, I have taken over 1,000 pain tablets, which causes me some concern. I am very unhappy about the long term effect on my organs.

On the plus side, painful as it still is, with the help of the strong painkillers, I am writing this post...but must stop now, as I am in too much pain.

Although I have been unable to do any new writing, I have been doing the 4th edit on my novel
The Last Year of Childhood, slowly, between eating and sleeping 3 or 4 times a day. Yes, I get tired and sleepy a lot.

I pray for quicker progress, although I am thankful that it wasn't my scull that was fractured, or worse...

See you next time.

Marilyn x