Post-surgery was difficult. You don't realize how important each body part is when you have full use of your body. Even a toe. But when you only the use of one arm, it limits everything you can do. I couldn't just sit and watch Netflicks like I wanted to. I have 3 little kids. The first day as I stated before was the worst pain. Throbbing pain because the anestesia had worn off.
So many things were challenging. But, I felt grateful that my arm was not on the mend. It was fixed.
What I could do was quite limited. I could not put my hair up. Creighton had to put my hair in a messy bun everyday. And it was not pretty or tight. I could only lift my arm a tiny bit and could not touch my head with my right arm because it was casted at a 90 degree angle. I could not tie my shoes. Being stuck at a 90 degree angle and in pain really makes a lot of things difficult. I was not able to cut fruits and vegetables. I amwriting this 2 years after this happened an
d to be honest, I don't even remember how I managed to care for my kids. Changing diapers was really fun. My 10 month baby, Juniper would roll over, squirm, and crawl away. Changing my clothes was also quite challenging. I had to be super careful. I showered with my arm in a plastic bag, holding it up so it wouldn't get wet.
I had this stone that I LOVED. I can't remember what it was called. I put it in my cast because I felt like i should, and it disappeared. I have not foud it in the 2 years since the incident.
Mandy and Victoria from preschool helped me pick up lily and take her home for 2 weeks. I didn't drive suring this time. I stayed home and only left to go to the doctor. Tami sent me a howlite bracelet to help with my bone healing. I had amazing supplements, which included Vitamin D with vitamin K, Dr.. Christopher's bone and tissue complete- internally and externally. I used energy work to release trauma and emotions that were stored in my elbow, which I believe played a crucial role in my healing.
After my surgery, I could not feel my arm at all. It felt like a slinky where I moved my spirit arm but physically is stayed there. My hand and fingers were extremely swollen. My baby wanted to nurse, but I couldn't because of the anesthesia. I had to pump and dump and even that was challenging. She hardly took the bottle. It wasn't until I tried someof my sisters frozen breastmilk that she took it willingly, and maybe it was because she was hungry. But I think it being my sisters milk helped. The 1st day after surgery, It was so painful! I hurt like the dickens with throbbing pain in my bones. The 2nd say, it was a little less painful. But I still had all the same limitations.
I tool narcotics for 1 day, and then decided to stop taking them just use IBP.
About 1 week after surgery, It wasn't painful. The benefit of having surgery is that healing is a little quicker is some ways because I have the metal plate and screws keeping my bones in alignment. I was able to reach my head a little closer as 1 week approached.
2-6 weeks:
I could touch my head by the time it was 2 weeks after I had surgery. It wasn't hurting anymore. My arm felt secure in the cast. I used the sling often because it felt more secure. Luckily, my mom came to help. She drove me to the orthopedic center so I could get my cast taken off and given an arm brace. I had 3 little kids running around. Juniper was still in the carseat. I brought snacks for the kids. And the nice ladies at the desk gave them some toys and snacks as well. A bone pen to be exact. And a bone sticky.
I went into the room to get my cast off. The stitches looked like black spider webs along my incision. Lily looked scarred and amazed at my arm all at the same time. They took the stiches out and the back of my forearm and elbow was black and blue. All of a sudden, my arm did not feel secure any more. It felt so vulnerable. And part of me wanted the cast back on.
With the new brace, it allowed me to work on my extension now, and they set it so I wouldn't get my flexion past 90 degrees. I think I even drove to the hopsital. Each day, my arm was a little less swollen and bruised. It was the biggest help having my mom there. What made this even hard was the fact that er were moving into our NEW house. Because I was still in the cast while packing boxes, I had so much help. I would not have been able to doit without all the help. It was a true miracle. I am forever grateful for Vanessa, and Brooksany for helping me.
We moved into our houseat the end of February. I was still in the brace. My extention was increasing every day. The best thing about not having a cast on was the fact that I could take a SHOWER and get my arm WET. It felt glorious. It really was a day by day process of getting movement back into my arm. I would notice that I could touch my hair. And the day I was able to do my hair was even better. People said that I had a "bionic arm". What a way to enter into my new ward with a bionic arm. I talked to a ward member who also had a wrist brace and didn't have insurance. I felt sad for him. I am grateful that my mom was able to help me so much and my cousins helped us move over to our new house.
One thing that I love was going to hand therapy. They would rub lotion into my arm to loosen the muscles and tendons. It gave me ME time. I loved being able to take care of my needs. I went once a weel for 6 weeks. I only had 5 degrees left over to get my arm back to the hyperextension it was before. She told me it was perfect, but I felt it needed more. I was not in pain like other people. How blessed I was. I saw people from different walks of life in the hand therapy office. I spinned the wheel with my arms to get strength back. I put pegs on a peg board up to where my arms could reach. I moved the stick up and down to increase strength. and used the pully.
In the blesssing I had recieved right after I broke my arm, it said that I would get help from professionals, and that I would have a full recovery. I worried that this injury would be too much for C to handle and that was one of my biggest worries. I expressed it and it stress response was what I feared and I cried in the ER because of that internal conflict, when all I really needed was that it wasn't me fault. And it would all work out. And that he was here to help and support me.
I don't remember the exact timing of everything because when i first wrote this, it all got erased. But as weeks went by, my strength increased as did my range of motion. It was a 3 month recovery and what perfect timing it was with summer. Towards the end, I wore my brace less and less, despite with Dr. Higgins told me. He said that my healing went so well.
There were many blessing that came from this experience. I saw God's hand in the help i received when I needed it most. Friends helped me. Friends who I had not seen in a very long time came and helped me one day- Diana Barker from Valparaiso stake. Anna West, my earthly angel. My cousins, and aunt mayvonne. My mom. It balanced out my brain. Sometimes you need to someone to pick you up when you are in thee depths of despair. And that monday, I was! Anna was there. People showed up.
It is nearing 2 years since I had surgery and broke my elbow. The lessons I learned from this is how much God loves me and is aware of my needs. I am grateful for the experience and what it has taught me.
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